13 minute read
Ruger’s Rugged Flagship: The Model 77 Turns 50
A half-century on, it’s no coincidence that the upstart bolt-action that took on the big boys remains one of most respected ri es in the eld.
BY JOHN ZENT, Editorial Director
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ow’s this for oddball coincidence? For last year’s bear hunt in our 49th state, I took a ri e then in its 49th year of manufacture. If you can nd any signi cance in that, please let me know. As far as I can see, it simply means that the Ruger Model 77 has reached a big, round milestone here in 2018—uncommon longevity for any consumer product, let alone a rearm.
It was my rst time using the Ruger in Alaska, and I have to wonder why, since on eight trips spread over 25 years, there were guides in nearly every camp relying on M77s, including on a Dall sheep hunt just a few months back. That seems worthy of our attention, since the men and women who work in those camps tend to have more than average gun sense and must balance value with everyday performance under conditions far more trying than most of us face. While I’m not arguing that my limited observations apply to Alaskans as a whole, later in this article I will share evidence from a well-positioned source suggesting that this may indeed be the case.
Even so, sales to Alaskans aren’t what has kept Ruger in the M77 business for a half-century. This seminal bolt-action—in many incarnations—has proven itself around the globe, including wherever you hunt and shoot. Ruggedness and real value have always ranked high in our American character, and those two stubbornly appealing traits allowed an upstart ri e from an ambitious gunmaker to compete with a pair of national treasures. How An Upstart Tackled The Icons
On the heels of its .44 Mag. (1959) and 10/22 (1964) semi-automatic carbines, plus the classy No. 1 single-shot (1966), Ruger was still fairly new to the long-gun business when it introduced the Model 77 in 1968. From what was a modest launch—an economical ($160) short-action offered
Three distinct M77 generations (opposite, l. to r.) are exempli ed by: a rst-year production push-feed action with innovative Ruger integral scope bases; a Mark II Magnum with true controlled-round feed and an integral barrel rib; and a current Hawkeye with the ne LC6 trigger.
Photo by author
in .22-250 Rem., .243 Win., 6 mm Rem. and .308 Win.— the subsequent half-century of production has progressed through three distinct generational periods. During the run it has been rendered in scores of model variations spanning rim re, center- re and muzzleloader platforms, and nearly 60 different chamberings ranging from .17 HM2 to .458 Lott. Perhaps the Model 77 never quite caught up in terms of lore and overall sales to the Winchester Model 70 and Remington Model 700, but its history suggests that Ruger strived to outdo the big boys in its sheer number and variety of innovative applications.
American Ri eman’s initial coverage from February 1969 hailed Ruger’s new entry “based on the Mauser turnbolt” and praised its “clean, simple” looks, “excellent handling,” lockup and assembly strength, and fast lock time. The reviewer explained how to access and adjust the single-stage trigger’s pull weight, but cautioned readers not to tamper with sear engagement and overtravel screws. He also noted that the receiver, bolt and other action parts were investment castings, and that the trigger guard/ oorplate was “made of lightweight alloy,” ways in which the Ruger differed from the steel forgings offered in competing models. Like the Model 70, it sported a at-bottomed receiver secured to the stock by three guard screws, but instead of all three exerting the customary vertical tension, Ruger angled its forward screw toward the muzzle. The resulting rearward pull effectively strengthened the receiver recoil lug’s interface with the stock shoulder. This innovation has remained an M77 hallmark throughout its entire 50-year run. Another brainstorm was the “rugged” integral scope mount machined into the receiver, whose value was wisely leveraged by including a set of rings with each ri e. This generation is typically identi ed as the “tang-safety M77,” referring to its sliding, two-position toggle.
In 1970, Ruger rolled out what it then called the “Model 77 Magnum,” an action a scant 3/8" longer but which would reliably cycle standard-length cartridges. Accordingly, offerings such as .25-06 Rem., .270 Win., 7 mm Rem. Mag. and .30-’06 Sprg. were added to the roster, surely making the Ruger far more competitive in big-game circles. Eventually the base model would be known as the 77R, but hardly a year has gone by without design tweaks or major line extensions, a reflection on a corporate philosophy to aggressively pursue new materials, technology, styling and changing shooter preferences. The M77 has been an early adopter of numerous newly developed or resurrected factory chamberings, some proprietary to Ruger, some not. A partial list includes: .17 HMR, .17 HM2, .17 Hornet, .204 Ruger, 6 mm PPC, 6.5 mm Creedmoor, 6.8 mm SPC, .300 RCM, .338 Federal, .338 RCM, .35 Whelen, .375 Ruger, .416 Ruger, .450 Bushmaster and .458 Lott. At one time or other nostalgia buffs could find .22 Hornet, .220 Swift, .250 Savage, 6.5x55 mm Swedish, .284 Win., .350 Rem. Mag. and .416 Rigby. And where else could one get a bolt-action carbine scaled to shoot revolver cartridges such as .357 Mag. and .44 Mag.?
