Improving accuracy M77 Mark2

[RayL42]

My hunting rifle is a Ruger M77 Mark2. It was suggested to me that I should get it beaded and float the barrel.

I don't have had any issue with accuracy on the first two shots, however I never take three when sighting it in because I know the third will be off.

In a hunting situation the third shot has never come into play in the 14 years I have hunted with this rifle.

Do you guys think bedding and floating the rifle would be of benefit. or am I just trying to fix something that is not broken.

[buschy03]

For a couple hundred bucks, you can get it bedded, muzzle crowned, and do the trigger,,,that's all you need.....

[Dick284]

^ good advice.

[prarie_boy1]

Friend of mine bought a brand new m77 Hawkeye and was experiencing similar issue’s. I brought it home floated the barrel, bedded the recoil lug/rear tang and added a timney trigger. It is now a sub MOA gun with hand loads and does not wonder from a 4 shot group. Having never been a big Ruger m77 fan in the past I changed my tune with the m77 mark 2 and Hawkeye’s they are a nice handling hunting rifle and with a little work I believe can be capable of good hunting accuracy.

[RayL42]

Originally Posted by buschy03

For a couple hundred bucks, you can get it bedded, muzzle crowned, and do the trigger,,,that's all you need.....

From the few responses so far I will get the work done.
Can some one recommend a gun smith in the Calgary area?

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by RayL42

From the few responses so far I will get the work done.
Can some one recommend a gun smith in the Calgary area?

High River Gun Worx.

[Bushleague]

I had mine bedded and free floated, which helped, but the biggest improvement came from lapping the scope rings... after the latter it was a tack driver. It made such a dramatic improvement that I suspect it would have been sub MOA, or very nearly, even without bedding and free floating.

Unless there is some actual crown damage I wouldn't be terribly inclined to blame that.

[colroggal]

Another bugbear for ruger m77 accuracy is the magazine box. When the action is torqued down (the front screw torque spec is a whopping 95 inch pounds), the mag box often is tight against the action and causes inconsistent pressure on the action. To check it, torque the action down -front to 95 (or as absolutely tight as you can get it), back to 40, middle just past snug - and feel with your finger. The mag box should have just a bit of wiggle. If it doesn't, pull the gun apart and file the box down a bit. Rinse and repeat until it wiggled.

I had a Hawkeye in 25-06 that went from an inconsistent 2-3 moa gun to sub moa with that mod alone.

Colin

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by RayL42

My hunting rifle is a Ruger M77 Mark2. It was suggested to me that I should get it beaded and float the barrel.

I don't have had any issue with accuracy on the first two shots, however I never take three when sighting it in because I know the third will be off.

In a hunting situation the third shot has never come into play in the 14 years I have hunted with this rifle.

Do you guys think bedding and floating the rifle would be of benefit. or am I just trying to fix something that is not broken.

Bed and float it. Have never seen a bedded rifle that shot worse. Some no change, others great improvement but never worse. It also reinforces the stock at the critical spots. The mag box should be slightly free, better to work on the wood where it touches than the metal mag box. Use Prussian blue of Permatex to tell where it is binding, usually right at the bottom where it meets the wood inlet, sometimes binds on the front of the mag box.

I have had a couple of Rugers that shot far better with a fully bedded barrel. If you find the POI wanders or the barrel heat wanders try a pressure point to see if that fixes the issue. If it does then I full length bed the barrel.