[Quicknick]

I have had the itch to build a 6.5x284 target rifle or a 280ai hunting rifle for awhile but just havent tracked down an action. Long story short my dad gifted me his old m77 tang safety 25-06 to do whatever I want with. Part of me would love to just leave it original and rebarrel it to 280ai to keep the sentimental value (even though its rebarreled). Another part of me wants to make it into a long range target/steel rifle and rebarrel it to 6.5284, trigger, stock, the whole nine yards. Couple issues though; I know its tough to find a good smith to work on rugers, and parts can be limited, bedding the action is tricky due to the angled recoil lug, etc. My biggest question though, is the m77 action good enough to use as a long range target rifle? I know its been done but seems like 90% of people use remington, savage, or howa actions. i imagine if I had the action trued it would be just as good as a remington or howa. Im really on the fence about this one, what would ya'll do?

Thanks

 

[MontyF]

Since the rifle has some sentimental value, being the old softy I am, I'd leave it in 25-06. Looks to me if you are going to do that much work you'd end up using the action and just have a box of spare parts laying around. Can't fault the choices on the chamberings you picked though.

 

[kdub]

The tang safety M77 isn't that hard to rework. I've got one that was originally a 7RM with a shot out barrel. Had a Douglas premium SS barrel chambered in 7 Dakota installed and restocked with a fully bedded Bell & Carlson thumbhole synthetic stock. The trigger on the old M77 can be fine tuned by someone who knows what they're doing, no need for an aftermarket.

Puzzled by the inquiry of whether the Ruger action is worthy of long range use. Why not? What would be the problem? Among other things, it has the most solid scope mount lockup of any on the market. The reason the actions you mention are popular for reworking is the rounded bottom receiver making such easier - not necessarily stronger or better.

That said, there's no moss growing on a good 25-06. A great chambering.

 

[old roper]

Since it was a gift as such "dad gifted me his old m77 tang safety 25-06 to do whatever I want with" be a good platform for a custom but you are limited. Unfortunately Ruger was never very generous in giving alittle extra magazine length(appr 3.345") vs Rem long action(appr 3.635").

As kdub explainded finding a good gumsmith to work on a ruger 77 can be a problem.

If your wanting to shoot bullets VLD type bullets you may have a problem with cases like 25-06 OAL 3.250" and it be worse with the 280AI OAL
3.330". You wouldn't have much problems do the 6.5x284 OAL 3.310" you could short throatthat alittle or you could do the 284 and throat that long be just alittle behind the 280AI or equal to the 280AI depending on barrel length used.

My nephew lives in Calif I'd had a 257Wby build on a Ruger 77 tang safety action he wanted something to hunt the lead free zone down south he's in Stockton. My gunsmith done a nice job on that rifle and I did all the work up loads and his first group were in the .3's. He got the rifle in time for 2009 hunt he drew a Nevada deer tag just south of Reno on the east side of the Sierra's got a nice 4x4 with 115gr TSX.

Ruger did build a 77 tang safety 284 so chambering for that for the 6.5x284 or 284 is easy just change out the follower and alittle work on the magazine rails. Sometimes depending on who's stock you use if changing out the magazine width may have to be shorten.

My 284 is build on a 77 tang safety and my OAL is 3.100 it's in a Borden Rimrock stock he no longer makes them. One problem you have sometimes send an action out to barrel manufactor is they only throated to SAAMI spec. I figure if I'm going to the trouble to have something build might as well get it throated for what I like to shoot so I'll give my gunsmith some dummy rds and he throat the rifle for them.

Well good luck

 

[Quicknick]

I agree that tbe 25-06 is a great cartridge(one of our favorites along with the 270 roy) in fact weve taken so many animals with it and shot it so much that the rifling is almost completely gone in one part of the barrel, about 8" or so and its still a .5" moa rifle, I dont understand how it does that really, it seems to defy conventional logic. I would rebarrel it to the 25-06 but ive got a cooper classic on order in 25-06.

I love the ruger action especially the old tang safety I hate that it doesnt get the credit with the long range shooters. I may turn it to 6.5x284 just to prove that its as good as any others. I think i'll try to find someone to true the action and go ahead with the 6.5.

I actually live about an hour south of stockton and this condor zone is a pain in the ***. Due to the possible measurement limitations with the 280ai, the 6.5x284 seems a more reasonable route. luckily my dad says he has no real sentiment toward this rifle, he replaced it with a 25-06 supergrade just before winchester sold to fn. That **** thing shots 1\2 groups too! I guess i'll try to sniff out a smith that can help me out with this. Thanks for the help guys, any more thoughts or opinions are greatly appreciated.

 

[huffmanite]

I acquired a nice condition scoped featherweight tang safety 77 in .270 over 2 years ago for around $200. I don't hunt, just shoot paper and quickly discovered that while the rifle may have been a good carry hunting rifle....but not much I cared about the rifle when it came to target shooting. Ordered a 7mm F54 contour (heavy varmit) Midway A&B barrel and had it innstalled and chambered in 7x57 mauser. Cost for barrel, chambering and installation ran me about $160. Elderly gent I used for work is a retired machinist thats done gunsmithing on the side for a darn long time and very reasonably priced for most of his work when he feels like taking in a gunsmith job. Discovered Rifle basix made just a trigger sear for the tang safety 77s that cost $40-50, which is less than 1/2 the cost of their replacement trigger assembly. With the Basix sear, ended up with less than a 2 Lb trigger pull. Boyd stocks had a unilet stock on clearance for less than $20 and since woodworking is a long time hobby for me....able to inlet the Boyd stock to properly fit the Ruger action without much problem.

End result was a Ruger 77 tang safety that went from shooting at best, a 2 1/2" one hundred yard group on a good day to one that is capable of a 1/2" group or less about every time its taken to range. P.S. the 7x57 is a fine cartridge.