Pet loads for Ruger 77/357

[Razorback]

Have followed most of the posts about this rifle with a lot of interest. Would very much like to get ideas from anyone who loads for this rifle or the lever rifles.

I have had my Ruger for about two months and have enjoyed trying different loads, jacketed and cast without a lot of success. The bolt has been shimmed (.002). Trigger is factory,heavy but not a lot of creep. Scope is Redfield 2x7.

Cannot find 2400 powder to try.......various loads with IMR4227 and Bullseye with some powder puff 150 grain wadcutters. Those wadcutters are a blast ! They are pretty accurate to boot. Some success with XTP's, not so hot with the Keith (Lyman)
358429 so far. Some of the Keith have been a little on the hot side, casted with WW.

Almost forgot.... Have the Lyman 358311 but have not cast any yet.....

Thanks for your input.......John

[Rustyleee]

John. I don't own one myself but I know several people who do. All have said that firelapping will take it to a new level.

[altheating]

John, From what I have seen and heard they seem to like a heavy Boolit best. I'm shooting the NOE 360-180 cast from quenched WW with homemade gas checks @1550 FPS with surplus powder and Tula/wolf primers. Amazing accuracy! Mine did not like any light weight boolit. Not sure what it would do with jacketed bullets as it has never seen one. No reason to try them either. You may want to lap the barrel. Mine had no restrictions, I just got rid of the tool marks. Mine seemed to get a bit more accurate after 1500-2000 rounds. Mine definitely did not like the two Lyman moulds that I tried. The cast diameter was to small on both moulds. Borrowed a mould from Screwbolts and have been happy with the results ever since. Purchased my own mould shortly thereafter. Now I try to keep about 4, five pound coffee cans full of the 360-180's to feed it. Hope that helps, good luck with it.

[redbullitt]

I picked one of these rifles up the other day. Got the very last one out of all the stores around here. Handles great doesn't it?

I have loaded up a couple hundred rounds to try first chance I get. I did a bunch of hot 125 plated bullets with maybe 200 lee 158s loaded pretty light. Hope to get ahold of one of the NOE 180s when I can.

I have heard the same thing about the heavy bullets in these. It looks like that is just the ticket from what I have heard.

What kind of accuracy are you getting John?

[Leadforbrains]

131326131327
13.5 grains of 2400. 158 grain Gaschecked Flat point.

[Kestrel4k]

Also interested in this topic, my 77/357 gets close to 0.5" @ 50 yds with 158gr JHP handloads, but I have yet to really give it a good test.

A friend of mine also has one and he reports substantially-improved accuracy from swapping out that flexy plastic stock with a Boyds' Laminate.

LFB, at what range were those 6-shot targets you posted? Very nice.

[robg]

that load clocks 1500fps in my94, keith load

[Leadforbrains]

The two groups were at 50 yards. The Doe was at approximately at 70 yards.

[rollmyown]

John, From what I have seen and heard they seem to like a heavy Boolit best. I'm shooting the NOE 360-180 cast from quenched WW with homemade gas checks @1550 FPS with surplus powder and Tula/wolf primers. Amazing accuracy! Mine did not like any light weight boolit. Not sure what it would do with jacketed bullets as it has never seen one. No reason to try them either. You may want to lap the barrel. Mine had no restrictions, I just got rid of the tool marks. Mine seemed to get a bit more accurate after 1500-2000 rounds. Mine definitely did not like the two Lyman moulds that I tried. The cast diameter was to small on both moulds. Borrowed a mould from Screwbolts and have been happy with the results ever since. Purchased my own mould shortly thereafter. Now I try to keep about 4, five pound coffee cans full of the 360-180's to feed it. Hope that helps, good luck with it.

Is the boolit you are talking about the 360-180-SIL ?

[altheating]

No it's the NOE 360-180 WFN
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?products_id=93

[rollmyown]

Does it feed OK from the mag, and did you get the RG mould?

[altheating]

It feeds just fine. I have both, like the FN better. IMHO I do not need the hollow point, that WFN kills just fine!

[rollmyown]

Had to go the RG 2 cavity GC. That's all he's has left.

[altheating]

Send Al an email, he will cut what you want. Don't settle for what is in stock, it won't take him long to restock. IMHO why would you get a 2 cavity when a bit more money gets you a 4 cavity or a 5 cavity mould.

[lbaize3]

I am currently on a quest to find a 357 load that shoots poorly in my 77/357. Every load I have shot thus far exceeds accuracy expectations.

[Jeff Michel]

I've had the same problem as you until I tried the 358477. That one shoots pretty bad, regardless of the powder, FPS, primer and what you had for lunch. I gave up after 250 rounds, to many others shot great.


I am currently on a quest to find a 357 load that shoots poorly in my 77/357. Every load I have shot thus far exceeds accuracy expectations.

[Mica_Hiebert]

I am currently on a quest to find a 357 load that shoots poorly in my 77/357. Every load I have shot thus far exceeds accuracy expectations.

pick up some freedom arms 38 special 158 grain fmj... you can ALMOST keep them on a paper plate at 15 yards!

[Jeff82]

I use a Lee 158-grain cowboy bullet sized to 0.359, and an alloy of 8% antimony and 2% tin. There are a variety of powders that work well for me. I am currently using 6.1-grains of IMR-7526. 6.2-grains of Universal also works well. The round clocks at about 1,120 fps, and shoots to about 3.75" moa. If I use pure linotype for the bullet, I can knock about one-half inch off of the group size. If I apply a gas check the group size will shrink by about one-inch. I test at 100-yards fired from a bipod using a 1.5-4.0x scope set at 4.0x.

Hope this helps,

--Jeff