Ruger Tang safety model M77 (International)

[Four Fingers of Death]

I saw a sweet little 308Win Ruger today, apparently it was originally a Mannlicher stocked model which has been cut down to a sporter.

The serial number is 78-57513, which does not show up on the Ruger site (well, I couldn't find it anyway).

I need this particular rifle like hole in the head, but it is not a bad buy. It is in excellent condition and has an older Leupold 2-7x VariX11 scope fitted. New M77s sell for $AU1100- $1AU1200 and it is priced at $AU800 (with scope, which would have a second hand value of around $AU300.

It would make a great little walk about rifle and over the years I have found that the 308Win punches above it's weight.

Any ideas on the manufacture date?

[Lloyd Smale]

I bought my 250 in the mid 80s if that helps.

[nekshot]

WHO would cut one of those stocks???????What is the penalty for that type of carnage?

[pietro]

.

Since your Ruger's SN range isn't listed in the Ruger website's history section, I would suggest you figure out the time difference between your location and Ruger's Conn USA location, and call them with your rifle's SN.

IMHO, you ought to seek out the rapist who chopped that RSI stock and give him a beat-down with it.


.

[Brasso]

Closest I can get with my Ruger book is 1984 or 85.

[Geezer in NH]

Cut like that around NH that would do good to get $400 US for it.

Mutilated stock GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! That would have been 4 times that untouched.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The previous owner was from the Northern Territory, rifle was used on crocodiles, etc in tropical swamps, etc in extreme heat and heavy rainfall. He bought it for the short barrel and got sick of 4inch groups that moved around, so he trimmed it. Did a nice job of it and turned a useless rifle into a good one.

[DougGuy]

I have a mid 1970s M77 in .308 that was the worst shooting rifle you could ever come across, just lousy beyond belief.

After lapping the locking lugs, pillar bedding the action and tang screws, steel bedding the entire action with a 100rd box of .45 Colt ammo tied to the front sling swivel (provides evenly distributed upward pressure against the barrel when the ammo is removed), using fire formed brass with pointed soft point 180gr plain base bullets seated out .025" from the rifling, this rifle now will put 3 shots into a guitar pick @ 200yds.

Those rifles have amazing potential for anyone willing to invest a little time and some bedding and some common sense into them.

[primersp]

i have an 257 rob 75-19901 until i bed the rifle, seam prefer flotaed barrel , i have good accuracy at 200m ,shoot 87 grs horndy because i bought 2000 for 100€, don't shoot well with rcbs 25-100.i think the gun was made in the early 80

[Motor]

I saw a sweet little 308Win Ruger today, apparently it was originally a Mannlicher stocked model which has been cut down to a sporter.

The serial number is 78-57513, which does not show up on the Ruger site (well, I couldn't find it anyway).

I need this particular rifle like hole in the head, but it is not a bad buy. It is in excellent condition and has an older Leupold 2-7x VariX11 scope fitted. New M77s sell for $AU1100- $1AU1200 and it is priced at $AU800 (with scope, which would have a second hand value of around $AU300.

It would make a great little walk about rifle and over the years I have found that the 308Win punches above it's weight.

Any ideas on the manufacture date?

Early tang safety M77s serial numbers started with the year of manufacturer.

I'd say it was made in 1978.

The M77 International models are very nice. A friend of mine collects them. Don't expect typical M77 accuracy. Because of the full length stock groups are typically around 2" at 100gr yard.

Motor

[fatnhappy]

nice snag Mick. As Dougguy said, these tang safety rugers can be capable of excellent accuracy. I picked up an allegedly less than stellar performer in 7-08 from the used rifle rack. $300 out the door with a weaver steel tube 6X scope in the mounts. With a thorough cleaning and a trigger job it'll hold 1.25" five shot groups at 200 yards. My son took his first deer with that rifle Columbus day youth hunt weekend.





Last year I lent the rifle to my son's best friend. He also took his first deer with it. It's a great rifle for youngsters IMHO. The 7-08 kills quite well, barks and kicks little. The extra heft with this rifle reduces recoil even further and helps with adrenaline wobble as well. It's fired 3 rounds in the hunting fields since last year and slain 3 deer quite handily.

[Four Fingers of Death]

You can't argue with that sort of performance.

[JWFilips]

Your SN falls into the 1984 manufacture Ruger just gives you a range of SN's It fall in between early 1984 and late 1984

[Four Fingers of Death]

Thanks for that JWF.

[DougGuy]

fatnhappy those are good kills from that bargain basement Ruger but would you please school them younguns on where not to lay a rifle then get in front of the muzzle..

[fatnhappy]

Had I been there that bolt would have been open. Trust me, I gave him hell over it.

[Jim_P]

I picked up a .308 Ruger Tang with heavy Ruger barrel and a target crown (which I found weird until I got the Paul Harvey) last December and proceeded to make it a better shooter. Fitted a new Richards Marksman stock in AA Fancy grade, steel filled bedded and floated the barrel and action along with pillars at the Lug and Tang screws. Fitted a Timney trigger, added a Vortex Viper PST 4-16X50 FFP scope to Ruger rings that had been lapped. Fire lapped the bore with Tubbs Final Finish rounds.

I have a target from 200 Yards where the spread is .788" for three shots. All three connect the dots. While fire lapping, I put the first 20 in the dirt, then next 30, you see six holes. One of them has 25 rounds in it and you can cover it with a quarter.

So, the Paul Harvey (the Rest of the Story) is it was out of the 'collection' of the shipping manager up at Newport, NH. I wonder if that barrel (it is stamped Ruger) was something special. It sure shoots like it!

Oh, I did keep all the original parts. It can be restored in about half an hour to the way I bought it.