Hi Guys,

I used to be a shooting freak in the early 1990s, but then suddenly dropped the sport with moves, marriage, etc. Just as suddenly I was passing through my local sporting goods store and snagged a Ruger M77 Mark II Target in .243 Win. I have maybe fired 2 dozen shots in the last 10 years.

Boy, a lot has changed since I was last involved! So I have a lot of questions and found you all to maybe help me out a bit.

First about the rifle: I read that there are (or were) complaints about the accuracy of the Ruger M77 Mk IIs' accuracy. Is that still a concern? In unstable air (15 mph gusts, bad mirage in 95F heat) I shot 0.75 MOA at 110 yds with Remington 100 gr PSP factory ammo from a bipod -- didn't seem so bad to me given that no work had been done on the rifle.

My next question is about what kind of a load to use. My intended use is coyotes at out to maybe 600 yds, so I'll assume this is a ballistic coefficient show. I was getting ~3060 fps with the Rem 100 gr PSPs. What are the best bullets for best accuracy with a flat trajectory at that range these days?

Also, what is the best ballistics software? Range finder? Is there a sling that will help with this extremely front-heavy rifle?

Thanks for any help.

Scott

The original 77s had cheap barrels from another supplier, and a variable reputation for accuracy. Both of mine are OK, though.

Now Ruger make their own barrels (cheaply, too, I'm sure!) and you hear fewer complaints about accuracy. 77 MKII triggers are pretty well considered about the worst you can get, overall, but maybe they are better on the target guns.

As yours is working, don't sweat it.

Long range.... the pointy, plastic tipped bullets will be your friend. Get a box of each brand and see how they do.

Welcome to the forum, also!

Thanks, Mike.

I adjusted the trigger on mine today. Wow. It's been a while since I worked on my Rem 700s, but it is super easy to adjust and the results are great -- crisp, light, and minimal overtravel.

I'll try the Nosler ballistic tips first, and I think Hornady A-Max. Now if only I can remember where I put my dies. . .

Scott

Scott,
the triggers on the Ruger rifles, with the exception of one variation...which is the one you purchased, are what you will hear bad things about. Most all of the shooters I talk to who have purchased the MkII Target love the trigger, not the same story with the rest of the current m77 lineup which have somewhat poor triggers that cannot be adjusted.

Great to hear you are back in the sport. Always nice to get a good shooting rifle on the first try.

Since you want to shoot out to longer ranges, like 600 yards, and your rifle has the 1-9" twist that will stabilize longer bullets, you might want to try some of Berger Bullets 88-95gr Low Drag and Very Low Drag bullets. These bullets have a very high ballistic coefficient that will help you "keep it on fur" at long range. The bullets mentioned would be a good place to start, but the Bergers have a MUCH higher BC so it might be something to try out.

Scott,
the triggers on the Ruger rifles, with the exception of one variation...which is the one you purchased, are what you will hear bad things about. Most all of the shooters I talk to who have purchased the MkII Target love the trigger, not the same story with the rest of the current m77 lineup which have somewhat poor triggers that cannot be adjusted.

Great to hear you are back in the sport. Always nice to get a good shooting rifle on the first try.

Since you want to shoot out to longer ranges, like 600 yards, and your rifle has the 1-9" twist that will stabilize longer bullets, you might want to try some of Berger Bullets 88-95gr Low Drag and Very Low Drag bullets. These bullets have a very high ballistic coefficient that will help you "keep it on fur" at long range. The bullets mentioned would be a good place to start, but the Bergers have a MUCH higher BC so it might be something to try out.
I have a stainless in .223. This rifle goes from one hole performance at 100yards to two minutes of angle! And that is with the same load. It depends upon the weather...so...I know..I am going to have to bed it...concur on the trigger...it is awful..but can be tricked....I love the safety....hate the floorplate...which they made it out of steel....this one gets the Ackley treatment and a bedding job next month..

Well, you've answered the accuracy question :)
As to long range bullets, I'd look at the plastic tip stuff, too. The 55's and other light ones are fast and sexy, but, as you pointed out, at the longer ranges BC is very important.
I use a 243 heavy for woodchucks at fairly long ranges (400+) and I've been using the 87 Hornady V Max. Does better in the wind than the lighter ones, once you get past 400 yards.
The 100 grain bullets may perform well in the wind, but I question whether they'd expand on a coyote at extended range- most 100 grain bullets in .243 are meant for deer and antelope. The 87's and lighter ones are meant for varmints, and will expand, IME.
I use a free program called Pointblank for drop/drift charts, and I like it. But there are lotsa programs I haven't tried, so I'm no expert.
As to rangefinders, Leica 1200. Better than anything else I've seen under $1,000- and better by more than a little bit.

My son and I use two 243's for coyote hunting. One is a Ruger #1b and my son uses a Remington 26 inch bbl VLS. We both use a bipod that snaps on the rifle that allows us to shoot sitting down or kneeling. There are good plans for one that can be built for little money on Varmit Al's website.

