rebarrelling a ruger m77 270wsm
- Thread starter tim
- Start date
The gunsmith I use has re-barreled 4 Ruger M77's for me (3 rifles, one twice). I have always been pleased with the results but have always had the action bedded, barrel floated, and trigger replaced with a Timney if that hadn't already been done. Ruger actions are a bit trickier than some he said due to the recoil lug, but they can shoot great done right. The 1st Ruger I had done was a 243 with a 1 in 10 twist 20" Montana #5 contour barrel and a Boyds laminate thumbhole stock. I field tested Berger's 87gr bullet through that rifle before they introduced it full scale.
That rifle took was pretty heavy and really handy with the short barrel, and shot a pile of coyotes. I got a few deer too. It shot 75-100gr bullets very well. I eventually took the throat out and had it shortened to 19" and the throat cleaned up. When that throat also went I re-barreled it to a 24" 6mm and shot 70gr Ballistic tips out of it with Superformance powder at 3824fps. That load smoked coyotes and racked up a pile. That load never shot quite like the 243 barrel with a slower load, but still would put 5 shots under 3/4" at 100yds.
I have a 204 Ruger built off a 243 with a 1 in 10 Pac Nor 23# #3 barrel that I shoot coyote hunting quite a bit. It is a 1/2" 5 shot gun when I do my part. I have shot a pile of coyotes with it in the last 10 years and inside 350yds on a calm day it is deadly. It got a Boyd's thumbhole stock and Timney trigger also.
The last Ruger I had done is another 243 with a 1 in 10 Pac Nor 23" #4 fluted barrel. I have a McMillian Gamescout stock on it. It has higher magnification and better quality glass than the others, but it shoots some amazing groups. It won't shoot anything under 85gr very well but it likes some 85gr and all 100gr bullets I've tried. I am still experimenting a bit with it to come up with it's final load because the one I am using from an older book is hotter than what the latest generation of books deem acceptable. Last time I loaded I'm pushing a 85gr Speer SPBT at 3333fps. The brass shows no pressure signs but I still plan on backing it off a grain at least and seeing what it does. I'm getting tired of buying barrels to get that little bit more performance on rifles I shoot a lot.
Long story short I'd not be afraid of a Ruger action. The newer Rugers have an adjustable trigger so that eliminates one expense with them. If the stock is already a good one it won't need upgraded, if it's a cheap plastic stock it doesn't make sense to upgrade a barrel without giving it a solid platform to work off of. I don't think re-barreling a Ruger and setting it up to live up to the new barrel's potential will be cheaper than buying a new factory rifle, but there is no reason it shouldn't out-shoot a new factory rifle either done right. If you are like me and don't want to sell someone a gun that won't shoot it may be your best option depending on what Ruger does.
That rifle took was pretty heavy and really handy with the short barrel, and shot a pile of coyotes. I got a few deer too. It shot 75-100gr bullets very well. I eventually took the throat out and had it shortened to 19" and the throat cleaned up. When that throat also went I re-barreled it to a 24" 6mm and shot 70gr Ballistic tips out of it with Superformance powder at 3824fps. That load smoked coyotes and racked up a pile. That load never shot quite like the 243 barrel with a slower load, but still would put 5 shots under 3/4" at 100yds.
I have a 204 Ruger built off a 243 with a 1 in 10 Pac Nor 23# #3 barrel that I shoot coyote hunting quite a bit. It is a 1/2" 5 shot gun when I do my part. I have shot a pile of coyotes with it in the last 10 years and inside 350yds on a calm day it is deadly. It got a Boyd's thumbhole stock and Timney trigger also.
The last Ruger I had done is another 243 with a 1 in 10 Pac Nor 23" #4 fluted barrel. I have a McMillian Gamescout stock on it. It has higher magnification and better quality glass than the others, but it shoots some amazing groups. It won't shoot anything under 85gr very well but it likes some 85gr and all 100gr bullets I've tried. I am still experimenting a bit with it to come up with it's final load because the one I am using from an older book is hotter than what the latest generation of books deem acceptable. Last time I loaded I'm pushing a 85gr Speer SPBT at 3333fps. The brass shows no pressure signs but I still plan on backing it off a grain at least and seeing what it does. I'm getting tired of buying barrels to get that little bit more performance on rifles I shoot a lot.
Long story short I'd not be afraid of a Ruger action. The newer Rugers have an adjustable trigger so that eliminates one expense with them. If the stock is already a good one it won't need upgraded, if it's a cheap plastic stock it doesn't make sense to upgrade a barrel without giving it a solid platform to work off of. I don't think re-barreling a Ruger and setting it up to live up to the new barrel's potential will be cheaper than buying a new factory rifle, but there is no reason it shouldn't out-shoot a new factory rifle either done right. If you are like me and don't want to sell someone a gun that won't shoot it may be your best option depending on what Ruger does.
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I sent the rifle in, it came back. the paperwork reads this:
replaced: trigger, sear (they did not like the timney trigger)
repaired: bolt
polished: chambers
cleaned breach
repair, safety function check and test firing have been completed
released for shipping
the test fire page showed a 5\8 4shot group at 50 yards.
