Opinions on the Ruger 77/357?

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Not a 77/357, but a 77/44 so much the same.

Recently started my journey with this rifle and it will be a cast bullet shooter. "J" bullets are NOT an option.

Now, about the first thing I did was float the barrel. ASAP!

Then after my first range session, sighting in the scope and shooting my first two series of test loads. AA#9 and H110 behind a 275gr Wide Flat Nose cast I was quickly ready for some after market up grades.

My son has a 77/357, so I duplicated my order for after market parts and they are on their way to him as we speak.

Go to TriggerShims.com for shims to take some play out of the trigger, a shim kit to remove excess play in the two part bolt. NOTE! there MUST be some play between the two sections to allow the bolt to close.

Then the most worthwhile of the upgrades was the Volquartsen Target trigger sear.

Where the factory trigger pull was some where close to 2 - 2 1/2 tons, only slight stretch here as it was VERY heavy, it is now light and crisp. Awesome in fact!

That trigger sear is also available from Lance at TriggerShims.com.

Am planning on a second range session next Wed.

If you can find a copy of RIFLE #263, read the article by Brian Pearce on the 77/357 and 77/44.

I hear about it, and a nice forum person sent me a CD with the article.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[frogleg]

I really like mine it feeds mag and spls just fine, its very accurate and fun.

[roverboy]

Anybody deer hunted with one yet? I have killed a couple with a 6" Security Six but, never tried a rifle.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

roverboy,

Hope that you along with other folks won't throw stones my way over this comment, but I have just never seen the .357 as much of a deer cartridge.

HOWEVER!!, as you state, you have taken a couple of deer with the cartridge fired from a handgun and there are quite a few folk that would agree with you on this subject.

So, my Ol'Coot likes and dislikes aside if the .357 fired from a handgun will get er done, then under the same conditions, ranges etc. that cartridge fired from a rifle would clearly be much better. Couldn't be much question about that!

Guess I won't need to face the issue personally although my son has a 77/357 which will surely be a fun tin can buster while his crusty Ol'dad is still debating even using his 77/44 on deer.

When the choice comes to his RUGER #1S in 45/70 pushing a 465gr Wide Flat Nose cast at 1650 or his 77/44 pushing a 275gr WFN at about an equal velocity, well I haven't crossed that bridge yet and I sure like my 45/70!

So, no I haven't used a 77/357 on deer, but as already indicated, under the proper conditions considering the cartridge in use it surely can be no worse then the same cartridge in a handgun. Just choose a good bullet!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Love Life]

I had one, it was neat, and regret selling it for the new flavor of the week at the time.

With SWC profiles in 38 special and 357 magnum brass, there were no reliability issues, but accuracy was not there. The rifle really, really liked the RNFP and WFN profiles. The best load for mine was the Lee 125-RF over 5.5 gr of unique. Minimal recoil, and quite accurate to 100 yds. Tended to blow a 3 inch hole in rabbits.

The magazine was a pain to remove.

[jmort]

"So, no I haven't used a 77/357 on deer, but as already indicated, under the proper conditions considering the cartridge in use it surely can be no worse then the same cartridge in a handgun"

Since you can easily get 1,500 ft lbs with a .35 Caliber bullet in a .357 rifle, not only is it way more gun, but will smoke most anything you run into.

[40-82 hiker]

Sounds like the ticket for youngsters without .22s!

[Alan in GA]

Sounds like the ticket for youngsters without .22s!

....or without 22 ammo they will be allowed to shoot, or even find to buy.

[Bullwolf]

I really enjoy my Ruger 77/357




- Bullwolf

[grampa243]

I personally love lever guns. However that being said most of the 357 mag lever guns I have run across are either bubba'd and beaten to death, or are WAY over priced, or both. Also the 5.5lb weight on the little bolt action appeals to me. Plus the ability to have 5rnd 357mag in the gun, and a 5rnd 38 spec in the pocket in case my deer hunt turns to bunny busting is something I like the idea of.

oh and I like ruger and they don't make a lever gun in 357...

GoodOlBoy

what you say makes me want one all the more.. and I can't seam to find a 357 lever gun in the whole state.

[Jeff Michel]

I took a doe with mine last fall. I used a 180 Gr. Mihec with 2400. 85 yards, ran about 10 yards.

Anybody deer hunted with one yet? I have killed a couple with a 6" Security Six but, never tried a rifle.

[bobthenailer]

I'm pretty hot to get one. I love my 1894C Marlin, but can't bring myself to scope a lever-action carbine. The bolt action Ruger seems made for it.

After working up loads with a 2x7 leupold, I use a aimpoint red dot sight and like it a lot ! I do 99% of my shooting off hand

[Alan in GA]

In the past I have mounted target scopes first on newly acquired rifles, a 6.5-20X and I even purchased a Weaver T36X when I started messing with 17 caliber rounds like the 17HM2, 17HMR, 17 Ackley Hornet, 17 Mach IV, and 17 Remington. However it being more and more difficult to get to a rifle range with 100 yards or more and covered benches, I've been more prone to pick a scope that I think will stay on the rifle. I don't have many chances to get back to the range for both initial accuracy testing with a higher powered scope, and then a return 'next trip' to re sight in whatever hunting scope will stay on the rifle.
I mounted a 4X fixed Leupold on this newly acquired 77/357, but the scope I favor for most deer hunting is the Leupold 2.5-8X VXIII. I think I have 2 or 3 of them.
I had 2 or 3 Leupold 2x-7x VXII scopes in the past and decided I would explore the 'better' grade of the VXIII Leupolds. When Leupold changed their scope model descriptions I sort of stopped buying any NEW Leupolds as I did not know what quality I was buying. Only in the last year have I purchased a newer (but used) Leulold VX 2 3x-9x, but only because it was already on a used rifle I bought.
Sorry for the wandering post,.... Am only halfway through first cup of coffee : )