Ruger Model 77 / WInchester 70 / Remington 700 (decisions.... decisions...)
10-22-2005, 07:02 AM
#21
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 505
RE: Ruger Model 77 / WInchester 70 / Remington 700 (decisions.... decisions...)
ORIGINAL: culler
I would take the Ruger or Remington over anything Winchester is making lately.
I would take the Ruger or Remington over anything Winchester is making lately.
10-22-2005, 01:22 PM
#22
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: houston texas
Posts: 298
RE: Ruger Model 77 / WInchester 70 / Remington 700 (decisions.... decisions...)
Do a search on the forum for the "Which Rifle Brand" poll. I think i can recall remington getting the most votes. I own 4 remingtons which were purchased within the last 5 years and all of them shoot under an inch. (700 sendero, BDL, CDL, and VSF.)
10-22-2005, 05:46 PM
#23
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southern California
Posts: 323
RE: Ruger Model 77 / WInchester 70 / Remington 700 (decisions.... decisions...)
I've had examples of all three of these rifles. Here are my experiences...
Ruger M77 MkII .30-06
Bought new in May 2001. These guns are very reasonably priced for what you get. Trigger was awful and it shot VERY inconsistently out of the box. Free floated the barrel, accuracy went ALL to hell. Had the gunsmith do a trigger job and bed the barrel from the action forward (should have given Ruger's customer service a chance[:@], they are reported to be very good.) The trigger came out great, the accuracy did improve but not to my satisfaction. Tried every imaginable handload and factory load, checked scope & mounts, yaddah yaddah. One five shot group of handloads shot a 3.5" group, the next wshot a 5/8" group with IDENTICAL handloads.
Good points - - Fit, finish, very trim, Mauser claw extractor, 3 position safety, Mauser like bolt release. Action was smooth as silk, a real joy to handle. Controlled feed. Rubber butt pad. Came with excellent scope mounts.
Bad points - - Trigger is not adjustable, needs to be honed by a gunsmith or someone who knows what he is doing. Mine didn't shoot worth a damn no matter what I tried. Might have just been a lemon, other guys seem to have accurate examples in their collections. I measurethe barrel outside diameter, and found that itis almost 0.1" smaller than my Remington...
Loved the rifle but it wouldn't love me back so after three years of tinkering I traded it away.
Remington 700 BDL .30-06
Bought new in May 2004. Out of the box with factory loads it shot 5 shot 1.25" groups. Does about an inch with 165 grain handloads. The trigger is very heavy but it is also crisp, so I have not bothered to adjust it. If I could only keep one rifle[:-]then this would be the one I keep.
Good points - - I like the glossy finish, but this is a matter of taste. Fit and finish on mine is excellent. Mine is very accurate.
Bad points - - Trigger is heavy from the factory, but it is adjustable. Still, if you don't know what you're doing you can adjust it to the point where it is unsafe. The extractor is really wimpy too. Two position safety which does NOT block the firing pin. Push feed. Hard plastic butt plate. Rings and mounts are not included - - this will set you back $40-$50 for a good set.
Remington Classic 8x57
Bought new in November 2004. Not quite so accurate as my BDL but this may just be a matter of optimizing a handload. I'm able to keep 5 shots under 1.5" at 100 yards, plenty good enough for any hunting I will ever do.
Everything I've said about the BDL above applies here too, except that the Classic has a rubber butt pad.
Winchester Model 70 Featherweight .243 (Push Feed)
Bought new in April 1995. Trigger was set high at the fatcory but is easy to adjust. Didn't shoot well at first, but after I adjusted the trigger myself and free floated the barrel I can cover my 100 yard shots with a quarter. This is a sweet little rifle.
Good points - - Fit and finish (until I floated the barrel, anyway.) Trigger is easy to adjust, and can be done safely. Three position safety. Lightweight, easy to carry. The Schnabel front end of the stock is way cool, IMHO. Accuracy is very good now that I have adjusted the trigger and free floated the barrel.
Bad points - - Push feed; too bad I didn't wait for the Classic to come out, with controlled feed and Mauser claw extractor. The Winchester hook extractor is still better than Remington's though. Also, it didn't shoot well until I worked on the trigger and free floated the barrel... whine, snivel!
I would also consider the CZ 550. Here is my experience:
CZ 550 American 6.5x55 Swedish
Bought new in October 2004. Has a single set trigger. The regular trigger pull is only about 4 lbs but has some creep to it. Love the caliber, plan on hunting doe with it in December.
Good points - - Very affordable compared to Remington or Winchester, slightly cheaper than Ruger. This is the most accurate out-of-box rifle I have ever owned. WIth factory loads I got honest <1" 5 shot groups at 100 yards. Comes with scope mounts. The barrel is supposedly hand lapped at the factory, and the stock is pillar bedded. Single set trigger is nice for the range, not sure I want that light a trigger in a hunting situation though. The trigger is adjustable. We'll see in December!
Bad points - - Fit and finish are ok but not great. This rifle feels HEAVY, too. Not looking forward to hauling this one up the mountain. The trigger has some creep. Not made by fellow Americans...
Just remember, each rifle is an individual creation and all manufacturers turn out a lemon once in awhile. I would not let my experience with my Ruger dissuade me from buying another one if I had the chance.
Good luck, whatever you decide.
