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Thread: Ruger 77 MK II probs

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Ruger 77 MK II probs

    I have two 77's both "compacts", 20" bbls 1:10 twists and very light weight. The .308 is a early '70's push feed and the '80's .223 is a MKII control feed. The MKII is a problem in that it is not as accurate as I'd like. I liked the .308 so much that when I saw the .223 on the shelf I just bought it.

    My only other .223 is a 1885 Browning LoWall which is a tack driver with WW748 so I tried out with 50-55 Vmax in the MKII and **** I only got 1.5 to 2.5" groups at 100 yards. MY LoWall will do 1/2 " at the same distance, same loads.

    Now I did try ladder loading & OAL tests in the MKII and got about the same accuracy limit with it. Thinking about it, It's only fired maybe 200-300 rds so Is it not 'broken in yet"?

    Last night I went out and inventoried my powders and found I had accumulated a mess of powders suitable for .223, IMR and H-4198, some Accurate 2015 that I bought during the powder shortages, Reloader 10, and a few shot canisters of ww748, H-414 and some H322. I've never tried the A2015 so maybe it or the R10 would help the MKII do better.

    I don't shoot cast in my .22's so this is about J-words, sorry.

    Am I just too picky or will a light short bbl shoot as good as the Browning tapered octagon 24"?

    Hoping that the Covid will relent soon here so I can get to the range again.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Lightweight rifles need extra attention to detail by the shooter. I have a Ruger MkII Ultralight 257 Roberts. It took me about 5 years to hold that thing consistently enough to get decent hunting accuracy. Even changing the pressure of your cheek on the comb changes impact point.

  3. #3
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    Krag I didn't think the 77 MKII's came out until early 1990's, right around the time Ruger bought a hammer forge and started making their own barrels. I have two K77 MKII I bought new 94&98?? or close. Both are the boat paddle Rynite stocks and both shoot very good for production rifles, 3 shot groups are almost always sub MOA, 5 shot groups are MOA in 22-250 and 1.25 moa in 300 mag. The compacts always interested me but the mannlicher Internationals were the ones that caught my eye, I liked the sights, gloss blue and checker mannlicher walnut. My leg hurts from kicking myself right now.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    It could have been even late '90's that I bought the MKII. I was making good money at the time and never even thought about the price. I'm a carbine fan and love short light rifles. My .308 is pretty accurate but not as good as my 1917 Enfield, which weighs about twice the R77. But I like not having to carry the Enfield.

    One thing that gets to me is that the MKII will only take 3 rds in the mag, the mag follower has little legs that limit the depth it can go down. Since its a controlled feed it limits the ammo capacity to three. I think about cutting them off and maybe getting five rds in the mag with an empty chamber for carry, but I hate modifying a gun unnecessary.

    How about the powders? Is A2015 and R10x good for .223? They seems recommended for it. They aren't often called out as much in the load data I've seen. Anyone used them?

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I have never used those powders in 223, never bought any. I mostly load with ball powders W748, H335, Bl C2 and right now WC844 and Thunderbird 2208. I used up a jug of surplus IMR 4895 and it worked good but had to trickle charge each case, I like throwing the ball powders, just as accurate and much faster.
    Charter Member #148

  6. #6
    Boolit Master



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    With Bill Ruger bolt action bedding system the tightening of the action screws is more important than the usual bolt action rifles. I got he following system from another Ruger shooter several years ago and it worked for me--your mileage may vary. Tighten the screws as follows:
    1. The front action screw very tight.
    2. The rear action screw less tight as the front screw but still quite tight.
    3. The middle action screw only enough to keep it from backing out (do not overtighten this screw or accuracy will suffer).
    This may or may not be at least part of your problem but it might be worth a try. james

  7. #7
    Boolit Master 1006's Avatar
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    The only way I have gotten MOA accuracy out of my Ruger Mark II in 30.06 is to load the bullet long enough to seat onto the lands. I started loading them long after a trigger job, bedding, and free floating the barrel did not give the accuracy desired. With this technique, it shoots better than 1 MOA with anything from 150 to 180 grain bullets.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    All Rugers I have fooled with, accurizing and loading for them, have liked to have the bullet seated out to the lands. Have you considered looking at glass bedding it, floating the barrel? How good is the trigger, could be pulling off as I have seen them very hard.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    It's been a while since I checked the bedding but I think the bbl was free floating, I generally check that on a new gun. I'll try fiddling with the action screws and see it that helps.
    I'll try seating depths when I try the R10x and A2015. I have 100+ fire formed cases for it and use a Lee collet neck sizing die set.
    I got a trigger kit for it but didn't want to modify the safety, besides the new trigger wasn't a great improvement to the factory trigger which is pretty good so I took it off. I put a new trigger kit on the .308 and it worked out well. It knocked about a lb off the pull on the .308.

