What's your experience with Ruger rifles?

[crimsondave]

Let me start by saying I'm not slamming Ruger rifles, just giving my experience. I've had a M77 in 30-06, a 77-22, a Ruger #1 in 45-70, and presently have a 10-22. None of them would/will group worth a crap, and I reload. I admit, I did not try many loads in the #1, but I tried a ton of loads in bullet weights from 125 to 180 in the 06 and never got it do shoot under 5".

Even though it is not very accurate, I do like my 1022 because, unlike the Rem. auto I had, it will cycle.

 

[joefish84]

when my 7 mag isnt destroying the scopes i put on it i can group quarters at 100 yds

 

[detrod]

Love my MINI

Had it for 5 years and no problems.... the grouping issue i have is my glasses moving around.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Hawkeye .30-06 sub moa shooter with the cheap ammo. Federal 150gn loads at Walmart--$14 a box.

580 Mini--minute of 12x12 gong at 300yds--that's right 300-- with WWB 5.56 55 grainers.

Walmart Special 10/22 1in groups at 50yds--again with the cheap ammo.

Only mods done to any of them is a VQ hammer in the 10/22. And scopes of course.

These would probably be better if I spent more time or used better ammo--but these aren't bad as they are.

 

[Slamfire]

My Ruger Tactical M77 actually shot well, but the factory bedding pounded itself out and I bedded the action.

My results with pictures are here: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=480098&highlight=ruger+M77

My rifle was shooting well to start with, and the final product was sub MOA.

I believe that the hammer forged barrel machine that Ruger is using is making some of the best barrels they have ever made.

Back in the 70's and 80's, Ruger barrels were not high quality, though the Ruger #1 barrels were a notch above the 77 barrels.

Five inch groups are awful, I really doubt bedding the action would bring 5MOA groups down to 1 MOA, maybe you have a poor barrel.

The factory barrel on my Ruger 10/22 had a huge chamber. You could drop a round in the thing and cause it to wobble by pressing on the rim. You can't do that with a match barrel.

Still, it was perfectly adequate for squirrel hunting, and if functioned with some of the worst examples of rimfire ammo that could be found.

 

[johnwilliamson062]

None of them would/will group worth a crap

5 inch is pretty bad. None of my Rugers are target guns, but they all group more than well enough to hunt.

 

[seant]

I have had good ones and bad ones. My 338 federal hawkeye will shoot under 1/4 inch groups. I had an older 243 that would barely shoot a 12 inch group.

 

[crimsondave]

That explains it slamfire, all those rifles save the 1022 are from the 80's. I may have to try one of the new ones. The 1022 is the only one I still own.

 

[James R. Burke]

I love the Ruger No 1's. Never had a problem with any or them. Even the 10/22. I have the No 1 in a 30-06 in a light sporter, and my wifes has the same rifle in a .243. Both will shoot under 1" at 100 yards all day long if I do my part. Thats with hunting rounds. Great to reload for. I had the No 1 in a .416 rem mag. Same there great gun accurate never had a problem with any of them. Never done anything to them straight out of the box. With the 06 I use a Nosler 165 grain partition for deer. For playing around I use a 110 grain v-max. I was very surprized at how accurate it was with that light bullet. Leaves a crow in a red mist. There are lots of great rifles out there, but I really like the Rugers.

 

[Blue Grass]

I have an old Ruger 77V 2tone laminate stock in .223. It's the most unpicky (is that a word?) rifle I've ever owned. It will shoot anything well. With handloads, it will literally shoot 1 ragged hole groups at 100-200 yrds. It's the one that won't ever get sold.
Had a model 77 in .243 that wouldn't group. It was a beautiful rifle but it never shot worth a darn. I put a Nikon Monarch scope with Leupold rings on it. I free floated the barrel. I had it glass bedded. I put a Timney trigger on it. I handloaded every bullet-powder-primer combo in the book. The best it ever shot was 2-3". Finally gave up and traded it for a Savage that is a tackdriver.
As with any rifle,"You pays your money and you takes your chances."

