Enjoyed your vid. It could just be the ammo or something else, but HERE’S what all M77 owners need to know: Per Ruger, the front action screw (visible when you open the floor plate) is to be torqued to 95 INCH pounds (this is in the manual that came with your rifle). You don’t need a torque wrench. Just use a 3/8” flat head screw driver (Harbor Freight sells a 3/8” X8” for cheap). Although, I think some more recent Hawkeyes may have an Allen or Torx head on the action screws. Tighten it about as much as you can and it will probably be close to 75ish INCH pounds, which would be ok. 99% of grown adults could not get to 95” pounds with this screw driver using one hand, so you won’t hurt anything. Ruger has two RU-vid videos showing this (one is the reinstallation vid and another is an M77 too video). In one video they use a screw driver and just tighten as hard as possible and in the other “reinstall tion” vid they use a t-handle torque wrench. Then you want a narrower screw driver for the middle and rear screws. You tighten the rear screw snug (but not like the front screw, and the middle is just barely tight (this is because it holds up the magazine box which touches the action and you don’t want it to be part of the bedding and stress your action). Then you move onto rings and ammo, as you know that makes a difference, too. Now, keep in mind that this should be checked at the beginning of every season because the wood and metal isn’t prefectly static over time. Even synthetic stocks are ideally checked in each season. My 270 walnut Hawkeye occasionally loosens and it will open up from 3/4” groups to 3” groups when loose. Any questions, please ask. Good luck!
I think any issues with group size, at least initially, is a function of a relatively unstable shooting position. Yes, he’s bagged, and propped on something, but standing is always going to be more difficult than a comparable prone position. I’m certain it’s not an ammo issue (unless that rifle just doesn’t like either of those rounds) as I’ve grouped sub 1” with both of those out of a Tikka T3X. Vertical stringing of your shots suggests inconsistent breath control. Horizontal stringing likely a function of position and subtle swaying.
I have 2 ruger M77s and an American. The 77s are not free floated from the factory and they have a pretty hard trigger pull. You can put a lighter spring in the trigger and get it down to around 2 pounds and you can put shims under the angled recoil lug to get clearance on the barrel to see if it makes a difference. I cut shims out of a pop can on mine and it worked so well I left them in. I think I put 2 layers in each and they are still there 10 years later. It brought my M 77s down to or just under MOA. I also added Limbsaver donuts to all my rifles about 3 years ago and I regularly get 3/4 MOA or better out of all modern rifles. My M 77s are in .243 and .308. The American is 7mm08. I hope this helps, the only other thing you can do is reload. Then you can tune a load specifically to your rifle.
Thanks! I'll keep those suggestions in my back pocket. I did find some other factory ammo that did just under 3/4 inch 3 shot groups on a different day.
I know this video is a year ago… but , I have a Tikka T3X Hunter in 7mm-08 and I have had exceptionally good results with Hornady American Whitetail 139gr ammo , as well as the precision Hunter 150gr ELDX , which is my personal GoTo favorite for Elk . But I would have no problems with using the 139 grain American Whitetail for elk out to 300 yards , either or will do just fine . Those interlock bullets are tougher than you think , and perform very well , but maybe not so , as much on a quartering shot through dense bone and thick hide and muscle at longer ranges as the GMX / CX/ ELDX is capable of producing. Now they have a new line of ammunition out ( Superformance CX ) and I believe it was designed to deliver even better performance than the GMX but it requires higher velocities to open up . I bought a couple of boxes of 139 grain CX at an advertised speed of 2,950 fps , however it’s been my experience with hyper velocity ammo in any rifle no matter the manufacturer, is typically not as accurate or consistent with the groups as the more conventional moderate velocity ammo . But it’s definitely suitable for deep penetration and controlled expansion on big tough heavy game . I’ve taken elk with a .270 and Hornady “ Light Mag “ 139 grain SST ( before the Superformance line of ammo came out it used to be called Light Mag ) I flattened a big cow out in Colorado at 225 yards and she flipped over into a cartwheel and DRT 😂 I’m pretty certain that the 7mm-08 with the same Superformance 139 grain SST line would have done the same thing . Yeah it doesn’t matter what you’re using , within 300 yards any non magnum cartridge with a suitable deer load will kill ‘em just as dead as any magnum will .
Killed a buck last season with the interlocks at around 185 yards. Complete pass through. Went 20 yards. Have shot the superformance sst's but no kills. 3/8 3 shot group at 100 yards. Gun is a 243 Winchester xpr.
