Dump my ruger m77 Mark II .270 for a Montana Rifle X3 6.5c?

[wyogoat]

Get the Ruger to the range and set it on some bags and shoot a group. My dad had one (blued) from about that era and it seemed like it shot 130s well if I remember right.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

If you liked that Montana x3, you should go look at a Winchester 70 extreme weather rifle. I’m pretty sure the x3 was sort of a m70 clone type thing.

 

[Jim1187]

No cooper has a decent rep but you have a decent set and forget scope and the .270 already in hand. Any new rifle particularly in a new cartridge is likely a sideways move at best.
Not knowing why you're looking to move away from it. You haven't put an entire box of ammo through it in 2 decades. Is the recoil too much? Did you wound and loose game with it? Do you have other rifles you like better? Where is it lacking for you currently?
The ruger 77 has a reputation for reliability and being fairly accurate to very accurate aside from some 80s era 7x57s. The hogue stock may leave something to be desired but is easily fixed.
The .270 is a great and readily available, traditionally, cartridge. If I already had one and it was accurate I wouldn't part with it for any of the other all around cartridges. It may lack some of the heavy match bullet options or the twist to stabilize them. The options that are available cover the bases for more than what most hunters or shooters are likely to be doing. It offers enough velocity to make monos work, recoil that is at a level most can master in a standard sporter weight rifle and isn't overly expensive to shoot for factory.
So what are your goals that you think exchanging this rifle for is the route you are seeking?

 

[letrbuck]

That ruger looks like a prime candidate to send down the road. I'll give you the address of my FFL to do just that...

 

[6mm Remington]

My son has a Ruger MKII in 6mm Remington that really shoots. It's a great rifle on a Mauser variant action. Tough and reliable. We put a Boyds wood laminate stock on it that we had glass and pillar bedded, and then checkered. It looks amazing and shoots great. If you don't care for the stock that's currently on it, that would be simple enough to fix. I'd keep the 270 and go forth and hunt stuff.

A good 130 gr. Accubond - E-Tip - or Partition would be excellent for just about anything you would want to hunt.

Or a good 140 gr. Accubond or Partition would be awesome as well.

 

[txaggie76]

Shot the ruger today. First shot and last 4 shots at 100 yards.

 

[txaggie76]

No cooper has a decent rep but you have a decent set and forget scope and the .270 already in hand. Any new rifle particularly in a new cartridge is likely a sideways move at best.
Not knowing why you're looking to move away from it. You haven't put an entire box of ammo through it in 2 decades. Is the recoil too much? Did you wound and loose game with it? Do you have other rifles you like better? Where is it lacking for you currently?
The ruger 77 has a reputation for reliability and being fairly accurate to very accurate aside from some 80s era 7x57s. The hogue stock may leave something to be desired but is easily fixed.
The .270 is a great and readily available, traditionally, cartridge. If I already had one and it was accurate I wouldn't part with it for any of the other all around cartridges. It may lack some of the heavy match bullet options or the twist to stabilize them. The options that are available cover the bases for more than what most hunters or shooters are likely to be doing. It offers enough velocity to make monos work, recoil that is at a level most can master in a standard sporter weight rifle and isn't overly expensive to shoot for factory.
So what are your goals that you think exchanging this rifle for is the route you are seeking?

I think in selling the ruger and getting the cooper, I will attain a more accurate rifle and a bigger load. The cooper seems like it is built better than the ruger.

 

[Gila]

I think in selling the ruger and getting the cooper, I will attain a more accurate rifle and a bigger load. The cooper seems like it is built better than the ruger.

You could switch to 6.8 western which is a souped up 270 win. Swap barrels on the 77. Or Cooper may chamber a new rifle in 6.8 western. The big rifle makers are chambering in 6.8 now.

 

[SDHNTR]

I think in selling the ruger and getting the cooper, I will attain a more accurate rifle and a bigger load. The cooper seems like it is built better than the ruger.

You can’t say that for sure. You probably dont need a bigger round. A .270 is near perfect for all lower 48 big game.

Unfortunately your targets don’t tell us much. How many different types of ammo have you tried through your Ruger? It could be supremely accurate with something else and just may not like what you have fed it so far. Factory rifles shooting factory ammo usually will take some experimenting with several different brands, types and bullet weights of ammo before it finds what it wants. Keep trying. Based only on those 5 shots, your zero may have also shifted some. Too few shots to say for sure, but have you checked your scope and mounts? You will never see a rifle’s true potential without a solid scope and mounting system. Shoot a 10 shot group allowing the barrel to completely cool down every other shot or so. That will tell you more useful information.

FWIW, I owned a Cooper for a minute. They aren’t anything magical. It was a beautiful rifle, well made, excellent fit and finish and accurate, but I hated it. The bolt throw was so stiff to cock on open that it was impossible to cycle it while staying in position. To me that’s a big one. If a rifle brings about poor shooting mechanics it gets moved along.

OTOH, I’ve owned a couple Rugers which all served me well. One was as accurate out of the box as any custom gun. It was also a .270. Shoulda held onto that one. The other was a .243 tang safety that once bedded, floated and triggered, was very accurate until I shot the barrel out. It was rebarreled to a .308 and my son is now lethal with it.

