BuzzH
Well-known member
This was my first big-game rifle that my Dad and Grandfather bought for me in 1979. Ruger m77 in 6mm Remington, built in 1978.
As with most rifle that kids start out with, this one took a pretty good whoopin' over the years, nice way of saying I beat the shit out of it. I cant say for sure, but counting empty bullet boxes, and making a guess on the number of factory rounds I shot through it...would have to guess 7k rounds. I noticed a couple years back that it just wouldn't group like it used to. It was a consistent 3/4 inch rifle, but being how I shot it a lot at ground squirrels and prairie dogs, often times lots of rounds fast, the throat was just gone. I have killed a lot of game with it, mule deer, whitetail, pronghorn, elk, black bear, bighorn sheep, javelina, coyotes, etc.
Decided to completely rework it, so I sent the action off to pacnor, had them duplicate the factory contour, 1-8 twist, 23" barrel, 3R, 11 degree crown, chrome moly super match grade barrel, chambered in 6mm Remington again, fit, yada yada. Had their smith redo all the bluing on the action and blue the new barrel as well.
This last winter, I refinished the stock and hope to bring this rifle to back to life. I hope it shoots as well as it did new...looks new anyway.
As with most rifle that kids start out with, this one took a pretty good whoopin' over the years, nice way of saying I beat the shit out of it. I cant say for sure, but counting empty bullet boxes, and making a guess on the number of factory rounds I shot through it...would have to guess 7k rounds. I noticed a couple years back that it just wouldn't group like it used to. It was a consistent 3/4 inch rifle, but being how I shot it a lot at ground squirrels and prairie dogs, often times lots of rounds fast, the throat was just gone. I have killed a lot of game with it, mule deer, whitetail, pronghorn, elk, black bear, bighorn sheep, javelina, coyotes, etc.
Decided to completely rework it, so I sent the action off to pacnor, had them duplicate the factory contour, 1-8 twist, 23" barrel, 3R, 11 degree crown, chrome moly super match grade barrel, chambered in 6mm Remington again, fit, yada yada. Had their smith redo all the bluing on the action and blue the new barrel as well.
This last winter, I refinished the stock and hope to bring this rifle to back to life. I hope it shoots as well as it did new...looks new anyway.