Ruger Model 77 vs Ruger Hawkeye 

I’m very fortunate to have my great grandfather's Winchester 1894, in 30/30, manufactured in 1912. I’ve been told that it’d cost thousands to make one as they were made before 1964. It’s beautiful. You know who I am, and thanks very much for sharing another great video with us!✌🏼

My first gun in 243 was RUGER 77....Great gun

I own a common Stainless All-Weather stainless Ruger 77 22-magnum, owned it for near 30-years. It is the most reliable flat shooting rifle in my collection. Impeccable performance, and reliability in coastal saltwater Alaska weather conditions. Love your channel...

I LOVE that full length wood stock !!! I still don’t own a plastic gun. I still think a old fashioned rifle with a walnut stock is the most beautiful rifle 👍. I know wood has its disadvantages but I like my guns to also be good on the eyes

This was an excellent video, love the presentation and the break downs of the firearms. Very well done sir, thank you!

36 years ago I paid $275 for a new model 77 RSI in .243 for my sons first birthday. My wife went crazy that I would spend that kind of money. He still has it , I bought it because it was so beautiful.

Great video. I really enjoyed the ‘break down’ 👍🏽 I was given a Ruger M77 in the venerable .25-06 manufactured in 1971. The action on that rifle is super smooth, just like the RSI version you showed in your video.

A 77 in 280 Remington was my first new rifle, now it has the company of a 44 mag, a 6.5x,55, a 6mmRem and 2 RSIs, a 308 and a 77-22mag. The most elegant rifle made... next to the #1.

I love my tang safety .30-06 M77, the only bolt action centerfire rifle I have. It's tough to find an off the shelf .30-06 hunting rifle capable of minute of angle groups, so this one will stay with me clear up until I kick the bucket someday.

I'm in northern Minnesota. My rifle for whitetail has been a RSI in .308 for about 16 years. It's the same rifle you held up at the video's end. I've joked that I never had the guts to only take one round with me but that's all I've ever needed. Every one who has seen it instantly falls in love with it. I have a Leupold Compact 2x7 on it and it's usually set at 4 power. It will be my grandson's rifle one day.

Such a pleasure to have you share your knowledge with us. I really appreciate the work you do to bring us this information and your opinion, thank you sir.

I have a great love for the M77 & Hawkeye rifles. I may as well be honest. I love a number of guns that a Ruger has made over the years including the #1, the 10/22, the 77/22, the MKII pistols. It was also a sad day when the Red Label shotguns disappeared from their lineup.

Very good perspective. Thanks for taking the time to lay all this out & display it. Great asset to those who are interested.

I just picked up a Ruger 77 Tang Safety in 30-06 in a trade. My biggest deer I shot with my dad's tang safety 270. Hoping to find a good load for moose.

I love Ruger 77's also and have three, a tang safety RSI in .243, a tang safety standard in .30-06 and a 77 Hawkeye in .308. My favorite hunting rifles are all Rugers.

Great video! I am casually looking for a rifle chambered in 7mm-08 and came across a used “Hawkeye M77”. As soon as I got home, I did a search and found this perfect exposition on the rifle. It’s a later example without the tang safety and with a black synthetic stock. Not my favorite material - I’m a sucker for nice walnut - but the length of pull and forend fit me nicely. Heck you even addressed the odd (to me) sight mounting system. Thanks!

I admit I had a chuckle over the coyote story. It happens, you just think it happens to the other guy. Great shot by the way, even if it was regrettable.

The model 77 with the wood to the end of the barrel would be my perfect .257 Roberts rifle, a great rifle for hunting mule deer in central Montana.

