Thread: Ruger M77 7x57 load data required

Just acquired a Ruger M77 in 7x57 which is quite a solid rifle, I like the control fed action.

I’m curious as to those out there who own one and reload for theirs what your pet loads are?

Is bedding also recommended for these rifles?

I have plenty of experience with the 7x57 as it was my first centrefire I owned (Winchester 70 featherweight) which accounted for a lot of goats and deer so it’s a great calibre

You simply are not allowed to tease like that...photos of said rifle pronto please. Mate has tang safety Ruger in .25/06 it's heavy as shite but not fussy what it's fed.

It’s a great calibre alright, I have had a couple years back. I used the 139 gr Hornady SP which worked very well. Also the 140 gr Noslar BT is a good one too.
Back then I used IMR 4320 and 2208, looking in the manuals there are numerous powders that get the 140 gr bullet moving well.

The latest Noslar load data book has loads for IMR 4320 , back when I used it I used 44 grs now max has been lowered to 43 grs.
My load with AR2208 was 42 grs now max is 41.1 grs.

139 gr Hornady SP’s were what I ran and they worked flawlessly!

Micky, mines a tang safety… I’ll put up some photos over the next week or two.

Oh man....they neat rifles.you know the trick with action screw pressures??

No… what’s the trick?

Theres an order in which you tighten them up. Its got three action screws on an angle. Cant remember the order now, its on the google.


Its not really controlled feed, its just got a long extractor. They are good rifles. If I had seen one in 7x57 with a nice bore I would have jumped on it too.

50 grains of 2209 and a 139g Hornady is a standard load for me in several 7x57's, and will usually get just over 2900fps. I think the Ruger is a long throat, for the 170 grainers, so you may go up to 52 grains with the 139 grain bullet to get that velocity.

I found this from an old thread

Originally Posted by Stocky

I have a bunch of m77s the normal procedure for them is 90 in lbs for the front screw. This is for non oiled screws. I just wipe mine pretty clean and put 60 inch lbs as that's all my wheeler does plus an extra quarter turn (note this is very tight) can't go as high on the wood stocks if not pillar bedded as it will compress the wood. For wood 60inch pounds is the go to. This high torque is due to the weird 45 degree front screw.

Once this is done up do the rear to 40inch pounds and the. The middle screw just tight enough to not come loose.(doesn't take much torque on the middle screw to torque the action as it's unsupported.

This combo leads to the beat accuracy typically. Before I had a torque wrench I would do the front as tight as you can without slipping with the correct size flathead. The rear pretty tight but not as much as the front (smaller bolt) and the middle usually I just get it so it holds.

Important to do them in that order.

With my 308 it took it from a 2-3moa rifle she i did the all tight to a ~1 moa rifle after I stopped cranking the middle and started always doing the front up first.m

Yeah, sort of the same as the old Winchester 70's also with three action screws. Do the front one first and hard, like you do with a Mauser. Just snug the middle one.

Out of interest, I am told they make good donor rifles as Tikka T3 barrels just screw in. There's take-off T3 barrels laying around in gunsmith's workshops all over the country...

Loaded for same rifle for a number of years that a mate owned. He took most of his best animals with the 140gr BT, 52gr W760 (H414) & Federal 215M magnum primer. 139gr Hornady didn't shoot as good as the BT's in that rifle. I have a BSA Royal running 50gr behind a Speer 145gr, mild to shoot. As always, approach this load weight with caution, IIRC it had a bloody long throat which is common.

IMO great actions. I've got two Mk1"s, one in the above calibre, long action, rebarreled with Shilen. My go to powders in order of preference; W760, N204, 2209 and 2208. Fed 210 primers.
Projectiles; Nosler 140 or 150gr BT's also Accubonds. Have never managed to get the 139gr to shoot for me. Have some load data but probably irrelevant to your rifle. A google of the various brands involved will give you good data to start.

The Hornady 154 grain SP is a good bullet too. Can get it up to 2700 fps with 2209

Looking around gunshops in the US, and was surprised at how much 7x57 was on the shelves. I presume because of the availability of old mausers. Its a great cartridge and I kind of have always wanted one but never got around too it.

Every now and then an absolute golden bit of information pops up, thanks for posting that Seventenths (& by extension, John Duxbury), I look forward to correctly tightening up my M77 and seeing what difference it makes. I've got a 7-08 in a hogue stock which shoots accurately enough within 200m, and an unmolested M77 .223 thats good for headshots on rabbits out to 600yds (not by me, the bloke I bought it off is an excellent shot). Always been frustrated with the 7-08, interested to see what happens now.