The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Bad time at black range with Ruger M77 .260

blob · September 30, 2005, 05:42 PM

I had heard a lot of horror stories about some Ruger M77s and being a Remington man I didn't think I would ever buy one. I bought an M77 Mark 2 Stainless steel in .260 caLiber with the toy plastic stock. I bought it in February 2005 and begin some range shots this spring. First I tried Factory 140 grain Remington rounds. Then I begin reloading 100 grain, 120 grain and 129 grain bullets. I have tried 5 powders in all kinds of loads in all these weights and the last was H4350. I tried five different primers, floated the barrel, two known to be true scopes and finally had the rifle checked out by a custom rifle maker that makes marine sniper rifles, among the multitude of others he makes. He said everything in the rifle was perfect.
This rifle will not group nor shoot the same pattern no matter what load or bullet you use. I have cleaned it and I have left it dirty and it is the same.
I have taken 5 minutes between shots to 10 minutes in 3 shot groups. I have shot off sand bags and a sturdy rifle rest.
At 100 yards 3 rounds may shoot 2.5 one time and 3" the next and then maybe a .750 then back to 2" groups. I have shot a 1" group and then the very next 3 with the same load will be 3.5 or maybe 2.5 with a 5 inch flyer. Everything is good and tight I even let the rifle maker mount a new 6.5 x 20 scope with Leopold steel mounts-same results. Any one else going through this? I am goin gto send it back to Ruger with some targets if the next shooting dosen't do any better. Oh yeah the trigger was smoothed out to 1 lB.Same results-scatter, scatter, scatter, maybe close then scatter again! I guess it will make a real good lamp stand or boat paddle. Damn sure tired of it. Never had a rifle do this. I have had some that 1.5 was all they woulf do but they would do it all day. This thing can't figure out if it likes 3.5 groups with 4 inch flyers or 2" groups with 3 inch flyers or--well anyway!

September 30, 2005, 05:42 PM	#1
blob Member Join Date: July 7, 2005 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 32	Bad time at black range with Ruger M77 .260 I had heard a lot of horror stories about some Ruger M77s and being a Remington man I didn't think I would ever buy one. I bought an M77 Mark 2 Stainless steel in .260 caLiber with the toy plastic stock. I bought it in February 2005 and begin some range shots this spring. First I tried Factory 140 grain Remington rounds. Then I begin reloading 100 grain, 120 grain and 129 grain bullets. I have tried 5 powders in all kinds of loads in all these weights and the last was H4350. I tried five different primers, floated the barrel, two known to be true scopes and finally had the rifle checked out by a custom rifle maker that makes marine sniper rifles, among the multitude of others he makes. He said everything in the rifle was perfect. This rifle will not group nor shoot the same pattern no matter what load or bullet you use. I have cleaned it and I have left it dirty and it is the same. I have taken 5 minutes between shots to 10 minutes in 3 shot groups. I have shot off sand bags and a sturdy rifle rest. At 100 yards 3 rounds may shoot 2.5 one time and 3" the next and then maybe a .750 then back to 2" groups. I have shot a 1" group and then the very next 3 with the same load will be 3.5 or maybe 2.5 with a 5 inch flyer. Everything is good and tight I even let the rifle maker mount a new 6.5 x 20 scope with Leopold steel mounts-same results. Any one else going through this? I am goin gto send it back to Ruger with some targets if the next shooting dosen't do any better. Oh yeah the trigger was smoothed out to 1 lB.Same results-scatter, scatter, scatter, maybe close then scatter again! I guess it will make a real good lamp stand or boat paddle. Damn sure tired of it. Never had a rifle do this. I have had some that 1.5 was all they woulf do but they would do it all day. This thing can't figure out if it likes 3.5 groups with 4 inch flyers or 2" groups with 3 inch flyers or--well anyway!