Veteran Alaska guide Dave Fischer isn’t alone in relying on the discontinued Mark II All-Weather Stainless as his working ri e. Ruggedness and affordability made the AWS an all-time favorite among residents, guides and hunters visiting the 49th state.
The Model 77’s angled front guard screw pulls the barreled action rearward to increase tension with the stock’s recoil shoulder (above). Considered its best design yet, Ruger’s LC6 trigger is standard on current Hawkeyes (r.).
Wide-ranging variants would come to include: the heavy-barreled M77V Varmint (1969); the big-bore M77 RSC (1976), with deluxe wood and steel bottom metal; the M77 International (1982) with full Mannlicher-type stock; and the just-6-lb. M77 RL (1983). The 77/22 rim re (1984) exhibited a unique mid-bolt lockup, along with the line’s rst three-position safety, and it fed from a detachable rotary magazine that would carry over into iterations like the 77/22 Hornet and pistol-caliber models.
Though early American Ri eman reporting prominently cited the Mauser lineage, it never really stated that the original M77 was incapable of its forerunner’s most desired feature—controlled-round feed. Though tted with a fulllength (4.647") claw extractor, the bolt face was partially recessed and housed a plunger-type ejector. The beveled claw didn’t hook over the case rim until the cartridge push-fed into chamber tension. The resulting lack of controlled feeding was discussed by numerous gun writers over the years, but not in these pages until Field Editor Finn Aagaard and NRA Technical Editor Pete Dickey made note of it in the early 1990s. Correcting Course—The Mark ||
By that time, however, a serious makeover had occurred, and the resulting second-generation Ruger M77 Mark II sported a at bolt face slotted at four o’clock to work with a blade-type ejector, and now the non-rotating, full-length claw did indeed give ri emen the coveted controlled feed that had been missing from mass-produced American-made bolt guns since Winchester dropped it in the mid-1960s.
It was at this point—my rst trip to the north country—that I began seeing Ruger turnbolts at work in Alaska. A fellow hunter brought one for his combo grizzly/ sheep hunt, and though I can’t recall with certainty, I’m guessing it was one of the new Mark IIs. That’s because the man was almost brand new to hunting, and his gear was noticeably fresh and high-end. So it stands to reason he was toting the “improved” design—in .338 Win. Mag., no less. When we trooped out to the camp’s shooting bench, it was impressive how well this beginner—who, at most, went 5'5"/140 lbs.—shot the powerful ri e. We were paired up for the rst few days, and though plucky, he struggled climbing the steep mountains. Neither of us got a ram that week, but I heard later that he killed his bear, no doubt a happy justi cation for lugging the big Ruger.
In fact, dangerous game was partly responsible for the re-design. Not only did the Mark II function as a true Mauser 98 derivative, it adopted the Model 70-style sideswing, three-position safety that allows bolt operation with the safety engaged.
Though the base M77R’s lines were originally drafted by stockmaker Lenard Brownell, father of the “American classic” look, the Mark II was praised for the even sleeker proportions of its hand-checkered walnut stocks. Additional updates included a stainless steel bolt and re-shaped bottom metal. Gone, however, was the original’s adjustable trigger, and some commenters predictably called the replacement “lawyerized.”
Where the rst-gen M77’s intro was quite conservative,
Despite their Mauser-style extractor, early “tang-safety” Model 77s didn’t provide true controlled-round feed, but nonetheless became known for strength, value and a stream of specialized models.
Photo by author
Hawkeye Guide Gun
Grizzly guide Paul Lenmark may have painted the barrel of his Model 77 AWS, but clearly wasn’t worried about planting its synthetic stock in the snow.
the Mark II stormed the market with options. In short order one could get: left-handed stocks; carbine-length 18½" or 20" barrels; lightweights weighing 6 lbs. or less; factory open sights; and target versions combining heavycontour 28" barrels, laminated stocks and the new, proprietary Target Grey metal nish. Coming later was Ruger’s rst of repeated takes on the Cooper-concept Scout ri e: Dubbed the Mark II Frontier, it teamed a 16½ " barrel with a cantilever base that facilitated forward scope mounting.
