Thoughts on Ruger 77 44
- Thread starter S Mac
- Start date
Will
Well-Known Member
I had a stainless 77/44 about 4 years ago.
By far the most frustrating rifle I ever owned. I couldn’t get jacketed or cast bullets to shoot less than 3” at 75 yards.
I tried powders from unique to h110. Cast and jacketed bullets from 200gr to 310gr. I sent mine down the road.
By far the most frustrating rifle I ever owned. I couldn’t get jacketed or cast bullets to shoot less than 3” at 75 yards.
I tried powders from unique to h110. Cast and jacketed bullets from 200gr to 310gr. I sent mine down the road.
I bought a new Ruger 77/44, .44 Mag. stainless, I owned it for 3 months.
I shot every bullet dia. and bullet weight , cast and jacketed that I could get my hands on.
Always shot groups that were 3" plus at 50 yards.
One of the most frustrating cast bullet rifles that I've ever owned.
Took it to the gun show after shooting 300 + rounds through the rifle.
A fellow thought that he just had to have it.
I told him that the rifle was dependable BUT the rifle didn't shoot great groups.
He wanted it anyway.............
My conscious was clean , I sold it.
After selling my rifle, I read several accounts of other shooters / casters that had purchased the same rifle with near identical experiences to mine.
I now own a Handi, .44 Mag. single shot that will shoot circles around that Ruger 77/44 that I owned.
Ben
I shot every bullet dia. and bullet weight , cast and jacketed that I could get my hands on.
Always shot groups that were 3" plus at 50 yards.
One of the most frustrating cast bullet rifles that I've ever owned.
Took it to the gun show after shooting 300 + rounds through the rifle.
A fellow thought that he just had to have it.
I told him that the rifle was dependable BUT the rifle didn't shoot great groups.
He wanted it anyway.............
My conscious was clean , I sold it.
After selling my rifle, I read several accounts of other shooters / casters that had purchased the same rifle with near identical experiences to mine.
I now own a Handi, .44 Mag. single shot that will shoot circles around that Ruger 77/44 that I owned.
Ben
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Wasalmonslayer
Well-Known Member
I have one and it shoots Hornady xtp’s real well so I had a mold made that clones the xtp profile and crimp location and it shoots well for me.
I tried many on hand molds and it did not like any of them!!!
Not ragged one holes but 2” groups at 100 with a scope.
I know everyone’s gun is different so your mileage may vary.
Max
I tried many on hand molds and it did not like any of them!!!
Not ragged one holes but 2” groups at 100 with a scope.
I know everyone’s gun is different so your mileage may vary.
Max
Wasalmonslayer
Well-Known Member
Mine is a blues also
Bet it has a sharp, steep throat. My Marlin 357 does and it won’t shoot anything but the MP 359640 worth a damn.
A throating realer might help but the magazine limits loads a bunch too
Wasalmonslayer
Well-Known Member
They also have an issue with the two piece bolt.
They make a shim kit to help reduce the headspace.
I never touched mine but researched it a lot and found shimming the bolt helps fix a bunch of em.
They make a shim kit to help reduce the headspace.
I never touched mine but researched it a lot and found shimming the bolt helps fix a bunch of em.
Wasalmonslayer
Well-Known Member
I think so it just depends on how much work a guys willing to do.
The videos on how to shim the bolt look simple and the shim kits are around 20 bucks.
I may try shimming mine this winter to see if it helps with tightening groups up or ???
The videos on how to shim the bolt look simple and the shim kits are around 20 bucks.
I may try shimming mine this winter to see if it helps with tightening groups up or ???
I've read a lot of glowing comments about the XX/77 series elsewhere and have been baffled. While a compact, handy little rifle than handles very nicely and is very attractive, I found the 357/77 to be the single most miserable firearms I've ever purchased. Here, I thought I'd gotten a lemon. Aside from the OAL and nose-shape limitations (expected) imposed by the magazine and throat, it had other issues as well. Notably, the consistently poor grouping with cast in my specimen was not appeased by tuning a very poor trigger, shimming the bolt or attempting to relieve forearm pressure. I had to disassemble, clean and polish parts on two new magazines to get them to work, but after that, the even fed the NOE 360180 smoothly.
