Ruger M77 Alaskan vs Guide Gun

[John Camp]

Hi all, I have been hanging around a long time and felt it was time I started contributing something. So, I will start my contribution with some hopefully decent questions. I just bought an M77 Alaskan in .416 Ruger. No pics yet as I will pick it up on Monday. I think it is the same gun that Toby458 recently picked up. Mine is stainless with the overmolded Hogue stock.

First question:

Other than the stock, how is the Guide gun different from the Alaskan? I have read about both but have found nothing addressing this issue specifically. (Of course now that I have said that the next posting on the thread will be a reference to numerous previous threads about exactly the same subject).

 

[ldmay375]

The addition of the threaded barrel and muzzle break are the only other differences that I am aware of. Both are advertised as 20" barrel.
I have the Alaskan model in 375 and 416 Ruger. I find them very handy rifles for my type hunting.

 

[John Camp]

Thanks for your response. The only other difference that I see is that for some reason Ruger put a sling stud in the forearm of my Alaskan. Looking at images I see some Alaskan's have a barrel band. How about your guns? I have never shot anything bigger than a 338 win, so I do not really know what to expect. But, that sling stud looks like a lacerated hand waiting to happen.

 

[CAustin]

I have the guide gun and find it to be a very reliable rifle! To boot I have been very successful using it. As pointed out little difference other than the threading on the barrel and break!

 

[John Camp]

Look ready to do some damage. I know a lot of people hate the laminate stocks but I love the look of that stock with SS.

 

[CAustin]

Look ready to do some damage. I know a lot of people hate the laminate stocks but I love the look of that stock with SS.

Shoots as good as it looks. Wasn’t sold on it myself at first but grows on you once in your hands.

 

[ldmay375]

Thanks for your response. The only other difference that I see is that for some reason Ruger put a sling stud in the forearm of my Alaskan. Looking at images I see some Alaskan's have a barrel band. How about your guns? I have never shot anything bigger than a 338 win, so I do not really know what to expect. But, that sling stud looks like a lacerated hand waiting to happen.

Some of the earlier Alaskans did not have a sling stud barrel band. I have both type in 375 Ruger and 416.
I am sure it depends on one's fore end / hand placement, I have had no issue when shooting the ones with the stud in the stock. But, they do take a toll on my front range bags.

 

[John Camp]

That is good to here, but I know I wont be satisfied until I get the issue rectified. I got to figure out how to install a barrel band on a cold hammer barrel because my local gunsmith has no idea.

 

[Eric Anderson]

Thanks for your response. The only other difference that I see is that for some reason Ruger put a sling stud in the forearm of my Alaskan. Looking at images I see some Alaskan's have a barrel band. How about your guns? I have never shot anything bigger than a 338 win, so I do not really know what to expect. But, that sling stud looks like a lacerated hand waiting to happen.

Never had an issue on my sling stud on my .375 Ruger even on the stoutest handloads.

 

[Bhfs300]

I got Leupold to do a custom gray to match the silver better.
This is a 375 Ruger.
Shoots great for me. Haven’t got to take an animal with it yet.

 

[John Camp]

WOW!!! Maybe no kills yet but you win the beauty contest.

 

[Dewald]

Congratulations on the purchase. I have the Alaskan in .416 Ruger. It turns out to be a very well balanced rifle despite the short barrel.

I made some prophylactic changes to it before using it.

1. Polished the rails and feeding ramp silky smooth out to 1000 grit, and then with burnishing compound.

2.Fitted a Pachmyer Old English recoil pad, as the soft hogue pad tends to snag on your shirt.

3. Filled the butt stock with filler foam to get rid of the hollow clang sound without adding weight.

Polished and slightly opened the ejector groove, to make sure it doesn’t snag. I’ve done everything to try and simulate the ejector failures people encounter with Ruger, but i could not.

Finally I added a Swarovski Z6 1-6 on Alaska Arms QDs.

 

[John Camp]

That is my gun. I am planning to detail/polish the rifle for the same reasons. I have read that many had to send guns back because of ejection problems. Looks like you have QD scope rings. That is the setup I am looking for. However mine will be a quick attach setup. We will be looking for elk in extreme bear country, so I will be walking around with iron sites. - what type of rings do you have? I am looking at Warne and Alaska Arms but am open to other suggestions.

 

[John Camp]

Dewald,
does your Alaskan have the sling stud in the forearm or on a swivel band?

 

[John Camp]

Just spoke with the seller and we confirmed our meet time and place. I am pumped. Cant wait till 11:00 am. Hope there is no evil Atlanta traffic. Wait, there is always evil Atlanta traffic. Oh well.

 

[ChrisG]

Never had an issue on my sling stud on my .375 Ruger even on the stoutest handloads.

I concur. The sling stud wasn't moved to the barrel on older express rifles because they were afraid of tearing their hands under recoil... lets face it, if you aren't holding the gun tightly enough, the sling stud is the least of your problems. It was added to rifles that didn't even kick that hard like Rigby's .275 and Westley Richards .318 magazine rifles. It seems reasonable that this was done so that when carrying the rifle muzzle up or muzzle down, the barrel didn't protrude high over your shoulder or drag in the dirt because the stud moved the carrying position to more the center of the rifle geometrically. Thse older guns had looong barrels compared to what we are used to today. This makes a lot more sense to me than the "massive hand-tearing recoil theory". Nowadays, It is purely added as an aesthetic touch. CZ doesn't include a barrel mounted one on their 550 american magnum basic model and that is offered in calibers like .416 Rigby and .458 Lott. Unless you are shooting something truly fierce, I don't see how you would tear your had on a stock mounted sling stud.

 

[John Camp]

OK. Actually, I have always assumed the sling stud was mounted on the barrels of heavy caliber guns because they did not want to put a screw into the forearm and weaken the stock. Don't know. What I do no is that I really like the look of a banded swivel mount.

 

[Patton63]

It seems like the theme of the thread is that, whatever the differences, both are good guns. I have the Guide gun in .375 and love it.

 

[Eric Anderson]

OK. Actually, I have always assumed the sling stud was mounted on the barrels of heavy caliber guns because they did not want to put a screw into the forearm and weaken the stock. Don't know. What I do no is that I really like the look of a banded swivel mount.

Your rifle, your rules.

 

[ldmay375]

That is my gun. I am planning to detail/polish the rifle for the same reasons. I have read that many had to send guns back because of ejection problems. Looks like you have QD scope rings. That is the setup I am looking for. However mine will be a quick attach setup. We will be looking for elk in extreme bear country, so I will be walking around with iron sites. - what type of rings do you have? I am looking at Warne and Alaska Arms but am open to other suggestions.

As to rings, I have both the Alaska Arms and Warne in use. I have Alaska Arms of all my Rugers, with the exception of one 375 Ruger Alaskan.
I like the looks of the Alaska Arms best. Plus, they are located a few miles from the house, and are dang fine folks. And I think they are a great product.
But, I have had the Warnes on this particular 375 for many years. Never an issue with them or the 1.1-4x24 Kahles that are on it.
I am not a scope remover / replacer, unless the scope becomes damaged or a USMC type cleaning is called for. I had much rather use an appropriate scope than irons.