Q's on Ruger 77/22

[IA_farmboy]

Looking to buy my first firearm and I've convinced myself I want a Ruger 77/22. I'm debating whether I should buy the "all weather" version with the synthetic stock and 20" barrel or the "target" version with the 24" barrel.

I guess the first question would be how does the barrel length affect the range and accuracy? I plan on using this rifle for putting well placed holes in paper targets, and shooting varmints. I don't mean competition shooting of targets but just some good ol' fun at the range.

What I mean by varmint shooting is getting prairie dogs, raccoons, and other pests. A friend of mine recently went on a prairie dog hunting trip with his dad and uncle. He brought back some photos and video and I thought that looked like a whole load of fun.

One reason I'm thinking of a bolt action is because I here one can fire rounds other than a long rifle from them by hand feeding them, something difficult or impossible with a semi-auto or lever. I've had trouble with raccoons on my property and I'd like to deal with them... discretely. I've read somewhere that a .22 BB will make no more noise than a pellet gun and are just about as deadly. I've tried a live trap but sometimes there is more than one, sometimes they get out (tricky little *******), and sometimes they just won't take the bait. Many times I can see there glowing eyes in my back yard through the kitchen window, or up in the crawl space as I investigate the scratching I hear through the ceiling. Is what I've read true that a .22 BB will kill a raccoon at 10 yards and do so with no more noise than an air gun?

I realize that discharging a firearm in city limits is illegal but what they don't know won't hurt me. I hear the neighbor kids shoot air rifles and toss firecrackers quite often. I figure a .22 BB won't raise any suspicions.

I've seen other rounds in a .22 rimfire such as a short and a birdshot. Will these (and the .22 BB) fire nicely from a Ruger 77/22?

Ruger describes the stock on a "target" version of the 77/22 as "brown laminate", what is that exactly? I'm not looking for a pretty rifle but an accurate and durable one. If the laminate stock can take all the abuse as the synthetic then I'll go with the "target" version.

 

[dfariswheel]

I had both the 20" synthetic and the 24" Target model.

I did NOT like the 20" version due to the fact that the synthetic (read plastic) stock was actually flexible.
When I got into position, the stock would flex annoyingly.

I did really like the 24" Target model.
Mine had a black/gray laminated stock.
The laminate stocks are made of very thin layers of dyed wood.
It's very dense and durable with NO flex at all.
It's an attractive stock, and is quite suitable for an accuracy rifle.

Personally, for what you want to use it for, I'd go with the 24" model.

 

[xd9fan]

I have a Ruger 77/17 with grey laminated stock, will shoot sub MOA all day long...BUT being a 17HMR...its louder than a 22lr. But its my favorite rimfire.

If you want to shoot 22shorts, 22longs and 22lrs out of the same gun try the marlin 39a. It is a lever action but its an adult sized rifle like the ruger 77/22.

also check out
www.rimfirecentral.com

absolutly the best place on the web for all things rimfire.

good luck (and have fun shootin)

 

[Shell Shucker]

I have a 77/22, blued steel, 20" barrel, walnut stock. I love it. I would recommend it for your intended usage. A standard weight stainless model would work fine also. I personally find Ruger synthetic stocks to be rather "cheesy".
A 22 cb cap is very quiet and IMO more effective than an airgun.

I would have bought a target model Ruger for my intended usage (targets and very small bits of junk at the range) if the stock was actually a TARGET stock! The target model Ruger sports a stock of the same dimensions as the "sporter"....... IMO the added barrel weight needs a target style stock to be an improvement over the standard configuration.

 

[CZguy]

Is what I've read true that a .22 BB will kill a raccoon at 10 yards and do so with no more noise than an air gun?

Not consistently or humanely.

I use a sling shot with steel shot. It's very effective, and legal.

 

[IA_farmboy]

Thanks for the feedback.

A few more questions. If I'm not happy with the stock are after market stocks available for the 77/22? If so, any suggestions on which one to get and where to get it?

I see the 77/22 does not come with sights or scope, it is only tapped for a scope of choice. I was wondering about the possibility of putting iron sights on the rifle. In reading other threads here it sounds involved to put a front sight on a barrel. It's not that I don't want to fork out the $$ for a proper scope, I just think I'd like to take the challenge of using iron sights. It's been a few years since I hit a pop-up target at 300 meters with iron sights on a M-16, I'd just like to try to repeat that feat with a .22LR.

CZguy, slingshot? There's an idea. I'll investigate that further.

 

[aka108]

My 77/22 came with iron sights and a set of Ruger scope rings but it is over 20 yrs. old. Haven't looked at newer ones. Maybe Ruger is charging more and providing less which is typical of most things today. They are nice rifles and almost as accurate as some of the old Remingtons.

 

[CZguy]

You might want to look at a CZ-452 Lux. They have very nice iron sights right from the factory, and are adjustable from 25-200 yards. They have a sliding tab similar to a German Mauser. This lets you (once it is initially sighted in at 25 yards) engage any target between 25-200 yards and quickly and easily set the sight for the next range. You would be surprised what you can hit with iron sights on a .22 at 200 yards.

They are incredibly accurate, right out of the box.

http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=3

And are only around $330.00, much cheaper than a 77/22.

 

[jkingrph]

I have an older 77-22 sans open sights. I wish it had them. That said with Leupold 4x rimfire scope it is very accurate. I do not think barrel length will affect accuracy since we are now talking optics for sighting. I prefer the traditional walnut blued steel firearms, althoughI do have a stainless 10-22 done up with a midway sporter barrel and a Fajan high grade classic sporter stock, which looks very pretty.

