Ruger M-77MKII 350 Rem mag before and after

[Alex Clark]

This Ruger came out of the box rather shiny and without sights. Plus the action was pretty rough.
http://www.supercub.org/photopost/data/500/M-77MKII_Right_Side.JPG

So we added a Remington style ramp and a fiber optic bead (rod) front sight. Then drilled random holes in the sight hood for light.

http://www.supercub.org/photopost/data//500/medium/M-77MKII_new_front_sight.JPG

To cut down on glare I coated the rifle with a matt gray bake-on ceramic paint.
Then added a 2.5 to 7 power Leupold VXII and mounted it with Warne quick detach ring/mounts.
http://www.supercub.org/photopost/data//500/medium/M-77MKII_after_mods.JPG

Then I added a NECG quick detachable rear peep sight. tis locks onto the Ruger receiver mounts. It stays zeroed with removal and reattachment.
http://www.supercub.org/photopost/data//500/medium/M-77MKII_rear_sight_after_coating.JPG

Now I just have to add another set of slide mount sling swivels and I think I will jewel the bolt one of these nights.
http://www.supercub.org/photopost/data//500/medium/M-77MKII_after_sight_mods.JPG[/list]

[Rick Papp]

Beautiful Work Alex!!!!!!! Rick :D :D :D :D :D :D

[redrooster]

I really like the peep sight! Now pull that target apperature outa there so you have a ghost ring, then you'll have a helluva bear-thumper for brushy country.
I can see the dovetail for elevation adjustment, do you just tighten/loosen the mounting screws for windage?

[Alex Clark]

The sight comes with different size apertures. I have the large size hole in there, since walking back to the camp / plane in failing light and tall grass was my reason for having a back-up sight.

http://www.supercub.org/photopost/data//500/medium/M-77MKII_rear_sight_2.JPG
http://www.supercub.org/photopost/data//500/medium/M-77MKII_Peep_Sight_before_action_coat.JPG


There is an elevation screw that moves a grave stone shaped section up and down . the aperture being mounted to that. Then there is a tiny allen set screw that locks it there.
The windage screws on both sides are locked by adjusting it until the thing is zeroed and then you lock the right side knob into place with another small allen screw, which is recessed. So to remove it you just loosen the left side until you can pull it off the dove tail. It has held a reasonable zero at 100 yards, after removing it and re-installing it 5 times.

I will probably move the zero to 75 yards.

I made a carrying case for the scope by using a 3 inch diameter PVC pipe that I lined with rubber. It fits into the side pocket on my field pack.
I still have to find something the right size as a rear sight container.

I am mounting a side sling swivel along the forestock and the rear side of the butt stock. that way i can sling it across my back like a cavalry carbine. Plus you can use both slings to carry it like a pack in the center of your back. I tend to do a lot of climbing, slipping and falling.

[T.J.]

Looks good Alex.
Only thing I can think of that I would do, is get a Butler Creek, Alaskan Magnum sling. I've got several. They are the best.
Also think about a Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad.

[Alex Clark]

I have a crate with various slings I have acquired over the years. Some still in the package from my old gun show table days.

I was going to replace the factory hard recoil pad with a Limbsaver. They are really nice as far as recoil in concerned. However, they are pretty soft and I don't think it will hold up to using the rifle butt as a climbing tool. So I will have to pick up a decelerator the next time I head up around your direction.

The current pad is hard but OK as long as I only fire a few rounds. I am still working up some handloads using 225 grain Kodiak bonded bullets.

I have a few more to try out at the range, but time has been short due to other projects.

I weighed the rifle as it sits now on a digital scale. It weighs exactly 7 pounds with the rear sight attached and exactly 8 pounds wit the scope mounted. Not really a light weight but not to heavy.
At least the barrel does not whip around like the barrel on my Rem 700 Titanium Mountain rifle. That is one picky rifle.

All in all , I still miss my old 358 Norma Mag, that I had built on a model 70 action. I should have never sold that rifle.

[mghallen]

I have a Ruger in 7x57 that is just a peach. Not pretty with the plastic stock and glossy blue job, but with a 1.5x5 Leupold VX3 scope it is a hell of fine shooter for the money. I kind of like it as much as anything else I have.

Would you elaborate on the coating a little. How do you apply, is it pretty tuff, corrosion proofing.....?

