Ruger safari magnum. Good, Bad and Ugly?

[Jack Stevens]

I have an older non-magnum M77 MkII Express Rifle in .30-06. They also made these in .270W. Same feature as the Magnum line. Looks like this:

It handles great and is very accurate in the '06 chambering, but, ... that said, I wouldn't want one in a Magnum chambering, like the 416 Rigby or .458 WM or Lott.

Aside from the thin, shoulder-bustin' recoil pad, too small-ish thumb safety, and stingy mag-capacity, I think the handling qualities of a CZ that's had certain custom touches gives you more for the same or less money.

The question, as always, is finding the right CZ 550 Magnum base rifle and the right DGR 'smith, to start with.

 

[Jack Stevens]

Is the Ruger RSM different from the Rifles described in this report...

Rifle Lessons Learned from the Zimbabwe Professional Hunter Proficiency Exam

Rifle Lessons Learned from the Zimbabwe Professional Hunter Proficiency Exam by Don Heath Big Bore Rifles Every year Zimbabwe holds two events which provide the perfect testing ground for rifles. These are the Rifa Professional Hunter and Guides training/refresher course, and the actual...

www.africahunting.com

"Then we come to one that surprises me. Ruger. The early Ruger M77's with the non rotating claw extractors but still a push feed mechanism, in .458 Win could be relied upon to jam if the bolt was worked quickly. In the 1980's the National Parks culling teams found this out the hard way and the new Rugers were quickly disposed of or issued to stations where a heavy rifle was seldom required. The new MkII Ruger with a proper controlled feed seemed to be a vast improvement and were reputed to work a whole lot better and of course come at a top dollar price. I learned differently. All but one out of seven I've seen or handled this year (6 in .416 Rigby and one .458 Win) would not eject if the bolt was opened vigorously. Slow down just a fraction and they throw the empty case half way into the next province. For a client coming out to Africa this may be acceptable. Any really fast fancy shooting is going to be the PH's."

Great article! Thanks for the link. Got a laugh out of this commentary:

The Browning A Bolt. The Jury is still out on this as there are very few around at present and all the ones I've seen have been left handed models. One out of two had a problem with the magazine. Beating the floor plate back down with a rock is nearly as much fun as taking a hammer to a Weatherby.

He's also correct about a ghost-ring "peep" sight on the rear receiver bridge being faster than the typical pathetic factory "express" sight which is little more than a high-priced "buckhorn" with a folding leaf or two:

More and more PH's are seeing the light and fitting a good Ghost ring aperture sight to their dangerous game rifles so I suppose the pathetic excuse of a rear sight that Winchester fits at the factory can be ignored.

I've seen pics of one or two Lon-Paul custom Big Bores with this ghost ring set-up. One was on a PH's .404 Jeff.

 

[Northern Shooter]

What's the closest you can get to the RSM with Ruger's current lineup? The Hawkeye African? Looks like it tops out at .416.

 

[sierraone]

There is no connection other than the Ruger name between the RSM and the Hawkeye. The Hawkeye in the African model is a cheap rifle by comparison available in .375 Ruger and .416 Ruger. The RSM is a much heavier rifle available in .375 H&H, .416 Rigby and .458 Lott.

 

[Captain Munro]

What's the closest you can get to the RSM with Ruger's current lineup? The Hawkeye African? Looks like it tops out at .416.

What @sierraone said is correct. Sadly, the Hawkeye African bears only a passing resemblance to the RSM of yesteryear. Kevin Roberston, when he was a on an episode of the Big Game Hunting podcast, was not a fan of the Hawkeye African. To light for caliber and some other complaints that went against it.

 

[Aussie Mal]

Can anyone tell me when production of the Ruger RSM Rifle began and ceased?

 

[Captain Munro]

Between 1992 and 2010, for the M77 MKII Magnum.
https://ruger.com/service/productHistory/RI-M77MarkIIM

 

[Aussie Mal]

Between 1992 and 2010, for the M77 MKII Magnum.
https://ruger.com/service/productHistory/RI-M77MarkIIM

Thanks Captain.
My RSM 375 H&H was built in 2009. The day I bought it I was rather taken with the build, finish, fit, figure in the wood etc., and still like it just as much today as I did then. They were terrific value for money then as they are now. I have never thought I'd like to change any part of it, not even the recoil pad, but it's weight is at the heavier end.

