After much looking and discussion, I've decided on a Ruger 77/44 for a "first CB rifle". I've got the molds, the dies, the brass, and powder already. Although too light for Elk and Moose unless I'm very, very close, it will allow me to experiment. The Ruger is a quality rifle, plenty strong, but very light. I intend this to be a woods and brush rifle that I can pack for hours.
Ruger changed the twist on the M77/44 a while back. If your rifle is an older one it will have a slow twist and may not do well with the heavier cast bullets. If a newer one the only real problem can be the cartridge OAL for magazine feeding. Just FYI as you should enjoy the M77/44.
Larry Gibson
Cool rifle!
I've always wanted to tinker with one by: rebarreling a full contour barrel using a high quality aftemarket blank, AND build a .357 Bain & Davis even if it used a 77/357 take off IF one could be found.
It's a handy rifle.
I have one, the ruger M77 and it really likes the 265gr Ranch Dog (noe regular lube grooves) mould.
like it all,Originally Posted by like it all
After much looking and discussion, I've decided on a Ruger 77/44 for a "first CB rifle". I've got the molds, the dies, the brass, and powder already. Although too light for Elk and Moose unless I'm very, very close, it will allow me to experiment. The Ruger is a quality rifle, plenty strong, but very light. I intend this to be a woods and brush rifle that I can pack for hours.
I have the same rifle. The "too small for elk and moose" message you've heard is absolute BS. I can tell you authoritatively, you can kill anything from any distance you can reliably place shots. The Lee 310 gr. flat nose is the "hammer" on any game you decide to smite! Period. If you can reliably hit a 6" target from 150 yards (I can) then that is your working limit. If you could hit a moose from 600 yards with that rig in a vital spot, said moose is dead. The only question that remains is how do you pack it out.
PS. If I could have gotten a Ranch Dog 265 before he closed shop, I would have. That being said, I have nothing but positive comments for EVERYTHING I've asked of the Lee 310 gr. OTOH, if my Lee 240 tumble lube was all I had, and said moose presented a broadside shot at 150 yards, that boolit would drill a hole thru both shoulders and bury into the landscape every time.
Light for T-Rex? Maybe...maybe not.
Last edited by singleshot; 11-14-2013 at 11:08 PM.
Sounds good Singleshot, and you're the second guy to recommend the 310 grain Lee. I've been told that the magazine on the Ruger 77/44 may pose problems with longer boolits. I hadn't realized that the 44Mag was that efficient a killer. All good news to me as the rifle is a dream to carry and shoot.
It's going to the range on Saturday for some load testing and Chronograph tests. I'll post results as soon as I can. I'm looking for the Lee mold now, I understand that the 310 also works well in the Redhawk.
Last edited by like it all; 11-15-2013 at 01:56 AM. Reason: follow up
That may very well be an excellent CB rifle choice. Should be able to get a reasonable sized chunk of lead up to a terminal velocity and will be very efficient with powder, brass is readily available as well. What more could you possibly ask for? I like my Ruger 77 but it's a 30-06. It shoulders quickly, has an excellent Timney trigger, is very reliable and reasonably accurate but it only shoots J-words.
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NOE offers a version of the Ranch Dog, (I think even in TL design but I'm not sure) I know he has some regular lube groove versions in stock.
It's true you can't use SBH or SRH loads in the 77/44 that can accomodate OALs that are .100" or more larger than spec. That being said, if you keep your loads to "factory" OAL or under, you won't have any trouble feeeding from the magazine. You may need to experiment a little to find out the max OAL your rifle will take with that boolit.
Keep in mind, I'm assuming you have a newer rifle with 1:20" twist. If you have one of the older, slower twist barrels, you'll want to turn your full attention on the RD 265 design mentioned above. (Or, any 250-265 grain boolit with a decent meplat.)
My 77/44 is one of the new all weather models. Could I still single load the longer rounds? I do plan to experiment with COL.
Had a 77/44 some time ago. IIRC, you could chamber the longer bullets single shot. But you can get heavier bullets with the right length so that is not necessary. 300 gr is more than enough. Should be able to get about 1500 fps. with a WFNGC 300 grainer.
I experimented with 300 gr cast bullets and a subsonic load of Unique. Very quiet but still hits hard.
Interesting! I was just googling information about this exact rifle because I'm interested in it for the exact same reasons the OP bought it... that is how I cam across this thread.
I only load for handguns right now... but I've considered this design because I'm under the impression that brass used in this rifle should last longer and can be had for much cheaper.
I'm not trying to thread jack, but is there any real difference in ballistics between the .44 mag rifle and say... maybe 30-06 at 100yds? as well as accuracy?
For practical purposes at 100yds, no. However, on paper 30-06 is more powerful and has much greater range. They really shouldn't be compared because they're so different but for killing deer out 100yds, both work equally well.
I have that same rifle with a 2X6 power Vortex scope. Been shooting the LEE 310 with 16 gr. of 2400, runs about 1300 fps. Only shooting 50 yards to start with. 1.5 to 2 inch groups, gun has a horrendously bad trigger pull. But I really like the gun and load combination. I can't hunt deer with it here but it's fun to shoot.
"Some times it's just better to smile an walk away."
-161
"Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?"
-Butch Cassidy & the Sun-dance Kid
I am a RUGER fan of long standing, and love the rotary magazines.
However, my go to bullet for the .44 has been a 310gr wide flat nose cast bullet which I use in my RUGER RedHawk.
This bullet is too long for the rotary magazines sad to say, so I have never pursued one of the Ruger .44 rifles.
Working with one of the mold makers, or finding one who has a mold style/profile which still retains the WFN but in a boolit short enough to function with the RUGERs would make this a very deadly combination at reasonable ranges and of course with properly placed hits.
Maybe something of about 260 - 280gr.
I get 1300fps from the 5.5" RedHawk barrel, so the tad lighter boolit with the longer barrel it should be a fine critter getter.
Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
I use the top crimp groove on the LEE 310 and they feed fine in mine.
"Some times it's just better to smile an walk away."
-161
"Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?"
-Butch Cassidy & the Sun-dance Kid
That might be a good answer.
However, am not a fan of many of the Lee bullets, so other then for lots of bullet in handgun calibers where I may buy one of their 6 cavity molds, I don't go there.
Thought about it a year or so back when I was going to buy some of the 6 cavity molds, but they didn't have a .44 mold I liked the looks of.
Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
Like it all: Great rifle, if you want to try some of the 300 grain Lees let me know and I will send you some. Its a great boolit but shooting 300 grainers in a revolver is not my idea of fun. They should work great in your rifle.
I single load some long 300gr in my ruger 77 and they shoot fine.
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