A great video and many thanks. My first .270 was a Ruger M77 and I should have kept it. I also owned a Ruger M77 RSI in .308 also which was a tack driver. Unfortunately I also sold this too. I then owned a Ruger M77 Hawkeye in 30/06 and sold it as I stepped up to a 300 Win Mag. The Ruger M77 was a push feed but is still my favourite Ruger of them all. I really liked the tang safety (the same with my Browning A Bolt 11's). It's sad today to see Ruger just pushing their plastic line of centrefire rifles (like Winchester's XPR and Browning's AB3) while the Ruger M77 Hawkeye 11's are very thin on the ground, if at all. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the entertaining video. One note, the original Ruger 77 (I have one in 7x57) does not have controlled round feed. It has the claw extractor but is a push feed action. The later versions (early 90's) had controlled round feed (I have the varmint rifle in 220 Swift). They also introduced the swing safety.

I’m revisiting this video and just listened to you mention the "Lost Wax" casting method. I’ve been carving soapstone for awhile and have had two pieces cast in bronze using THIS method. 6 degrees of separation? Mike, your videos are on a different level from the "other gun guys". No offence intended to anyone, I just think you & your videos are excellent, and some of the other gun guys are very good, (translation: you get an A, THEY get a B+). I’d watched your explanation of why a rifle’s accuracy should be measured from 25-50 yards with the (really big) beautiful 7mm Gibbs "Mystery Rifle" prior to travelling 2 years back to this. I’ve learned as much or more about rifles from you as anyone else. Thank you.

The very first center fire rifle I ever owned is the Ruger M77 mkII all weather with iron sights in 30-06. I am certain I will be passing it on to someone in my family. It is a fine rifle.

Great video as usual Mike. The 77 is and always will be a great rifle. I have re barreled many of them and they always shoot great.

The RSI is nearly as elegant as the No.1

I have a m77 mkII RSI like the one at the end of the video in .308. Beautiful gun, has awesome bluing, I wish all guns were made with quality like this. It has an 18.5" barrel, but even so I easily get over 2900+fps with 150gr handloads, so I acts like a 22" barrel. I really like the multi position wing safety too. It is the best handling rifle I own hands down. I'd like to find one in .250 savage, but it seems that any of these RSI's are quite expensive on the used market unfortunately

Another excellent,interesting vid. Ruger , one of my favorite arms company’s Thanks 👍🏻🤠

The Ruger 77 is such a beautiful gun, and as far as I can tell the Hawkeye is far from a budget version. I love that the Hawkeye has the 3 position safety that engages the bolt hammer at full safe. I own a newer model 70 Winchester, which is a fabulous rifle even with the polymer stock. But a the aesthetics of the Hawkeye I find to be even more pleasant to the eye than the Model 70 (I know, sacrilege right?) The Bill Ruger is rightfully to be acknowledged as a true genius for accomplishing the thing that Winchester had evidently not been able, or willing to do. The 77 should be recognized as true spiritual successor of the model 70.

Amazing video... And that stutzen style ruger is now on top of my list.

History 101.. baby...., ! Love your vids bro... informative and well placed... .... thank you..

I have a 1979 m77 25/06 and love it. I believe it was 79 but it might have been 89 but anyway it has the tang safety.

I bought a mint m77 mfg date 1983 270 for like 350.00 and the finish is awesome deep blue

Good read. Ruger makes the best main stream production bolt action rifles ever made. IMO.

The best channel on rifles and shotguns education

The problem with the pre-64 Model 70 wasn’t that it had a thin profit margin at the end, but that it had no profit margin. By the time the pre-64 Model 70 production ended it had been losing money for Winchester for a few years. That being said I do believe Winchester made a series of errors with regard to the Model 70 line. The first being the discontinuation itself of the pre-64 Model 70. What they should have done was to have transferred it to the custom shop and sold it at the higher prices semi-custom rifles command. Second, rollout the New Model 70 under a different model number. Third, come out with an attractive stock design and address the canyon of a barrel channel. If they had done those three things, I think they would have found greater success instead of the disaster they had. Ultimately, the sad fact is that the American consumer didn’t recognize the quality and what a bargain the pre-64 Model 70 was until after it was discontinued. Anyways, those are some pretty Ruger rifles with a great action. When it comes to investment casting for guns, I don’t think there is anything wrong with using the process. If it is such a negative process, I doubt Ruger would be in business and Shiloh Sharps would have a reputation as a junk gun company. In order to prevent this wall of text from growing all I am going to say is that your videos are not tests of endurance, and to have a nice day.