 

[Captain Munro]

You're welcome. My 458 Lott was built in 2004 I think...I remember when I was in my teens, drooling over these on Ruger's website and having no money to buy one. It took me until just last year to acquire one from @krish on this forum. Awesome wood for the stock and I love the integral quarter rib. It is currently at a gun smith have some reinforcements done to the stock, a new recoil pad, recoil reducer, new trigger, and a fiber optic front sight.

 

[FrontLines]

Get the price to $2000 and get it.

 

[Rafiki]

I have just recently acquired a 2006 vintage .375 H&H RSM that to this day I have not laid hands on. I got it via Steve Barnett Fine Guns; This link is the vary rifle:

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...el-77-rsm-375-h-h-magnum.cfm?gun_id=102120104

I had them ship it to my ‘smith who has been doing some work on it to make it the rifle that I think it could/should be. That is probably sacrilege to some that are collectors or those concerned about resale.

I’ve read quite a bit about the RSM and poured over the images of the rifle. The general comments are that Bill Ruger did a wonderful job in designing the RSM at a time where hunting DG was on the wane. I’ve read comments where his foresight is largely responsible for the rebirth of DG hunting that we are all enjoying today.

I got into this by happenstance because God knows I didn’t need a .375 for what I like to do. I acquired a now good friend in “bush camp” that called a basically said “let’s get .375’s”; so we did.

I admit I was fixated on CZ 550, desperately wanted one but then the RSM became available. The more I read the more I wanted one. The clincher for me was that integral ¼ rib; you just don’t find that at this price point.

I’m well aware of it’s flaws hence why it was delivered directly to my ‘smith. Accuracy and functionally the RSM is supposed to hold it’s own. Most if not all of the adverse comments have to do the stock. In looking at images of my rifle those flaws are obvious but there is so much wood on the thing I believe that with a competent stock maker it can be reshaped to something really nice.

So far, I’ve that the front sight replaced with a NECG Masterpiece ramp, pillar bedding and the beginnings of stock work. Work is currently on hold until I actually am able to get to the shop in a couple of months, it’s in a different state.

 

[Jack Stevens]

I had them ship it to my ‘smith who has been doing some work on it to make it the rifle that I think it could/should be. That is probably sacrilege to some that are collectors or those concerned about resale.

It's only "sacrilege" if you bought it to collect, not shoot, and then having a 'smith add custom touches to it would make zero sense anyway - monetary or otherwise. A "collector" gun, almost by definition, is a Safe Queen.

Collectors well know that customization rarely adds value and usually detracts from later market value once the firearm's stock condition has been altered or modified. There might be an exception for custom rifles built - or stock rifles modified - by a particular "name" gunsmith or his firm ("Hoffman Arms" comes to mind). But that's different. There the collectability value stems from the work and artistry of the name 'smith himself, not the firearm.

If you plan to shoot and hunt with it, then having your 'smith modify the gun to work for you in the field or at the range is all that matters.

 

[Rafiki]

I’ve been reading quite a bit about the RSM, likes and dislikes, issues and problems. Maybe it’s a little late since I now have one. There’s seemingly some confusion about what a RSM actually is, where it fits on the continuum of M77 history, and frankly I’m still unsure.

The following from the not so trustworthy Wikipedia:

“The M77 was entirely retooled and reintroduced in 1991 as the Model 77 Mark II. [Information from Ruger has the beginning date as 1992, ending in 2010.] The safety, bolt, trigger, and bottom metal were substantially redesigned. The claw extractor was retained, but the bolt face was opened up to allow controlled-round feeding. The plunger ejector was replaced with a Mauser style fixed blade ejector. Finally, a three-position safety allowed the bolt to be operated while the gun was still on safe, making unloading of the rifle less hazardous. Ruger also eliminated the factory-supplied adjustable trigger available on the original M77. The M77 RSM Mark II variant of the M77, often known as the Safari Magnum, features a circassian walnut stock, express sights and a long magnum action designed for classic safari cartridges.”

When Ruger actually started production on the RSM remains a mystery.

Another aspect of this is that in all of my searching for RSM information I have not once found a rifle physically stamped “RSM”, mine has “RUGER MAGNUM” engraved on the receiver.

Can anyone clear some of the fog?

 

[Bonk]

The other easy way to distinguish an RSM from a M77 is the quarter rib and barrel are machined from one solid piece. The Africans don't have that feature. That alone would be cost prohibitive in todays mass production world.

