Ruger 77/17 WSM (Final ground squirrel shoot of the year)

[GCrock]

BCB
Nice rifle and great scope choice. You should be set to squeeze the most out of that rifle, with a real nice trigger pull as well. I bought the 20” sporter barrel version, and I’m happy with it. Gotta do the spring trick, as my trigger was way more than 30 ounces. My rifle shoots the 15 grain ammo really well, and did a great job on prairie dogs. Thanks for the pictures!
Greg C.

[Bayou City Boy]

Originally Posted by GCrock

BCB
Nice rifle and great scope choice. You should be set to squeeze the most out of that rifle, with a real nice trigger pull as well. I bought the 20” sporter barrel version, and I’m happy with it. Gotta do the spring trick, as my trigger was way more than 30 ounces. My rifle shoots the 15 grain ammo really well, and did a great job on prairie dogs. Thanks for the pictures!
Greg C.

I'm glad your rifle shoots well, Greg.

I was surprised at the trigger on this rifle. How light it was is the first thing I noticed while looking it over the first time. I normally have always had good triggers on Ruger rifles, but this one is exceptionally smooth for a factory rifle pull weight. I hope the barrel is as good.

-BCB

[Kiwishooter]

I would really like to own a Ruger 77 rimfire, they just need to make a left hand version and I would...…..Kiwi

[Bayou City Boy]

I’m left handed and I have shot right handed bolt action rifles my entire life. I first learned at age 6 or 7 shooting a Savage bolt action rifle. Since then, I have tried a couple of left handed bolt action rifles in my adult years and I find them to be awkward in comparison.

I do lose sight picture for a short moment while cycling a right handed bolt rifle with my right hand, but I get back on line quickly for any follow-up shots. My left hand remains fixed on the stock grip while I'm doing it. I’ve done it so long that its second nature to me. And I’m old enough now that I bet I don’t change at any point in time.

But I'm me and not someone else..........

-BCB

[GCrock]

Same here, do everything right handed except shooting. Started out on right hand rifles as a kid and as BCB said, left handed rifles feel awkward to me.

[fat cat]

Now go out and have fun with it!!!!

[Kiwishooter]

Originally Posted by Bayou City Boy

I’m left handed and I have shot right handed bolt action rifles my entire life. I first learned at age 6 or 7 shooting a Savage bolt action rifle. Since then, I have tried a couple of left handed bolt action rifles in my adult years and I find them to be awkward in comparison.

I do lose sight picture for a short moment while cycling a right handed bolt rifle with my right hand, but I get back on line quickly for any follow-up shots. My left hand remains fixed on the stock grip while I'm doing it. I’ve done it so long that its second nature to me. And I’m old enough now that I bet I don’t change at any point in time.

But I'm me and not someone else..........

-BCB

I am naturally right handed but lost the sight in my right eye when I was a teenager so had to adapt to shooting left handed. I had a right bolt rifle after this and couldn't get used to doing what you do so changed to a lever action (Savage 99).
When left bolt rifles became available, the Savage 110 and Remington 700, that is what I bought and still use.
While centrefire rifles have been available in left bolt for some time it took quite a while for left bolt rimfires to become available.

Even Ruger make a variety of left bolt centrefires yet they don't make a left bolt rimfire, so they recognise there is a need for left hand rifles.

Yep as you say everyone's different...…………..Kiwi

[Bayou City Boy]

I got out this AM and shot my new stainless 18.5" barrel Ruger 17 WSM at a public range. The range was starting to just get busy and with a full set of new targets set for roughly 60 shooting places, it was going to be awhile before they reset targets. Hence no visual proof for those who require it since I didn’t want to sit around for an undetermined amount of time…………. Just one of the “hazards” of shooting at a public range near my home on a weekend.

In a nutshell, this 18.5” Ruger, like the 24” barrel one that I have, will keep five shots well inside of a 1” square at 100 yards. That’s plenty good for my needs for a RF light varmint rifle. And as mentioned earlier, the trigger is great right out of the box.

I really like the Nikon PROSTAFF 5 4.5x18x40 side focus scope with the thin cross hair and dot reticle. It has been a few years since I’ve shot one with that type of reticle, and it is very clear and plain to see with my “new eyes”. All in all, it and the rifle are both keepers.

Win win……..

-BCB

[Screaminweasil]

Great to hear Hal. I expected nothing less. Glad you had a chance to test out the new rifle/scope combo.


Thanks for the feedback

[Bayou City Boy]

I've had a couple of questions over the life of this thread and others about the wood on my 24" Ruger 17 WSM. Its not in the same pay grade of wood as the wood that SW has, but at the time that I bought the rifle almost a year ago the supply of rifles was pretty well dried up as Ruger had taken a hiatus in building them due to less than "strong demand".

My wife and I had ventured north for a U of Wyo football game last fall (I had to see Josh Allen play one more time in a Cowboy uniform), and I got some time to stop at First Stop Guns on the way thru Rapid City, SD while visiting wife's kin in the area. This one was on the shelf there.

To be honest, at that point in time I would have bought it if it had a piece of wood marked "Portland #2 Builder Grade 2X4" as I was "needing " a 17 WSM very badly by then.

It has some definite color distinction on the butt stock with just a slight hint of burl in one spot, but overall it's better than some I've seen since then now that they are again available in the market place near me. There is also some lighter colored swirl on the under side of the stock on both sides in the action area and in front of the action that adds a bit of character.

Best of all, it and the 18.5" barreled laminate model that I bought recently both shoot extremely well.






BTW - a little lagniappe - Josh Allen was drafted #7 overall in the NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills, and now the High School QB from a vegetable farm in CA near Fresno whom no one wanted on scholarship except Craig Bohl/Wyo now has $28+ Mil in the bank. He can flat sling a football................. Plus, on the macho-manly side, his fiance is kinda' cute too. She's a former Fresno State cheerleader who he has known for years. Life must be good when you have a big bank account like he does............ And you're young....

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcyAqPog...-by=brittwilll

-BCB