Sanity check. Ruger m77, 7x57 or 280?

[adcoch1]

I have a conundrum. At my local gun stores, across the street from each other, are two ruger m77 rifles. Both are 22" barrels, both are in good shape with decent walnut checkered stocks. The prices are reasonable, with the 7x57 being a little more worn but cheaper. The 280 is like new, but a bolt mounted safety, while the 7x57 is a tang safety. I don't need another hunting rifle, but I "need" to bring one of these home. Which one to pick?

 

[ECVMatt]

I really like the Ruger M77 action and especailly the MKII. I have both tang and bolt mounted safety rifle and feel that the features of the 3-position contribute to a much safer rifle. You will also experience more difficulty finding a stock and additional parts for the tang safety version.

I love the 7x57, but feel the MKII .280 is a better rifle.

 

[bihj]

280 will do a lot more than the 7x57

 

[adcoch1]

280 will do a lot more than the 7x57

As a reloaded either will work for the job I intend, but the 280 has a lot more legs if I want to load it up. 7x57 is just so elegantly balanced though. Both are great and shoot the same class of bullets....

 

[Legionnaire]

If the 7x57 is an RSI, buy it and don't look back. If not, 280.

 

[adcoch1]

If the 7x57 is an RSI, buy it and don't look back. If not, 280.

Its not an rsi. If it was I would have it no matter the cost.

 

[gotboostvr]

280 and get it reamed to AI. Especially since you're a handloader.

Factory AI brass is avaliable too, no worrying about fire forming.

 

[BreechFace]

As was said 280 and ream it to AI.

 

[Mosin Bubba]

7x57 wins on style points for me.

 

[dieselchief]

ruger has a habit of throating their 7 x 57 chambers rather long for 175gr round nose bullets. so no doubt the 280.

 

[mshootnit]

280

 

[DDDWho]

I had to choose between a Ruger 77 in .280 or an 06 a few years ago. I opted for the.280 I guess I was just tired of the 06. The .280 out preforms the 06 and the .270. But makes little difference which of those 3 you choose. A friend loaded up a lifetime supply of .280 for me (I did buy the bullets). It shoots dead on accurate. Leupold 3-9scope. A hell of a good gun .

 

[jmr40]

The 7X57 for nostalgia, the 280 for performance in equal rifles.

But in this case I'd pass on the older tang safety rifle. Those were made back in the days when Ruger didn't make their own barrels. They bought them from outside vendors. Some were match grade, others wouldn't hit the side of a barn if fired from inside the barn. You just never knew what you were going to get. Plus I like the true CRF of the newer rifles. Those tang safety rifles were still push feed with plunger buttons for ejectors. The only feature that made them look like CRF was the claw extractor.

 

[marksman13]

I bought a tang safety M77 in 7x57 last year and never could get it to shoot with factory ammo. May not be an issue for you as a hand loader, but it’s a deal breaker for me. No matter to action it is chambered in though, 280 Rem is my preferred cartridge of the two mentioned.

 

[stillquietvoice]

I like both cartridges but won't buy another 77 tang saftey ruger, I had 1 in 06 that wouldn't group under 6 in.

 

[adcoch1]

I like both cartridges but won't buy another 77 tang saftey ruger, I had 1 in 06 that wouldn't group under 6 in.

Weird thing is my last tang safety ruger was a 338wm that would put as many as you wanted in an inch any day. It was uncanny how good that rifle would shoot.

 

[Howland937]

I've had both rifles in the same configurations you're looking at. The 7x57 shot well with handloads after messing with it some.
Bought the .280 brand new at BPS on clearance for $279 in 2005. Since I saved so much money, I bought 2 boxes of Hornady Custom ammo, RCBS dies, Winchester brass, and a couple types of bullets at the same time. Mounted a Burris 3-9x40 FF2, bore sighted, got it on paper...then shot 3 5 shot groups under an inch with the Hornady ammo at 100 yards. Never took the dies out of the cellophane wrapper.

 

[LoonWulf]

I have a conundrum. At my local gun stores, across the street from each other, are two ruger m77 rifles. Both are 22" barrels, both are in good shape with decent walnut checkered stocks. The prices are reasonable, with the 7x57 being a little more worn but cheaper. The 280 is like new, but a bolt mounted safety, while the 7x57 is a tang safety. I don't need another hunting rifle, but I "need" to bring one of these home. Which one to pick?

Tang safety all the way for me. If it doesn't shoot I'd just spin a new barrel on.

 

[adcoch1]

Tang safety all the way for me. If it doesn't shoot I'd just spin a new barrel on.

If I get to rebarreling it would end up as a 280ai with a 26 to 28" barrel...

 

[Jim Watson]

A friend bought a 7x57 M77. Neither he nor the Ruger warranty clerk could make it shoot accurately. An independent gunsmith put on a .280 barrel which is fine.
I don't know why he didn't just get a quality 7mm barrel and not obsolete his dies and components.

 

[MacAR]

I like both cartridges but won't buy another 77 tang saftey ruger, I had 1 in 06 that wouldn't group under 6 in.

Come shoot my 270... It'll make a believer out of ya. Or break your shoulder trying! Seriously mine shoots amazingly, and if it ever stops shooting well I'll spin another barrel on it as @LoonWulf said.

Mac

 

[LoonWulf]

If I get to rebarreling it would end up as a 280ai with a 26 to 28" barrel...

Sounds like a plan!

 

[Riomouse911]

7x57 is one of those calibers that bring you back to the golden days of hunting and magazine hunting stories every time you sling it over your shoulder and start walking to your hunting spot. Within its wheelhouse, it’s a great cartridge for sure.

.280 (or if rechambered to .280 AI) is one of those calibers that is so good, I think had the .280 been chambered in the Springfield Rifle in 1903 it would have been so amazing that the offspring of the .30-03 (the .30-06) wouldn’t have the massive footprint it does. You can do so much with a .280 that you really don’t need any another mid-caliber rifle, period.

I have a soft spot for the tang safety 77 rifles, mine is a red pad RSI in .243. However the factory support isn’t there if the gun has issues, so the newer Ruger 77 version in the .280 is probably the safer option.

Stay safe.

 

[troy fairweather]

Get both
The 280 is the smart buy. Tho you could always ream the 7x57 to 280 or the ai.
But seriously get both.

 

[adcoch1]

Another point is that I was just given a set of 280 dies, but I have a few boxes of 7x57 ammo laying around.... This is a tough decision...