I love ruger too my favorite Hunting rifle are 1.sako 2.weatherby 3.ruger 4. browning

I like the sako mount and the ruger too ,but the picatinny rail would be great if it was universal .

I love the nostalgia of a controlled feed action, like on the Model 70. But really, is there any use for it? All the push feed actions that I've had has worked flawless.

The bolt face of the 77 is push feed with claw extractor whereas the Hawkeye is controlled feed as I look at my guns

I like my Weatherby's,they never cheapened the MK 5,Its sad that quality has to take back seat to profit!

For somereason I find your demeanor very nice, I like listening to your stories and factual information. I feeling I should light my pipe and sip on a whiskey before I click on your videos. Anyway, thank you.

I recently acquired a Ruger 77 II and 6 mm Remington. After taking it apart and putting it back together, I adjusted the floor plate forward and trigger housing rearward. It’s still pretty tight. Is there a certain method or do I need to file down the plate pin a little?

Mike, I was looking at the Hawkeye in 308, specifically the compact models, either wood stock with blue barrel or the laminated stock with stainless. They seem like great, handy rifles for thicker woods and/or tighter deer stands. Is there anything I should watch out for on the newer models? I have seem some forum posts complaining about accuracy, but no firsthand time behind the Hawkeye. My brother-in-law had a hand-me-down M77 with the boat paddle stock in 308...recoil was miserable, as their idea of a recoil pad on that felt like it was made from a hockey puck. Edit: I was also considering a Tikka T3x, but not sure if I want to go back to a mostly polymer rifle. I have a couple of Howa 1500's and a Weatherby Vanguard at the moment with steel trigger guards and hinged floorplates.

Do you know if the bottom metal off a mark 2 will work on one of the older tang safteys?

another well done Video Thanks.

Any bean counter that suggests to “give them less to make more profit “should be shown the door. It’s a sure formula for failure!

I put orange on my dog in hunting season. I had a wolf tag a few years back and I shot one and I new it was one but until I got up to it and new for sure I was so worried. Haha good story and video

M 77 in .270 Winchester!!!

Great story!

Investment Casting was criticized by Ruger’s competitors as cheap, weak and unreliable. They were proven wrong on the last two accusations. As an impromptu "test" of it's strength and durability, Ruger took a .458 Win Mag Tropical Model and put a Hornady 500 Grain Solid into the rifling. They then took a .458 Win. Mag. casing and filled it to the top with Bulls-eye powder and chambered it. They remotely fired the gun and It DID NOT BLOW UP! The stock split and the barrel bulged. The action was all but fused. Chamber pressures were estimated to be about 185,000 P.S.I.!!!!! This was done by Bill Ruger to stop the false speculation in the gun community and from the metallurgy purists that Investment Cast Ruger receivers were inherently "weak". It was a point well taken by the gun industry,and shooters within the gun community. Cast frames are actually stronger than forged in terms of durability. Cast frames have more flexibility which allows them to absorb force of the weapon firing more efficiently, and the forged steel frames resist the force more strongly which causes much greater stress at weak points in the structure.

so I very much want to re stock my mauser into a similar stutzen to the rugger m77 international. Where on earth can i get a good stutzen stock? I'm having a hard time finding one

كيف اقدر اشتري انا من السعوديه

I've got two tang safety M77's and love them both. .270 and 7 rem mag. I will take those rifles to the grave with me. Every time I open the safe, they are the first two I grab.

