Any Ruger 77/44 owners out there who can tell what to expect with my 77/44?

I picked up a used blued model in excellent condition. Been to the range twice with it. Shooting off sandbags on a bench at 50 yards.

First trip with 7.8 grains Unique and LSWC and using iron sights. Disappointing results with a load that shoots exceptionally well in my revolvers.

Second trip again with 7.8 grains Unique and this time with Berry's plated RNFP. I have also installed Ruger rings and a Nikon scope. Same set-up but awful performance. Couldn't cover any four consecutive shots with a pie plate. Shots wandered all over paper. Checked and double checked and no obvious problems with scope or mounts.

Not exaggerating, I could shoot better groups with my 29 at 50 yards with my revolver than I was getting off sandbags with the rifle.

Really liked the idea of an accurate rifle that can use the same cartridge and loading as my various .44 magnum revolvers.

Any suggestions regarding what I may be doing wrong or what to expect from the Ruger? Really expected it to be a tack driver from 50 - 100 yards based on the performance of the round in handguns.

I had the same results with a 77/44 back in the 90s.

No matter what I tried, I could not get groups any better at 100 yds than I could with an 870 12 ga. shotgun shooting Remington slugsters in a smooth bore barrel ie about 6" to 8 ".

I finally gave up and sold it and the guy is happy as a clam, as he is strictly an offhand shooter who hunts hogs with it at ranges of less than 50 yds.

Incidentally....I also tried the Ruger 96/44 with almost identical results.

I have a theory that the lead in the chambers of these guns is oversize, resulting in the rather short-for-diameter bullets entering the rifling cocked, which results in the base of the bullet being out of square to the axis of the bullets.

Unfortunately I sold both of mine before I thought of it, so I have none in my possession to check it out.

I'm not speaking from experience, but I would suspect that a jacketed bullet using slow burning powder such as W-296/H-110 would be better suited for rifle length barrels. There is something in my mind that makes me believe Unique is the wrong powder for this application. If I cannot get 1.5" three shot groups at 100 yards out of a rifle, I do not want it. Push a few hot .44 loads down the tube and see what you get.

What weight bullet and what rate of twist?

Note my highlighting.

I have a newer stainless 77/44 with a Nikon 2X7 scope on it. I can punch out the center of a 2'' bullseye all day long at 100 yards. Hard to expect anymore than that outta a .44mag carbine. Out of the box, the trigger was all Ruger, but after a coupla thousand rounds and a trigger job by a good smith, it is great. I have heard from others that the older 77/44s had accuracy problems, much was attributed to ammo. I know my 77/44 does not like lead, nor does it like powder puff loads. Just under max loads of H110/W296 and or IMR4227 with a 240 gr or heavier bullet is what she likes. Last issue of American Hunter Magazine had a good article about them and their rifle showed a preference to 300 gr Sierras. I'm gonna try some, but am happy with the 240gr Noslers and 270gr Speers. Some of the accuracy issues I heard of besides the stiff trigger have to do with improper tightening of the bolts holding the stock to the action. I also know my gun does not like to have the barrel rested when shooting. My best shots come when I rest my arm on the bench when gripping the forearm. I would contact Ruger with my concerns if I were you, they may have answers.

For what it's worth, picked up a Marlin 1894 lever carbine recently, it's likes just under max loads 240 grain JSP or JHP 296/H110 or 2400 with magnum primers. 3" groups at 100 yards off a rest. Kicks a bit a nice thick recoil pad helped withe the bite.

Mine shot about 2MOA with a 2X scope, with Hornady 240 gr. XTP hollowpoints at a guessed-at 1,600 fps, but only after the typically awful factory trigger was fixed by installing a Timney sear kit. I've since replaced the scope with an Aimpoint Micro, and this has become my "go-to", or, I suppose I ought to say, "take with" camp gun in bear country. It's short, light, sufficiently potent to kill a black bear or mountain lion ( or any other indigenous species that might present a problem...). Fitted with a short length of Picatinny rail on the forend to allow mounting a Surefire flashlight, it's a great tool for investigating "bump in the night" disturbances, and as accurate as is necessary for a carbine chambered for a revolver round.

there was an article in "Rifle" (could have been "Handloader") an issue or two ago that covered this rifle