Ruger 77/357 Stainless!!

[1longshot]

I know this new rifle was referred to in another post but I am pretty excited about it anyway. What are everyone's thoughts on this little carbine? I am going to get one for sure!!

http://www.ruger.com/products/rotaryMagazine77357/models.html

[Blammer]

Ah! a nice one I may want later. :)

[wallenba]

I've been drooling over it a few days myself.

[izzyjoe]

man i'd like to have one, but there's no way i can get with the price. you can buy alot more gun for that price.

[MT Gianni]

I would be happier if it said Max after it than Mag.

[1longshot]

There are two listed on gun broker right now. One is around $629.00 I think (buy it now)

[thehouseproduct]

I'd like one to match my 686.

[bruce drake]

Beautiful!

But I've bought two new rifles this year while deployed so that marks my expenditure limit for the year.

But perhaps next year...

It is very tempting!

Bruce

[JeffinNZ]

What would you guys use it for? Good boolit rifle but game?

[wtfooptimax200]

It's a very cool gun, but the list of practical rifles that I'd like to buy is far too long to spend $600 plus on a 357 bolt gun. There is no doubt that it would be a hoot to plink with though. Now if it was a Ruger 77/460 or 77/500 that would certainly make the list of guns to be purchased!!!!!

[altheating]

I just picked up a new 77/44 a week ago. So far, 50 yard groups are great. 100 yard groups suck! They are all over the place using cast boolits. Going to try a few j word loads today just to see what it will do. I have a Leupold 2.5-8 scope mounted on it and have done the trigger so far. I was using 2400, H110 and 10B101. powders. The last tests were with 10B101 so I'll go back to 2400 and see what happens. I really want to get this one shooting. Planned on using it on deer and pigs but not with the accuracy I'm getting so far.

[rollmyown]

I like the rifle, but would much prefer blued and with a wooden stock.

[Bret4207]

Jeff. it'd be good up to deer sized game at shorter ranges. If we shoot deer with 357 revolvers and they die, then a rifle will work too.

I like the 5.5 lbs part, but the price and stainless are a complete turn off.

[Wayne Smith]

I would be happier if it said Max after it than Mag.

Ditto. Much better cartridge in a rifle.

[theperfessor]

Not to be a Devil's advocate here but what will it do that a flat, handy levergun in the same caliber won't do?

[Blammer]

weigh less :D

[jblee10]

The Rossi weighs a half pound less, with a barrel 1.5 inches longer.

[1longshot]

Pros:

It has a unload-able magazine, a bolt action rifle profile and feel, it is a bolt action. Easier to take down and clean the bore than a lever action because you don't have to take out the lever to get the bolt out. Comes with scope rings. Base is part of the receiver, (Ruger standard). Faster locking time than a lever?

Cons:

It holds less rounds than a lever action. It is not a lever action. It is probably slower to reload than a lever.



Triggers on both rifles would need work to improve them over the factory feel.

[BCall]

I personally like the idea, but I wonder how long boolits could be seated in that rotary magazine? Could I use an RCBS 35-200? My dad has a Ruger 77/22 Hornet, and it has the same problem. You cannot seat 40 gr ballisitic tips where they were most accurate and still use the magazine.

Plus 357 max would be much cooler!

[HARRYMPOPE]

I have (and have had) quite a few 357 mag rifles and like them.With 200-275g rifle bullets they will shoot MOA at times and are a hoot to lob shots at rocks across canyons.They make a nice American rook rifle caliber.The Win 24" Legacy i have is factory throated and will chamber 250g cast bullets and will feed them reliably.I think the 77/357 magazine will be too short for the heavier rifle bullets i like to shoot.I had two of the 77/44's and they didn't shoot very well at 100 and were set up for factory 240g bullet length in the magazine.

[1longshot]

I don't have any experience with a 357 rifle, save for a few shots from my father's Marlin. I have never thought to reload bullets over 200 grains for one, but the prospect of lobbing in super heavies at long ranges is delightful at least!

I did not ponder the idea of the short magazine. It will/is probably the case heavier bullets will not work in the magazine.

Too bad.


How accurate have the lighter bullets been in your 357 rifles at say 100 yards? I have the 180 grain brass mold from NOE on order right now and was planning on using those bullets in the Ruger.

[HARRYMPOPE]

In my Ruger #1 357 and a Martini i had 160g bullets will shoot about 1.5"-2" at 100.

HMP

[NHlever]

I just picked up a new 77/44 a week ago. So far, 50 yard groups are great. 100 yard groups suck! They are all over the place using cast boolits. Going to try a few j word loads today just to see what it will do. I have a Leupold 2.5-8 scope mounted on it and have done the trigger so far. I was using 2400, H110 and 10B101. powders. The last tests were with 10B101 so I'll go back to 2400 and see what happens. I really want to get this one shooting. Planned on using it on deer and pigs but not with the accuracy I'm getting so far.


It has always seemed strange to me that one hears about this a lot, the ,.44 mag being accurate at 50 yards, but lousy at 100 at rifle velocities. It must have something to do with the way those boolits go subsonic, or something. Folks get wonderful accuracy with handguns at those ranges, and the Ruger certainly has the right twist to stabilize the boolits. I wonder if we would see the same thing if we launched those booits at handgun velocities from a rifle.

