Opinions sought on .308 bolt action.

[meathammer]

I am looking at several .308, heavy barrel target/paper punchers of the bolt action variety.

I was wondering if anyone owns or has fired a Ruger M77 Mark II Target. This one: http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=7887&return=Y

I know I'm about to get a whole bunch of posts recommending Remington, Winchester, Savage, etc. But does anyone have any experiences, thoughts, or comments on this Ruger? Just curious.

Thanks.

 

[ocabj]

The only problem I've heard about concerning the Ruger M77 is the limited scope mounting options. Some have quoted subpar accuracy...

 

[Jick42]

I have shot the Ruger Ruger M77 Mark II Target. I am not a fan for a few reasons. I dont like the bolts of a Ruger. Very Stiff to my likings, i believe savages have better bolts now than do Rugers. The triggers leave much to be desired. And accessorizing is horrible. Now personally, i am not a fan of Wooden stocks on a target rifle. (Thats just personal preference, so you can disregard that). But if i want to add and upgrade my rifle i want to be able to do so, with relative ease. You will not have that luxury with the Ruger. If you plan on keeping the rifle stock, and just tune the trigger, it will serve the purpose you wish. But, for the money you'll spend, i would definately buy a Remington or Savage. And theres the part you knew was coming. But you know, on the upside, the Ruger will do everything you want it to, and could possibly even outshoot you. So, if the Ruger is just what you have your heart set on, it should serve as a good target rifle.

Ruger = Approx. $450 (3)

Savage = Approx. $450 (2)

Remiongton = Approx. $579 (1)

 

[ocabj]

I have a Savage 10FP myself, but you should look into the Winchester Model 70 Stealth. It's one of the most underrated rifles in my opinion. Heavy barrel, HS Precision stock, control feed bolt, and can be found for less than a Remington 700P/PSS (at least from what I've seen in California, which tends to have pretty high prices compared to the rest of the country).

 

[Jick42]

ocabj is correct. I did not list the Winchester specifically because i havent had any first hand expirience with the Winchester. For some reason i like ocabj said, have always found myself overlooking it. But from all i have heard, they are worthy competition.

 

[meathammer]

Thanks for the replies so far. I really don't have my heart set on any particular rifle yet. The only bolt action I have at the moment is a Rem. 700 ADL in 7mm magnum.

I am not recoil sensitive so I enjoy shooting it (my dedicated hunting rifle) but it gets a little bit costly to shoot a lot. (Not to mention my shoulder tends to get a little sore after shooting about a box and a half)

A .308 seemed like the way to go. I have asked around at some local shops about the Winchester Stealth, but nobody seems to carry it. I like to at least look at a rifle before I buy. If I go the Remington route, I believe they have the most aftermarket accessories and such. Decisions...

 

[ACP230]

I bought a used Ruger 77VT a couple of years ago. It is a .308. The trigger suits me and I like the way the rifle looks.
Shooting surplus 147 grain .308 has been less fun than anticipated. I got six inch groups at 200 yards.
Federal 180 grain loads were better going into about an inch and a half at 100. Someone suggested I load heavier bullets, at least 168 grainers, and maybe heavier. I haven't got around to it yet.

The funny thing is that I had a Winchester in my hands a few months before I bought the Ruger. It felt great, very familiar since I shot Winchester .22 rifles in JROTC and own a Ruger 52. It was in .223 and almost twice as much as I wanted to spend, so I put it back in the rack. If it had been a .308 I'd be telling you about a Winchester now.

 

[WalkerTexasRanger]

I just purchased a Stealth last week. You can find the # for Browns Sporting Goods on the internet, and give them a call, he said he had several in .223 and .308. They are also posting at gunbroker.com, but he he gave me a better price by calling than bidding....

1st impressions were of a quality rifle, with one drawback, the barrel was not centered in the HS precision stock. Not a big deal, it is floated, but a bit surprising. The trigger was extreamly easy to adjust, and seems smooth. I have yet to shoot it, but am looking forward. A nice rifle for $579....

Good Shooting!!!!

 

[BrownBear]

I have a Ruger 77 VT in 6ppc. The gun is beautiful but that's about it. The trigger is stiff, best accuracy with reloads is just slightly under 1moa. Accessaries are nil. My best friend has the Ruger VT in 308 and he is not impressed. It doesn't shoot well. I have a 700pss, 70 HV and 10FP in 308 which all shoot better than the Ruger. Good luck in your decision.

 

[AZRickD]

I have a Savage but don't count out Sako or Tikka.

Rick

 

[hksw]

I got a Stealth a few months ago (still yet unscoped ) and, similar to above, the HS stock was not the best I've seen. The bedding block in the stock was either molded very slightly crooked or the mounting holes drilled slightly misaligned as the barrel channel of the stock gradually gets closer to the barrel on one side. That side only allowed one sheet of 24# paper to slight through. i.e., the barrel was barely freefloating. Not too big of a deal as I sanded the channel wider to increase clearance. I eventually decided to re-stock the gun into a Choate Varmint. Much better clearance and more comfortble. To compare, I have a Model 70 Varmint (.22-250) with an HS stock (came with the gun) bought a few years ago and it is a perfect fit on the gun.

I had also gotten a Savage 10FP LE2B with the McMillan this year (scoped but yet unfired, looking for a better scope) and AccuTrigger.

The Winchester's trigger is easy to adjust for weight and overtravel but you need to remove the epoxy that locks the nuts down which can be a chore to remove but once done, simple adjustments. You can't readily adjust for creep. The sear and/or trigger needs to be removed to grind or stone down the bearing surfaces. The creep, though, is almost negligable, at least in my gun.

The Savage AccuTrigger, on the other hand, is even simpler to adjust for weight. Overtravel is minimal and creep is not there. (Of course, there is theoretically no such thing as no creep but the AccuTrigger comes pretty close.) Only problem with the trigger is the Glock feel to it with that center safety blade.

 

[45Badger]

I have a Remington 700P, with Shilen trigger. It's a tack driver. I highly recommend it.

I had a Ruger M77 mark 2 in .270. Good trigger out of box, tack driver with handloads.

Best friend has Ruger .308 varmit gun, great accuracy, horrible trigger reworked to adequate.

I think with Rugers you get a good, reliable, and accurate gun at areasonable price. It is very rare that you get an exceptional gun out of the box. Their triggers seem to be weakest point, and difficult to improve.

 

[Art Eatman]

I have a 77 Mk II in .223. It has always been a 1/2-MOA critter for three-shot groups. I replaced the trigger with a Timney, making things much, much better for shooting offhand.

Almost any rifle can be made to shoot tighter groups if you tweak the bedding of the forearm a bit. I freefloat, and then just use a bit of shim to make the shot-to-shot vibrations uniform. (About a five-pound pull to separate the barrel and stock enough for insertion.) Sorta like a poor man's BOSS.

Art

 

[bernie]

I have a little bit of experience with the exact type of rifle you are asking about and I was well satisfied. It shot better than I could and was very user friendly. I have a buddy that absolutely swears by his.