We both use Nosler bulk 58 grain plastic tipped bullets loaded to 3950 fps. To tell the truth I've shot very few yotes over 500 yards and most within 250. We call with mouth blown calls and often see five to ten a day. It is much more effective than driving or walking to hunt them here in Idaho. Those light bullets would not be near as good much past 500 yards, though to that distance they will shoot flatter than a 22-250 with 55 grainers which is considered a primier coyote load in this country.

Only down side of the 243 is if you plan to harvest the hides. They are much to destructive for that. I did try some of the solids once, but had two many run away after being hit. Now I just leave them for the magpies to eat.

I have owned 4 Ruger M77's since 1969:

1.) A first year production 243 sporter new in Nov 1969. Serial # is 212X. This is the most accurate rifle I've ever owned. During the first year the M77 was produced in 243 and 308 Win's only. The following year the 270 and 30-06 were added. I had honed the trigger mechanism for a crisper letoff and reduced the sear engagement and overtravel. I glassbedded the action and freefloated the bbl forward of the chamber. This rifle is a consistently accurate shooter. Best performance was with 43 grn of IMR 4350 and the Sierra 100 grn flat base spitzer. My 40 year old son now owns this rifle.

2.) In 1973 I added a 7mm Rem Mag for hunting deer in MT. This also was modified as above and a few years back I had Shilen rebbl with a 26 inch lite varmint S.S. Match Barrel(not the Select Match version). This is now a superb "Beanfield Rifle". My oldest grandson now owns it as a college grad gift and he is very proud of it as he should be.

3.) In 1991 a S.S. MKII in 308 Win was added. This does not have the CRF feed as was added in later years for the MKII. I did everything in my experience to get it to perform to my standards. I finally had Gander Mtn install a Deluxe Douglas bbl. I installed a Timney trigger. This is now my excellent Michigan deer rifle, though slightly less accurate than the above. A year or two later they started producing their own bbls, because of all the complaints they got in prior years.

4.) In about 1994 I bought a tang safety M77 Varmint/Target(one of last produced) in 308 Win from a friend. He and I both worked on it extensively to no avail. I finally bought it and went to work on the trigger as above(I don't rework triggers on rifles of others). I added a Cabella's 3.5x10 Alaskan Guide scope also. It is so far my second most accurate firearm with a minimum sample of test loads.

Overall I prefer the tang-safety models. On all M77's I DO NOT like the sloppy fit of the bolt when fully open. One gets into the scope clearance. The investment cast surfaces inside the receiver are just too crude and the bolt lugs fore/aft short length doesn't help.

I have a Remington M700 VSSF in 220 Swift that had to be worked on also - glassbedding and use of a Shilen trigger. It is currently the most accurate rifle I have in the safe. I am still trying to get a Win M70 Compact in 7-08 Rem to perform better. It is baffling me to no end. I want the M70 to be my all-around Mich deer rifle - it is super lite and handy to carry with a 20 bbl and one less magazine capacity. I have a replacement trigger, but decided not to install it. Ruger rifles aren't the only ones that can be improved with some tinkering.

Enjoy your Ruger Target(your trigger is fully adjustable-no need for a replacement), Gene Dip

P.S. my brother has one like yours in 22-250. I bedded but it could be a better shooter.

I put together a scout type rifle using using a ss MKII in 308. Stock barrel shortned to 18 inch and added a Timney trigger. Shoots 1 inch groups with match loads at 100 yrds. And thats with a 2 and 3/4 powere Burris scout scope.

My Ruger 77 Mark II SS 30-06 is not the same as those with the wierd flat stock. It has a full synthetic stock. It's not a target model. Got it two years ago, and it has sights. Very light.

Still, I get inside of 1 MOA using Winchester 165 Fail Safe, on a nice day with no wind. The trigger is great, no complaints, and adjustible. I have not needed to adjust it.

Guess I can't see where the bad rap is coming from. A friend had one of the flat stock SS 30-06 rifles that he loves. I have taken half a dozen White Tails with mine, a couple of Coyotes, a Fox and have had not a single miss.

This is the rifle I choose to hunt with over a several others I have access to. It always comes to the camp, even though two of the others have removable magazines, and the Ruger does not.

I have one of the pre 2000 synthetic stocks on a SS mkII in .243. I was the most accurate rifle I own right out of the box with cheap factory ammo (80 and 100 grain) even with the original Ruger trigger. A buddy of mine and I shot five boxes of ammo and made two ragged holes one day. The trigger needs work. Screams for it even but the rifle shoots so well that I hate to tinker with it for fear of upsetting things. These rifles can flat out shoot!

We have a ruger in 3006. Had the gunsmith freshen up the trigger as we are used to two pound triggers with our other rifles.
It seems all new rifles wear a lawyers trigger these days.

Well he did a fine job on the trigger .so find yourself a good smith.
Think Ruger fixed the barrel problem going to their own, but it will take years still to live it down.
No other complaints.