 

[txaggie76]

You can’t say that for sure. You probably dont need a bigger round. A .270 is near perfect for all lower 48 big game.

Unfortunately your targets don’t tell us much. How many different types of ammo have you tried through your Ruger? It could be supremely accurate with something else and just may not like what you have fed it so far. Factory rifles shooting factory ammo usually will take some experimenting with several different brands, types and bullet weights of ammo before it finds what it wants. Keep trying. Based only on those 5 shots, your zero may have also shifted some. Too few shots to say for sure, but have you checked your scope and mounts? You will never see a rifle’s true potential without a solid scope and mounting system. Shoot a 10 shot group allowing the barrel to completely cool down every other shot or so. That will tell you more useful information.

FWIW, I owned a Cooper for a minute. They aren’t anything magical. It was a beautiful rifle, well made, excellent fit and finish and accurate, but I hated it. The bolt throw was so stiff to cock on open that it was impossible to cycle it while staying in position. To me that’s a big one. If a rifle brings about poor shooting mechanics it gets moved along.

OTOH, I’ve owned a couple Rugers which all served me well. One was as accurate out of the box as any custom gun. It was also a .270. Shoulda held onto that one. The other was a .243 tang safety that once bedded, floated and triggered, was very accurate until I shot the barrel out. It was rebarreled to a .308 and my son is now lethal with it.

I shot 24 rounds today, Hornady custom sst 130 grain.

The first shot was pretty good but then I had some pull moments. The final 4 shots were my tightest group (pictured) but I don’t consider myself too good of a shot and I haven’t pulled a trigger on a long rifle in years.

 

[Rich M]

Same as others, selling 270 is not good.

I will buy it if you have to sell to go down in recoil. Aint much 6.5 can do that 270 cant inside 500 yds.

 

[roosiebull]

I’ll be odd man out… I had that same Ruger in the same cartridge and when it got warm, I didn’t know a production rifle could shoot that bad, like off paper at 100yds

I have never seen anything like it. I ended up selling it for really really cheap, because I had to be completely honest and tell the buyer why I didn’t want it anymore

He ended up getting it to shoot pretty good with some work, but at that point I was not willing to invest anymore in that rifle, so I have a negative bias towards that exact rifle, haha

I replaced it with a tikka in the same chambering, so everything worked out fine, but a couple firearms I could never buy again would be Taurus revolvers and Ruger rifles

 

[txaggie76]

Same as others, selling 270 is not good.

I will buy it if you have to sell to go down in recoil. Aint much 6.5 can do that 270 cant inside 500 yds.

I’ll shoot you a message after I get my pm privledges in a few days.

 

[txaggie76]

I’ll be odd man out… I had that same Ruger in the same cartridge and when it got warm, I didn’t know a production rifle could shoot that bad, like off paper at 100yds

I have never seen anything like it. I ended up selling it for really really cheap, because I had to be completely honest and tell the buyer why I didn’t want it anymore

He ended up getting it to shoot pretty good with some work, but at that point I was not willing to invest anymore in that rifle, so I have a negative bias towards that exact rifle, haha

I replaced it with a tikka in the same chambering, so everything worked out fine, but a couple firearms I could never buy again would be Taurus revolvers and Ruger rifles

Dang! I’m glad this thing doesn’t shoot like that!

 

[Anello]

I had a Ruger M77 MK II 30-06, wood stock, which was just too heavy to hunt with, and I had some others that were far lighter with similar performance. But, I loved the action, and it was a shooter. So, I sent it to Pac Nor and had it re-chambered to 35 Whelen with a new SS barrel, cerakoted, then put a new stock on it. I LOVE that gun now, and it does go hunting with me (when I actually get to go). Super easy cartridge to reload for and recoil is not bad. Just a fun gun to shoot and hunt now. And, it all started with a M77.

So, I'd echo the other comments here and say, keep it. If you want it lighter, get a new stock. If you want a different cartridge, you have options. But, never get rid of that action ... and I would never get rid of a .270 to go to a Creedmoor. If you do sell it, though, I too am interested.

 

[txaggie76]

I had a Ruger M77 MK II 30-06, wood stock, which was just too heavy to hunt with, and I had some others that were far lighter with similar performance. But, I loved the action, and it was a shooter. So, I sent it to Pac Nor and had it re-chambered to 35 Whelen with a new SS barrel, cerakoted, then put a new stock on it. I LOVE that gun now, and it does go hunting with me (when I actually get to go). Super easy cartridge to reload for and recoil is not bad. Just a fun gun to shoot and hunt now. And, it all started with a M77.

So, I'd echo the other comments here and say, keep it. If you want it lighter, get a new stock. If you want a different cartridge, you have options. But, never get rid of that action ... and I would never get rid of a .270 to go to a Creedmoor. If you do sell it, though, I too am interested.

It might be pending to another member here. If so, the Cooper 7mag will be headed my way. If the deal falls through I’ll let you know.

 

[Axel1939]

I’d keep the Ruger

 

[AngleAway]

I have the boat paddle version of the same M77 in 270 that shoots extremely well. I had to find the ammo it likes, but since then it’s been a machine. I can hunt anything I will chase in North America with that gun, and will be passing it to my sons only when I can no longer walk/hunt! I think you’d regret selling it honestly.