Thread: M77 stock

Gudday guys, got a query I that's been on my mind,
I have a m77 Hawkeye stainless in 308. It's got a plastic stock which rubs both sides of the barrel and the fore-end. I've been advised to free float it to improve accuracy (its about an inch or so at 50 meters, but am a little unsure as it's obviously designed to have foreend pressure, but the rub along both sides as well?
And also how well do the standard plastic stocks handle being floated? It seem a little flexible.

My wood stock one is free floated seems to shoot well

I wouldnt hesitate to remove any contact areas between the barrel and stock, grab some 240 grit sand paper and a block

Originally Posted by Billo

I wouldnt hesitate to remove any contact areas between the barrel and stock, grab some 240 grit sand paper and a block

as billo said, grab some dowel wood a little bigger than your barrel, wrap it in sand paper and go to town in the barrel channel

I've tried free floating two Ruger M77s and accuracy was made worse.

The 95 inch/pd torque applied to the front angled screw affects barrel harmonics usually in a good way, by altering the upward pressure on the barrel at the raised area at the fore-end tip. This screw pulls the barreled action down and back against horizontal and vertical bedding surfaces.

Due to its front angled screw design, a Ruger M77 rifle therefore 'usually' shoots better with fore-end pressure on the barrel... so I would not free float.
I would however, widen the barrel channel so the barrel is not contacting the sides in any way.

Hermitage the front angled action screw design enabled Ruger to hide the action screw and give the bottom metal cleaner lines. The reality is it's a heavy set up and more expensive to manufacturer.

In theory forend stock pressure on the barrel offers a dampening effect which may give an accuracy benefit, I would argue for only a few shots because heat affects the skinnier part of the barrel first and you'll end up with some vertical stringing in the shot groups. Obviously, a shorter stiffer barrel and Varmint profile barrels deal with pressure harmonics better and free floating the barrel completely is a better outcome.

Ive only owned 10 or so Ruger 77s and accuracy improved with free floating the barrel and rolling my own ammo. We all have different expectations and if a rifle shoots well then dont change it.

Anyway off to the range to finish some load development with my fast twist short barrelled Ruger 77/22 Hornet

I've read that the screws should be loosened to allow a bit of movement in the magazine well, otherwise it's putting pressure on the barrel.

My 6.5 PRC long range hunter came free floated from the factory and the current 7mm PRC M77 is also free floated, not sure if all models are but I know my laminate 17 WSM's, and Horents were all free floated.

My 77/357 with a tuperware stock wasnt but it was quickly free floated and I worked up loads that were ragged one hole groups with 158gr XTPs at 1850fps

I used to have the very same rife, heavy but well made! I couldn't get it to group well for a start 3-4 inch groups at 100 with most factory loads. I tried a few things to get it to shoot first off I made sure the screws were torqued down correctly, angled screw first then rear. But still no real change next I tried relieving the top of the mag well by a small amount to stop the action binding down on it when torqued down. This did have positive effect and groups did get smaller especially with hornady set, now I was down to around 2-1 1/2 inches. last off I tried bedding the action and free floating the barrel. I bed the action a inch or so down the barrel after the action then sanded down the stock to relieve the barrel by a few mm. This was a big positive and the groups with the sst went down to 3 shots touching! The only problem was i would always trough the first sot off high and to the left by 4 inches, after that it was great.

Tang safety model perchance???? If so read up about stock screw pressure.FROM MEMORY the middle one is just snug enough to stay put for best results.