RUGER 77/357, what should I know?

[Garandimal]

...before I buy one.

RUGER says that a .357 Mag Mini-14 is not even on their horizon, so this bolt rifle is choice #2.

Any Comments/Concerns before I buy one?

TIA




GR

[Divernhunter]

Just remember you are shooting a pistol cartridge even if it is in a short rifle. Do not expect it to preform like a rifle cartridge if you plan to hunt. If it is just a fun gun then have at it. "I" would buy the 44mag model but I might be tempted to hunt with mine. I had the 44mag semi-auto long ago and took a deer with it. It was fun to shoot. Sold it to a friend as I did not use it much. Sometimes wish I had it back.

[Cowboy T]

A customer brought one in one time. What a fun little rifle! I would never expect Ruger to come up with a .357M Mini-14, either. But a bolt gun or the Model 96-series? Sure.

Ruger says that, "officially", .38 Special is not supported due to the slightly shorter OAL in the rotary magazine. But I've found that in practice there's nothing to worry about.

So go for it.

[Garandimal]

Not really worried RE: the caliber... 357Mag is a great round.

158 gr. HDY XTP out of a 6.5" BH, or the 180 gr. HDY XTP out of a carbine, is plenty good medicine for the camp/woods/trail.

I was interested in the rifle, if there were any nagging idiosyncrasies or accuracy problems that have cropped up out of sight of the gun industry pimps.

An acceptably accurate rifle, that can produce 6.5" Bbl/ 180 gr. muzzle energies at 150 yards, w/ a good, controlled expansion bullet? Packs all the freight that I require in a camp/woods rifle. Common FMJ-FP ammo is also a plus.




GR

[Steponmytoes]

I've heard that there may be some feeding issues with some Ruger mags.

[smittty]

I have one and I consider it one of my top 3 centerfire rifles.

I had an issue with the first one but Ruger replaced it. Their customer service is awesome. I generally have bad luck with Rugers but in the end I get a good gun.

Mine is stainless with black stock. Replaced the rear sight with a marbles bullseye and the front with a fiber optic sight. I tried it with a scope but it was such a handy light rifle with iron sights so that's how I keep it.

If you choose to mount a scope I suggest trading in the factory supplied "high" rings for a set of medium rings. The high are just too high for typical 40mm to 42mm scopes. If you mount a smaller 24mm scope you could use their low rings.

Mine feeds and ejects both long 357 mag cartridges and short 38 sp cartridges just fine. At the range I prefer loading it from the top with the mag inserted. I have one spare mag and I don't know which is which both work perfectly.

357 mag is absolutely fine for hunting California deer and pigs. Keep it within 125 yards and with good shot placement it's perfectly fine. With lead free ammo talk to your guide regarding shot placement. They see what and where it's working.

I bought mine even before owning a 357 mag revolver. I had no desire for a revolver but I liked this rifle so much that I ended up with now two revolvers.

Awesome gun!

[Garandimal]

Just ordered one.

Thanks.

RE: Scopes

TTBOMK, RUGER supplies Medium (#4) rings w/ the 77/357, and the RUGER scope/ring fit program says that they should accept 42mm Objective scopes.

Looking at a Leupold VX-1 2-7 w/ a 40.64mm Objective.



GR

[smittty]

Just ordered one.

Thanks.

RE: Scopes

TTBOMK, RUGER supplies Medium (#4) rings w/ the 77/357, and the RUGER scope/ring fit program says that they should accept 42mm Objective scopes.

Looking at a Leupold VX-1 2-7 w/ a 40.64mm Objective.

GR

Both my 77/357's came with #5 rings. The fit charts are always on the safe side but #5's are too high for any scope that you'd put on this gun.

[Garandimal]

Both my 77/357's came with #5 rings. The fit charts are always on the safe side but #5's are too high for any scope that you'd put on this gun.

Thanks, S.

Figured that the #4's would work, wonderin' if the #3's 'll work w/o removin' the rear sight.

