Ruger M-77 Mark ll 223

[Art in Colorado]

Have the above rifle in 223 Rem. I bought in 1995. Have always shot 55 Gr. Shoots them into 1/3 Inch groups off a bench at 100 yards. With Wyoming's wolf management plan now in effect I was thinking of a heavier grain bullet maybe a 60 or 65 grain. Does anyone have any input about the accuracy of a heavier bullet in this rifle.

[thegatman]

Mine very accurate with 55 grain. I would go to a .308.

[Scharfschuetze]

I had the oddest experience with my Dad's Mark II Ruger in .223.

I decided to work up some loads for it and started with 55 grain Hornady spitzer flat base bullets. It shot them sub MOA.

I measured the twist rate and it came out to 1 in 9" so I thought... I'll try my 69 grain SMK match loads in it. Was I in for a surprise! I was off the paper at 200 yards other than an occasional hit anywhere on the paper. I checked the load at 50 yards and several of the bullets were fully keyholed at that short range.

I never have figured that out. My brother has the rifle now and seems to be pretty happy with it shooting the 55 grain bullets.

Some of those Wyoming wolves are bigger than you'd think possible thanks to their Alaskan wolf DNA. That's my home state and much of my family is still there. They all pack 30 cal rifles for their hoped for encounter with Canis Lupis. Remington makes a semi-pointed 70 grain hunting bullet for the .223 class of cartridges for deer hunting. I'd consider that bullet for your use if you stick with the .223.

[osteodoc08]

Ruger calls for a 1:9 twist with their current production 223 barrels. I'd look towards a quality and properly constructed billet of around 60-62 grains such as a Nosler Partition or bonded bullet if sticking with 223.

[arlon]

Don't fix what isn't broken. Do you really think a wolf can tell the difference between a 55gr bullet at 3000 ft/sec and a 60gr bullet at 2900 ft/sec? Dead is dead.. Maybe some difference in penetration if you were shooting elk but you aren't. Best to keep things simple. Save the money and put it to a better pair of binoculars so you can find targets easier. My $0.02..

[Tripplebeards]

Five grains isn't going to make a diffence. Both are going to splash and leave a big hole with marginal shot placement unless you don't care about the pelt. Otherwise as stated go with a big game, heavy contucted bullet which be prepaired to not group as tight. Heavily constructed bullets are not as forging on accuracy. I'd just shoot what you have....or upsize calibers. I'd use my 243 if it were me.

[Art in Colorado]

Thanks for the advice.

Art

[Scharfschuetze]

I stand corrected on the Remington 70 grain semi-pointed hunting bullet. It's actually made by Winchester. I've used them and they are a good bullet and will stabilize in a 1 in 12" barrel.

Don't use a varmint bullet on these critters. They are bigger than you suspect as they are actually more genetically akin to Alaskan or tundra wolves than the original native Rocky Mountain sub species of wolf. I've seen these big wolves in Alaska, but so far not in the continental US.

In Lander, Wyoming the elk and the deer now winter at the town limits as the wolves have forced them out of their normal winter range in the foot hills of the Wind River range. Elk could handle the smaller native wolves, but the big wolves now have them at a severe disadvantage.

I robbed this photo off of the internet. It explains why my kin carry 30 cal rifles when out in the woods or the high deserts of Wyoming. I'll be there in in July for a wedding as well as our annual shoot-a-thon. I'll have a rifle ready!

The second photo is of another guy you might run across in Wyoming. This one was more interested in ground squirrels than me and that was good, as my 357 revolver felt pretty small when looking at this guy at 70 yards. A 30 cal rifle would have been much more comforting. At this point, at least in the Park Range and the Gros Ventre range, you're more likely to see him than a wolf.

[swheeler]

I've used the 70 Speer semi pointed in my Savage 223 with 1:9 twist, Win 748 is the powder to push it 3k out of 22 inch barrel with fine accuracy, under moa at 200 yds. I could be wrong but think your 1995 Mark II 223 has a 1:12 twist.

[TexasGrunt]

Barnes 62 gr TSX. Solid copper so you'll get some expansion and more penetration.

[Scharfschuetze]

I could be wrong but think your 1995 Mark II 223 has a 1:12 twist.

That would be the logical conclusion, but alas; it was 1 in 9." Measured it several times as I just couldn't believe the results. Quite the opposite of what it should have been.

[Art in Colorado]

I am in Lander Wyoming often. Relatives there. I am there so often I have joined the Lander Valley Sportmans Assoc. I have seen the elk herds close to town that you mention. You have made me re-think my rifle options and will just go to my 30-06. Maybe my 120Gr handload that is very accurate in my Model 700. Will be there for the 4th of July and plan on using my new Ruger Mark IV at the indoor range. Have to sight it in with the Vortex Venom Red Dot.

[Scharfschuetze]

I am there so often I have joined the Lander Valley Sportmans Assoc.

I love that range. I'll be shooting there as well as out in the Gas Hills and the Sweet Water country in July.

Be sure to stop in at the Gannet Bar and have a "Rockchuck Rye" beer that they brew there.

[Art in Colorado]

Will do. You should try and hook up with Charlie Piette who just about runs the range, really great guy.