# Ruger M77 .243 problem



## Sponsy12 (Nov 22, 2004)

For the past two years we haven't been able to get this gun to get sighted in. Its been cleaned so many times it is uncountable, put a new scope on it, done so much of that copper and rust removing stuff, got the stock and barrel so it free floats all the way until the barrel starts to expand for the bore. I just don't know what to do anymore. It shoots a consistant 6" high then 6" inches low and it is just up down up down from there. Does anyone know what is wrong? or am I just being a really bad shot who gets lucky with a pattern??
Thanks


----------



## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

If it's a mid-80's to early 90's gun Ruger made some of them with "oversize" bores to try and reduce pressures and therefore reduce the possibility of someone sueing them for a blow-up. It would have been nearly impossible for one of the to let go, but the didn't shoot worth a darn either.

Other possible fixes: 
You may need to bed the barrel shank. 
Your rifle might need some tip pressure.
Check to make sure the stock isn't cracked behind the tang or near the front action screw.
Check the barrel's crown for any dings.
Make sure both of your scope rings are the same hieght


----------



## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

Barrel is bent......... :beer:


----------



## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

It's an M/77. :lol: The first rifle I ever hunted with was a borrowed M77 in 243. Not one person in my family could get that thing to shoot worth a darn. Everybody had a different idea on what was wrong and basicly I couldn't wait to give it back to the owner and buy my own gun. I have a buddy who got one in 270 wsm and that damn thing wont shoot under 1 7/8ths inches even after a bedding job and a trigger job. I'm sure there are some good ones but every one I've run across has been a pain in the rear.

By the way, that action screw that runs diagonally under the action could be your culprit.


----------



## Sponsy12 (Nov 22, 2004)

It has been my dads rifle since for years, so it is probably one of those "problem models", but it has worked perfectly until two years ago when it wouldn't sight it in. What do you mean by bed the barrel shank? and tip pressure?? I know all the screws are tight and nothing is cracked and the scope is good also.[/i]


----------



## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

I see you are from Thompson. There is a gentleman who works in the gun dept @ Scheels in Grand Forks who is also from Thompson. He's a true expert. He also has lots of experience with older Rugers. He'd be the person to question about this problem.

A problem like you're that occurs "all of the sudden" generally means something has failed. I wouldn't rule out a bulge in the barrel due to snow/dirt/mud/a small rock/etc, it happens easily if you carry your rifle muzzle down in the truck.

You/he will likely find one or more of the following defects:

1. Cracked stock, right where the front action screw is or just behind the tang saftey.
2. Bulged barrel, likely within 4 inches of the muzzle
3. Improperly mounted rings
4. A bad scope
5. A damaged muzzle crown
6. Bedding compound has let loose
7. A series of handloads that were too hot have created too much headspace

Some may have other ideas but I'd feel pretty confident your malady is listed in those 7 somewhere.


----------



## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

Sounds like a scope issue to me. 6 high then 6 low, have had the very same issues with scopes going bad. Rings may be stretched on the scope also, check to make sure they are not tightened all the way closed, if they are, order new rings.

On a side note, I have 3 of the above mentioned "bad" Rugers from that time frame, and my only complaint is the triggers took some work. All are sub 1" shooters and the one that I took the time to completely bed the barrel and action shoots under 1/2".


----------



## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

The more I think about this the more I think it's a bulged barrel. Hard to know without taking a look.


----------



## Sponsy12 (Nov 22, 2004)

I know its not the scope because we put a different scope on it from our 270 which shot 1" groups. And the scope that was on it is now on our .223 and that shoots like 1/2" groups. What do you mean by a bulged barrel?


----------



## Trapper62 (Mar 3, 2003)

I have a 1970's model M77 in a 270, no problems, a 80's model 243 with the full stock and it is a tack driver, and a 90's model 223, no problems there either.

I think Horsager hit it on the head with a barrel defect. If it was a bedding issue the bullets usually tend to keep moving the same direction just more drastically with each shot, not up than down.


----------



## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

A barrle bulges when the rifle is fired with something obstructing the barrel. Snow, a small rock, mud, dirt, etc. It can happen pretty easily when carrying the rifle muzzle down in a vehicle. If it's bulged you should be able to hold it up to the light, let the light shine down the outside of the barrel and see the bulge. You may also be able to see the bulge by looking down the bore, preferrably with a bore light in the chamber and looking from the muzzle end. Even a slight bulge will be very noticeable. That can happen very easily. It happened to an uncle of mine while he was hunting elk in thinck timber. There was a ton of snow on the trees and some of the snow that brushed off ended up down his muzzle. Bulged the Sako he was using about 1.5" back from the muzzle.

I run electrical tape over the muzzle of any of my rifles that will be out in incliment weather to minimize anything ending up in the muzzle accidently. You can see the tape over the muzzle in the attached pics. The other black that's 1/2 way down the barrel is extra for after you shoot through your original.


----------



## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

I would look at the crown under magnification. If there is no defect there, go to the guy at Scheels. If he can't help.............It's trade in time! That's a shame, because the MK1, with the tang safety is a great rifle, IF you have one with a good barrel. I too, had a bad one back in the late seventies. It wouldn't hold six inches with any kind of ammo. Finally traded for another one.....problem solved! The sudden onset of the problem leads me to believe that it's going to turn out to be something fairly simple, though. Don't give up juuuuuuust yet. Burl


----------



## People (Jan 17, 2005)

If it is your tube you can get a new one installed very easily. No sense getting rid of a rifle you have many good memories with.


----------



## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

Horsager Great Idea does the tape hurt accuracy? Why did we not do this in the Army cause we used 100 mile an hour tape for just about everything else, forgive me if this gives me a chuckle but it seems the use for such tape is endless!!!


----------



## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

In Nam we used condoms.......... just slipped them over the barrel. First one's tried were extra large from France but they were to snug, tight and difficult to put on so we started using extra small made in the USA and they were perfect.


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

you can also use an earplug in your barrel. Just don't pack the thing way down inside. It'll pop off before the bullet gets there. maybe others have knowledge of this also. 
Nice Gohon. :lol:

xdeano


----------



## bighands (Dec 12, 2005)

I have used electrical tape for more than 25 years. I put 1 layer over the muzzle and wrap a little extra around the barrel so it can be used to cover the muzzle again if the gun is fired. I did quite a bit of testing to see if the tape affected accuracy and found it did not affect it at all.
I would guess the problem is in the bedding. Is the action tightening up to the stock like it should? I have had problems with wood stocks shrinking. Look hard at the bedding and scope mounts. Sounds like something is loose.


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

I forgot to mention in my last post that i have the same rifle in 243 that doesn't shoot worth a crap either. so it isn't just your rifle. I bought mine in 92. I'll be trading for a Rem or something else.
xdeano


----------



## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

Correctly sized finger cots work well too.

Gohon, too funny!!


----------



## neb_bo (Feb 3, 2007)

good stuff gohon-lmfao. i cant believe you guys have had this much trouble with rugers. i now own my third, a stainless synthetic 223. one heavy stainless laminate 22 hornet, that i still regret trading, and a wood blue 243. all have been sub moa shooters, especialy the hornet, as some of you have heard me say before. ill probably not buy anything american except a ruger. i guess ive never known anyone to have any major problems with rugers, but i guess it can happen no matter what brand, even ruger. oh yeah- the factory triggers suck on rugers, my only complaint, but not a problem for me, i do them myself.


----------