I absolutely love the Ruger 77. I also love your videos sir! I get excited when I see the notifications

Hello from Sweden, Thank you for yet another great video. I try to watch as many of them as I possibly can. Ruger 77 is a fantastic rifle, and has got a great history. If I may, I would like to make a suggestion. Would you like, and have the possibility, to share your thoughts (or a video) about the Husqvarna mod46, 9.3x57 (small ring). I know it is an old rifle and for many an odd caliber. I like the combination of low weight, large caliber (though slow) and intuitive handling. I use it for close range hunting and it functions perfectly with iron sights only. I know your previous videos about swedish rifles but I would appreciate your opinion here. Have a Nice day, and thanks! Fredrik

My go-to hunting rifle is a 1971 M77 in 3006. Most accurate rifle I've ever shot. It puts plain old Winchester 180 grain PowerPoints through the same hole at 100 yards with a 3 shot group. I have a Nikon Buckmaster 3-9x on it with the original rings. It has a history of dropping whitetail.

The most accurate rifle I own is a Ruger 77 I bought new in 1970 in 6mm Rem. All I have ever done to it was adjust the factory set 4 lb trigger to 3 lb. and handload for it. Settled on 39.5 gr of IMR 4064 topped with a Sierra matchking 85 gr bthp. It consistently prints 1/2 inch groups off bags on a bench at 100 yards. Topped with a Leupold mk II set on 9x. If I do my part and the wind is calm, it will print 1 1/2 inch groups consistently at 300 yards. I don't know what more you could ask of a factory rifle. Oh, and for what it's worth, I paid $160 for it new in 1970. The Leupold mk II 3x9 scope was $115.

I always wonder why the complex machining of the older firearms isn't recreated with the advent of modern CNC capabilities? You could have close to that same quality for a mass produced price. I tend to think these decisions were not as much profit driven as a by product of the stock manipulations, hostile takeovers, asset raiding and sell offs, etc. Seems American corporate management is no longer good at making anything, but remarkably talented at destroying anything of value in short order.

Thanks for sharing the coyote story. I think we can always learn something from experience.

Excellent review my friend, you know I love the M77 series of rifles, especially the Hawkeye and M77 Frontier. I know it was hard on you accidentally shooting that dog, but you handled it honorably. God Bless you Sir.

Great video. Have three Model 77’s. All are super. The story I remember about how Bill Ruger came up with name “77”. He took a 7 from Winchesters 70 and a 7 from Remingtons 700, his two biggest competitors at the time.

I've got a 30-somerhing year old M77R .220 Swift. Bought it brand new in a shopping mall gun store. Put a Ramline synthetic stock on it. Will never part with it. It's a tack driver. I'll probably pick up another used one if I ever see one for sale. Love the tang-mounted safety. I'll never understand why they discontinued this model or the tang safety.

That Ruger 77 RSI just went on my want to get list! I'm a sucker for good Mannlicher stocked rifles.

This video made my day, I have a soft spot for this channel it’s like a Internet jewel

Your expression when You said the Coyote had a collar was classic !

For a long time Ruger did not know how to make barrels. Someone else made them and their 77's and others were literally hit or miss.

