My new Ruger 77/357

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I can't buy presents for everyone and not get something for myself, right? Well this little beauty should be great for small game to the biggest stuff that can be found in Michigan.

Here she is with all the factory filth still on her.

[Revoliver]

Congratulations!!!

I LOVE mine, and I'm sure you'll love yours too!

I recomend the Skinner barrel mount aperture/peep sight to replace the rear folding sight. I have and it's fantastic.

[Ozzieman]

A year ago I picked up a 77/44. My only dislikes at the time was that the bolt was not very smooth and made a lot of noise. The magazine is impossible to remove with any kind of glove on and difficult at the best of times.
I found it very difficult to get the gun to group but once I found a good bullet and load it will hold several inches at 100 yards.
I put a 3X9 Redfield on the gun. The Ruger rings are very good and the ring scope combination holds 0 very well.
Once suggestion, if you do scope the gun make sure you try it with the Ruger rings before you buy. The clearance between the bolt and scope is very tight on this one. It does clear but if you wrap your hand around the bolt you won’t get it open. You have to use the tips of the fingers.
Personally I would have purchased a smaller scope for this gun since it’s only a 100 yard range but I wanted to try one of the new Redfield’s and I tried the one in the photo.
Don’t think I am bad mouthing the gun, I had a few issues but I really like the gun over all. Here in Indiana where only pistol caliber rifles are allowed for deer it is a VERY good choice.

[davery25]

Nice one. why did you go for a bolt action instead of a level action out of curiosity?

[cornbush]

If you think you need the taller rings call ruger, they will swap them out for high rings, most of their guns come with medium height rings.

[aarondhgraham]

I was considering buying one of those rifles a year ago,,,
I wanted to know if there was a problem using .38 special ammo in it.

I sent Ruger an E-mail asking about this,,,
The reply I got was a bit wishy-washy in content.

Basically they said it would chamber and fire .38 special ammo with no problem,,,
But if it didn't feed properly from the magazine they had no responsibility,,,
None of their advertisement said a thing about .38 so no guarantee.

Just an FYI thing for your knowledge base.

Aarond

.

[Vermonter]

Man if they ever make a lefty of this that would have been my first question. Hmm any owners can say for sure either way?

Regards, Vermonter

[Noreaster]

Great little gun. You can load that up or down for all kinds of game. I'd like to see the ballistics from a Federal Vita Shok A frame coming out of that barrel.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Nice one. why did you go for a bolt action instead of a level action out of curiosity?

1. I love Ruger products
2. It was cheap about $600 at LGS
3. It's easy to unload (don't have to cycle the leaver)
4. It's a very safe design. Lever guns tend to put your finger on the trigger as you cycle and the hammer can slip as you try to let it down easy.
5. All weather design may hold up better than wood and blue steel.
6. Comes with scope rings.
7. Because it's cool

That said I do plan on getting a lever gun in .45 Colt

[SteelChickenShooter]

I liked my Ruger 357 just fine as far as weight, balance, accuracy and so on. Seemed like a mighty fine little rifle until the magazine failed to pop the rounds up to the top. The factory mag was defective and Ruger sent me a replacement. Was not so impressed even with that one. And still the thought of having the 44 was in the back of my mind. I sold it off at a loss and replaced it with the 44. Packs a bit more punch for deer and it operates just fine as far as loading & feeding. I put a nice Leupold 2-7 scope on it. I regard it as a pretty nice 100 yard deer gun. And I think the more powerful 44 Mag makes me feel better, especially if I was to hit a large buck with it.

[Ozzieman]

Mine shoots 44 specials fine but I keep a look out for any lead ring.
Also I didn’t go with the higher rings since the height of the scope with this gun is perfect for me. An addition to Steel chicken’s comment on the mag, I do wish Ruger had given a little more thought to the magazine. In the 44 it will work with the few factory rounds that I have tried. But I don’t shoot much factory ammo.
My favorite deer load is with a lead 320 GR bullet made by Penn, in my lever action and a Handy Rifle that a friend owns the thing is a 75 mm howitzer on deer. But it’s too long for the magazine in the Ruger. The gun is accurate with them but you have to load them from the top. The magazine needs to be ¼ inch longer. Also using wad cutters the first out of the mag can get caught.