Also new, and reportedly a pet project of CEO Bill Ruger himself, was the Mark II Magnum (RSM), a robust safari model with all the trappings Mr. Ruger had once admired in swanky Grif n & Howes and other mid-20th century
RUGER M77
MANUFACTURER: STURM, RUGER, (DEPT. AR) 1 LACEY PLACE, SOUTHPORT, CT 06890; (203) 259-7843 ; RUGER.COM
1.0" 0.75"
12.75" TO 14.25"
ACTION TYPE: BOLT-ACTION, CENTERFIRE
REPEATING RIFLE CHAMBERING: .375 RUGER 41" TO 42.5"
RECEIVER: STAINLESS STEEL STOCK: GREEN MOUNTAIN LAMINATED WOOD;
THREE 1/2" SPACERS INCLUDED BARREL: MEDIUM-HEAVY CONTOUR; 1:12" RH
TWIST; MUZZLE THREADED 5/8X18 TPI MAGAZINE: HINGED FLOORPLATE, THREE-
ROUND CAPACITY 20"
SIGHTS: ADJUSTABLE V-BLADE REAR;
INTERCHANGEABLE FRONT BEAD;
INTEGRAL SCOPE MOUNTS TRIGGER: SINGLE-STAGE; 3-LB., 8-OZ. PULL WEIGHT: 8 LBS., 2 OZS. ACCESSORIES: OWNER’S MANUAL RADIAL PORT MUZZLE BRAKE (INSTALLED),
MATCHED WEIGHT AND THREAD PROTECTOR MSRP: $1,279
The latest Model 77 purpose-built for harsh climes and heavy game is the Guide Gun, a Hawkeye treatment optimized for ruggedness. It replaced the Hawkeye Alaskan in 2013, essentially swapping the former’s Hogue OverMolded synthetic stock for a beefy laminate that bumps up the weight by a couple ounces. It has a cushy rubber buttpad, all the better for tempering the kick from chamberings ranging from .30-’06 Sprg. to .416 Ruger. Half-inch spacers (three included) can be userinserted to increase the length of pull from 12.75" to 14.25" .
The Green Mountain stock blends green, black and brown layers for a stylized camou age effect to go with the combined feel of wood and stability of synthetic. Like others, Ruger is now relying mostly on laminated stocks for its high-end extreme-duty ri es, and typical of laminates, the checkering on our sample Guide Gun was not fancy but actually provided a superior grip.
The Guide Gun’s stainless-steel metalwork features a 20" hammerforged, magnum-contour barrel that likewise is accessorized. It ships with Ruger’s proprietary Radial Port muzzle brake installed, which can be easily be swapped for a matched weight or thread protector, both supplied as accessories. Also included is a set of 1" Ruger rings. A barrel-mounted rear express sight pairs a shallow-V blade with an interchangeable white bead at the muzzle. Also present is a barrelband sling attachment to team with the stock’s twin studs.
The exterior bears Ruger’s durable, medium-gray Hawkeye Matte, a coating that’s a couple shades lighter than the rm’s earlier Target Grey nish. Its hinged oorplate is secured from accidental dumping by a release latch embedded within the trigger guard, and it comes engraved with the Ruger logo. It’s an attractive touch that also appears on the nearby grip cap.
The biggest plus of the Hawkeye generation is its LC6 trigger, and our loaner’s fully met expectations, breaking consistently at 3 lbs., 8 ozs., with negligible creep. For a hunting ri e, especially one intended for dangerous game, it strikes an able balance between responsiveness and the spine needed for high-stress action. We felt it enhanced our efforts at the range, where our .375 Ruger test ri e averaged 1.3" groups with Hornady Superformance 270-gr. Spire-Point.
M77 INTERNATIONAL
express ri es. Chambered in .375 H&H Mag., .416 Rigby or .458 Lott, the RSM dazzled in hand-checkered Circassian walnut accented with an ebony fore-end tip, and it weighed from 9 lbs., 8 ozs. to 10 lbs. Finn Aagaard called it “ … almost too big for the .375 H&H … perfect for the .416 Rigby and other largecased rounds.” Perhaps its most impressive feature was the quarter rib machined integral to the barrel and tted with two folding sight leaves, an addition that Ruger biographer Larry Wilson wrote pushed production time to seven hours.
The churn for new variants also produced the most recognizable and proli c of the Mark II generation—the All-Weather Stainless (AWS). In production from 1990 until 2006, this series deserves prime attention in the context of Alaska. Both tough and cheap (originally $531 MSRP), it clicked with guides, resident hunters and Lower-48 visitors alike. I daresay you know it: bright metalwork ashing from a molded black Zytel stock. The sides of
continued on p. 72
Fittingly, I took the Ruger to Alaska for a coastal brown bear hunt, where the unavoidable exposure to salt water can cause overnight corrosion. Despite some hard knocks and a couple of drenchings, only the sling-attachment studs showed any rust, and while the stock took punishment from barnacleencrusted boulders, it came home with only minor dings.
Scoped and fully loaded, the Guide Gun weighed nearly 9 lbs., 12 ozs., and so it was just as well that the hunting was con ned to grassy shorelines where bears feed in early spring. Despite its weight, the ri e balanced and shouldered smoothly, and, of course, the bulk helped considerably to temper the recoil. The Guide Gun traces its rugged nature back to the Mark II All-Weather Stainless of the 1990s, and like it, is right at home in Alaska and wherever the elements conspire against lesser ri es. Sitting a couple rungs up the pricing ladder, the Guide Gun will never match its forerunner’s folk-hero status. But thanks to the latest stock-making and metal- nishing technologies, along with multiple customizing features and a ne trigger, it’s actually a better ri e for owners seeking long-term returns on their investment.