Ruger M77 and Accuray
My wife and I have 4 Ruger M77 variants:
An M77/22 Hornet (ca. May 2000)
An M77 Mk2 "Ultralight" in .243 win (ca. Apr 2001)
An M77 tang safety in .257 Roberts (ca. May 1981)
An M77 Mk2 in .270 win. (ca. Mar. 1997)
The Hornet is a carbine, produced for a short time around 1990. It was about a 2 moa rifle "out of the box," largely due to the 2-piece bolt (lots of play). Had that pinned, had the gun re-chambered to 22 K-Hornet, had the trigger worked over, and it is 1 moa every day.
The .257 Bob and the .243 both had a typical Ruger wood stock problem, where I think a lot of the talk about accuracy comes from. On both, the forend had taken a "set" so that there was uneven pressure on the barrel. Cold shot right on POA, following shots wandering or stringing. A littls light sanding, relieving the forend tip "barrel rest" so that it becomes a point rest at 6 o'clock, and both are now 5 shots into one ragged hole at 100 yds. (1/2moa or better).
The .270, with the right load, will also produce 1/2moa groups all day long, and without any modifications.
I expect with synthetic stocks, the need to "fuss with" a Ruger rifle to get really good accuracy is history.
As far as barrels go, I have not experienced a bad one. The .257 Bob is pre-1992, but the barrel is outstanding. I've been told it is likely a Douglas, as they were a volume source for Ruger's barrels in the early '80's when mine was produced.