I bought a used RSM 375H&H safe queen and had it rebored to 404J. As others have said, the barrel profile for the RSMs is the same for all calibers so being chambered in 375H&H there was more than enough steel to have it rebored to 404J without any fear of having too thin a profile. Mine weighs just under 11lbs with a scope and sling and it shoots like a dream. I haven't had any issues with fast cycling of the bolt and it holds 5+1 404J. I'm a certified CZ550 junkie and, among others, I have B&C stocked 375H&H with AHR #1 & #2. Please don't ask me to choose between the two because it's a coin toss. Both are superb rifles.

 

[IvW]

The other easy way to distinguish an RSM from a M77 is the quarter rib and barrel are machined from one solid piece. The Africans don't have that feature. That alone would be cost prohibitive in todays mass production world.

I bought a used RSM 375H&H safe queen and had it rebored to 404J. As others have said, the barrel profile for the RSMs is the same for all calibers so being chambered in 375H&H there was more than enough steel to have it rebored to 404J without any fear of having too thin a profile. Mine weighs just under 11lbs with a scope and sling and it shoots like a dream. I haven't had any issues with fast cycling of the bolt and it holds 5+1 404J. I'm a certified CZ550 junkie and, among others, I have B&C stocked 375H&H with AHR #1 & #2. Please don't ask me to choose between the two because it's a coin toss. Both are superb rifles.

5+1 in 404 Jeff??

 

[Rafiki]

The other easy way to distinguish an RSM from a M77 is the quarter rib and barrel are machined from one solid piece. The Africans don't have that feature. That alone would be cost prohibitive in todays mass production world.

I bought a used RSM 375H&H safe queen and had it rebored to 404J. As others have said, the barrel profile for the RSMs is the same for all calibers so being chambered in 375H&H there was more than enough steel to have it rebored to 404J without any fear of having too thin a profile. Mine weighs just under 11lbs with a scope and sling and it shoots like a dream. I haven't had any issues with fast cycling of the bolt and it holds 5+1 404J. I'm a certified CZ550 junkie and, among others, I have B&C stocked 375H&H with AHR #1 & #2. Please don't ask me to choose between the two because it's a coin toss. Both are superb rifles.

I

5+1 in 404 Jeff??

Yeah, I was wondering about that too. The RSM only holds 3 in the mag by design. Has the magazine been modified in some manner? I'm interested because one of the items on my list is to do something to make room for 1 more in the mag. Should be possible with a drop-down floorplate if I can find someone to do that. I did talk with Morris at Alaska Arms about that since he did a similar thing for a non-magnum M77.

 

[Jack Stevens]

I

Yeah, I was wondering about that too. The RSM only holds 3 in the mag by design. Has the magazine been modified in some manner? I'm interested because one of the items on my list is to do something to make room for 1 more in the mag. Should be possible with a drop-down floorplate if I can find someone to do that. I did talk with Morris at Alaska Arms about that since he did a similar thing for a non-magnum M77.

Duane Wiebe is the go-to custom ‘smith for bottom metal and drop-boxes (i.e., internal magazine capacity mods).

Unfortunately, by reputation, he’s also real slow. Might be 2033 before you get your rifle back.

 

[Jack Stevens]

* * * I haven't had any issues with fast cycling of the bolt and it holds 5+1 404J. I'm a certified CZ550 junkie and, among others, I have B&C stocked 375H&H with AHR #1 & #2. Please don't ask me to choose between the two because it's a coin toss. Both are superb rifles.

Big red b.s. flag thrown. Loss of down, plus a game misconduct for flagrancy.

No way the Ruger - with just a barrel re-bore - gets to holding 5+1 of .404 Jeff cartridges without a drop-box mod.

 

[Rafiki]

Duane Wiebe is the go-to custom ‘smith for bottom metal and drop-boxes (i.e., internal magazine capacity mods).

Unfortunately, by reputation, he’s also real slow. Might be 2033 before you get your rifle back.

Thanks, I'll try and follow that path, see where it leads.

 

[Rafiki]

... I have B&C stocked 375H&H with AHR #1 & #2. Please don't ask me to choose between the two because it's a coin toss. Both are superb rifles.

What is an ARH #1 & #2? American Hunting Rifle I know but #1 & #2 I don't. Seems like some sort of upgrade package. Didn't see anything on their website.