7. Because it's cool

Yea, I don’t think I have a gun that draws more questions when I’m shooting it at the range. It does draw a crowd.

[smee78]

I am on the hunt for a used one for a good price,,,,one day I will find one but I'm realy not in a hurry, my lever gun is running just find.

[SteelChickenShooter]

I admit, I stick with common Factory ammo now. Normal soft point hunting rounds in 44 Mag from Remington & Winchester.
The rounds that did not work in the 357 were the hard cast Corbon Hunter 200g. The original magazine was defective in that the drum would not rotate 360 degrees. It would rotate and perhaps feed one round by turning 180 degrees. Then it would bind. The replacement, in my opinion was of poor design or quality. The end plate was loose. If you snugged the center screw so the end pieces would be drawn into an aligned fit, the rounds could not feed. I didn't like what I thought was a "loose" or "sloppy" component to an otherwise very nice rifle. My 44 Mag magazine is fine. Was not the same with the 357.

[Ozzieman]

One round I did find accurate and has good ballistics coefficient for a handgun bullet was the Leverlution.
Hand loading the round was a disaster. I couldn’t find a bullet seater that matched the profile of the bullet and deformed them when they were seated.
http://www.hornady.com/store/44-Mag-...EVERevolution/
http://www.hornady.com/store/357-Mag...EVERevolution/

[barefoot]

I just got one of those myself a couple weeks ago. Will be interested in your range report.
When I took mine to the range, my mag full, with 110gr WWB, were satisfactory, but the second magazine with 125gr Rem, was all over the place. when I went back to the 110gr, it was still all over the place.
I'm going to chalk it up to bad eyes/iron sights and a new gun getting dirty fast. Will try again soon. I plan on getting a magnified optic soon - maybe a Trijicon accupoint.

[45YearsShooting]

I couldn’t find a bullet seater that matched the profile of the bullet and deformed them when they were seated.

I have read that RCBS will make you a custom bullet seating plug if you send them a couple of your bullets. I don't think they charge much at all for this service; something like 20 bucks.

[Ozzieman]

I have read that RCBS will make you a custom bullet seating plug
Redding will also but for the price of the bullet and have the seater made is not worth the effort for me. There are so many good lead bullets that will take 1600 FPS that will work just as well. My main point is that there is a very good factory load out there that is made for hunting deer rather than using a round that is made for self defense. The other good point about the Leverlution is that it will work in a lever action and they also make it in 357.

[AK103K]

Ive had a 77/357 for about a year now.

I posted this here last year when I got it, so to save retyping it.....

http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...ghlight=77+357

I just picked one up about a week ago. Its a handy rifle and reminds me of my 77/22, weight and feel wise. Havent shot it much yet, around 300 rounds of .38 and .357.

It doesnt like my .38 158 LSWC's I use in my pistols. At 25 yards, they dont do to bad, but at 50, they are all over the place.

I also had troubles with "rim lock" in the mag with the .38's. Locks it up tight. Doesnt do it all the time, but enough to be annoying. Seems Ruger knows of the issue, as I found a link on Google where they were saying it could be an issue due to the 38's being shorter than the 357's and moving around in the mag under recoil, allowing the rims to get out of whack.

So far, with the .357's, Ive tried some old 125 grain JHPs that someone gave me (dont know the make), and some Speer 135 grain Gold Dots. It seems to like the 125's. I was getting 5 rounds into about an inch at 50 yards on a regular basis, and a couple of inches at 100. It didnt like the 135's. They were giving me fist sized groups at 50, and I didnt bother at 100.

