Ruger M77RSI
 

Does anyone have any experience with the Ruger M77 International? I'm looking at one in 308. In particular, any accuracy or recoil issues?

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

I would not think you would have any recoil issues at all and accuracy will differ between each actual gun, but ruger m77 should be plenty accurate. If i may ask what made you chose 308. Personally i believe the 30-06 and 300 magnums have it beat on the heavier side and on the lighter side the 270 has it beat. Why go 308?(unless you are buying this gun from someone and the gun is chambered for it)

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

Ruger 77RSI, 308Win.; I've got one in 308. Nice rifle. I'm still checking out various ammo for it, but so far it seems to like Rem. 150gr. Core-Lokts, and the Federal 150gr.
Power-Shok. Approx. 1-1/2" at 100yds. Would like to find a good 165 and 180gr. load
for it.
As for recoil, well, it kicks some. Heck, it only weighs approx. 7lbs. w/o scope. I've got
a Leupold VXIII, 1.75-5x on it. With the 18-1/2" barrel, the muzzle blast can be a bit much, but a good set of ear plugs takes care of that, and in the field you don't even notice it (much) ;)
Overall, makes for a nice carrying, very handy little carbine. I like it.:D

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

I bought a 308 RSI last year. It's one of the old model M77RSI with the rear tange safty.I shoot 168gr hand loads in it ,it will groop a 1" at 100 yards.But it has a little, kick to it. They are great guns

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

i really like the looks of the rifle, wouldn;t mind owning one myself, wish it came in 6.5swede though. i'll probably own one in the near future, not sure what caliber though.

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

I have always liked them and will no doubt own one some day. The .308 is a great round all the way up to moose and with 150gr. bullets it shots as flat as most standard rounds out to 300 yds. A .308 is only 100fps behind an 06 and if you reload the .308 you usually actually equal the guy next to you shooting factory 3006 which tend to be mild. If they ever make the RSI in .358 I will order the first one!!!!!!!

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

Thank you for the replies

texhookem

The M77 RSI comes in 4 calibers (243, 270, 308, and 30-06). I'm not interested in the 270 or 06 in a short barreled firearm.

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

The RSI's are nice rifles.I've heard the full length stock has effected accuracy on some of them.I almost had one. It was a 308. The guy had it on a classified ads. A half hour earlier he had traded it in.I forget what he was asking but it was a deal that couldn't be passed up. It's gone and I'm without.

Ruger Redhawk

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

I had one in 308 ..I replaced the trigger with a timney trigger.. I thought it was an OK gun and certainly good looking but performance wise rather deal with a model 7 or similiar short rifle.

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

People who like the .308 always say it is only 100 fps behind the 30-06, which may be somewhat true with lighter weight bullets(150) where on average the 30-06 is ahead by 150-200 fps. Which is not that big a difference. But when used with heavier weight bullets like 180 grainers that is where the 30-06 shoots considerably flatter than the 308. It is entirely unfair to say that the 308 will shoot flatter than a 30-06 if you handload it. I can handload my 30-06 to shoot faster than some 300 win mag loadings(i own both 30-06 and 300), yet i do not say that my 30-06 is as flat a shooting round. The 308 is a fine round but i feel it has no qualities that would make me want to own one.

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

if your into have a short action rifle and dont want a mag that does leave the 308 as a good option. I do not know what and where you are hunting but with the ruger international's 18 inch barrell a 308 would be a good choice.

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

What I said was a handloaded .308 can achieve 2700fps with a 180gr. bullet. When you compare that to a factory loaded 180 grain 3006 round most times the .308 will beat it. I have proved this a couple of times with my chrony. I have yet to see a factory 3006 180gr load crack 2700fps. Now having said all this, if you handload you can get an extra 170fps in 180gr bullets to the 3006s advantage.

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

Thanks again

I have no desire to own a 30-06.

RE: Ruger M77RSI
 

Tex, from my experiences, the 180grn boundary that you mentioned between the .308 and .30-06 is pretty much the dividing line where the .30-06 starts leaving the .308, I've never noticed any real advantage in either cartridge up to that point, and if you're hunting something that can't be killed with a 180grn bullet from a .308 OR .30-06, you'd be better off taking a .338WM or something larger.

There are several undeniable advantages in the .308win...in loadings that are essentially equivalent (within 200fps), you're likely to get considerably less recoil in the .308 which increases shootability no matter how long you think yours is. The short action also promotes inherent accuracy and better bolt lock up. Typically it uses less powder to get the same results as well, and .308 brass usually has a slight advantage on price as well, so it's cheaper to reload. Basically, if you find any game species that the .30-06 can hunt effectively that the .308win can't, I'd like to see it. The .308win also typically retains more velocity than the .30-06 in shorter bbls. From what I've seen, reducing a .308's bbl from 22" to 16.5" gives about the same percent velocity loss as reducing a .30-06 bbl from 22" to 18", and truth be told, if you get down to about 16-16.5", the .308win passes the .30-06 on velocity...Of course I only found this out after I spent the money to cut and recrown an M-77 Mark I .30-06 so I'd have a compact .30-06...my Fiance bought a stock compact .308 Mark II and she's getting about 80-130fps better than mine using the same powder's max recommended loads.

To address the question at hand, the M77RSI is a great gun. I've owned two of them, and three No. 1 Internationals, they're definitely something else...a very distinct look. The increased stock does increase the weight of the rifle for no extreme shooting advantage (i.e. a thicker/heavier bbl is more accurate typically)...it's something to consider if you're going to be carrying this thing very far. If I recall correctly, Ruger claims they're an extra pound over the standard model...they're also more balanced towards the muzzle, it feels good for some people, it's uncomfortable for others. I bought mine for the looks, don't really feel TOO discomforted by the balance change, but the look of them is really the only reason I bought them.

I've got mixed feelings about them for rested shooting...On one hand, I like them because I don't feel bad bedding the whole length of the stock on something on a table while shooting for better support since it doesn't knock the bbl like a standard rifle would, however, the muzzle stock lug might also be pushing up on the muzzle when I rest the rifle, which migh be flexing the bbl moreso than it would in a standard stock.

I'd say buy it, you can always sell it off if you don't like it, and you might even be able to return it if you've got a good shop.