Another note on Barnes bullets and maybe other monolithics. Ron Spomer found that you must throughly clean your barrel before shooting Barnes bullets, for some reason they don't like the gilding metal left behind by other bullets. He recommends cleaning the barrel and then only shooting Barnes bullets in it if they shoot well.
on any new gun check the stock to reciever bolts make sure they're not loose . also check the clearance between the barrel and the stock . check your parallax adjustment and read up on it . sometimes just looking thru a scope is not accurate . you have to center your eye to the lense . if you move your eye around you'll know what i mean. to help that use "scope shadow". that is a good quality scope but if it didn't come with rings and you put your own , sometimes cheaper ones can distort the scope tube tweaking the inerds. line honing will fix that . if you do have to take the gun back tell them to check the headspace which is very important for accuracy. these gun are mass produced especially today and have their flaws . they won't just give you another new one
Was able to score a couple more boxes of this for my Tikka 08 last weekend. Last good find on 08 ammo was this Federal Academy Sports exclusive bonded 140gr. Grouped like buckshot, 100 yards group yielded 5"-7", the Hornady 139gr are at 1"-1.5" at the same 100 yards.
Nice video. Thanks. What did you decide on taking for for elk hunt? .270 is near enough the ballistic twin of your 7mm-08. So you probably couldn’t go wrong with either. I’d personally lean toward the 7mm. Really only because I have one, and I love it! Happy hunting 👍🏼
Nice video. Wondering if your gun is glass bedded and has a free floated barrel? I have a Remington CDL 24” barrel, glass bedded, free floated barrel that I bought in 2008 This gun has consistently shot the Hornady 139gr GMX, Interlock, 140gr Fusion at .75” groups and I’ve taken a number of deer elk a moose n a couple black bear with the Hornady GMX n Interlock with no problems. One of your commentators below disparages Hornady but my experience with their factory ammo and handloaded bullets have been good in several 30-06’s, 300 Win Mags n 300 WSMs, 7mm Rem Mag, 280 Rem, 308 and 25-06 calibers I have owned in Remington, Sako, Winchester n CZ rifles. All glass bedded with free floated barrels and I always lighten up the triggers.
I'm happy to hear you are having good luck with the Hornady GMX in your rifle! To answer your question, no, unfortunately it is neither glass bedded or free-floated. Its all stock. Maybe I'll have my gunsmith work mine over. That's not a bad idea! Thanks for watching and commenting!
If you watch other accuracy test with all copper bullets accuracy is usually substandard, this is because the bullet is longer to make up for weight so your rifle twist is trying to stabilize what would be a way heavier for caliber then it would be with lead. I hope this makes since. I have a Ruger Hawkeye in 30-06, it’s never really been much under 2 MOA with Factory ammo. I’ve glass bedded it, replaced the stock, added a muzzle break, and had the stock cut down to fit me. Still this hasn’t seemed to help in the accuracy department. My 30-06 likes anywhere from a 125 to a 168 grain bullet for accuracy anything heavier or lighter results in less then ideal accuracy. I did work up some mock “ 270” handloads when I first bought the rifle with 125 grain bullets which achieved sub-MOA accuracy. Just keep shooting, find a load the rifle likes and stick with it. It’s a fantastic hunting rifle. I’ve harvested plenty of feral Hogs and whitetail with mine out to 300 Yards. It’s not a long range rifle but it’s an excellent practical hunting rifle. I’ve hunted with mine since 2007.
I have a Ruger M 77 rifle that is inconsistent also. It’s a hunting rifle so it’s the first cold bore shot that counts. Did you check to see which one of the shots was the first one out of the cold bore? My experience tells me that the first shot is the outlier of the three shot group. That’s the one you need to adjust the scope to. Take a single shot then wait 15 or more minutes between shots. Let the barrel cool down to ambient air temp if possible.
Great point! Thanks for watching and commenting. I have since gotten some sub MOA groups with this rifle with Hornady Precision Hunter, Norma Tipstrike, and Hornady American Whitetail, and Barnes Vortx 120 Grain TTSX. I think my setup that day an the very hot weather conditions contributed to the larger groups. I agree that the cold bore shot is most inportant!
remember that the 77 is a hunting rifle it is meant to be carried all day and shot 1-2 times at the game animal. the thin barrel is not meant for all day shooting. You are consistently getting 2 close together and one flyer.
The Hornady Whitetail shot better than the ELDX in my 6.5 CM AB3 at 100 yards when I sighted in the rifle. I probably wouldn't buy the ELDX for my 7mm-08 based on the my experience and reading that it was better suited for hunting ranges over 400 yards. I'm planning on using my new Tikka T3X for elk. By the way, how do you like the Caldwell shooting rest bags? Have you tried using them on a bench? I thinking about switching from a Caldwell Lead Sled and to shooting rest bags. Thanks for making the video!
nice rifle bud i have the hawkeye in 220 swift. Love that mauser action bolt. That GMX in 7mm-08 is a great round bit more kick but good ammo. Try the Helix Element scope I promise you wont be disappointed. wont break your budget. Keep m coming, the 7mm08 is a awesome rifle. Try the SST round even better. The Norma 708 my Tikka dont like it 150gr Best Wishes God Bless
Awesome! Love the 7mm-08 too and Rugers! 220 swift is a beast! Yeah, I'm going to try the SSTs, I've got one box of them. I did notice increased recoil with the GMXs. I'll look at the Helix scope. Not familiar with that one. Thanks so much for stopping by, watching my vid and commenting!
