Well, its marked this, but .275 Rigby sounds much more exotic:



I had no intention of buying such a thing. I was in one of my usual haunts when that tang safety caught my eye.



The dealer said it had been there for quite a while. I laid it away on an impulse. I've learned through long and bitter experience not to ignore such things. I had 80 bucks in my pocket and that was enough to hold it.



I love Model 77 Rugers. I know they are sometimes the red-headed stepkids of the bolt actions, but not to me. My main meat-getter is an old .300 Win Mag M77. My wife's only big game gun is an M77 .260 Compact. My wrong-handed son has a lefty M77 in .270 Winchester.

They have a classic look and feel to me, and every one I've had has been more than accurate enough for any need. I made my longest game shot with my .300 at a range that would get me called a liar or an idiot.



I'm a sucker for oddball and semi-oddball calibers. 16 gauge shotguns, .41 mag revolvers, 10mm pistols have all found a home with me. I know the 7x57 has a long and distinguished history and may not be an actual oddball, but its also not something for which ammo is always found at Wally World.

These are 175s - I've read the long-throated Ruger favors these. I like long-for-caliber bullets anyway. Probably Freudian.



This gun came with a giant low-end Tasco 4-16 stuck on it, and two boxes of 140 grain ammo. I shot those up to make sure it worked, and set about replacing the scope. I had a Redfield 2x7 Revenge, made by our friends in the Phillipines. It is crystal-clear and has worked well on other guns.

The Tasco was in Ruger rings with screws so buggered up I couldn't remove them. I took the whole deal off, and wound up getting some Leupold rings at Sportsman's. All they had were the high ones, but they actually work well with my slightly chubby cheeks.

The stock is nice dark walnut, not the reddish tint I'm used to on many M77s. Good thing recoil is very light - I like the look of the Ruger factory pad, but it doesn't have much give.



The guns dates to 1980. I think Ruger wasn't outsourcing barrels at that point. This one seems to shoot well - all I have done is break rocks in the BLM with the Tasco on board. I'll have a better idea of accuracy when I sight in the Redfield with the 175s. If they group well I'll probably stick with those. The barrel is nicely crowned.



I'd love to hear from other fans of the great M77, and particularly those with experience with the .275 Rigby (even if you call it the 7x57 or 7mm Mauser).

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I intended to get one of those for years.

Ended up with a Ruger lightweight in .250-3000 (.250 Savage) instead.
It's become my favorite deer rifle. Light, handy with the tang safety like my 20 gauge OU grouse gun, and very accurate for three shots.
Then the light barrel heats up and the group opens up a bit and shifts.

I usually don't need more than one shot per deer anyway. The .250
often leaves them on the ground where they stood when I fired.

I am a big fan of the M77.

My son shoots a tang safety M77 in 7 Remington Mag. I stole the rifle: it was at a gun show and the man who had the rifle had put the scope on backwards and the bolt wouldn't open. I swapped a rather well-used 629 for it, brought it home, and handloads developed for it clover-leafed at 100 yards.

A few years later, my son was eyeballing my 700LH LSS in 7 Mag and told me "Dad, I sure wish my rifle looked like yours. I really like that stock." So... a call to Boyd's and some work from my riflesmith and his M77 now looks like Dad's rifle. Still clover-leafs at 100, too!

Gotta love that Ruger tang safety... just a really classy design, in my estimation.

Big M77 fan here, 22-250, 6mm Rem., 270 Win. and of course 30-06.
Now I only have .275 Rigby (7mm Mauser), a great all purpose caliber for any thin skinned game. Keep in mind that old time African ivory hunter Karamojo Bell killed over 1100 elephants with a "real".275 Rigby, all one shot kills., with military 175 grain ball ammo.

My first center fire was a M77 in 30-06 with a 2-7 Redfield on it. Reloaded 125 gr. HP and 180 cast bullets for rabbits and coyotes.
For deer, used 165 grainers and the 180gr. cast bullets. Never an accuracy problem.

That controlled feed action with that big claw extractor can't be beat.

