Does anybody think it is worth the money to pay a gunsmith to work on a Ruger M77 to get a little more accuracy out of it? Shaving down the stock, bedding,etc.? If so, who's a good gunsmith to do that near Bardstown?
I had the barrel on my free floated and glass bedded. Then had the trigger worked on. I thought it was worth the money. I guess it depends on how much a Smith charges.
Yeah how accurate is it now. Must guns will outshoot the shooter if that makes sense. Are you wanting to do some long range shooting with it now?
If you can shoot a 1 - 1 1/4" group now with a factory rifle, you're good. If you have a 4-5 lb trigger, that's the first thing I'd do. not familiar with ruger rifles, don't know if their trigger is workable or if jewel or timney makes replacements for it. Reach out to mike ezell, gunsmith in Auburn. He doesn't post much on here anymore.
I don't think many Gunsmiths have a lot of confidence in trying to improve a Factory Ruger. I wasted some money on a M77 target once and got the best advice from a Gunsmith. "Trade that POS off," I did and got a custom bbl put on a Rem 700 and was rewarded with a "Bughole" rifle. Whatever you wish to do. Rugers are hit or miss..
It’s well worth the money, I have a m77 that I couldn’t get to group at all. I took it to Hilltop gunshop in Falls of Rough, just outside Leitchfield. He shaved down the forearm and adjusted the trigger to 2.5 lbs and now I have a sub moa gun.
My gun now shoots sub moa, but I think the trigger work probably helped more than anything. The gun shot good enough for deer killing, but I wanted to a bit more out of it because I knew I was keeping it for sentimental reasons. I reckon I’ve been hunting with it for over 20 years now. The barrel on my rifle heats up pretty quickly. Mine is the tang safety model in .270.
This is why it’s important to have the barrel floated, when it heats up it expands and if it doesn’t have adequate clearance it will cause erratic shots. That’s what was happening with mine, I’d sight it in then the next time I got it out it would be 6-8” off. Once you had the barrel heated up it would kinda group but that first cold shot would always be off until I had the barrel floated.
I love this rifle but after 300 yards it is not reliable. I have worked up a bunch of differant loads. At 200 yards I am shooting 2" groups. At 465 I am shooting 9" groups or worse. I was thinking that working on the stock and floating the barrel would give me more accuracy. I don't know what it costs I am new to this long range steel target shooting. Maybe thats acceptable? Its a blast!
What glass sits atop that rifle? Also YouTube is a powerful thing. If you’re crafty at all you might be able to do a alteration and bedding yourself at home. Furthermore what were the weather conditions you were in while getting these groups. Could wind have been any issue at 400+yards By no means am I a long range expert I’m just thinking out loud and throwing out questions
I own a few Ruger Model 77's including their 77/22 series. I had all their triggers changed and set @ 3.5-4 pounds trigger pull. I also glassed-bed my Ruger 77 MKII .270, but haven't needed to glass-bed the other ones. Just replacing the factory trigger with an adjustable trigger made the difference in accuracy. My 77/.22 Hornet rifle, and my .308 Compact Magnum, will shoot .750" or less on a good day for 5-shots @ 100 yards, with the replaced trigger, and carefully reloaded ammunition.
I fully agree that floating the Barrel is a "Given" and a replacement trigger also. What is was referring to earlier was Machine work, blue printing action, crown, etc. If you want to progress beyond the basic stock work and trigger.....Maybe you should have bought a SAVAGE, the most accurate out of the box stock rifle you can get. (Usually) ha ha. But if you are going Long Range....get your wallet out. Its endless.
Some calibers are inherently more accurate than others and easier to tune. Your factory barrel may never shoot sub MOA. Trigger, then barrel, for accuracy. Get a jewell or triggertech trigger, 2-2 1/2 lbs. I'd get a mcmillan or manners stock for it. If that doesn't help, rebarrel it. Now ya have spent $2000 on a rifle that won't ever do what you want. Sell what you got before you put too much into it. Optics....parallax adjustment, tracking and good glass are essential for LR shooting = $$$ The new Savage ultralight in 6.5 prc with a quality scope would be interesting.
I don't want to get into "I Gots" but some of these SAVAGE box stock rifles in 6 BR or 6.5 x .284, or 6.5 CM will shoot right with most of the Custom Rifles at 800 YD. SEE. I didn't say "I Got."
