SmallCaliberCentral

I just got a nice looking 77 in 17HMR. It's the laminated stock with a 24" barrel in weather guard finish. Been working hard to make it shoot ! I've tried all kinds of ammo; it seems to like CCI in either 17 or 20 gr. loads. We've free floated the barrel, got the trigger to an excellent let off, shimmed the front lug,removed high spots. Checked the action for binding and found after the shimming it still had about .006" movement. Was .018 " ! We're still getting at least one flyer at 50 yds.; mostly two. I believe the gun will shoot bug holes; but, dang ! What have you 77/17 owners had to do to make yours shoot? Only options I can think of is to replace the barrel (I don't think that is the problem with this one); pillar bed it, maybe a different scope? I have an older Weaver V16 that I think is fine for it though. Sure would appreciate some helpful advise ! Charles

I recently spent a year with that same gun. Smith and I did everything we could think of and never could get it to shoot as well as I thought it should. Every now and then a good group, but mostly about 1.25" at 100 yards. I finally gave up and traded for a CZ. That one does a lot better for me. Good luck in your quest...

I have one that I use for a under 100 yard squeak shooter. can't remember offhand what the groupings were like but it will easily take head shots at squeaks under 100 yards until it gets windy then I switch to a .204 Ruger M77 Mkll. both rifles have Bushnell Elite 4200 scopes.

My 77/17 shoots great, in fact the only thing I've done to it is to adjust the trigger. There are some days when I have plenty of targets out to 250 yards that I just use the 77/17 and leave the .204 in the case. She has a Leupold 3x9 scope on her. Sounds like you've done all of the right things to fine tune it Sorry I can't offer any advice. Gary

Any Ruger Magnum Rimfire can really be made to shoot. Unfortunately, that usually means replacing the factory barrel. Case in point: My Ruger 77/22 Mag, now a switch barrel 22WMR/17HMR by way of a premium Lilja stainless 17HMR barrel.

The gun shot farily well as a 22WMR, but now with the Lilja 17HMR barrel on the rig, it shoots literal bugholes using the Varmint Express 17gr load. It is also glass bedded, barrel free floated, and a Moyers trigger installed, along with a Leupold VX-II 4-12X AO scope.

This is the rifle on the bags with the Lilja barrel installed, giving Skippy the worries:



So far, the longest/witnessed kill with this barrel is 328 yards on an unsuspecting sage rat munching aflalfa. Hand lapping a factory barrel can also really boost accuracy using JB, bronze brushes, and lots of elbow grease.