Ruger 77/44

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Bartojc

Bartojc

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Went to shoot at my local range/store at lunch. While walking out I noticed on the rack at least 5 or 6 brand new Ruger 77/44 rifles. I noticed them about a month ago as well, but today they caught my eye. The price on them was $595, I had to do a double take as that seemed like a deal. A quick search of Gunbroker and Buds seems like my local store price is decent deal.

Assuming I wanted a straight walled cartridge for deer is there any reason I should not buy one of these at this price ?

I have other Ruger rifles and pistols. I assume there is nothing inherently wrong with the 77/44 ?

-Jeff
 
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Nope. Cabela's had them a year or 2 ago on clearance for $400. I didnt get one at the time because I'm left handed, amd I already had a stainless marlin, but I'm still kicking myself for not getting one.
 
If you like bolt actions then why not. They have a good reputation in my home state of MI where I still hunt.

I don’t do bolt actions though so it was never an option for me. I have an H&R SB2 single shot .44 and a Marlin 1894 .44.
 
greyling22 said:
Nope. Cabela's had them a year or 2 ago on clearance for $400. I didnt get one at the time because I'm left handed, amd I already had a stainless marlin, but I'm still kicking myself for not getting one.
Click to expand...

Yeah but that was the past. I guess Mausers aren’t a good deal either because you could get them for peanuts years ago. If the price is comparable to Buds then it is a good price all else being equal.
 
Are the ones at your store the stainless versions? If so that is a pretty good deal, you don't usually see them go for that. I've been watching them on GunBroker for a while as I'd like to get one as a suppressor host, you see them go for under $600, but fairly rarely.
 
earlthegoat2 said:
Yeah but that was the past. I guess Mausers aren’t a good deal either because you could get them for peanuts years ago. If the price is comparable to Buds then it is a good price all else being equal.
Click to expand...

I think my statement was confusing. It was actually 2 statements.
1) Nope, there is nothing wrong with the 77/44.
2) Cabela's had a deal I passed on and wish I hadn't.
 
The ones at the LGS are wood and blued. Buds is $754, Grab-a-Gun was $625 I think. Gunbroker shows $669-$800.

-Jeff
 
There’s nothing wrong with them. I’ve shot several. Accuracy was pretty good and they’re aesthetically pleasing to the eye (I think Ruger makes pretty wood/blued rifles. Not really a fan of their magazine. But that’s just a “me” thing. For the price, you could find an older Marlin 1894 that will give you 10+1 of 44 Mag vs 4 and a more reliable action (less potential feeding problems than from the rotary magazine). But if I had $600 to spend on a rifle, there’s definitely worse ways to spend it.
 
They are nice looking.
Handy package.

Buddy has one, it shoots OK. His previous one was a turd, tried handloads and several factory loads.
Nothing great but usable.

Go with a small eyebell scope. Bolt handle comes pretty close to hitting it. Could go higher rings but then that lifts cheek and ruins the whole idea of a fast acting little rifle.

LGS has a used one, stainless synth. Barely shot, w Leupold VX Freedom 3-9X on it.
It's been there a while, forget price but not bad.
I think more folks are looking into the .350 Legend.
.44 mag sells OK, lever guns more popular.
 
Saw on another forum a guy put a Burris Fastfire reflex sight on his (at fwd ring slot).
Kinda cool.
Don't get much more handy than that!
 
I own a few couple various m77s, but not a 44. Mine are 220swift, 204 ruger, 6mm rem. They are a nice rifle. I do have a 96/44 and a 44 deerfirld carbine that are nice shooters too. 44 mag out of a long barrel is fun.
 
I want one because I think they are neat but I already have a 44 marlin. The lever gun is arguably better in almost every way so it's hard for me to justify.

If you're a bolt gun fan you will likely enjoy it more than a lever gun and enjoying the rifle is what's most important at the end if the day.
 
One thing the 77/44 has on Marlin levers (and I think most other levers as well) is a faster 1:20 twist rate vs the 1:38 on many other .44s. This could be a benefit if you want to shoot bullets on the heavy end of the scale, although I'll qualify that with the fact that I don't have any experience with the 77/44 mags, if they won't handle longer heavier bullets well, that may negate any advantage.
 
Gtscotty said:
One thing the 77/44 has on Marlin levers (and I think most other levers as well) is a faster 1:20 twist rate vs the 1:38 on many other .44s. This could be a benefit if you want to shoot bullets on the heavy end of the scale, although I'll qualify that with the fact that I don't have any experience with the 77/44 mags, if they won't handle longer heavier bullets well, that may negate any advantage.
Click to expand...

I've shot some fairly heavy bullets (300 gr) in my 77/44 -- I don't recall feeding problems, just the 45-70ish wallop from the combination of a stout load, an ultralight rifle and narrow buttpad! In a pinch, you can always single feed the 77/44 on the rare occasions when the magazine doesn't cooperate.

My short 'Marteenie' carbine in .44 Magnum handles heavy stuff much more comfortably than my 77/44, due to a bit more heft and a much wider buttplate.
Marteenie.jpg
 
Hookeye said:
Saw on another forum a guy put a Burris Fastfire reflex sight on his (at fwd ring slot).
Kinda cool.
Don't get much more handy than that!
Click to expand...

Do you recall how he adapted the Burris? I'd love to see the photo if you can find it.

My own rig has an old school Millet 1" tube red dot in Ruger rings, with a peep sight backup. The Burris arrangement could be an interesting upgrade, with perhaps co-witness potential.

Ruger7744DotPlusPeep.jpg
 
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Among other things, and especially when made from s/s, Ruger 77/44 and 77/357 rifles make excellent "truck guns". The removable magazines make them particularly viable for keeping a rifle handy and ready to use from a vehicle.
 
SwampWolf said:
Among other things, and especially when made from s/s, Ruger 77/44 and 77/357 rifles make excellent "truck guns". The removable magazines make them particularly viable for keeping a rifle handy and ready to use from a vehicle.
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Very true, but...

It depends on state legality. In KS a loaded magazine in the same vehicular compartment is considered a loaded firearm. Even if the mag is in the console and the gun in the back window. Now put that gun in the bed or trunk, and you're good to carry a loaded mag up front.
 
BigBlue 94 said:
Now put that gun in the bed or trunk, and you're good to carry a loaded mag up front.
Click to expand...

Because I often travel in states other than my own, in an effort to be as legal as possible and still have a firearm for self-defense in my vehicle that is at least quasi-available, I keep a Mini-14 carbine and a Winchester pump shotgun in the locked "Ram Box" of my Ram pick-up truck with the ammunition being stored in the cab. Too bad it has to be this way...:(
 
BigBlue 94 said:
Very true, but...

It depends on state legality. In KS a loaded magazine in the same vehicular compartment is considered a loaded firearm. Even if the mag is in the console and the gun in the back window. Now put that gun in the bed or trunk, and you're good to carry a loaded mag up front.
Click to expand...

However, as I understand the law in Kansas, no permit is needed to carry a rifle or handgun, loaded or not.
NRA
Gifford Centre (whatever they happen to be calling themselves this year I remember them as 'Handgun Control INC.)
 
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