The original M-77 was a really nice rifle. And like the Mossberg 500 had that very ergonomic tang safety. All in all, it was close to the pre 64 model 70. A few years down the line the M-77 was replaced by the M-77MkII. Now this beauty was as close to the M-70 as a production rifle could be. The tang safety was replaced by the 3 position swinging bolt shroud safety like the M-70 and even the 98 Mauser. It retained the claw extractor, controlled round feed of the M-70 and the massive recoil lug of same. The ejector is the same also. Actually, the biggest differences are the machined vs investment casting of the receiver and the scalloped cuts for Ruger rings vs drilled and tapped M-70's for rings and bases. And not a hell of a lot more of any significance. I've found the MKII action to be smoother, generally. Although the investment casting process does leave a less smooth surface than a machined one. But if you are trying to cut costs by penny pinching, the hand work such as polishing and stoning would be some of the first to go. I myself think the M-77 and the M-77MkII stocks are some of the nicest production made stocks ever made. Lenard Brownells template for this stock is a thing of beauty, when done in wood. I also agree that the M-77 and the M-77MkII in the International configuration is one of the most handsome yet overlooked rifles made today. As great of a rifle as the Pre 64 M-70 is, it is not the be all and end all that it's made out to be. And it's most assuredly OVERPRICED!!!! The M-70's from the reintroduced era are quite nice, especially the featherweight version with its Schnabel forend and oil rubbed finish, and at a substantial price differential. There are a number of M-77MkII's that I really like. The International for one, the Ultralight is a gem as was the very early M-77MkII Target Rifles. These were assembled by hand using the MkII action in blue and very accurate 26" ( in .223 Rem ) Ruger Gray barells with recessed muzzle crowns and a heavy target/varmint contour. These exhibited hand polishing of the receiver raceways and action. The stock was a heavy laminated one with palm swells and a wide beavertail forend. This was a rifle built from the ground up to do one thing... SHOOT !!! And it does just that, very admirably. The versions that followed were really good, but just not quite as good as those first hand assembled two tone versions. They hold a decent premium today. I only liked the Mk-II All Weather Stainless model in its shortest configuration that was a great rough and tumble bang around rifle that in .223, 7.62 x 39, .243 or .308 made a lot of sense for a just to have knock around, woods day gun or truck gun. My personal feel on the Hawkeye was that it was the first step in cost savings for Ruger, and just like Winchester did post 64, it is taking us to the trailhead with the Ruger American version now. In another model or two there will be nothing left resembling the wonderful M-77 & M-77MKII. I hope I'm wrong.

I have a nice M77 made in 1976. It has a little stamp in the medal about being issued on the bicentennial or something. It's in 7mm Rem Mag and it's a handsome and smooth rifle that seems built to be outdoors stalking game. Rugers have a solid feel to them.

I have a post 64 Mod 70 since 1982. It has worked flawlessly since day one, I could not ask for more.

As a young guy was hunting and ran into what I thought were domestic dogs. I had my sako shouldered on target only to let down. Turns out they were wild dingoes dog mixes. Still kicking myself.

Thanks for the coyote story! Your honesty and concern about everyone, including the dog, is a lesson for us all!

Best modern rifle made in my opinion

Great video. Would love a Winchester .358 caliber internatioal/mannlicher carbine Sako or Ruger 77.

Ruger 77s get a lot of knocks on the forums because of the investment casting. I own 5 M77 tangers going back to the late '70s, and never a hiccup out of the lot. I have an RSI in 250 Sav that I like quite a bit, but my favorites are the 77RL Ultra Lights. I just had one of them rebarreled to .260 Rem. It's my new mule deer/antelope rifle. Timeless firearms.

I can't think of a single "modern design", and damn few classics, that can hold a candle to the RSI in terms of class. That said, those soulless Ruger American rifles shoot like a house afire.

My 77s are tang safety 30/06 Springfield and .243 Winchester. Both scoped and completely workmen like in ability and also quite handsome as well. Can easily hit the gopher size steel silhouette at 400 yards at the range with both. It’s on a spring return and can also hear the impact. Once with a setting sun condition with sun to my back you could see the glint of the bullet trajectory in flight much as a tracer round. My models have one Leupold and one Redfield scopes. One of my prize Rugers is a Number One Tropical in .375 H&H. Scoped and iron sights also. 3X9 Leupold vari x II 50 mm objective. Took 12 Montana bull elk with it before retiring from serious hunting. Not including an elk that my brother and I co - claiming got with my Winchester model 70 A in 30/06 he with a Ruger 77 in .338 Winchester magnum. That bull had 56” between the inside wide part of antlers. He was a granddad bull for sure. My rifle easily fit between his rack. Rock solid reliability and deadly accurate in a handsome powerful firearm. After near seemingly countless hunts short of a slight silver patina on receiver blue she appears as to have never left the gun cabinet. My hand loaded rounds all I ever hunted with. It’s knock down power stopping elk immediately. Range ability very similar to 30/06 with 150 grain projectiles but with a 300 grain punch.

I have a m77 in 7mm rem mag an a m77 mark 2 in 220 swift great beautiful rifles

I was Black Bear hunting near Juneau in Southeast Alaska. I saw a large black animal come over the ridge toward me, almost pulled the trigger on my 7mm mag. Glad I didn't, the owner of the Newfoundland ( Dog ) came over the ridge shortly afterwards...