A good, reasonably priced cartridge for the 7mm is Sellier and Bellot in 173 grain or 139 gr.

http://www.jgsales.com/ammo-for-rifl...ID=233&sort=3a

My Ruger in 7x57/ 275 Rigby is a pre 76, No. 1. It responded well to 139/140 ammo by Hornady and Winchester. 275 Rigby ammo since WWII has been 154 grain semi-spitzer bullets and is a bit faster than US made ammo. Norma has a load that duplicates Rigby ammo, it shot about 3/4" offhand at 50 yds and 1/2" at a 100 yds of a rest both with a 2-7 Compact Leupold scope. With the Norma ammo the performance is very close to 280 Remington factory energy (from my 22" barrel). I had several boxes of Remington and DWM ammo made pre WWI, they were 175 grain round nose and shot very well at 100 yards with iron sights (about 2"), but ran out before I scope it. Last I checked, Hornady was the only bullet company making 175 RN bullets for reloading. Ivan

The first rifle I gave my wife was in 1972. It was a Ruger M77 in 7x57 caliber and factory fitted with iron sights as well as factory rings. It was her wedding anniversary present. Since then, she has become a HUGE fan of the 7x57/275 Rigby caliber. She also owns and shoots a 1950 model Mannlicher carbine in 7x57. I own and shoot a FN rifle in 7x57. Thanks for a fine thread.

Charlie

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SWCA # 2294

I guess that everyone here knows that Jack O'Connor liked the 7X57 but preferred the .270 for its flatter trajectory. But his wife killed a lot of game with her 7mm and a 160 grain bullet at some 2660 FPS in his handloads. I think he loaded either or both Speer and Nosler bullets.

Bell made the 7mm famous, but it was a staple of British and Euro hunters not only where they lived, but on much African and Indian game.

Jim Corbett used his 7mm's even on man-eating tigers, although he also used heavier double rifles. He had at least two 7x57's. One was a Rigby and the other was, I think , from Westley Richards. It was presented to him for killing a particularly nasty man-eater. I think he later bought the Rigby. He must have been satisfied with the performance, or he wouldn't have bought the newer rifle in that caliber.

In my zeal to show off my new toy, I neglected one of the main reasons I got it.

Even the most ardent fans of the M77 will admit the triggers are overly heavy. The one on my .300 must be 6 or 7 pounds at least. I live with it, but it could definitely be better.

This one has an aftermarket trigger of some variety that breaks clean at what I guess is about 2-3 pounds.



I didn't see a name on it. Any ideas?

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Are the 7mm mauser and the 275 Rigby idencitcal in every way-ie interchangeable?

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Forum consigliere

7x57 vs 275 Rigby have Identical chambers, brass, and maximum pressure, the loadings are different and the 275 Rigby is a propitiatory name. Ivan

I haven't been able to hunt for some years, but I always wanted (and never acquired) a 7X57. Always seemed like a wonderfully versatile caliber.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I don't know if it's still true, but originally, the .275 used John Rigby's patented bullets. They were better than most then.

Ammo marked as being proprietary .275 may be loaded beyond normal US pressure levels for the 7mm. But Norma, DWM, RWS, and some Plus P US ammo is also hotter than the rounds loaded here with safe pressures for old military rifles in mind. I suspect that this is true of most Euro ammunition in that caliber. Don't shoot it in M-93-95 Mausers or in Rolling Blocks.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1...f24o1_1280.jpg

I hope this link works. It should show a pic of Grace Kelly with what I think is a genuine 1950's production .275 Rigby.
She was in a movie with Clark Gable called, "Mogambo", set in Africa. After filming wrapped, the two stars went on a real safari together.

Gable was a well known sportsman as well as a star and he and Grace apparently got along together off set very well, indeed. In the movie, he got Ava Gardner and Grace was the other girl. But I think Sinatra was after Gardner, so that wasn't a factor for Gable. I think he preferred Kelly, anyway.

The rifle looks for all the world like a .275 in a Rigby ad of the day, swept back bolt handle and all. Prior to then, the bolt handles weren't swept back. I think that was a new styling thing and the handles were also probably lower, to clear a telescopic sight.

I don't know if this rifle was Grace's or Clark Gable's or just a prop from the film. There wasn't any descriptive data with the photo. Someone knowledgeable really should write an article on Cark Gable's guns. One was a S&W .357 Magnum with Roper (?) stocks and some custom work. I don't think he ever used it in a movie, though.

Note that in this photo, which shows okay when I hit the link, the future Princess of Monaco has her hand covering the forward sling swivel, on the barrel ahead of the forearm. The British usually put the swivel on the barrel, and do not use the sling to steady the aim, as trained American marksmen do. And, yes, I know that she has her finger on the trigger and shouldn't have. Safety wasn't such a big deal then in publicity photos, I guess. I imagine that Gable soon taught Grace how to handle a rifle safely.

Since I'm a lefty the Ruger Model 77 has always been a good choice for me. I've hunted both deer and elk with one in 270 for many years.
I used to shoot the 7x57 alot when surplus military ammo in this caliber was both readily available and cheap.
It has to be just about the lightest kicker of any military cartridge I've ever shot except for the 223.
Jim

I'm not a Ruger 77 fan per se but much of what you said otherwise was certainly preaching to the choir.