I agree with TomTom33559 the American whitetail stuff is all over the board . Hornady customer service was no help as soon as they learned I'm Canadian.The only exception is there Custom Ammo it works well in my 250 Sav 99 (conclusion) The only difference between this specialized ammo in the plain stuff is the price and and box lol.
I don't see you using those expensive sand bags as intended or to the best advantage. Is your cross hair dead steady as you squeeze off? But even giving that all your shoots are well within minute of venison so I would go hunting with either ammo without changing anything. Thanks for taking the time to make the video. Very pretty stock on that Ruger. Makes my Ruger M77 in 7x57 look like a piece of American fence post. Good luck with that elk tag.
It was hard to get comfortable but it was pretty steady. Ended up using the 270 Winchester for the elk hunt using 150 Grain Federal Fusion. They worked good. 😉 Thanks for watching!
Folks have been killing Elk with cup and core hunting bullets for a long time now. If you do your part and the ammo is playing nice in your rifle. You should be good to go. Barrel temp is why I will take some other plinking guns with me to let the barrel get back to ambient temps. That cold barrel shot is what I want to replicate as much as possible when getting dialed in. Good luck.
I was just able to find a couple of boxes of Norma Whitetail in 7mm-08 for my new Tikka T3X SL and am wondering if I could use it for elk. I can't find any premium factory cartridges, but hopefully that will change before hunting season. I have some premium Federal Nosler Partition and Trophy bonded ammo for my 700 30-06 but neither are very accurate in my old 700 30-06. I'm hoping to use the new Tikka this hunting season for deer and elk.
How were you able to work that bolt so effortlessly? Nuttyfancy couldn't do that with his review of the Hawkeye. He also complained the safety hurt his fingers.
None of my rifles like superformance, I don't waste money on it.Some folks like it ! Just need to try other brands barrel will tell you what it likes. Best loads for my christensen's arms ridgeline 7mm08 are from Pendleton ammo in Oregon, good luck
I just wanted to pass on my experience with the m77. The m77 ruger is in my opinion one of the best made bolt action rifles ever put on the market. I own several in different calibers and have taken game with all of them. However, in my experience not only in ruger rifles but also in remington rifles the Hornady ammo has performed like trash. The Hornady ammo I have tried in all my rifles have shot all over the board. This has held true for me even in small game calibers. The Hornady ammunition does not perform well at all. I shoot barnes ammo mostly and can shoot much better groups with it. I also like the federal ammo loaded with the nosler ballistic tip in the 7mm08. I wouldn't advise anyone to use Hornady ammo based on my own experiences. However for reloading purposes I would use the shell cases to reload.
Thank you so much for the detailed feedback. I was just looking for some 7mm-08 Barnes ammo online last night. I really want to try those, though it looks like factory Barnes Vor-tx comes in 120 grain only? Is that the bullet weight you shoot in Barnes? The reviews I read looked good. I might try to get some of that Federal as well! Heard good things about Accubonds and of course the Partition.
My Browning Xbolt ‘08 doesn’t shoot either one of those also. I hand load 140 gr Nosler Accubonds and get .5” - .75” consistently. Ruger is good rifle. Just doesn’t like the ammo. I would say try other brands but I know their hard to come by. Good luck
I gotta say…not surprised the superformance performed like that. I’ve never had good luck with that ammo in any rifle. Most people I know who’ve tried it, are not impressed either. Those M77’s are super accurate guns. You just need to try some more types of ammo. Nosler Accubonds and Partitions are deadly and they are awesome elk bullets. Just experiment and you will find a load that rifle likes.
Superformance is all I hunt with. .308 and 7mm Mag. It does amazing in my Rem 700s and Daniel Defense DD5V4. My Ruger M77 Scout however, does not like it. To be fair, he's not exactly on the most stable shooting platform either.
The gun has something wrong with it, even with bad ammo it would not group that bad if it were that on its own, get the gun checked out, or exchange it if its new, its not a good rifle
Since it won't shot well do you want to sell it? If so contact me!!! All mine shoot sub MOA with handloads and I free floated the barrels. A famous gun writer once said, only accurate guns are interesting! I have a 223, 243 and a 308 in the m77. They all shoot sub MOA.
Try free floating the barrel and diffrent ammo. Mine are all picky about ammo but when you find one it likes it will shoot sub MOA. If you reload you can realy tune it up. Also there is an inexpensive barrel tuner you might try. Its made by Limb Saver. YES the same one's that make the vibration dampeners for compound bows. Makeing an accurate rifle is 90% barrel harmonics. They only cost about $10 bucks and they really do work.
A properly set up and tuned m77 will out shoot any budget made American! I have them both and shoot them both. I would gladly trade my American 7mm08 for that M77 today!
