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-   -   Ruger 77 MkII (http://www.saubier.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31305)

AzSam 09-19-2016 04:12 AM

Ruger 77 MkII
 
Hi Guys,

Hope you can provide some guidance for me. I have an older friend in his late 60's that picked up a Ruger M77 MkII in .257 Roberts with a 20in barrel a few years before we met. Bless his heart, he cannot get it to shoot to save his soul, 75's up through 115grs. 1-3/4 - 2-1/2" is a good day for him. When I shoot it I can do a bit better, but not by much. The barrel heats quite quickly and after 3 rounds in as many minutes, have to let it cool, but that does not usually do much. Stringing.... pick a direction... is common place.

He loads it on the mild side even by the old factory standard, and not the newer +P loads. Keeps COL to factory length, never mind he has over half an inch more magazine space to work with. Suggested he stop driving it like and old women and at least try to shoot it closer to it's modern potential. Obviously the light fodder is not working well.

We have gone over the loading basics, proper/uniform sizing, case length, seating depths, primer seating, charge weights, etc., still so - so.

So I thought I would ask if any of you have issues with a Ruger MKII and/or the 257 Roberts. Dave is on a fixed income and any fix or tweek to the right will need to be easy on the wallet. He insists on forend pressure cuz that is what says he heard that Ruger recommends. My initial thoughts are to free float the barrel and up the octane, but then I could be wrong.

I appreciate any input, suggestions, recommendations, or experiences that anyone may have.

Many thanks,

Michael

Stevo 09-19-2016 10:15 AM

Mike are you using the Rings that came with the Gun? I am almost positive they M77 MkII uses two different size rings because of the way the receiver is made. I found this out by ordering rings for my M77/22mag which uses the same size rings. If this is your problem I have the set they sent me which are offset and your friend can have them.

long shot 09-19-2016 11:04 AM

Try partial neck sizing only and free float the barrel. I have never seen a rifle shoot "worse" due to free floating. Remove the barreled action from the stock and then try playing with the torque on the action screws. Always torque the front screw first. I run between 35-50 inch lbs on the front and generally about 10 inch lbs less on the rear depending on the rifle. It's been my experience that accuracy nodes fall in the middle and then again on the upper end of the data charts. That being said, I wouldn't hesitate to start working up the ladder with your powder loads. Check the crown on the barrel, one little nick or burr can also cause grief. Make sure to adjust the parralex on the scope if so equipped or try changing to a different scope that you positively know holds it's zero. Best of luck.........

Aaron

sicero 09-19-2016 11:36 AM

I would make sure the action is not in a twist.

Free float the barrel and bed it at both action bolt areas.

I have a lot of experience with less than full power loads.

You can usually find accuracy by reducing or increasing the powder

a little. It doesn't always have to be max load.

Did I ever say try H4895.

Not being able to do what you know is good practice makes your job

difficult. Good Luck Kenny

rickiesrevenge 09-19-2016 08:16 PM

I've had a few rugers. First thing I'd check is to make sure the front action screw isn't touching the stock. If it touches the stock all bets are off. Normally only happens when someone beds the action and doesn't relieve the hold a little. My first 30-06 ruger shot a whole lot better with the forend pressure. It was a 5/8" gun with pressure and 1.5-2" without it. If you sand it out and it doesn't work you can always put an epoxy pad in there to put it back in.

Aaron

nvreloader 09-19-2016 10:59 PM

IMHO

I would give the bbl a GOOD cleaning,
then cut a couple of pads from playing card/type material,
then add a couple pcs to each flat screw areas,
re torque the action screws and shoot some groups,
by adding the spacers should raise the action enough to clear the bbl pad,
to see the results, might surprize you.

The old 77 still has the plastic pads from when I first done that trick,
to her.

The 257 R is an easy and accurate case,
my old Ruger 77/70's era RT model, is one of my favorites,
the WHOLE family likes.

Tia,
Don

gzig5 09-20-2016 04:17 AM

Some of those Ruger barrels for a while weren't worth the steel they were made from. They corrected that but let a lot of so-so barrels get out. Could be one of those. Besides that, I would start with free floating the barrel and if that didn't do it, bed the action and first inch of the barrel and float the rest. Otherwise it might be new barrel time. 2moa will still kill a lot of stuff inside 200 yards but sounds like he's like a lot of us and won't settle for ho-hum accuracy.

AzSam 09-20-2016 01:47 PM

Thank you everyone. I will pass all this info on to Dave, and let him decide which direction he wants to go. If anyone else has any other info to pass along, we are all ears.
Thanks again, Michael

Chuck Miller 09-20-2016 01:53 PM

ruger
 
I've never owned a cartridge that shot to its potential loaded light. If accuracy was acceptable then once increased it just got better. Before I started whittling, bedding, and reinventing the wheel I would start at 2grs under max, seat the bullet at saami max and make sure there's nothing obvious about how the rifle is set up such as rings, action torque, scope, and range setup. It doesn't make any sense to me to go further until you take this first step. You do have the issue of a light short barrel to contend with, great to carry and basically designed to put a couple cold bore shots on target, extended range sessions, maybe not.

Alan in GA 09-21-2016 12:18 AM

25's.....
 
I wiould suggest Nosler 100 Ballistic Tips.... Super accurate in my 250 Savages.


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