[marc]

great looking gun alex i have a rem 30-06 mountain rifle that i built from piece and now iam looking for a good scope should be ready for cascade bull hunt this year if you want to try your gun on some elk come on down marc

[little pat]

I was on the rifle team at TEXAS A&M University. It seems that every time I looked at the best shooter's score there was a University of Alaska tagged along with the name. My question is this...Do y'all have nothing better to do up there than shoot all day? shooting a 1600 out of a possible 1600 points in small cal (.22) tournaments is crazy hard. I have much respect for the skills of those men and women.

[Alex Clark]

mghallen

The gun is already stainless and not a very expensive rifle. So all I was worried about was cost, controlled round feed, glare and glint. Corrosion resistance probably will not be a problem.

A couple years back I had an expensive rifle coated with Robar and it cost me a fortune.

In this case I just used high heat ceramic engine block paint. I clean the areas with carbon tet or acetone and then heat the barreled action in the oven until it was around 100 degrees.
Then just spray paint the thing with light coats. I baked it on for 45 minutes at 150 and then did another coat or two. Followed by baking.

It will scratch off if you hit something sharp. Who cares. I still have another can of paint. Plus I can change the color if I don't like it next month.
It seems to stick to the stainless parts better than the weird alloy they used for the magazine floorplate and trigger guard.

The goal of this project was to make an affordable Sourdough Rifle. Just a basic tool, with a caliber worth using. I only have maybe $700 to $775 into the entire thing, including the sights, scope and rings.
About half of what my other rifles have been running.

[AKCUBDREAMER]

No plane in the picture? LOL, very nice job Alex, great looking gun! 8)

[gregory]

Hey, looks good Alex! How do you like the .350Rem as far as control is concerned? I shoot a .300Wby and would love it if I could shoot more than two shots at a target! Talk about a hard kicking gun! I have not done anything to it other than scope, sling, and clean. Any suggestions for improvement?
Greg

[mghallen]

Gregory,

I have a 300 win.mag. Weatherby, I had a Weatherby brake put on, and it has really made shooting easy. 30's seem to have a nasty sharp kick unlike most bigger calibers, but the brake changed that 180 degreees. shoots like something between a 243 and 270 maybe; loud as all hell though. Great Northern Guns in ANC sent it in $200 or so.

[WWhunter]

little pat,

I think a lot of the success of the Alaska team stems from growing up around firearms and learning the fundamentals early.

You want to do a lot of shooting? I was on the Air Force Marksmanship team and competed all the way to the World Wide Championships back in 1980. I would draw out my weapon at 0700 and we would shoot all day til 1600. Five days a week. I couldn't tell you how many thousands of rounds of ammo I shot. Sad part is I hardly shoot anymore and am pretty rusty. Back then I would have challenged anyone but today I wonder if I can hit the broad side of a barn.

Alex, Super job. I am of the same mind set....get something reasonably priced in SS and use it for a "go with me anywhere" rifle.

Keith

[Check Six]

Hi Alex.

Nice rifle.

Is this the same rifle you were thinking about making into a .350 Scout rifle awhile back?

Thanks.

Tom

[redrooster]

Speaking of Scout rifles...Jeff Cooper's original Scout (Remington model 600 in 308) was pretty sweet. I always liked those little carbines, ventilated rib and all. A 600 or 660 Mag in 350 RM would be a nice bear thumper, but unfortunately they're pretty scarce now and so command a collector's item type price. Same as the non-magnum versions (308,243).

Rooster

[marc]

the best scout rifle is the old winchester modal 94 30-30 great for packing just get your target no more than 150 yards marc

[Alex Clark]

Hey the old 30-30, which was pretty new then, worked just fine for Tom Horn.
The 45-60 model 76 Winchester that they had Steve McQueen use in the movie was the type old Tom carried earlier in his career. The 30-30 was pretty cool stuff at the turn of the century. Being smokeless probably helped...

Yes, this was supposed to be a scout when I finished, I am worried about the additional weight and what the clamp on mount might do to the barrel vibrations.
Being able to swap the scope and sights on and off sorta takes the need for a scout scope mount out of the running.

[redrooster]

"Tom Horn" starring Steve McQueen was a real good movie. A couple good scenes....at the cattleman's get-together, when he hesitated to tear into his Maine lobster and explained by saying "I just never et a bug that big before". Then the scene where (in front of the whole town) he coldly puts a finishing round into an already shot-and-down bad guy.
There was another, later movie about Tom Horn starring David Carradine,but it was nowhere near as good.
Of course, one of the best rifleman's movies was Quigley Down Under, starring a Sharps 45-110-540. Oh yeah, there was some guy named Tom something in there too....

Rooster