I’m going to consign some rifles I don’t shoot anymore. I haven’t been hunting in at least 6 years, and if I start up again I’ll still have plenty to choose from.

The first victim may be this Ruger. I know people like the tang safety models, and the 7X57 has a steady following.

There are pictures in this thread. Apologies for the Photobucket ransom marks. Also, there are several “absent comrades” represented.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/firearm...#post138010443

I’m not chumming the waters for a later sale here. I just need a reasonable number to look for when/if I consign it.

Thanks for any help!

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I consigned one of those about 8 mos. ago, used but in very nice condition, and sold it for $800. Most of the 77s don't go that high, and the 7mm is kind of a niche gun, but the guys that like it really like it a lot and will pay extra for it.

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Everybody could shoot

There are a few sales in the Gunbroker completed auctions. Quite a bit higher than I would have guessed. There are a couple of Ruger forums tha might be able to help beyond that. I like 7mm Mauser for some reason and have a few old military rifles and a Ruger No 1. I briefly had one of the stainless M77 International rifles marked .275 Rigby, but it was too nice and worth too much more than I paid, so I let it go unfired.

I bought a nice early-ish M77 in 30-06 locally for $450 with a Redfield scope in May of last year. The guys on the Ruger forum were helpful in assessing it and agreed that I got a good deal on it.

So the big ballpark on your rifle is probably $750 to $1500. <shrug>.

Rob

They go for a little more if "Made in the 200th year of American Liberty"

I looked for one of your rifles for a couple years and never found one in appropriate condition for my wants.
I finally found a #1 in 7X57 and it shoots OK, not lights out but is definitely minute of deer capable.
I would think if the condition on yours is very good to excellent you could get between $850 - 900, in good shape, $700’ish.
Good luck with your endeavor.

A long time ago in a mountain gun state of mind I bought a Ruger ultralight in 243 with a tang safety. It didn’t group like I thought it should so I took up reloading and had it dialed in in no time. A few years later I “needed” a motorcycle and it went away. I regret that even though I no longer hunt. That was just a cool rifle.

I have a brand new barrel in 7x57 mauser. Gunsmith take off. Am going to put it on Ebay. Somebody should want it.

Around here the tang safety 77's bring a premium over the later models. The early "round top" rifles bring the highest prices.

I'd say $700-$800. The more common . 30-06, .270s and such may go a little less than that. As was stated, it's kind of a niche market thing. A guy who wants a tang safety 77 in 7x57 will pay to play. Not rare by any stretch. But certainly not frequently seen, either. A year ago I would have said you have a $550-$600 rifle, but EVERYTHING gun related has gone up so much the past few months, nevermind the past 2-3 years. I went to a gun show Saturday, first I've been to in 2-3 years, and though I keep up with current prices through this and other forums and watching GunBroker, I just walked around shaking my head. How about a garden-variety model 28 in decent but not mint condition for $1400? ��

I have a couple of pre-warning Ruger M77 tang safety rifles. Both are accurate honest rifles. My .30-06 “round-top” has been my favorite the last few years.
It would take far north of $1000 to make me consider selling it. Don’t give yours away if you do sell it.
They don’t make them like this anymore. Beautiful blue and wood stocks are not the norm today.

heart of a lion poem

What rifle did your barrel come from?

The overall quality level, fit and finish, of early M-77's is outstanding for mass production rifles. The Al Biesen inspired stock is a classic that harkens back to Jack O'Connor's favorite custom rifles. However, I traded mine away for later versions with a M-70 style safety. Call me silly, but I never liked taking the safety off to unload an unfired round from the chamber, and the detent notches required a little finesse to disengage the safety silently. That said, a 7x57 M-77 would be a dandy if I still hunted. As a kid, I popped several deer with a 93 Mauser in 7x57 and never felt under gunned. Ruger used to do a better job of coming out with limited issues of unpopular but excellent calibers.

Not sure what M77s are worth but I have two bicentennial models that my dad bought new. One in 270 And the other chambered in 220 Swift.