I need to try some 158 JHP's and see how they do.
(ETA: It still likes the 125's the best. The 158's shot about like the 135's)

I was going to just leave it at iron sights, and did get a NECG peep for it. It lasted the first day, and its back in the bag (if anyones interested in one, let me know ). Nice, well made sight, but a little fiddly to adjust. My problem with it is, in the position I want to put it (the rear most ring mount), it blocks the bolt from opening. At the second mounting point, its a little farther away than I like. I ended up putting a Leupold fixed 4x on it, and its working OK. (ETA: I took the scope off and have been using the stock iron sights. I just like the way it handles better without the scope. I still have the NECG peep too, and its going up on EBay soon as I can get around to it..... hint, hint .)

One thing I was surprised at was the trigger. Every other Ruger rifle, or handgun for that matter, has had a crappy trigger. This one is actually pretty nice, and Im not going to mess with it.

The bolt is a little stiff, and it could be a little longer with a bigger knob. Its not real user friendly when you try to work it quick.

The stock is nice, but I hate recoil pads, and like most rifles these days, it came with one. It makes the gun a tad long, and it tends to snag when you shoulder it. Of course, they dont seem to offer a butt plate for it, so if I keep it, Ill have to fit one. (ETA: I did replace the recoil pad with a butt plate, and do like it better. LOP is perfect now.)

I mainly got this because I was bored and wanted something different. At this point, I have a feeling its going to be back in the shop before to long, unless something really grows on me. (ETA: I still have it, but Im still basically on the fence with it. At this point, if I thought Id get close to what I paid for it, Id probably let it go.)

[SteelChickenShooter]

Just admiring the profile and cleaning up my 77/44 rifle after some days and nights in the woods. Getting back to the OP: you put a Leupold 2-7X33 scope on that, using the rings that came in the box, and you'll having one sweet shooter. Hoping you have better luck with the magazine than I did with mine.
I'd like to add a comment addressed to post number 4. To me, it's not a matter of lever vs. bolt action. There's plenty of room for both. In my case, this bolt action Ruger in a pistol caliber is just to sweet to pass up. Light weight, stainless, synthetic, with a small scope- it is one honey of a shooter too. One minor point I don't agree on with the OP though- there are black bear and elk not to mention some very large deer in Michigan. I just think the 44Mag is a better choice. But if you don't hunt those larger big game animals, I'd never find fault for wanting the 357. Like I said- it is one sweet shooter if the magazine works.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Well, I took it out today and I was pretty pleased. The rear sight needed windage adjustment so all my groups were to the right, but still grouped well.

I was at a bench but a far from ideal set up. Only using the iron sights at 35 yards with a sand bag my 150gr LRN .38 cast bullets shot the best with 4.0grn of bullseye but nothing shot really bad.

When I got home I beat on it with a brass punch so it should be all set.

I didn't get any rimlock and the magazine fed well, but was kinda hard to put back in with gloves on. The semi-wadcutters needed a firm push to get them up the ramp cleanly.

I'm going to try it with a Trijicon Accupoint soon. I think this will be an ideal deer rifle at 50-100 yards which in these woods is all you can really see anyway.

[Ozzieman]

Trijicon Accupoint
That would be one nice package, please share photos.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Scope mounted and here are my groups. I'll say I'm new to shooting a scoped rifle and my technique isn't the best. I was also just using a block of wood on a table. I didn't have a fancy rest or even a bean bag.

I had only 50 rounds total to sight in then practice with.




I've heard people say this rifle isn't accurate, but I'm very happy with the results. I'll keep testing more ammo to find what works best.

[AK103K]

Looks good!

I see yours likes the 125's too.

[FALPhil]

4. It's a very safe design. Lever guns tend to put your finger on the trigger as you cycle and the hammer can slip as you try to let it down easy.

I have never had this "problem". You are doing something wrong.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I have never had this "problem". You are doing something wrong.

I haven't had that problem either so lets knock on wood.