There is also the question of bolt handle clearance... but the VX-1/ 2-7 is pretty trim in the ocular.


P.S. Found this from Jeff Quinn over at gunblast.com

RE: the WINCHESTER 16" carbine

RE: the 77/357



GR

[Sutcliffe]

the .357 has that big case

loads for handguns, for the most part, cannot take advantage of this.

Put that baby into a strong lever/bolt actin rifle and it's a whole new cartridge.

[23 Blast]

I'm saving up for one.

[Cowboy T]

loads for handguns, for the most part, cannot take advantage of this.

Hmm...don't they use the same loads? I do happen to use the same 158gr cast boolit load in my wheelgun (4" bbl) as the Rossi 92 (16" bbl), and the Rossi likes it quite a bit.

Put that baby into a strong lever/bolt actin rifle and it's a whole new cartridge.

Agreed there. Again, though, isn't that with the same load info, or am I overlooking something? I know that Mr. Quinn is using a 180gr handload, but shouldn't the rifle be able to still use that longer barrel to a significant advantage with, say, the 125gr JHP factory loads as well?

[GraveTPO]

Just ordered one.

Thanks.

RE: Scopes

Good for you. Sounds like fun.

[Garandimal]

Both my 77/357's came with #5 rings. The fit charts are always on the safe side but #5's are too high for any scope that you'd put on this gun.

Picked up a Leupold VX-1 2X7 scope at a god price.


Contacted RUGER RE: the scope rings.

The nomenclature says #4 (med) rings come w/ it, but they said that they are shippin' #5 (high) rings.

RUGER/CS also said to send them an email w/ the rifle's S/N, and they'll send out any set of scope rings I want, gratis.


RUGER...





GR

[Garandimal]

Hmm...don't they use the same loads? I do happen to use the same 158gr cast boolit load in my wheelgun (4" bbl) as the Rossi 92 (16" bbl), and the Rossi likes it quite a bit.



Agreed there. Again, though, isn't that with the same load info, or am I overlooking something? I know that Mr. Quinn is using a 180gr handload, but shouldn't the rifle be able to still use that longer barrel to a significant advantage with, say, the 125gr JHP factory loads as well?

Generally, there is ~ a 3-400 FPS increase in muzzle velocity between a 4-6" revolver and a carbine.

As per BBL: .357 Mag/Federal 158 gr. JHP

S & W 686 4" barrel: ......... 1246 FPS
Winchester 94AE 16" barrel: 1717 FPS

That given, here are the ballistics data on a 180 gr. XTP carbine load from a scoped rifle:

180 XTP/1800
*0.0" @ 125 yd

+0.4" @ 25 yd
+1.6" @ 50 yd
+2.0" @ 75 yd
+1.5" @ 100 yd
---------------
-2.5" @ 150 yd
-6.1" @ 175 yd
-11.0" @ 200 yd
-17.2" @ 225 yd 596 lb-ft/ 1221 fps
-24.9" @ 250 yd 553 lb-ft/ 1176 fps
-34.1" @ 275 yd 515 lb-ft/ 1135 fps
-45.0" @ 300 yd 483 lb-ft/ 1100 fps

And a 158 gr. FMJ-FP factory round from the same rifle:

158 FMJ-FP/1720
*0.0" @ 114 yd

+0.6" @ 25 yd
+1.7" @ 50 yd
+2.0" @ 75 yd
+1.1" @ 100 yd
---------------
-1.1" @ 125 yd
-4.7" @ 150 yd 468 lb-ft/ 1155 fps
-10.0" @ 175 yd 422 lb-ft/ 1097 fps
-17.0" @ 200 yd 386 lb-ft/ 1049 fps
-26.1" @ 225 yd 357 lb-ft/ 1019 fps
-37.2" @ 250 yd 333 lb-ft/ 0975 fps
-50.7" @ 275 yd 313 lb-ft/ 0945 fps
-66.6" @ 300 yd 295 lb-ft/ 0918 fps




GR