I too have always wanted a 7x57 just to shoot as much as anything. I don't need another hunting rifle, but as my eyes get worse and my pistol shooting suffers accordingly, I find I still enjoy rifle shooting as much as ever. The small calibers like 7x57 are certainly pleasant to shoot.

One of the very well-known custom revolver builders told me some time ago he had acquired a Ruger 77 in 7.62x39. I didn't know they made such a thing! I presume they are scarce. Anyway, that motivated me to acquire a little CZ carbine in that caliber and I have been having a fun old time with it - now that quality bullets are available again. I'm still on the trail for some sort of 7x57 some day.

If that rifle shoots fairly well, I would say you have yourself a winner.

Gable also had a S&W K 22. There's at least one photo of him shooting it. Ron Peterson has it now.

BTW, Rigby is back in business in London, if anyone wants to order from them.

I'm pretty sure that they offer both .275 and .416 rifles. Their medium item, the .350 Rigby Magnum, is a dead duck. But the .35 Whelen is about the same.

SIG-Nice rifle.

I have one in the modern equivalent - The 7mm/08. It is a "compact" model with the slightly shorter stock and barrel (shown at bottom of pic.)

At first I wondered about the shorter stock pull, but when wearing heavy clothing as we do up here during hunting season, it works fine, plus there is not a lot of recoil to begin with. Mine will shoot just over 1 inch with 140 grain handloads, and about 1 1/2 inch with some 175 grain bullets I had laying around.

The 77 series rifles are really under rated by some. I used to own a 77 mannlicher / tang safety rifle in 7x57 years ago that was also a fine performer.

Larry

Attached Images

assorted rifles - Copy.jpg (187.7 KB, 49 views)

Larry-

You have some nice rifles. I especially like that Weatherby MK XXII auto at top. I had one for a time, and wish that I still did. I wrote about it for, "Guns", and Weatherby liked the story so well that they gave me one of their Lucite cartridge blocks. I still display it on a book case.

Is the Kimber also a .22?

My DIL used a short (women's and youth model) Howa 1500 in 7mm-08 to deck a nice whitetail buck at some 80 yards. She had Remington's 140 grain Core-Lokt ammo, and it worked perfectly. The .275 Rigby would have done the same, but the 7mm-08 is easier to find in warmer loads in the USA

In my past there is a Ruger 7mm/08 mann. A real beauty, and a limited edition at the time. It was so pretty, I couldn't bring myself to hunt with it.

Prior to that, there was a Ruger 77 lightweight in 257 Roberts. I really like that one, but it too is gone long ago.

Charlie

You have made a good move. The only Ruger I have now is a tang safety 6 m/m. I had a Hart barrel put on it and have always regretted not having it chambered to 7X57. I have always thought the 7X57 was the best all around light cartridge ever made. WDB Bell proved it is also a great elephant cartridge. A coil or 2 off the spring will help the trigger but I ended up with a Canjar set trigger. Larry

That's W.D.M. Bell, for Walter Dalrymple Maitland Bell.

I made a typing error. I have never said I am perfect. My most humble apologies. Will I be forgiven if I stand in the corner for 1 minute? Larry

Thanks. The Kimber is the "Hunter" model, only made for a couple years. My most accurate .22. The Weatherby is a shooter as well, just needs a better trigger. Used it quite a bit back in CT for rabbits. Of course here in PA, it is illegal for hunting... Agreed, the 140 grain works very well for deer, the couple I have shot with it were down within a couple yards. Years ago I was going to buy one of those Weatherby Lucite cartridge blocks at a gun show, but saved the $$ for lunch - wish I had bought it...

Larry

No worries. Leave the corner after 37 seconds.

Seriously, I just thought that others here might want to know his full name. You seldom see it these days.

I've been a fan of the 7X57 since first discovering handloading in the early 80's.

I've owned a boatload of various rifles chambered for this fine round, including more than one 77 a couple of No.1 Rugers.

These days I rarely hunt, but when I saw the 2013 Shot Show Winchester Model 70 Featherweight was being offered I had to have another one.

Just a great too often overlooked caliber. Not enough flash to this ole Grand Dad of the modern bottleneck round?

Congrats on your find! It should bring you a lot of shooting pleasure...

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

This is an interesting thread and it brings back some good memories.
I used to load 7x57mm ammo for a guy that had one of the first Ruger M77 rifles when they first came out. He got it second but it had been shot very little.
He had 1 box of Norma 7x57mm brass that I would load for him when they were shot up.
I loaded the Hornady 175 gr. RNSP bullet for him with IMR-4064.
He used that rifle every year to take a buck in PA during their deer season.
I seem to recall he had an older Weaver K-6 or K-4 scope on it.
With the loads that I loaded for him, that rifle would put 3-shots into 1 1/4" group at 100 yds. He was good with that saying that's all that was needed for deer hunting.
I lost track of him and that M77 a long time ago.

