Bad time at black range with Ruger M77 .260

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I had heard a lot of horror stories about some Ruger M77s and being a Remington man I didn't think I would ever buy one. I bought an M77 Mark 2 Stainless steel in .260 caLiber with the toy plastic stock. I bought it in February 2005 and begin some range shots this spring. First I tried Factory 140 grain Remington rounds. Then I begin reloading 100 grain, 120 grain and 129 grain bullets. I have tried 5 powders in all kinds of loads in all these weights and the last was H4350. I tried five different primers, floated the barrel, two known to be true scopes and finally had the rifle checked out by a custom rifle maker that makes marine sniper rifles, among the multitude of others he makes. He said everything in the rifle was perfect.
This rifle will not group nor shoot the same pattern no matter what load or bullet you use. I have cleaned it and I have left it dirty and it is the same.
I have taken 5 minutes between shots to 10 minutes in 3 shot groups. I have shot off sand bags and a sturdy rifle rest.
At 100 yards 3 rounds may shoot 2.5 one time and 3" the next and then maybe a .750 then back to 2" groups. I have shot a 1" group and then the very next 3 with the same load will be 3.5 or maybe 2.5 with a 5 inch flyer. Everything is good and tight I even let the rifle maker mount a new 6.5 x 20 scope with Leopold steel mounts-same results. Any one else going through this? I am goin gto send it back to Ruger with some targets if the next shooting dosen't do any better. Oh yeah the trigger was smoothed out to 1 lB.Same results-scatter, scatter, scatter, maybe close then scatter again! I guess it will make a real good lamp stand or boat paddle. Damn sure tired of it. Never had a rifle do this. I have had some that 1.5 was all they woulf do but they would do it all day. This thing can't figure out if it likes 3.5 groups with 4 inch flyers or 2" groups with 3 inch flyers or--well anyway!

 

[Mannlicher]

The only thing that comes to mind, would be to check the crown. It does not take much wrong on that end, to cause flyers.

Sometimes, 'that dog just won't fight'. I would sell it, and move on.

 

[cuate]

I have two Ruger Mod. 77s, one a .243 Dad gave me several years ago, great gun, no complaints. And a little stainless 77 in .223. This rifle has a tight bore and many of my full case resized reloads will not chamber whereas they will in a Thompson Center. Still it is scoped and a fly killer and tack driver! My semi auto Ruger Mini 14 also has a tight chamber and ditto all the beforehand. It is a dandy but lacks the accuracy of the Mod. 77. How did I get off on that tangent?

 

[Foxman]

Made same comment on another thread, " I had a M77 in 222mag shot all over the field no matter what, gave it back and bought another make".
I would send it back to Ruger, although it is better no to do any mods on a new rifle if it don't shoot send it back. Ruger, I know are pretty good and will I'm sure help you.

 

[TATER]

Is it New?? If so, I would look at the crown.. If pre-owned, I would
look for Molly buildup.

 

[AJ Peacock]

I helped with 2 M77's several years ago that had the same issue. They had wood stocks though. After careful relief and rebedding they both would shoot like a house a fire.

Just a thought.

AJ

 

[Jim Watson]

My pre-warning .22-250 M77 is a fine accurate rifle but a friend's 7x57 was dreadful. He sent it back to Ruger twice. The second time they replaced the barrel and included the test target. That looked ok but not great... until he noticed that it was shot at 50 yards instead of 100. So he called his gunsmith. The gun now has a .280 Rem. barrel - I forget the brand - and shoots as well as any wood-stocked game rifle.

 

[308LAW]

Ruger had a lot of trouble with out sourced barrels for a while, but I thought that they quit using them for the very problem you are having, maybe you got a leftover poor quality barrel, check to see that the stock is not applying an uneven pressure when you shoot from the bench, if that isn't the problem I whould send it back to Ruger or trade it off on something else.

 

[Ruger4570]

I might suspect the action is moving in the "toy" stock. And possibly the barrel is rubbing. I don't know if the Ruger stock can "hold" bedding compound or not, but you could try glass bedding the action. Of cours it will probably negate the Ruger warranty.

 

[kcoop9999]

JM2CW, but I'd contact Ruger. They are one of the few companies that still understands the concept of customer service. If the rifle hasn't been modified to void the warranty, they'll do whatever it takes to make it right.