    I'm hoping the limited selection of primers I have will do well. I've generally had good results with Federal SR primers. Though I generally use magnum primers for the 748.

    Maybe I just need to shoot it more to develop a feel for the rifle?

  10. #10
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    You might be surprised how much difference having the muzzle crowned will make.

  11. #11
    Boolit Mold
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    I agree with TNsailorman. The front, angled, action screw needs tightened far more than the typical action screw.

  12. #12
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    had three mark IIs one 2506 that was an absolute tack driver and i foolishly let my brother in law talk me out of. Had a 7mag and a 264 mag and neighter would do better then 2 inch and went down the road. Dont think its the short barrel or light weight barrel either. My buddy has one of those little hawkee carbines in 06 and its shoots sub moa. I had an ultra lite 250 savage tang safety that shot sub moa. I also had anohter ultra lite in 257 roberts that was minute of barn door. What ive found is accuracy in rugers is hit and miss. For me anyway more missing then hitting. Ive even tried bedding and lapping the duds and they were still duds. What make me shake my head at rugers is you can buy a 400 dollar american and about be guaranteed a moa gun and spend 800 on a hawkeye and be about guaranteed it wont. Ruger needs to ditch the 77 and come out with a new high end rifle.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Ruger has already trimmed the 77 line down to almost nothing compared to what it used to be. I'm thinking that eventually the American will be their flagship bolt action with many more options and price points. Isn't the Precision Rifle based on the American? We had an uplevel American with a cerakote finish, camo stock, and muzzle brake on the rack at my side job and it was really sharp; didn't look or feel like an econo rifle at all.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  14. #14
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    I’m in agreement about the American. My oldest daughter bought one in .243 soon after they were introduced. I was amazed that it outshot every m77 ( or #1) that I had owned or shot since they were new- except my brothers first issue .220 Swift. Then I bought a Youth model American .243 and it was a tack driver as well. Another brother of mine owns a Very accurate m77 Magnum .375 H&H- but it ought to shoot for that price. Back in the day, my $85 Remington 788 22-250 would out shoot all my friends Ruger m77s.

  15. #15
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    well, I had one in 22-250 that I just loved.. tack driver, so when I saw an 30-06 for sale, I snatched it up... couldnt ever get it to shoot like the 22-250... it was free floating and had a local well versed gunsmith take a look at it as well, gave up with it and down the road it went, plus the 30-06 kicked like a mule it was too light. but sure wish I still had that 22-250.. gave it up thinking what am I gunna do with anything 22 in Alaska.. Dohhhhh
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  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    If Ruger had gotten the accuracy problems sorted out early on with the 77 it would have been alot more competitive with the 70 and 700. The 77 already had alot of appeal with a wide selection of calibers and handsome wood and blue steel construction, in a time when it's competitors were being roundly decried for being cheapened.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master oldhenry's Avatar
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    I did not see an answer about the powders. All of my .223 guns were Remington 700 & AR match rifles. I got great accuracy with 2015 & H322. I eventually settled on H322 for the light bullets. 23.0 gr. with the Hornady 52 Match & A-Max for the short line in H.P. & the same powder & charge with the Hornady 55 gr. Vmax for prairie dogs.

    If the powder question has already been answered, excuse this post.

    Henry
    Last edited by oldhenry; 01-30-2021 at 08:25 PM.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    I eventually found enough data to figure it out, but No, it wasn't answered on the thread.
    I found that A2015 is a bit slower than 4198 and RX10 is about the same speed, and faster than 4895. Both have been used in .223 and .308 with good effect in bench rest by others. Both seem to be best with lighter bullets. This is good for me as I use 50-55 gr in the .223 and I like 125's in the .308. I found a good deal of A2015 data but the Rx10 is very scarce.
    Lee lists some A2015 jacketed loads, but not for cast so I'm on my own to see how they shoot downloaded, I'm expecting them to shoot more like 4198.
    I've tried H322 and 335 in my .223s but wasn't impressed enough to buy more.
    It's been too cold to get out in the garage to load any up and the ranges are not open up here. These old bones don't like to be cold.

    I still like my R77s and will not buy any more, just to see if the American is better. I'm interested to see how A2015 and Rx10 shoot in my 1885 Low Wall though.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by FergusonTO35 View Post
    If Ruger had gotten the accuracy problems sorted out early on with the 77 it would have been alot more competitive with the 70 and 700. The 77 already had alot of appeal with a wide selection of calibers and handsome wood and blue steel construction, in a time when it's competitors were being roundly decried for being cheapened.
    ill give that one a BIG amen!

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    I bought my Rugers because the stocks fit me like a properly-fitting shotgun. Throw the rifle to my shoulder, and I was looking through the scope. No head movement needed for a clear scope view. That is really handy with a hunting rifle.

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
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GC Gas Check