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JimC

What's the rifling twist rate on that M-70 Fwt. in 7mm? Euro barrels often have a faster twist than US barrels in this caliber, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the faster spin to the bullet may add to its lethality.

I wrote to a famed gun authority about this and he rejected the idea as he thinks the bullet has stopped spinning before it penetrates the hide of a deer, etc. But I think it may contribute to the 7mm's deadly reputation in view of its size and velocity. Even if the bullet stops spinning in the hide, expansion may have begun? ??

I note that Euro 9mm pistols have faster twists than say, S&W 9mm's and that I've read ballistics tests where they gave more expansion from the same ammo as was shot in the S&W's. And Colt .357 barrels rifled 1:14 give more bullet expansion than S&W barrels rifled 1:18.75-inches. Velocity was close, even less sometimes in the Colt barrels.

Winchester's published spec is 1 turn in 9.5".

To my not so good anymore recollection, I think this has been a common rate of twist on many .284" caliber factory tubes.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

I've had two M77s but I sold both. The last was an RSI in 308 that my friend wanted so badly I finally sold it to him a bargain price.

As for the 7x57, maybe my all time favorite CF rifle caliber. I've had a bunch of them over the years including one I built from scratch (come to think of it, that same friend talked me out of that one, too). I currently have three rifles in 7x57, two BRNO Mausers and a Ruger #1.

I have a couple thousand rounds of European military ammo stamped 1970 that I bought for a song (like 6 cents each in bulk) and this stuff is pretty hot. A 139 BT FMJ moves out at a super consistent 2925 FPS. I mean maybe 5 FPS variation.

On Grace Kelly, from what I hear she "got along" with nearly every man she met. You'd think a woman that gorgeous could afford to be more selective but apparently she liked all men.

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No life story has happy end.

[QUOTE=Texas Star;138019587]
I wrote to a famed gun authority about this and he rejected the idea as he thinks the bullet has stopped spinning before it penetrates the hide of a deer, etc.
QUOTE]

In he words of another gun writer, Jack O'Connor, "he's full of prunes". At normal huning ranges, the bullet has lost essentially none of its rotational speed. And quite possibly the faster it spins the better it expands. They spin pretty fast, too; a one in 12 inch twist at 2700 fps is spinning 162,000 RPM (2700 RPS X 60). Consider that the best F1 engines developed 22,000 RPM and were capable of that for only brief periods.

I know I've dug this thread up from years ago. A Ruger M77 7x57/.275 Rigby was I rifle I always wanted. Last year my dream came true when Lipsey's Distributors had Ruger do a limited run of 250 Hawkeye Africans chambered in and stamped .275 Rigby.

I had it out to the range today and had pic or two snapped.

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Bill Bates

I like Ruger 77s. First one I bought was a 220 Swift. When I finally shot the barrel out of it, (toasted throat area). I had it rebarreled with a Douglas premium bull barrel in 6mm and stuck on a Canjur trigger. Since I have picked up a heavy barrel 223 and 25-06 as well as a 300WM and a 338WM. They all shoot well.

Glad the thread was brought back to life, enjoyable reading. I've got a M77 flat bolt in .308, just getting started working up loads for it. I'd read something else about the long throat chamber, so I'm guessing the heavier longer bullets would be to it's liking ? If anyone has or has had the rifle in .308 I'd appreciate hearing load recommendations.

i bought my first Ruger M77 in 1975. It is a nice old tang safety .243 that has put more than a few deer in the freezer. That rifle has always shot lights out and still does.

The .275 is my second Ruger M77. My third will be when Lipsey's does a limited run of Hawkeye Africans in 9.3x 62mm that match the .275 Rigby.

Here is an average group from the old .243; a target I shot in 2015 just double checking if it was still sighted in. I has an old Leupold 3-9 on it that hasn't moved since being put on that rifle. I double check it the beginning of every season. Shot a few groups from the bench and put it back in the case.

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Bill Bates

I have a early M77 in 270. My dad bought it for me as Christmas
present. They seemed like the only way to go with the demise of
Winchester M70. You can tell the difference in the older ones by
the stock contours. I don't know if it's true but the original 77s
were said to have Douglas barrels. I never get rid of a gift gun
but the one I have would have stayed in keeper status because
it's above average accurate. I have had several 77s in 308, 3006
220Swift and they were all decent rifles. The only one that was
not up to standard was a "1776" model in 257 Roberts. It was
like new and took it as trade in. The guy claimed it wouldn't
shoot and knowing he wasn't a hand loader thought I could
wring it out. Turned out he was right, best I could get was 3".