[HARRYMPOPE]

the 788 44 mag's shoot very well at 100 as do the #3's

HMP

[Bret4207]

Not to be a Devil's advocate here but what will it do that a flat, handy levergun in the same caliber won't do?

Satisfy those who like bolt guns in stainless with plastic stocks. Easier to scope too. Might handle higher pressures. That's about all I can think of.

[altheating]

21 Grains of 2400 did the trick! 1.5" groups now at 100 yds. with j-words and cast. Shot 15.5 grs of 10B101 and that shot very well too. Loaded up some more and will shot some more tomorrow morning when its a bit cooler.

[mpbarry1]

Altheathing... how many rounds did you have through that gun when you were having trouble? the reason i ask is that i had a similar experiance with a new ruger rifle. Loads that shot 4" groups when it was brand new were 1.5 inches after I had about 400 rounds through the rifle. Some of these barrels take a while to break in. just a thought.

[afish4570]

Ruger seems to ignor cast bullet shooters and reloaders. Magazines are too short for all but factory loads. And ......the price seems high even by todays standards. Would like to see how they pan out.....seems like a useful walkabout rifle. If it will handle Ranch Dogs new 175 gr. bullet coming out in Aug. it might be even better received.afish4570[smilie=s:[smilie=s:

[Thumbcocker]

My opinion of this rifle: Not something I would buy but if it appeals to you get one and have fun.

[thehouseproduct]

I would be happier if it said Max after it than Mag.
You could rechamber and single load 357 max and still run 357 mag out of the magazine.

[NoZombies]

I will wait and try to grab one used in a year or two. hopefully before they become obsolete and "collectors items"

[timkelley]

Seems awful pricey to this old fudd.:lol:

[MikeS]

Of the Ruger rifles currently offered, I'm torn between the M77 Scout rifle, or the Mini Thirty. I currently only have 2 'modern' rifles, a Winchester M94 in 30-30 (an older straight ejection model with 16" barrel), and a Thompson M1927A1 semi auto .45ACP. So in some ways I would like to add a bolt action, but I've been drooling over the mini thirty for years!

[saz]

I just picked up a new 77/44 a week ago. So far, 50 yard groups are great. 100 yard groups suck! They are all over the place using cast boolits. Going to try a few j word loads today just to see what it will do. I have a Leupold 2.5-8 scope mounted on it and have done the trigger so far. I was using 2400, H110 and 10B101. powders. The last tests were with 10B101 so I'll go back to 2400 and see what happens. I really want to get this one shooting. Planned on using it on deer and pigs but not with the accuracy I'm getting so far.

Give Lil Gun a try. It is awesome in a 44 mag.

[63 Shiloh]

OK, looks not too bad at all.

If it gets to Australia and if they don't hike the price by too much, I may just get one.

I am keen on a .357 Max, this is just a reamer away from being so. Mag length will be an issue, have any US aftermarket companies developed a 10 round double stack mag that would fit into this Ruger?

I wonder how hard it would be to do that? Surely someone has tried somewhere.

Then, it would be one nice rig, 10 rnd mag, .357 Max and a long enough barrel to get the most out of the cartridge.


Mike

[Jack Stanley]

I wouldn't mind getting one if I could be sure of not having the same problems I've had with Rugers in the past . Little thing like failure to eject reliably ( 77/22 ) wandering point of impact on a daily basis ( #3 ) and so-so accuracy ( other Ruger products ) . Perhaps they have got better at the accuracy angle so perhaps I shouldn't count that against them . The sour taste of poor quality still lingers on from that 77/22 I bought many years ago .

On the bright side maybe it would make a nice single shot with a handy on-board storage place for extra ammo and is easy to scope !:mrgreen:Do they let you test fire the rifle before paying for it to be sure it works right ?

Jack

[dbldblu]

I have a 77/44 and the chamber is so sloppy that it only shoots well with 300 gr cast or jacketed. I guess the longer bullet bridges the gap better. I would be very leery of this 77/357 until I found that it has a decent chamber. It is not just Ruger that does this. They run a body diameter reamer in deep enough for the bullet leaving it with no support.

[revolvergeek]

I like the 5.5 lbs part, but the price and stainless are a complete turn off.

Exactly. I wish it was cheaper, and blued with a wood stock so that I could shorten it easily. Chop the stock down short and put a low power scope on it and it would be a great little knock around rifle.

[jimone]

I'll wait for the 41 mag. You could almost buy a Marlin Cowboy for that price if you could find an old real one.

[NHlever]

Well, I like the idea of a very light .357 bolt gun. I would like the idea of a very light .357 lever gun too, but they don't exist either. ( I have both a Winchester, and a Marlin, and both are heavier than my .308 bolt gun) Hopefully, Ruger is doing a good job on this new offering, and I will wait to judge them until I've shot one. They are sure to be a fun gun even if they don't shoot one inch groups at 200 yards.

[altheating]

I have shot about 400 rds through the 77/44 so far plus 50 or 60 LBT lapping boolits. Accuracy averages about 2" at 100yds. I've got the barrel smooth as glass. I know it will do better, but it has been so hot here its not really fun to shoot. The 2400 shoots the best with the 429244 weighing in at 267 gr. I'm going to have Veral make me a mold for it in the 280 LFN boolit. I'm going to trust his judgement on what boolit will work, especially after seeing vast improvement on 7 or 8 rifles after using his lapping kit.