 

[kiwi56]

Ruger rifles

Some people are lucky enough to get good barrels on their Rugers but others are not so lucky. I once bought a relatively new Ruger M77R in 30-06 and the rifling looked like it had been cut with a hammer & cold chisel . It wouldn't shoot a group to save itself and 2.5 inch groups were the norm at 100 yards.
I kept that rifle about three weeks and got rid of it. It is a shame that a company like Ruger don't put more effort into quality control in there barrels I have heard similar things with 10-22 and mini14 barrels as well.

 

[starbuck125]

I have a ruger mark II 25-06, target model, heavy barrel, floating stock, it'll group 3 shots great ,cover them with a quarter with hornady 117 gr. sst.Love the rifle, hate the weight.After deer season its being sold or traded.anyway, i"ve never had any problems out of the rifle,except for the usual flaws, me not doing my part or scopes off.but i"ve heard of many that have had trouble with grouping.

 

[Dave85]

I own what might be the only Ruger 10/22 that came out of the box showing excellent accuracy. It is a stainless International Model. The very first shot I made out of it was at 50 yards from a rest. It literally took the center out of the X on my Shoot•N•C target. To this day I wish that I'd stopped right there and waited for the cease-fire. I would love to have seen what kind of response I might have gotten from Bill Ruger if I'd mailed him that with a thank you letter. Oh well.

As it stands, I was way too excited by that, and I proceeded to put tiny little clusters all over that target, and a bunch of other targets since. From everything I hear, I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

 

[22-rimfire]

You have much more expereince with Ruger rifles than I do. I have a 10/22 and a Mini. Have considered buying a Model 77 that had nice wood, but opted not to as I am not a fan of Ruger's centerfire rifles in general. But I like the Mini; and don't expect 1 MOA out of it. I expect that with regular sporters however and hence will not take a chance with Ruger.

 

[mp4]

My first was a 10/22...I couldn't get rid of it fast enough. I ended up trading it for a dining room table. I don't quite see why folks make such a fuss about them. On the other side, I currently own a 77/22 mag - heavy barrel and love it. Fit, finish, action are all wonderful and it shoots real nice with the right ammo - I wouldn't trade this one.

 

[hammie]

My 1980 .257 Rbts, #1-B wll barely stay on an 8.5x11 inch target paper. My late 80's .250 Svg Mdl 77 will do 2 to 3 inch groups, if I'm lucky. My 2007 .257 Rbts hawkeye will do 3 shot groups under an inch.

 

[sc928porsche]

I have had my M77R for close to 40 years. It still fires under MOA and has been a terrific rifle all this time. It has been rugged and reliable with never a problem. Be it hunting or just spending time on the range, it gets the job done. You cant ask for much more than that.

 

[Scorch]

I love Rugers because of their ruggedness and reliability. My first 77 (which I still own) is from 1978, and I have owned many since then. Older Rugers were hit and miss, accuracy was tyically 1 1/2"-2" at 100 yds, but you would occasionally come across a 4" shooter and a sub-MOA shooter. In 1990, Ruger began making the 77 MkII with hammer-forged barrels, and typical M77accuracy since then has been pretty good.

 

[qwman68]

my 580 series mini is the cats meow. love it. is it a tack driver ...no.. will it hit what im shootin at ..yes ..everytime

 

[Crankylove]

I have 2 Ruger rifles right now (always lookin for more to bring home)
77/22 Hornet that has had zero issues since I bought it new, and a M77 Hawkeye in .358 Winchester. The .358 I have only had about a year, but it has been flawless so far. Both can shoot better groups than I can, and have no problems with fit or finish. My father had a Ruger M77 in .458 Win before he sold it to my unlce to finance a 416 Rigby, my younger brother has a M77VT in .220 Swift and a M77 MKII in .270, and my older brother has a M77 Hawkeye in .223. All have been good rifles, and I have yet to hear any regrets about buying them.