Ruger 77 in 7.62x39 ??

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ElKabong

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I saw one of these in a pawn shop today. I found a few online but they are all stainless. This one has a purplish blueing on the barrel & synthetic stock.

Anyone have/shoot one? I handload so the prospect of loading some good ballistic tips up hot is pretty intriguing.

Wonder if the bore is .308 or .311? I'm guessing 308 considering its Ruger, would make bullet selection easier and low power surplus 311 stuff would still work.

Like new condition and I think I can get it for 350-375....anyone opinions?

Just don't want to pick up something that is a known problem and there is little info on these.

Thanks,
ElKabong
 
I don't have the ruger but I do have the CZ527 carbine in this caliber. I really get a kick out of playing with this cartrige, I've been playing with 125gr Ballistic Tips lately.
 
If you are not interested please PM me with the contact info for this pawn shop. I am interested in purchasing one.
 
Posting here to be fair since I had more than one request......

OK...i checked it out at lunch today. I would call it 98% with a little shop wear. Mostly a little scuff ot two on the synthetic stock which is due to the material Ruger uses I think...kinda dull.
Blueing and bore look great...probably not fired much at all.
5 minutes of elbow grease I would call it LNIB.

I would definitely pick it up but am kinda saving for a Tikka right now.

I got them down to 350...so if anyone calls 350 + shipping would be the deal.

Had a couple inquiries so I'll post it here :

Kanawha Valley Jewelry & Loan
(304) 776-3700
The salesman I talked to was Lee Steele. Manager was Nathan if he's not there.

You might squeeze 330 or so out of them, maybe not...pawn shops you know.
These guys will sometimes tell me what they have in a gun as I buy more than a few from them.

I don't have any interest in the deal...just wanted to pass along an opportunity at a gun that doesn't pop up every day.

ElKabong
 
Would this be as accurate as the same rifle in .308?

Have heard the 7.62x39 cartridge is "inaccurate"... most AK's are (usually) by definition (3 MOA). Is this round itself really considered inaccurate?

I know some rounds are considered more accurate (PPC, etc.). What makes this so? Nominal math numbers?

Wondering, cause a bolt rifle in this caliber would be a bargain to shoot... seems like a good idea.
 
The 7.62x39 cartrige is NOT inaccurate in itself but a lot of rifles chambered in it are. Thruth is if you are using a good barrel and a tight action ANY cartrige is capable of fine accuracy.
 
The AK, by design, flails around a lot when it cycles.

They could have made the receiver and barrel heavier.
They could have made the gas system less forceful.
They could have made the clearances smaller.
They could have used a cartridge with less muzzle velocity but more ballistic coefficient.

It would have been an accurate gun but it wouldnt be as reliable. None of this was accidental.

You also have to remember that even the most tack-drivingly accurate 7.62x39 gun is not going to be hitting people-sized things past 400 yards without incredible luck. The extra 4-500 fps you get from using a light 30 cal round instead of a 180 grainer costs you a lot down range as the bullet will bleed off velocity faster.

The round and the gun were both clearly designed to provide great performance out to 200 meters, with tolerable performance out to maybe 400 if you really need it.

Am I wrong? I think the facts speak pretty well for themselves.
 
I own a Ruger 77 in 7.62x39. It's a stainless/synthetic version, and apparently is one of a special run of 5000 made some years ago for Davidson's, a major gun wholesaler.

The rifle was bought for the sole purpose of seeing how well the little round would do with cast bullets in a better rifle than an AK or SKS, and to date it has fired well over 1000 rounds using over a dozen different self-cast designs, from 130 grains to 220 grains. It has a good 3-9x scope and a Timney trigger added, and cast-bullet accuracy has been much as I expected...variable! Some combos are extremely accurate, some are horrible, and most are in-between. The fun continues, with many more possibilities to explore.

The groove diameter is .3105". This is NOT a mistake, because I slugged the barrel three separate times. Repeat: the groove diameter is .3105". This agrees with a statement from a Ruger official some time back, wherein he stated their rifles in 7.62 Russki Shortski (including the Mini-30) are nominally .311". My rifle has happily munched up some .308" jacketed loads, too, so it's not a concern. Most of my cast bullets are sized .311 or .313 for the 77.

My biggest "problem" (if I could call it that) is just that the rifle is really squirrely on the benchrest, being very light and requiring a LOT of care and control to get good results. The Timney trigger is a huge help, being set at just over one pound, which is too light for practical off-range use....but easily adjusted, of course. In addition, the very light barrel heats-up rapidly, and the pace of firing must be carefully moderated.

All in all, I really like the little rifle. I hope to shoot it a lot more in the near future. Most of my brass is Federal commercial stuff, and I do NOT like it. Neck-wall thickness seems highly variable and some cases won't even touch the expander ball AFTER sizing. I'd recommend some other make, based on these 800 rounds that I bought once-fired off Ebay.
 
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