I won't go on and on because it annoys me just remembering that gun, but as I removed material from one side of the barrel channel, the fore end just kept crowding from that direction. Once it got to a point where it would be visibly ugly, I stopped and contacted Ruger and never got a peep back. Several months after having sold the gun, I got a call from Ruger CS out of the blue with an apology for the delay and was asked how they might help me with my bent synthetic stock. I advised that I had sold the rifle to a guy who was of the opinion that "two-inch groups at fifty yards was plenty good for hunting deer." I got another apology and the explanation that the previous CS rep left a number of long-unanswered CS e-mails which were being pursued, so good on Ruger.
Out of the box, the bolt was extremely stiff, in fact, the first time I slapped the bolt to extract the first spent case, I actually bruised my cheek and knocked my glasses askew. Felt like an idiot and nothing pushes my PO'd button like being struck in the face. I bought the shim kit and installed the thinnest one - no difference in groups but an even stiffer bolt. I cleaned the gun right out of the box and removed some burrs and shavings. After some use, I touched up some wear points, lubed everything properly and it was still slower to chamber the next round than a Handi-Rifle.
Not just to grouse about it - I see a lot of helpful and constructive input offered here and my intent is the same. My perspective is that if I can't get a 357 to shoot ANY cast load well, there's something wrong with the gun. I shot everything from 125 grain RFPs to 180 grain WFNs using numerous obvious and proven choices in powders for everything from "bunny loads" to deer loads. No luck. I will say that the gun was extremely consistent in grouping at about two inches (at fifty yards) regardless of what combination I loaded for a cartridge, which I found interesting.
Cute little sucker and I was sorely disappointed when it didn't work out. Maybe a wood stock would have been better, but I'd already paid more for that gun than I'd ever paid for any gun I've ever bought.
I won't go on and on because it annoys me just remembering that gun, but as I removed material from one side of the barrel channel, the fore end just kept crowding from that direction. Once it got to a point where it would be visibly ugly, I stopped and contacted Ruger and never got a peep back. Several months after having sold the gun, I got a call from Ruger CS out of the blue with an apology for the delay and was asked how they might help me with my bent synthetic stock. I advised that I had sold the rifle to a guy who was of the opinion that "two-inch groups at fifty yards was plenty good for hunting deer." I got another apology and the explanation that the previous CS rep left a number of long-unanswered CS e-mails which were being pursued, so good on Ruger.
Out of the box, the bolt was extremely stiff, in fact, the first time I slapped the bolt to extract the first spent case, I actually bruised my cheek and knocked my glasses askew. Felt like an idiot and nothing pushes my PO'd button like being struck in the face. I bought the shim kit and installed the thinnest one - no difference in groups but an even stiffer bolt. I cleaned the gun right out of the box and removed some burrs and shavings. After some use, I touched up some wear points, lubed everything properly and it was still slower to chamber the next round than a Handi-Rifle.
Not just to grouse about it - I see a lot of helpful and constructive input offered here and my intent is the same. My perspective is that if I can't get a 357 to shoot ANY cast load well, there's something wrong with the gun. I shot everything from 125 grain RFPs to 180 grain WFNs using numerous obvious and proven choices in powders for everything from "bunny loads" to deer loads. No luck. I will say that the gun was extremely consistent in grouping at about two inches (at fifty yards) regardless of what combination I loaded for a cartridge, which I found interesting.
Cute little sucker and I was sorely disappointed when it didn't work out. Maybe a wood stock would have been better, but I'd already paid more for that gun than I'd ever paid for any gun I've ever bought.
fiver
Well-Known Member
these reports kind of make me upset.
I would be super happy with a [1-4 or 2-7 type] scoped 44 mag bolt rifle, instead of a lever gun for some of my hunting.
it wouldn't have been too handy for the big deer I got last year but the other two we took it would have been perfect.
a 2" type rifle doesn't inspire a lot of confidence when you got a throat patch or a high shoulder to shoot at over some sage brush at 125 yards.
I would be super happy with a [1-4 or 2-7 type] scoped 44 mag bolt rifle, instead of a lever gun for some of my hunting.
it wouldn't have been too handy for the big deer I got last year but the other two we took it would have been perfect.
a 2" type rifle doesn't inspire a lot of confidence when you got a throat patch or a high shoulder to shoot at over some sage brush at 125 yards.
Wasalmonslayer
Well-Known Member
For my truck gun it’s quite handy and knocks coyotes flat in our open country.
2” groups are not grand but sufficient for me and my uses.
2” groups are not grand but sufficient for me and my uses.