Thread: Ruger M77 Skeleton Stocked Rifles

I've had a few Rugers in my time, a great 25 06 but a little on the heavy side with its semi varmint barrel and classic furniture. shot well but sold it for a 270 Tikka 695.

I'm intrigued, there seems to be a real following of these skeleton ( paddle stock rifles)

What's the attraction to these classic rifles?

*weight ( how much do they weigh in a long action say? )
*ruggedness
*accuracy

Appreciate any experiences and opinions on this classic.

Cheers

And could you actually paddle a canoe if you needed to ?

Blisters as you can see in my profile pic, a back up paddle has merit when we're hunting in our Canadian.

Mates got one... Misses everything really well. .308 should be easy but it aint

For me it's purely a sentimental things as I grew up shooting a number. They polish the steel to rather than blast which seems to result in a much more weather resistant finish. The rifles are very much hit or miss in accuracy. They can be accessed but it's nothing out if the box like a Tikka or more modern rifles nowadays.

I like them. As said very weather resistant. I filed down the mag box so I doesn't bind and torqued the action screws in the 'approved' manner. Carries and shoots well.

Just another stocked rifle....nothing special.

From memory they were the first popular 'all weather' stainless synthetic rifle in NZ. And quite unique now because of the stock and polished stainless finish.

Yes, they were marketed as Ruger M77 MkII All-Weather rifles. I bought a 223 in 1994, still have it but it is the least used centrefire. To me it feels front-heavy, and it is the heaviest of my rifles, with the heaviest trigger. The missus likes it at the range, but that is the calibre rather than the rifle I think.

I don't know the attraction - maybe ask @doubleshot he's got/ had a few..

My theory about their perceived following is that people who don't spend a lot of time around a variety of rifles can recognise them easily by the stock from a distance; "ooh that's a Ruger innit? My mate has one, he shoots loads of deer".
Haven't had much to do with them but when we trade one in at work they don't seem to last long on the rack

I remember seeing tons of them in hunting rags when I was young. Was always told the barrels were rubbish.

Ah the old Ugly duckling
Don’t know what the Attraction is to the Skeleton stock I think they are pretty ugly Myself
But alot of people seem to love em

I just got my 1st m77 yesterday wood stock 2506 same as you had by the sounds tang safety model
Haven’t shot it yet but seems a nice rifle very heavy as you said
But waight doesn’t bother me as i hunt from a quad so don’t have to carry my rifle @doubleshot loves his rugers he might know

The only comment I've heard about them is that they're a real shoulder bruiser in the heavy calibres. Seem to recall they are rather thin across the pad.

I think the first of the models had the same barrel issues that the tang safety models had. Sometime during manufacture of the paddlestock they sorted out the in house barrels. The non paddlestock mk11s and Hawkeye are probably a better rifle