Ruger M77 Compact Rifle, anyone seen any lately?

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Float Pilot

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I ran across one today but it was in 223.

The shop owner thought he had one in the back room in 308 so I slapped money on the counter, but he never could find it....

That is probably only the 2nd or 3rd M77 compact rifle I have ever seen. I am sure they did not make many...

Just wondering if the Ruger experts here knew about when they were made in in what @ numbers.

They are cute little critters.
 
Don't see them often for sure, here's mine, made only one year I think in .30-06...
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Well Dang!!!...
They were listed at $750 north of my place, so for Alaska pricing that was not too bad. One of those in 338 Federal or 358 Win would be the Cat's Pajamas.
 
I'm liking that original M77 in a compact with the open sights. I didn't know Ruger made the old tang safety rifles in a compact. I have had an M77 MarkII Compact in 7mm-08 since I was 11. That's been a fine deer rifle. It's never let me down
 
I've been lusting after an SS compact in 308...but I haven't seen one in a while. A guy I hunt with has one in 243, and boy is that thing nice to carry! With a Leupold VXII the thing barely weighs anything.
 
The only two I've ever personally seen are in the safe. A Hawkeye in .223 and Mark II in .260.
 
The only two I've ever personally seen are in the safe. A Hawkeye in .223 and Mark II in .260.
Had a MKII 260 Stainless/laminate. It could possibly be the closest thing to a perfect whitetail gun in my neck of the woods. A 120 Speer HotCor behind a bucks shoulder was like lightning. I am still looking for a walnut/blue that I can afford. The little rifles tend to be a little pricey.
 
I wonder if they lightened the action or if the weight saving is only produced by the thin 16.5 inch barrel?

For a short period of time the made a Hawkeye lightweight with a 18 or 20 inch thin barrel. I have seen one in 7mm-08.


I compact in 338 federal or 358 Winchester would be pretty nice for my area.
 
Got a 243 & 30-06 in the OG Tang Model. My dad had a 279 and let it go. Those are the only ones I think I've seen for sale.
 
My local gun store in Leesburg, Alabama had two new ones for a long time. Both in wood with blued steel. One in .308, and the other in 7.62x39. The 7.62x39 finally sold, but the .308 keeps sitting there in the rack. I may have to get it to match my stainless one in .308.
 
I wonder if they lightened the action or if the weight saving is only produced by the thin 16.5 inch barrel?

For a short period of time the made a Hawkeye lightweight with a 18 or 20 inch thin barrel. I have seen one in 7mm-08.


I compact in 338 federal or 358 Winchester would be pretty nice for my area.

The action is not lightened , just the shortened barrel and stock .
 
One of those in 338 Federal or 358 Win would be the Cat's Pajamas.
I absolutely LOVE the 358 Win round. Its a real thumper with not so bad recoil and can take any North American game down for sure.
 
There are Compacts, Ultralights, and Compact Magnums...They all have their differences.
Compacts have a shorter length of pull and a 16.5" barrel. I believe they were sometimes available with sights.
Ultralights are standard stocked with a 20" barrel, no sights.
Compact Magnums were released to feature Ruger's release of the 300RCM & 338RCM cartridges. Standard length of pull and a 20" barrel with sights. These were available in non RCM cartridges. 308 at least.
 
There are 2 in my deer camp. I own the compact in .308 and a friend has one for his daughter in .243. I absolutely love the little thing! Fat old men can carry it easily, it works well in a box stand and absolutely shoots 'eyes out'. Both know how to kill deer too!
 
Ultralights are standard stocked with a 20" barrel, no sights.

They made a few tang safety Ultra-lights with 18.5" barrels and iron sights too. At one time I had one with a clean 20" barrel and my brother had the 18.5" iron sighted version, both in 30-06. They made a few in short action, but most that I saw were in 270 or 30-06.

They had thin barrels and matching contour stocks, but the same heavy actions which in my opinion did not make for a well balanced rig. But interesting rifles non the less.
 
The Compact is fairly common and still in production. The Ultralight has been discontinued for now. Those are a bit harder to come by.
 
I believe I have one in .458 WM packed away. Hurts. Just moved and have not unpacked those rifles. I know it's a M77 and I remember a short barrel. Don't know if I'll ever take that one out again. Kind of a novelty cartridge for me.
 
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