This was well done , very well said .. Even though i do not own a Ruger 77 or have bought one as of yet, of the ones i have fired at the range and hunting one time i borrowed one and i liked all the features ..The model 77 is very well made from the few i have had out of the stock and looked over really close.. A little bit behind myself to start out .. I grew up around firearms with my father owning several bolt action rifles one being a Win. pre-70 one a Mauser 98 custom and one Marlin 336.. My grandfather owned a Win . 54 model which he liked really well and was his favorite hunting rifle .. I liked and enjoyed the Win pre-64 model 70 or the Rifleman's Rifle as they were called .. I read Outdoor Life every month couldn't hardly wait to read what Jack O' Conner had to say about his latest hunting adventure with a custom stocked pre-64 model 70.. I never bought that model Winchester or the Remington 700 either which i felt was a fine well made rifle also .. My favorite rifle was the Mauser 98 custom in 6mm Remington is what i settled on.. Later on i purchased My first Weatherby Mark V rifle after that next came the Ruger no. 1 and i do like that model of action as i like single shot rifles and still do .. My latest was the Ruger 77/22 with walnut stock, blued steel , i love that rifle and it became the model i started looking for as i could not find a Win. model 52 anywhere .. I did find before the Ruger 77/22 a Remington 513T bolt .22 rifle with a semi heavy barrel and right after that a Remington model 37 single shot bull barrel so i bought those two .. But all in all the Ruger 77/22 is still my choice to take to the forests first or range ...You said something which may be true, someday we all may be marching to the woods with a Plastic rifle which may become the normal firearm to carry.. Nope not me i'm out of that mix, i will always like walnut stocks and blued steel that's just the way i'am..

Ive got 3 77 mark 2's , love them and 4 Winchester model 70's. Post 64 and they're great rifles.

I have a marlin model 93 lever action in 32 special with only 3 numbers serial. 714 I was wondering what year was made.

I have a Ruger M77 MK11 stainless in .280 REM. I bought in 1993. It's still my best gun I own.

I can so understand your story , my friend was screaming at me to shoot this coyote , or yote's as we call them. And I did ,but felt sick, I just knew it was someone's dog. But it wasn't it was actually a fox. But stretched out in a dead run it was still not faster than a 25-06 . He mounted it . Looks good too . I'm on the fence between a Ruger hawk-eye , and a Tika lightweight. Honest opinion people say Tika ain't what they used to be . I'd trust your advice. Over any gunsmith . ???????

The original Ruger 77 trigger was adjustable and pretty nice. The current LC ( light and crisp) is not adjustable and is neither light nor crisp.

I have the pleasure of owning a Ruger M77 in 30-06 with a tang safety, currently looking to buy another one in 7x57.

My is a round top m77 270 win red pad with a old 3x9 leupold...Great video 👍

Never tough Mike. Always enjoyable.....

I’ve got a tang safety 22-250. Paid $400 from a guy down in Salt Lake City, he was getting and AR. Not a scratch on it. Sweet shooting rifle. Blued steel in walnut, 2 of my favorite things. Thanks for the video. I always enjoy them.

Great hunting story! Reminds me of the rancher who asked permission to remove his saddle from the moose hunter's "trophy bull" up in Montana.

I was a youthful teenager in 1964. I do remember some discussions of dubious thought regarding the 'updated' Model 70. I would guess the 'board' or 'executive dictator' of Winchester decided the 'old' version was too expensive to make and the profit wasn't high enough to either justify the production or satisfy the profit and loss sheet (I do not know). So the decision was made to 'cut costs'. Probably also the cost cutters thought the controlled feed was really not needed (and I'm of mixed feelings regarding the function) and the other cost saving features were not that big a deal. Like impressed versus cut checkering. One notes Winchester in 1968 did upgrade the magazine and follower from the stampings of the initial post '64 version. Then in 1992, Winchester again updated the rifle to make it more like the pre-'64. It seems the rifle builders learned from the mistakes of 1964. One notes the actual production of the "Winchester Model 70" has been executed by companies other than Winchester (which has largely ceased to exist in original form) like FN Herstal, Browning and U. S. Repeating Arms Company. Like many things in the corporate world, it gets complicated. I have in my collection a couple Ruger M77, including a 'red recoil pad' (original version), a later version and a rather new Hawkeye. I find the Rugers to be quite satisfactory, accuracy being quite sufficient for any sort of normal hunting - even if not recommended for 1000 yard match work.

