Ruger .223

RHPredator

RHPredator

New member
I was just browsing for a new rifle at the local gun store, to be used primarily for fox/coyote hunting in upstate NY. While there, I came across a Ruger M77 Mark II compact rifle in .223 caliber.

The gun has a short barrel (16 1/2") and I was wondering what you all thought about this rifle for my purposes (hunting in farmland and timber)? I'm essentially new to the sport and trying to learn as much as I can quickly so I can get out there this season. Thanks for your help! Here's the link to the page:

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=7963&return=Y#
 
By the Savage model 16 in stainless and spend the difference on good glass. the Savage has a 1/9 inch twist so
bullets in 55 grain and up will do well.
 
The M77 is a nice rifle...I own 3 of them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The only thing that I don't like is the 16" tube. Kinda noisy for my taste. The "standard" M77 isn't much heavier, and the 20" barrel makes a world of difference in the noise department.

Either will make you a wonderful calling rifle.

(now the Ruger bashers can comment.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)
 
I have got to be honest with you here. I am working to get a .223 ruger to shoot right now and I have never in my life had this much trouble finding a load for a gun. I know this is just one gun, but a .223 should be the easiest load to accurize and this gun hasn't liked anything I have fed through it yet.

In my opinion, I would spend my money on a Remington or Tikka instead. JMHO.
 
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I should have mentioned that the gun is selling for $599 at the gun shop (not $805 like the Ruger web site lists).



The Ruger website lists "Manufacturers Suggested Retail", which is WAY over what you can purchase a rifle for. That particular M77 sould sell for $550 - $599.

I don't have a M77 in a .223, but I do have a .308, a .22/250, and a .204, and they will all shoot 1.5" with factory ammo. The .204 will shoot .75" with handloads. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
My son recently got a stainless all weather M77 .223. I worked the trigger and bedded it, same as I did my M700 .223. Both shoot the same load way better than we can shoot it. Many of the groups are around half an inch. 26.5 Benchmark-50gr. Speer TNT bullet. He recently shot the Ruger at 300 yards to track trajectory and put 3 into 1.5". I think we'll continue to buy Rugers.
 
I have two Ruger 77's in .223 and one Remington Model 7 in .223. The Rem will out shoot the Rugers (I will probably sell them), do yourself a huge favor, get the Model 7. Light weight, accurate, not loud and easy to handle.
 
It seems we are back to something that is hard for me to understand. You buy a rifle and pay alot of money for it. Then you have to rework it and bed it to get it to shoot? 270 is lucky as he can do this himself and not have to pay someone else. The rifle should shoot out of the box in the first place.
 
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It seems we are back to something that is hard for me to understand. You buy a rifle and pay alot of money for it. Then you have to rework it and bed it to get it to shoot? 270 is lucky as he can do this himself and not have to pay someone else. The rifle should shoot out of the box in the first place.



All manufacturers today seem to have some sort of problem with their guns. Todays' Remingtons' have horrible triggers, lousy stocks unless you get the HS Precision stocked models etc. Ruger has issues, AR's have issues. Face it guys, we all just cannot leave our guns STOCK. We tinker and play with each gun. The truth is we want a custom rifle from a stock over the counter rifle. Even the bench guys with their multi thousand dollar rifles tinker at least a bit. Why don't all us AR guys shoot the same 20 inch XYZ brand A2 AR-15? Because we MUST TINKER. A 1-1/2 inch group rifle is considered good to some (not me) and bad to others, I think 1/2 inch is big. Factories consider 1-1/2 in groups as NORMAL. My Rem 700 VS is not that great an accurate rifle considering the cost and what I have had to do to it to get it below 1 inch at 100 yards (lap lugs, torque action screws etc,etc). My Ruger M77 MK II has had the same work done to it, and it will shoot about 1/4 inch at 100. I do not have to match prep the brass on the Ruger, but I do on the Remington just to get it under that 1 MOA. My AR will out-shoot the Remington 700. We really buy our guns over the counter to use as a base firearm to build a better one...... My 2 cents...JOHN
 
I think it would be fine but the 16" barrel is going to be loud. I have a ruger 22-250 and it shoots everything I've ever shot through it less than MOA. It's not finicky at all. My daughter has a youth model 77 in .260 and the only factory load I ever shot through it was a little over an inch and handloads are right around moa. Good enough for me and the deer she shot.

If you like the rifle, go for it. I would look at all of the rifles in the weight range and caliber you want and go from there though. Remmy's and Savage are known for accuracy but I honestly don't hink you'll be unhappy with a Ruger. I love ours and would have no problem recommending them.
 
Thanks for all of your advice. I took the advice on the longer barrel and went with a new Ruger M77 Mark II in .223 caliber with a 22" barrel. The price seemed right for a new rifle ($475 - sale price plus a 5% discount). Now I just need to get a new scope, get sighted in, and get out there and try calling some critters...
 
RHPredator ....

I think you made a good choice. I have the same rifle in .243 and I have had good success with it. I did end up putting a Timney trigger on it. This really improved my groups and was well worth the $80 I spent.

I agree with the above posts about it not making sense to have to spend more money to improve a rifle that is new. These "acceptable" 1.5" to 2.0" 100 yard groups being produced by so many manufacturers translates to what I call "ridiculous" groups at 200 yards and beyond. I don't want any rifle that isn't produced to higher standards. I was told that I got lucky with my Ruger rifle. Maybe I did ... I am not sure as it is the only Ruger rifle I own. I shot some .500" to .750" groups with it (Federal ammo) until I started reloading. Now, this rifle will shoot groups in that range with 3 different bullets/loads.

Good shooting to you ....
 
I think it's likely that this Ruger is OK . I have stayed away from them because of all the bad press they get on this site and others . I think Ruger is on to something by offering a carbine like this and I'm building a similar gun from a Savage 16FSS with an accu triger .I can say that from the factory and with the cheap plastic stock my Savage 7-08 shoots MOA groups with Rem 140 grain factory shells .There are a lot of Ruger guys out there so the Model 77 can't be all bad . I say get what makes you feel good and make it shoot .
 
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Thanks for all of your advice. I took the advice on the longer barrel and went with a new Ruger M77 Mark II in .223 caliber with a 22" barrel. The price seemed right for a new rifle ($475 - sale price plus a 5% discount). Now I just need to get a new scope, get sighted in, and get out there and try calling some critters...



Good choice, when you are ready the 3 best things you can do to any factory rifle made today is 1) lap the bolt lugs and 2) trigger job,,,On the Ruger, for about $80.00 you can get a Timney trigger and 3) bed the stock, either piller or full bedding.....JOHN
 
i honed the trigger and floated the barrel and worked up a load with 87 grain sierra varminters for my ruger 25-06 and it will shoot 5/8s inch 5 shot groups at 100yds. i must be another lucky one. i love my rugers.
 
I have a Ruger M77 Mark II in .223. Covers 5 shots with a dime at 100 yards. Next I bought the same rifle in a .270 caliber. It'll put 5 shots in a quarter at 100 yards.

Needless to say, I think Rugers are fine rifles.
 


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