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Useless political propaganda

I've had many older 77s, am down to four now, but did buy a new 7x57 more than thirty years ago. Based on a sample of one... it shot with reasonable accuracy, but as I recall, it had a long throat like military rifles in that chambering. You could really seat bullets way out and often had to to get decent accuracy, so I doubt light and short bullets would work very well. Bullets in the 150 to 175 grain range did considerably better from an accuracy standpoint than did the only light bullet I tried, the 139 Hornady. Good cartridge and from a field perspective is virtually the same ballistically as the .308 Winchester.

My favorite rifle is my dad's 1896 Mauser in 7x57. Great deer rifle for out to 150+ yards. It had a lot if corrosive ammo put through it but will still hold a 2½" group at 100 yards even though the barrel is badly pitted. Light on recoil and easy to shoot.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

I only own one M-77 and I got it a couple of months ago at auction. I'm sure I posted about it in this forum. It is a fine looking rifle and it came with a Weaver scope. (Not it's fault.) I paid $100 for it because it is in 220 Swift. If I can't get any more rounds at a reasonable price, I'm going to have it cut back a couple of threads and rechambered in .22-250.

Is 220 Swift ammo getting difficult to purchase?

I seldom shoot factory ammo in anything, but Swift ammo is probably harder to find nowadays than the much more popular .22-250 Rem.

A 200th year Ruger 77.

Like this!

I have to say I don’t know.
I have reloaded for my Swift’s since the mid ‘70’s. This is my 4th one. I find the cartridge easy to load for and with price of factory ammo probably a lot cheaper.
This is my M77V from mid 70’s with a Canjar single-set trigger and a Leupold 12x. Very accurate rifle but it is quite heavy. 😎

I have an early 80s 77 International/mannlicher in .243.....my favorite Pa. Deer rifle.

With 80gr it can do double duty as a varmint rifle.

Can't help on price cus I can't remember last time I saw a 77 for sale locally used. A couple of years back; retail locally, a "nice" used CZ rifle was going for $100-200 less than the same gun new. Trade value was about 50%

You don’t mention what kind of accuracy the rifle has, but nostalgia is sometimes weakened or offset in the market by the precision of modern manufacturing. I love these rifles, but would only buy one at a reasonable price. I agree with others that $750-$800 is the most likely selling point. It will help if you can show that the rifle is capable of accuracy similar to the newer rifles.

I have two bicentennial M77’s from my dad as well. One is a 243 and the other an M77V in 220 Swift. I always get a kick out of those who say the old 77 was not accurate out of the box. The 243 did double duty as a rock chuck gun and being the gun most of my nephews shot their first deer with. The 220 Swift is a great chuck rifle and dad shot a few deer in the head with it in his later years.
I love the old M77’s. Tough, reliable and the safety is where one should be. But then again I shoot O/U shotguns so I am a bit biased as to where a safety belongs.

Someday you will regret it if you sell it.

In the last few month we've had two go through where I work. One was kind of rough and it sold for $600. The other was used but in very good condition with a decent scope and it sold for $800.

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Bill Bates

I don’t think so but it is getting expensive. I recently purchased some Hornady 50gr and some Remington 55gr. Pricey but available.

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Useless political propaganda

The first rifle I ever bought was a M77 tang safety in 25-06. Still have it, tho it now wears a Shilen stainless barrel. Ruger made a lot of great tang safety variants over the years. I've owned a few. Two I woulda, coulda, shoulda bought were the .250 Savage and the 7X57. I used to refer to the "recoil pad" as Ruger's Red Rubber Shoulder Bruiser... Had one in .338 Win. Mag. for a brief period... LOL! I've owned several and always loved the tang safety because I grew up shooting a side by side shotgun.

But, I eventually moved on to Winchester M-70s.

I really don't know the value of your 7X57. There are still guys who appreciate a well made, vintage walnut and blued steel bolt gun... and have an appreciation of classic calibers. Were it mine, considering the nice condition, and considering you'll take a 20% or so hit on the commission, I'd start at $1000. Yeah. I know some folks would laugh. But, if your gun shop has good foot traffic, and people can put their hands on a nice, scarce M-77 like yours and handle it, I'd think it should sell.

Anyway, best of luck.

MB

I honestly don’t know much about the specs of the old 77s but both of mine are great shooting guns. Did all of the 220 Swift models come with a heavy barrel and bipod?

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