Has anybody experience with the Ruger M77 Mark II in .458 Lott? Most of what I have read is positive. Recommendations have been for a trigger job and stock bedding to keep the stock from breaking (necessary?). A decelerator pad along with a mercury recoil would seem to make sense. Any specific recommendations?

One write-up stated that on a number of rifles the cartridge would not eject when the bolt was worked slowly, given the inherent design of the ejector. Anybody have any practical experience with the M77 Magnums, and the Lott in particular?

Thanks!

I love my M77 Magnum in .416. Definetly replace that piece of tire they call a recoil pad. I'm making due with the trigger for now and am getting MOA out of it, but the trigger is definetly lacking.

I have not had it bed. I have an excellent piece of wood and maybe treading on thin ice with not doing so, but time will tell.

Also the safety lever is a bit small, does anyone know if there is a way to replace it with a slightly larger one?

[ 07-18-2003, 00:54: Message edited by: GMaxson ]

I would glass bed it just to be sure in the Lott caliber. I think its cross bolted if I recall correctly...the safty can be built up with tig welding...the factory can be worked over by a "good smith" and it is a good trigger..or simply replace it....A crisp 3.5 to 4 lbs is a good idea on a Lott.

That's a lott(punn intended) of money for a rifle with a bad recoil pad, needing bedding,and a bad trigger.

I can get a CZ for a grand less, without the bad trigger...

s

Socrates,
the Ruger can be had for under 1300 so it's not quite that bad I have CZs in 375 and 416 and like them, but my Ruger RSM 416 is my favorite and is really a gorgeous rifle with wonderful wood and that quarter rib. Yep it needs a pad, trigger and bed job...but the CZs need work too. Those of use that have the RSMs really love them.

John

Just took possession of my Ruger MkII in 458 Lott a couple days ago and have shot 3 boxes of ammo. The first time, I could shoot 12 rounds in it as the recoil was fiercer than my Rigby and somehow developed a flinch. The rifle was a tad light for the caliber. I added tungsten rods glass bedded in the forearm and in the buttstock and the problem was solved. The wood was just as purty as my other 3 and came with a 3 1/2# trigger. I got 1.6" 5-shot groups at 50 Yds. with solids and softpoints. I then shot off hand and went slow, went fast and it all fed very well. IMO, the Ruger is one of the best bargain rifle packages with a heavier rifle than Win's and Rem's. I shot the groups with iron sights and will add detachable mounts and scope just for the hell of it.

Anyone know what a person can expect to pay for this rifle? I've been searching all over the net for a price but cant find anything. I think my shop is open today so I will give them a try.

MSR is about $1500-$1600 but it could be found for about $1300 or so. There isn't very much fudge room on these guns as the Dealer's cost is just $1300.

Is the cost on the .458 different then the .416? Dealer cost of $1300 sounds high to me since I bought a .416 for $1100.

Dealer cost is alot lower than $1300 dollars. Hell, I'd sell them all day long with a smile on my face for $1300...

GMaxson, Did you buy your 416 at a local shop? I am startinf a search for one soon.

Socs
The CZ's have split a whole bunch of stocks out in the big bore calibers...Any factory stock in a big bore should be glassed and especially in 458 Lott and larger which also require cross bolts as well.....All factory rifles except the Win. M-70, benifit from a custom trigger...

These are all pretty good guns, but the factories cannot do a lot of hand fitting and finishing and sell the gun for the prices they do....However IMO, the factory institutions have been taken over by bean counters and the quality control has gone to pot in ALL of them....

I want no factory rifle on todays market, I prefer pre 64 Winchesters, and some of the old used Mausers floating around that were made in England, I just bought a nice English 375 completely refurbished by Dennis Erhardt for $1600.00 no makers name, just proofs, but it is a superb rifle...

I see a lot of real nice hardly used custom rifles by top makers on the market for 25 cents on the dollar. I saw a Jerry Fisher in the gunlist for $3200. Several Bisens for under $3000 and a Gary Gowdy for $1300, now those are unbelievable deals...The used custom gun market is a good place to shop...

OOPS!! What I meant was that the dealer's cost is just UNDER $1300(maybe 2-300.)

I paid a dealer friend and customer of mine $1110 for a Ruger .416 Rigby last week. My trigger on it isn't bad, about 3 3/4 lb, don't think I'll mess with it, sights are very good, and it's heavy enough it don't kill you with recoi. As someone said, recoil was exhilarating, something like that, at least until about the tenth shot. I sure as hell wouldn't trade it for a factory CZ, as it not only needs rebedded, needs a whole damn stock.

By the way, I read the stuff about not ejecting if the bolt's worked fast, they must be capable of working it a bunch faster than I. I put mine at waist level, worked it as fast as I could yank it back, it almost ejected cases through my living room wall. I think this report may have been operator failure, not ejection failure, as I've also tried it on my 7x57 which has been shot a ton, is filthy dirty, beat all to hell, works perfectly.

GMAXSON--Go to the classified and look for Mbogo375's post on his 375. He's got 2 pictures of purty 375 on there. This is the NEW MODEL Ruger Mk II. They usually come with decent wood, barrel band forward of the stock and IMHO the best factory triggers. If your 416 doesn't have the barrel band in front of the stock, then you have an older model. But don't be concerned, obviously you have been having fun with yours and like my other post to you JUST SHOOT IT AND HAVE FUN WITH IT. The difference in price is reflected by the different models out there also whether it was just sitting in the store and gathering dust and not selling.

METOO, I buy all my guns from Guns-Galore in Fenton. It's about $20 in gas, but I usually save at least a couple hundred per gun with them.

I like mine alot, paid $1230 (incl ttl) last Oct. Just got it back from the stock doctor, added pachmyr pad, 1/4" spacer, and bedded the stock. Bedding was definately needed as the recoil lug was digging into the mortise after only about 100 rds fired. Trigger is just okay and will not be worked on for now. Adding some length really tamed the beast. Can't brag that it's a pleasure to shoot but it is shooting inside 1/2" @ 100 yds off the bench and doesn't make my teeth hurt anymore.

Thanks GMaxson, I pass by there on 23 occasionally but it's usually after hours. Saw one at Bob's in Hastings a couple of years ago...