Ruger M77/44

[TeacherMan]

Just picked this little guy and I'm looking forward to setting it up. Anyone ever owned a 77/44 and had success with them. I'm looking for a good over the counter load for now it that would be good for deer and bear under 100 yds. Thinking a hard cast option. I've read that some of the longer loads don't work with the rotating mag. Plan on topping it with a nice little 2-7 Vortex. Love how light weight it is!

[257 Wby Mag]

Cool little shootin iron , let us know how she shoots!

[skeeter 20i]

  Suhweeet!  yes let us know how it shoots.

[Biggerhammer]

Their way cool, I've shot them but never owned one myself. Quite the increase in velocity and energy as compared to a 6"  .44 Magnum revolver. I really like the Winchester "Trapper" .44 Mag lever rifles.

[TeacherMan]

Anyone ever buy over the counter loads for this rifle? I'm looking at the 300gr Hardcast Corbonds. Thinking they would work well on bear as well if presented the opportunity.

[Biggerhammer]

For monster man eating Washington black bear,
, any of the jacketed soft points would work fine at the velocities that rifle will push those bullets. Especially Noslers and Hornady's. I could understand the need for hard cast out of a handgun but it's not a must out of a rifle. The Corbon load would work just fine.

[Bofire]

  nice little gun, I never had one, but I did have a 44mag Ruger semi auto. traded a good Marlin 30-30 for it. (big mistake) shot a few deer with it. 240 grain factory hollow point were real disappointing. I shot one deer that died in its tracks from the front thru the throat broke the spine. ALL the rest moved off, none went down at the shot.
small whitetail buck, went 300 yards shot behind shoulder thru lungs, small black tail doe, yes on doe day, at about 25 feet behind shoulder went 40 yards. Tried Norma 236 grain HP, not really any better.
I think you are right to use the biggest you can, at least 300 grain. Bullets are much better now than 20 years ago but I do not think you are going to find one that opens on deer but penetrates on bear.
Carl

[PiNkPaNtHeR]

Have you seen these?
http://www.hornady.com/store/44-Mag-225-gr-FTX-LEVERevolution/

[Firedogg]

Get the above Hornady bullts only and work up your own reloads. 

[yorketransport]

Like the others, I've shot those rifles but never owned one. 

I've been told that they have trouble stabilizing the really heavy (300 +) grain bullets.

Andrew

[j_h_nimrod]

I've owned one for a number of years and really like it. Never took an animal with mainly because the first time I took it instead of my .300 Win I had a great shot at the biggest Sitka Blacktail I ever saw but couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger at 250yds. After that I always grabbed something else.

That said it is a great gun and I have had very good accuracy with my hand loads. I friend has on as well and harvested a couple Blacktail last year and was very happy with performance.

[mikeybuck]

I have one. Love the gun. Mine has a red field 2-7 on top.

Shoots the factory hornady 240 really well. Last time I shot it was 1 inch high at 50 yards. At 100 was dead on with 3 shots within a inch and quarter.

From the very little time with hand loads with this gun, I found that the warm to hot loads shot the best.

Before I get back to hand loading for this gun I'm going to have a trigger job done. Factory trigger is a heavyweight. I had to have a perfect trigger pull to get that inch and a quarter group.

 

[b23]

I really like the Winchester "Trapper" .44 Mag lever rifles.

How long is the barrel on these 77/44's??

 I've got a couple Winnie Trappers, 357 and 44.  Tried to add a 45LC a couple years ago but couldn't put the deal together.  Those big bores are a lot of fun to shoot.  I've always thought a S&W 500 in something like a Win. Trapper would be fun.

Your 77/44 is a cool looking piece bet you'll have a lot of fun with it.

[mikeybuck]

18.5 barrel length