Ruger 77/44 bolt rifle,,,,again,,,,

[Alan in GA]

I'm not sure why,,but I have always thought I needed to buy a used one of these to PLAY WITH....{let's be honest!:) }. The 1:20" twist should be great. Some searching thru Google reveals some still are not getting good accuracy from even this 'correct twist' barrel in .44 Rem Mag.
There's a walnut/blued one at a nearby pawn shop. Tagged $389. I can usually get a good price since he is a customer,,if I offer cash. The barrel has some rust in it and I'm not sure how long it has been 'in there'. I would bring a cleaning kit and possibly a HawkEye borescope to be sure before buying.
Ok,,,couch dreaming again. But they sure are neat looking little carbines. I'm not sure if the rear [or MID lug] lug bolt is a problem with the 44 mag or not.
Somebody tell me their experience with this rifle,,,Thanks!

[Gabriel]

Alan here is why you need the 77/44, suppression. I have heard one shot. As they say,"Hollywood quite", with subsonic ammo.


http://www.srtarms.com/7744.htm

[Danny]

Maybe you need it to make up a rifle based on a, or the .17/44 Magnum Wildcat that Steve Herret once played with that was featured in Guns and Ammo in the late 70s or the 80s?

Does anyone else remember that article and rifle/cartridge?

Danny

I'm not sure why,,but I have always thought I needed to buy a used one of these to PLAY WITH....{let's be honest!:) }. The 1:20" twist should be great. Some searching thru Google reveals some still are not getting good accuracy from even this 'correct twist' barrel in .44 Rem Mag.
There's a walnut/blued one at a nearby pawn shop. Tagged $389. I can usually get a good price since he is a customer,,if I offer cash. The barrel has some rust in it and I'm not sure how long it has been 'in there'. I would bring a cleaning kit and possibly a HawkEye borescope to be sure before buying.
Ok,,,couch dreaming again. But they sure are neat looking little carbines. I'm not sure if the rear [or MID lug] lug bolt is a problem with the 44 mag or not.
Somebody tell me their experience with this rifle,,,Thanks!

[MI VHNTR]

I had a 77/44 in SS/Synthetic a few years back. It made a nice brush gun. My rifle was accurate enough for deer hunting. It did rock you when you shot it, especially with heavy bullets or warm loads. A friend had a 96/44 at the same time and it kicked even more than the 77/44. He sold it and bought the 77/44 from me. He seems happy with it. MI VHNTR

[Alan in GA]

I had a 77/44 in SS/Synthetic a few years back. It made a nice brush gun. My rifle was accurate enough for deer hunting. It did rock you when you shot it, especially with heavy bullets or warm loads. A friend had a 96/44 at the same time and it kicked even more than the 77/44. He sold it and bought the 77/44 from me. He seems happy with it. MI VHNTR

....any memory of group size at 100 yards?
It's quite possible that I 'just want to play with it' is the only reason I am thinking of buying one of these. I'm thinking of ligher 44 bullets, the 180s and 200s. The factory recoil pad is just that,,,hard enough to make sure you get all the recoil. A Decelerator would go nicely in place of the factory hard rubber pad.
Yup,,confession time,,,I think I 'just want it'. I still may take the cleaning kit and see how much pitting is in the bore/chamber. Looks like it was put up wet. It would have to be more like a $200 gun if the factory barrel isn't any good. Then $250 for a new barrel, [me fitting] and then it should really be a shooter. I'd put a heavier contour on it,,,just a bit more than the factory contour and weight.

[MI VHNTR]

My rifle would shoot under 2" groups at 100 yards with factory loads. This was with the rifle wearing a 2-7x32 compact scope. Back at the time that I purchased the rifle, I read an article in a gunrag on the 77/44. The rifle that they tested shot under 1 1/2" with factory ammo. The rifle does have potential to be quite accurate. I did a bit of quick searching and found this thread on the 77/44. Hope this helps. MI VHNTR

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-34165.html

[glenn]

I remember the article on the 17-44 mag. Believe Steve Herrett built the thing on a bet it couldn't be done. NEVER EVER BET A WILDCATTER!!! He built it on a modified martini action and built a custom scope mount and stock. If I remember correctly he was getting velocities equal or slightly bettering the 17 remington, used the thing to shoot gophers from his local golf course. Show up at your golf course with a rifle today and see what happens, see ya on fox news!! A 77/44 sounds like fun, then building a wildcat off it would be even more fun, maybe a switch barrel rifle............:rolleyes:

[Danny]

Glenn,
That's exactly how I remember the article. It always stuck with me. It's funny what you remember sometimes.

Danny

I remember the article on the 17-44 mag. Believe Steve Herrett built the thing on a bet it couldn't be done. NEVER EVER BET A WILDCATTER!!! He built it on a modified martini action and built a custom scope mount and stock. If I remember correctly he was getting velocities equal or slightly bettering the 17 remington, used the thing to shoot gophers from his local golf course. Show up at your golf course with a rifle today and see what happens, see ya on fox news!! A 77/44 sounds like fun, then building a wildcat off it would be even more fun, maybe a switch barrel rifle............:rolleyes:

[Warren]

I have a .44 barrel for a contender. I have not really shot it that much.

I bought it for my sons to use for a deer gun. Neither boy could use open sights.

When the older son was about 10, I had him shoot it before deer season. He shot about 25 times and enjoyed shooting it. He ended up missing a couple of deer.

I only have used a .44 Special load in the gun. I do not like the harsh bite of the magnum loads. I load the Special load in magnmum brass.

Buy the gun, you will like just oging out and shooting it. It is like shooting a .22 except it has a much bigger bullet.

[Old Doug]

Alan, That rifle is perfect as a suppressed platform. My 788Rem 44 Mag Suppressed is amazing. I have a great load for the 44 under 1100fps that is very acurate.

Give me a call and you can shoot mine. A price in the mid $300.00's for that rifle is great. Can't touch a 44mag Rem 788 in that range. Mags for the 77/44 are much more user friendly.

Should work well for your urban Yote control, with appropriate backstop.

Old Doug Griffin, GA

[ebd10]

If you decide to rebarrel, the .357 Bain and Davis catridge looks like a real show stopper. I imagine that any coyote under 100 yards would be DRT. :)

[Alan in GA]

If you decide to rebarrel, the .357 Bain and Davis catridge looks like a real show stopper. I imagine that any coyote under 100 yards would be DRT. :)

I have always wanted one in a T/C Contender. I wonder if the 77/44 clip would feed a 357/44 case? The section from where the shoulder starts back to the base is the only part that would contact, 'less' than what the full 44 case contacts.
I know,,,"why would you want that cartridge when all the other 35s are out there?"
Logic and reasoning are not that high on the 'gun dreamer's' requirement list.:)
Might have to go today and take the cleaning kit and Hawkeye bore scope. It would show I KNEW the barrel was bad [if it really is] for 'price negotiations'.
Good idea.

[bcp]

Another suppressed 44 thread started here, but not much posted yet.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/2158188

Bruce