I had a 1970 308 M77 & 1971 7mm M77. To of the best rifles I ever had. Like a dummy I sold them when I got into a bit of a financial bind. Kick myself everyday for selling them. Been searching for ones since.

thanks for a great video. I've got all these guns and others like them, and IMO the pre-64 70s are over-valued from a functionality and performance standpoint. I believe Winchester and now FN have improved the rifle twice - first with the Classic series in the '90s, and now with the FN reissues. In addition, I do not consider my non-CRF to be inferior to the pre-64s either. Controlled round feed is a fine feature, but never in my 40+ years of shooting has it ever been an issue. As for the Rugers, I really like my M77s, but the tang safely models can be really hit and miss from accuracy standpoint, as a result of various barrel sources, and the Mk IIs have some of the worst triggers in the history of rifle design. The Hawkeyes are an improvement, IMO.

Love wood stock but not the full length they look too much like old military guns

That Ruger 77 looks really nice sporting that famous Mauser action

The Ruger 77 300 Win Mag. I had was the best of both worlds, M98 styled action with controlled feed but could be treated as a push feed if the need arose for a quick single shot.

Greetings. I inherited a Ruger M77 manufactured in 1970 and it's in decent condition. The main issue I have with it is the bolt release latch/lever. The latch won't pivot to release the bolt. As a matter of fact, it won't budge. I removed the latch assembly and disassembled it. All the parts; the spring, the pins, the bushing and the screw all appear in good condition. I cleaned and lubricated the parts, reassembled the latch and put it back on the receiver but it still wouldn't budge. I think, to avoid this problem, the previous owner just unscrewed the bolt release latch/lever and removed the bolt in order to clean/service the rifle. But I'd like for it to work properly. I even called Ruger, looking to just replace the parts and start off new, but they don't carry parts for that late model M77. I don't really think the parts need replacing, I just got desperate. Are certain parts from the Mark 77 II or the Hawkeye compatible with an M77 manufactured in 1970? To be honest, I can't figure out how the latch is supposed to pivot in the first place. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated. Be safe and stay healthy! 👍✌

never bought another ruger after they went to the hawkeye--the old 77's were pretty nice, although nothing in my arsenal kicks nastier than than my old 77 in 300 win mag-OUCH--to me worse than than my whitworth in 375 h and h. oh well, time marches on and i don't shoot anymore. love your reviews!

interesting. my first kill w/ my ruger m77 25-06 was a coyote running at 300 plus yards.

Yesterday, I spotted and purchased a 1982 made M77 chambered in 7mm Rem Mag at my local pawn shop while taking my 870 Wingmaster out of pawn. It has one of those cool vintage Weaver K4 60B scopes mounted on it, but I plan on replacing it with a more modern variable power scope (not sure which brand yet) but I plan on re-utilizing the Weaver after I send it for refurbishment/restoration and mount it on either my 10/22 or my Remington 572 Fieldmaster. I can’t wait for deer season now!

Agree on the RSI. I purchased one for my late wife and they were a great match. I loaded the .308 down about 15% and it was a fine fast handling elegant rifle. One of the best ever.

I have a Ruger model 77 mark II with the Mannlicher style stock in 243 win. That I bought new in the 1990s. It's a awsome little rifle that I bought because of its unique look, but it's a very good shooter and gives me the feel of quality that one would expect to come from a firearm with a much higher price tag than what I paid at the time.