You could probably shoot bb or cb caps by hand loading, also a go with a Marlin 39-a, my first and favorite 22. Dad bought me mine in 1952 so have had it quite a while. I do not know about the noise level. To stay legal you might consider one of the better air rifles. I have an old Feinwerkbau 124 or 127, cannot remember now, in 177 cal, a break barrel that puts out a little over 1000fps. Some folks are now making them in much larger calibers and are capable of taking med sized game (small deer) at close ranges. You might check Beamans on this if they are still in business. They are one of the oldest and best air rifle dealers/importers in the country. Be advised an air rifle of this quality will easily cost 3-4 times the price of a 77-22.

 

[IA_farmboy]

I just got back from a trip to Gander Mountain. Much better selection of firearms than Dick's, but on the wrong side of town. Just happened to be in the area to watch "Transformers" (great movie BTW) and stopped in to see what they had.

They didn't have the 77/22 in a .22LR, only in the .22WMR. They did have a Savage bolt action in .22LR with a thumb through laminate stock. I asked the very helpful gentleman behind the counter why I should spend so much more money on the Ruger. He claims the rotary clip on the Ruger never jams, unlike the (what do you call it? Banana style?) clip in the Savage. The Ruger bolt movement just felt smoother and looked more durable. While I'll probably stick with my original choice of brands does anyone wish to comment on Ruger vs. Savage vs. other? The main reason I'm looking at the Ruger is on a suggestion from a friend that has a Ruger semi-auto and loves it.

While I was there I took a look at deer hunting handguns and rifles, but that is for another time and another thread.

One of the people working there said they could order the rifle I was looking for with no obligation to buy. He said normally orders placed on a Wednesday come in on Friday but wasn't sure how the holiday affected things. Said the price would be about $650 so I'll do a bit of shopping, on line and on foot, and see if someone else in the area has one cheaper.

 

[IA_farmboy]

I was able to answer some of my own questions by downloading the manual and another trip to Gander Mountain. The manual states that .22 short, .22 long, and .22 shot cartridges can be fired safely from the 77/22 but must be hand fed into the chamber. I also found out that CCI makes CB cartridges that are in long rifle dimensions so that they can be loaded safely in a rifle magazine. The manual warns that repeated firings of shorts could cause a groove being worn into the chamber that might make extracting longs and LRs difficult. Having found an LR version of the CB round I don't think I'll have a problem.

Gander Mountain didn't have the rifle they ordered for me yet. I'll have to either wait until next week or find someone else in the area that has it in stock.

 

[Bwana John]

I would have bought a target model Ruger for my intended usage (targets and very small bits of junk at the range) if the stock was actually a TARGET stock! The target model Ruger sports a stock of the same dimensions as the "sporter".......

I have a 77/22 target .22 LR now and love it, but the stock is a little wimpy for a target rifle.

Beware of Aguila "Colibre" CB .22 ammo, the projectile stuck in the .24" target barrel.

"Hand feeding" the cartridge is not easy, especially short little CB caps.

I also had a 77/22 .22 mag sporter, I liked the lines of the blus and wood sporter better than the "quasi" target model, I just couldnt afford to feed it. The .22 mag was just as percise (or more) as the .22 target model.

 

[IA_farmboy]

I hope this never happens but what should I do if a bullet is stuck in the barrel?

Would it be as simple as pushing it out slowly and carefully with a cleaning rod?

 

[dfariswheel]

The Ruger is the top quality rifle of the "Big Three" of Ruger, Marlin. and Savage.
Most people put them in that order: Ruger, Marlin, Savage.

The Ruger is made to a higher standard and is built more like a high power rifle with the heavy cast trigger guard assembly and a stiffer receiver and better bolt design.

While a rifle "can" get a ring in the chamber from firing shorter cartridges, this was much more a problem in the old days when even .22 ammo was corrosive.
It was the corrosive ammo that caused the erosion of a ring in the chamber.
With modern ammo, ESPECIALLY in a stainless steel barrel, I'd suspect it would take a lifetime of very extensive use of shorter cartridges before you had a problem.

In the unlikely event you get a bullet stuck in the bore, I'd see a good gunsmith.
If you do want to extract it yourself, buy three sections of steel drill rod that will JUST fit down the bore.
Most good machine shops can order steel rod in most any size you need.
Have a machine shop counter bore one end of one rod to fit down over the rounded bullet nose, and the other sections ends machined flat.
Have the rod sections polished to remove any scratches or burrs.

Depending on where the bullet is stuck, you use that end to push the bullet out.
In other words, if the bullet is close to the chamber, put a rod down the muzzle so the countersunk end fits over the bullet nose.
If the bullet is stuck near the muzzle, put a rod in the chamber end so the flat end of the rod is against the flat end of the bullet.
You want to get three sections so that you don't have a long rod sticking out of the rifle. A long rod will bend and flex, so use a short section to get the bullet started, then add sections as needed.

NEVER, EVER use a cleaning rod, ESPECIALLY NOT a screw-together type rod. These are too small in diameter and will bend and flex, damaging the bore, chamber , or muzzle.

To actually extract a stuck bullet, first make sure the rifle is held immovably.
If the rifle can move, the force of the blows will be dissipated and instead of moving, the soft bullet will distort and stick tighter.

With the rifle firmly held in position, press the rod down TIGHTLY against the bullet and HOLD IT FIRMLY IN CONTACT.
If the rod is allowed to bounce when struck, again the bullet will distort instead of moving.

Use a brass mallet to carefully drive the bullet out. As the bullet moves down the bore, add sections of rod as needed, but be sure to press them FIRMLY against the bullet to prevent bounce.