So I guess my rifle is good to go now.
replaced: trigger, sear (they did not like the timney trigger)
repaired: bolt
polished: chambers
cleaned breach
repair, safety function check and test firing have been completed
released for shipping
the test fire page showed a 5\8 4shot group at 50 yards.
So I guess my rifle is good to go now.
280ackimp
Active Member
That sounds fishy ....
If the chamber is now larger in diameter that it should be, according to your gunsmith the Ruger people should have had something to say about this ? I would send to Sinclair to get some "cerrosafe" casting material, cast your chamber and check the dimensions, you should also be able to see the throat in teh casting. The throat is where you will see erosion if it exists.
The Idea that they polished the chamber suggests that it may have been rusty or ruff from something and that may have cause some level of difficulty in opening the bolt ... but thats a long shot unless you recall a rain storm or the chance grit or dust got introduced?
Cleaning the breach?? Lug recesses and raceways ? Again Sinclair makes a tool for those hard to clean areas, if your lug recesses were dirty this could also cause a drag when turning the bolt?
I would ask how the bolt was repaired, if something was wrong how do you know how to prevent it from happening again ?
I would be pissed about taking off the Timney....
Is it possible that the ammo you used has the issue did you change brands or bullet weight - style ... or maybe the manufacturer had a recall ?
I would also consider that the gunsmith may have seen a opportunity to ring the cash box and sell a $900- $1300 re barrel job ?
5/8 at 50yds is 1-1/4 at 100 ? is that what your used to ?
If the chamber is now larger in diameter that it should be, according to your gunsmith the Ruger people should have had something to say about this ? I would send to Sinclair to get some "cerrosafe" casting material, cast your chamber and check the dimensions, you should also be able to see the throat in teh casting. The throat is where you will see erosion if it exists.
The Idea that they polished the chamber suggests that it may have been rusty or ruff from something and that may have cause some level of difficulty in opening the bolt ... but thats a long shot unless you recall a rain storm or the chance grit or dust got introduced?
Cleaning the breach?? Lug recesses and raceways ? Again Sinclair makes a tool for those hard to clean areas, if your lug recesses were dirty this could also cause a drag when turning the bolt?
I would ask how the bolt was repaired, if something was wrong how do you know how to prevent it from happening again ?
I would be pissed about taking off the Timney....
Is it possible that the ammo you used has the issue did you change brands or bullet weight - style ... or maybe the manufacturer had a recall ?
I would also consider that the gunsmith may have seen a opportunity to ring the cash box and sell a $900- $1300 re barrel job ?
5/8 at 50yds is 1-1/4 at 100 ? is that what your used to ?
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Ackley
I live in north Idaho, it rains a lot all the time. So yes this gun did see a lot of rain, and if I need to state the jungles of north Idaho get a lot of rain.
I am not a group shooter, so I can't comment on group size. I just know it rings the gong at 325 yards all the time.
I showed the gunsmith the paperwork, he was stumped also. I will go home and try it out and see if the bolt is still hard to open.
I am a lousy cleaner, I will say that. I don't know, maybe a chuck of pine needle got stuck in there. I am a decent hunter, decent shot, but I am not mechanical or a super detail oriented person( I am way big picture), so a lot of technical gun stuff does go over my head. Hopefully it works just fine and I can move on.
I live in north Idaho, it rains a lot all the time. So yes this gun did see a lot of rain, and if I need to state the jungles of north Idaho get a lot of rain.
I am not a group shooter, so I can't comment on group size. I just know it rings the gong at 325 yards all the time.
I showed the gunsmith the paperwork, he was stumped also. I will go home and try it out and see if the bolt is still hard to open.
I am a lousy cleaner, I will say that. I don't know, maybe a chuck of pine needle got stuck in there. I am a decent hunter, decent shot, but I am not mechanical or a super detail oriented person( I am way big picture), so a lot of technical gun stuff does go over my head. Hopefully it works just fine and I can move on.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
I would just take it to the range and see what happens. They send the Timney back? If so, you can put it back in the gun.
yes, the timney came back, I will have the gunsmith reinstall it.
I can shoot at my house. when I get home I will run a couple of cartridges thru it and see if the bolt is hard to open.
I am lucky in that I have a 100 yard range at the house and also have a gong at 325 yards wich is a "cross canyon" shot.
I can shoot at my house. when I get home I will run a couple of cartridges thru it and see if the bolt is hard to open.
I am lucky in that I have a 100 yard range at the house and also have a gong at 325 yards wich is a "cross canyon" shot.
pulled the trigger twice, both cases ejected just fine. sweet! got my gun back.
thanks everyone for talking me into sending it back to ruger.
thanks everyone for talking me into sending it back to ruger.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
JimP
Administrator
Sweet.
It sounds like the chamber got a little bit of rust in it that caused the cases to stick.
It sounds like the chamber got a little bit of rust in it that caused the cases to stick.
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
Slugz
Veteran member
Still standing, shoot again!
And as my son said at age 12 " Dad I got one more left and she (cow elk) is still standing up leaning against a tree" ......which I replied "well shoot her again and reduce your gun weight for the hike out"
Glad you got the Ruger working.
the only charge was, the shipping to ruger. no shipping charge for the return and no charge for the work done.
the rifle is back to being very hard to open after firing it. I might be selling this rifle cheap and moving on.
mallardsx2
Veteran member
- Jul 8, 2015
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Millsworks
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