Ruger M77 MkII .30-06
Bought new in May 2001. These guns are very reasonably priced for what you get. Trigger was awful and it shot VERY inconsistently out of the box. Free floated the barrel, accuracy went ALL to hell. Had the gunsmith do a trigger job and bed the barrel from the action forward (should have given Ruger's customer service a chance[:@], they are reported to be very good.) The trigger came out great, the accuracy did improve but not to my satisfaction. Tried every imaginable handload and factory load, checked scope & mounts, yaddah yaddah. One five shot group of handloads shot a 3.5" group, the next wshot a 5/8" group with IDENTICAL handloads.
Good points - - Fit, finish, very trim, Mauser claw extractor, 3 position safety, Mauser like bolt release. Action was smooth as silk, a real joy to handle. Controlled feed. Rubber butt pad. Came with excellent scope mounts.
Bad points - - Trigger is not adjustable, needs to be honed by a gunsmith or someone who knows what he is doing. Mine didn't shoot worth a damn no matter what I tried. Might have just been a lemon, other guys seem to have accurate examples in their collections. I measurethe barrel outside diameter, and found that itis almost 0.1" smaller than my Remington...
Loved the rifle but it wouldn't love me back so after three years of tinkering I traded it away.
Remington 700 BDL .30-06
Bought new in May 2004. Out of the box with factory loads it shot 5 shot 1.25" groups. Does about an inch with 165 grain handloads. The trigger is very heavy but it is also crisp, so I have not bothered to adjust it. If I could only keep one rifle[:-]then this would be the one I keep.
Good points - - I like the glossy finish, but this is a matter of taste. Fit and finish on mine is excellent. Mine is very accurate.
Bad points - - Trigger is heavy from the factory, but it is adjustable. Still, if you don't know what you're doing you can adjust it to the point where it is unsafe. The extractor is really wimpy too. Two position safety which does NOT block the firing pin. Push feed. Hard plastic butt plate. Rings and mounts are not included - - this will set you back $40-$50 for a good set.
Remington Classic 8x57
Bought new in November 2004. Not quite so accurate as my BDL but this may just be a matter of optimizing a handload. I'm able to keep 5 shots under 1.5" at 100 yards, plenty good enough for any hunting I will ever do.
Everything I've said about the BDL above applies here too, except that the Classic has a rubber butt pad.
Winchester Model 70 Featherweight .243 (Push Feed)
Bought new in April 1995. Trigger was set high at the fatcory but is easy to adjust. Didn't shoot well at first, but after I adjusted the trigger myself and free floated the barrel I can cover my 100 yard shots with a quarter. This is a sweet little rifle.
Good points - - Fit and finish (until I floated the barrel, anyway.) Trigger is easy to adjust, and can be done safely. Three position safety. Lightweight, easy to carry. The Schnabel front end of the stock is way cool, IMHO. Accuracy is very good now that I have adjusted the trigger and free floated the barrel.
Bad points - - Push feed; too bad I didn't wait for the Classic to come out, with controlled feed and Mauser claw extractor. The Winchester hook extractor is still better than Remington's though. Also, it didn't shoot well until I worked on the trigger and free floated the barrel... whine, snivel!
I would also consider the CZ 550. Here is my experience:
CZ 550 American 6.5x55 Swedish
Bought new in October 2004. Has a single set trigger. The regular trigger pull is only about 4 lbs but has some creep to it. Love the caliber, plan on hunting doe with it in December.
Good points - - Very affordable compared to Remington or Winchester, slightly cheaper than Ruger. This is the most accurate out-of-box rifle I have ever owned. WIth factory loads I got honest <1" 5 shot groups at 100 yards. Comes with scope mounts. The barrel is supposedly hand lapped at the factory, and the stock is pillar bedded. Single set trigger is nice for the range, not sure I want that light a trigger in a hunting situation though. The trigger is adjustable. We'll see in December!
Bad points - - Fit and finish are ok but not great. This rifle feels HEAVY, too. Not looking forward to hauling this one up the mountain. The trigger has some creep. Not made by fellow Americans...
Just remember, each rifle is an individual creation and all manufacturers turn out a lemon once in awhile. I would not let my experience with my Ruger dissuade me from buying another one if I had the chance.
Good luck, whatever you decide.
10-27-2005, 07:08 AM
#24
RE: Ruger Model 77 / WInchester 70 / Remington 700 (decisions.... decisions...)
Wow, what a post, jmfa.... Thank you!
I didn't think the trigger on the Ruger M77 would be like that. It still looks like a great rifle and it felt right to me in the store. I could ask about getting a trigger job on it, if I do decide to buy the M77.
I just want something in a left handed action that is double (heck even triple) the range of my sweet li'l Marlin 30-30.
I didn't think the trigger on the Ruger M77 would be like that. It still looks like a great rifle and it felt right to me in the store. I could ask about getting a trigger job on it, if I do decide to buy the M77.
I just want something in a left handed action that is double (heck even triple) the range of my sweet li'l Marlin 30-30.
10-27-2005, 08:22 AM
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
RE: Ruger Model 77 / WInchester 70 / Remington 700 (decisions.... decisions...)
The Winchester and Ruger actions are a superior design compared to the Remington, so I'd rule out the Remington right off the bat. Between the Winchester and Ruger, I'd pick the Winchester because in my experience with both, the Win. is made with a higher level of quality. The actionson the Ruger 77's I've owned have been pretty rough and accuracywas never better than just mediocre.
10-28-2005, 07:11 PM
#26
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: missouri
Posts: 305
RE: Ruger Model 77 / WInchester 70 / Remington 700 (decisions.... decisions...)
I now have 7 Ruger rifles and will not part with any of them I give my gunsmith 20.00 each to tune the triggers and that is it they all shoot really well . they are one of the strongest actions available and they look good too. chad
