# Ruger K77/22VBZ Project Finished



## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Finally. But then I guess good work takes time to get it right. I picked up up Ruger K77/22 VBZ .22 LR from my Gunsmith this morning. This has been quite a project to say the least.

First of all this is the Rifle in question.










It wears an old Japanese made Simmons #800116 8x32x44mm AO Rifle Scope. This scope has Target Turrets and a Fine Crosshair with a 1/4 Minute Dot Reticle in High Ruger Rings.

This Rifle was plagued with Fliers. I have always been pleased with the accuracy, but the darned fliers were driving me nuts. To start with I found a site on the net that detailed how a new pin to hold the Bolt Halves together should be made, and had a machinist buddy make me a custom Bolt Pin.

Next the Barrel was not straight with the action. We learned that there were two high spots on the shoulder of the barrel shank at 12 O'Clock and 6 O'Clock. In removing these high spots and truing up the shoulder of the barrel shank we then made the barrel shank longer. To get the proper headspace between the bolt and the breech face we then had to remove .020" from the breech face.

In looking at the depth dimensions for .22 LR Chambers (Sporting Chamber, Bentz Chamber and a True Match Chamber) I couldn't see how making my sporting chamber .020" shorter would do any harm since the difference in depth between a sporting chamber and a match chamber is .085".

Next we found that the V-Block that attaches the Barrel to the Action was cracked, so a new V-Block was obtained from Brownells. Then we found a problem. In moving the barrel .020" closer to the action the V-Block would not hold the barrel tight to the action. To solve this my machinst buddy machined .020" off of the angles of the portion of the action in which the V-Block seats against and the problem was solved.

Larry


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Part Duex

With all the work done to the Barreled Action, next we turned our attention to the Stock. My Gunsmith (Roger) found a high spot in the inletting between the front and rear of the action. I said that we'd just bed it. Roger insisted that we have my machinist buddy machine us a Bedding Block that would incoporate a Recoil Lug and a Pillar.



















Roger drew out what he had in mind and my machinist buddy (Steve) went to work and machined out the above Bedding Block with a built in Recoil Lug and Pillar.

Roger then inletted the stock to accept this Bedding Block, glassed it into place and added a pillar for the rear action screw also.

Larry


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Well Roger only does Gunsmithing part time and raises and moves trees the rest of the time. As such this project has taken a couple months to complete.

Roger finally got the stock work all done. The Home Made Bedding Block, Recoil Lug / Pillar and the Pillar for the Rear Action Screw have all been AccuGlass Bedded into the Laminated Stock.




























Roger is very meticlous about his work, and if it isn't done right the customer doesn't get the gun back until it is done to Roger's satisfaction. This was the first Ruger 77/22 Roger has ever bedded, and he took it on as a challange.

I think Roger did an excellent job.

Larry


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Well as they say the proof is in the Shooting, and this afternoon I did just that. It was as is usual for South Dakota quite windy today. So I just had to shoot this Rifle so I went to the Indoor Shooting Range so I could try it out. 
I set up a target at 18 yards (the distance we shoot our Indoor Bench Rest League in the winter months), and shot 7 - 5 shot groups (adjusting the zero after each 5th shot to get true groupings). The first 5 shot group was shot starting with a cold barrel. The results of the 7 - 5 shot groups were:

1st group = .120"
2nd group = .058"
3rd group = .126"
4th group = .073"
5th group = .106"
6th group = .049"
7th group = .076"

Average for the 7 - 5 shot groups was = .086"

This was with Wolf Match Target Ammo. I then just had to shoot a USBR Target to see what this Rifle is going to be capable of shooting next winter. This target has 25 bullseyes on it with the 10 ring measuring .100". I was a little wiggly today after working till 4 AM this morning and having way too much coffee. At any rate I shot a 250-9x out of a possible of 250-25x.

I can hardly wait to get outdoors and shoot this Rifle now at 50 yards to see how much the modifications helped out. So far I have seen no indications of the fliers that were plaguing this Rifle prior to the modifications.

All in all I was quite pleased with the work done to this rifle. I am thankful I have good friends that could do this work for me at a moderate cost. Total cost to me for the modifications we did to this Rifle was $125.00. The best part is I still basically have a factory rifle. I didn't have to invest in a Custom Barrel etc.

Larry


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Very nice finished product Larry !!! Conrats.....
When you say that you can not wait to see what it will do this winter, what are you using it for this winter?


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

I shoot in an Indoor Bench Rest League from December through March each winter. With my other Ruger K77/22VBZ I took first place in our local league every time I shot it. With this Ruger K77/22VBZ the best I have been able to do is 3rd place. Now that I have eliminated the FLIERS hopefully I can get back in the running again.

Until then it is going to get a work out in the Gopher Pastures if our weather ever straightens out around here.

Yep the guys I had helping me with this project did an excellent job, and the price was right also. Both are good friends of mine that like a challange.

Larry


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## fishless (Aug 2, 2005)

Very nice :beer:


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

fishless said:


> Very nice :beer:


Thanks, I am very pleased with the way it turned out.

Larry


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

The wind was down a little this afternoon so I decided I just had to test this Ruger K77/22VBZ .22 LR out at longer range in preperation for my upcoming Gopher Shoot. 
Our famous South Dakota wind finally decided to subside a little this afternoon so I decied I had to try out the modified Ruger K77/22VBZ .22 LR at longer ranges.

I would guess the wind was between 7 - 10 MPH, maybe slightly more at times. I was able to get set up so the wind was at my back. I started out at 50 yards, but not before I shot a couple gophers that were in the pasture that adjoins the area I shoot. At 50 yards I fired 6 - 5 shot groups. Average was right at 1/2" (measured with a tape measure as best I could) with the best group going 3/8" and the worst 5/8". I was quite pleased with these results considering I was shooting Remington BULK Hi Velocity Hollow Points.

I then moved back to 100 yards. I again fired 6 - 5 shot groups with the smallest coming in right at 1" (again measured with a tape measure as best I could) with the worst group coming in at 1 7/8".

Now the only other .22 LR I have ever tested at 100 yards was a Stainless-Steel Super 14 Match Grade Contender Barrel. This particular Contender (with it's preferred hunting Hollow Point) would average slightly under 2" at 100 yards. I am quite pleased with the results of all the modifications I did with this Ruger K77/22VBZ .22 LR. I am quite sure when I miss a Gopher I will have to blame it on shooter error and not the gun.

Larry


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