I am wanting to build a gun that I can shoot deer, coyotes and hogs, and target shoot out to 500 yards.... I want to get into long range and get really consistent out to this range.... Here's my delimma, I don't know if I should start with what I got or just start over. I have a ruger M77 mark ii in 270 caliber... This is a pretty basic gun. If I wanna use this gun I feel like I will have to change the stock barrel and do a trigger job ( not in that order).... My question is, is there a gun that I should purchase that will be more suited for this and maybe should I change calibers??? There is no doubt in my mind that the 270 will do the job for what I need. But should maybe I consider a different round that will have more options? I already have a decent scope, I have a 4-16x50 monarch bdc that I think will be sufficient... Thanks guys and all opinions welcome...

There ain't nothing wrong with a M77 in 270. I don't shoot one, but I'm pretty sure it is effective out to 500 yards. I would not change the barrel, stock should be fine. The trigger job is a DIY affair. I have a M77 in .223, all stock, my DIY trigger, and it will single hole at 200 yards, yours should too.

Now, here's the rub. I hand load, and my best results are always ammo I have tuned to that particular gun. I would think that was especially true with long range hunting bullets, but even good commercial ammo should deliver MODeer. I always shoot for MOA on paper, but only out to 200 yards.

My advice - dance with who brung ya.

You have what you need in that scope and rifle. Do a trigger job because the triggers on those older Rugers are terrible. Might even have it pillar and glass-bedded but I bet it doesn't even need it. And 500 yds for a 270 is nothing. My Sako will shoot under a half inch at 100 yds with 130 Berger VLDs and H4350. You might try the 140s or 150s to get a higher BC for longer range.

Awesome, this is def good news.... Only reason I was considering changing the barrel is cause its just the reg blue barrel that comes on those and it seems to get Hott real fast and start walking around, I mean like after 3-4 shots....

If the ruger shoots well just drop a trigger in it and your good to go. I have replaced the trigger in two of my 77s with the drop in timney. For $115 it is well worth it, if you order direct you can specify the weight and install it yourself. I wouldn't worry much about the barrel heating up in a hunting situation. Doubtful you will have the chance to fire enough times for it to be an issue. It is a pain waiting on cool down if you plan on shooting at the range quite a bit.

Well I do wanna shoot long range at the range quite a bit too

I don't know if 270's will shoot out a barrel or not, but when I shoot my rifles that will, I take two or three to the range to shoot and set aside while I shoot another rifle. Just like shooting prairie dogs, set up a pair of rifles and switch between them.

First of all.. How far is long range? Is 500 all you're gonna shoot? Long range to me is 1,600-1,900 yards. I would NEVER shoot a deer at that distance.. I have the capability, but to me that's not ethical.

Ruger's, like mentioned before, have horrible triggers. That would be a start. If you or your gun are not capable of shooting 1 inch or better group, then your're wasting your time. You either need better equipment or practice. 1 inch group at 500 yards, expounds to 5.235, or 5 inches at 500 yards.. When you add wind it gets a little more compicated than knowing where to hold.

There is a lot of sience involved to shooting long range.. It is a lot of fun to lay down and hit clay pigeons at 1,000 yards. It does take a lot more than just pointing the gun and pressing the trigger though...

Good calibers are 6.5's like the .260 Remington or 6.5 x 47 Lapua or 6.5-.284.... Your .30 calibers like the .308 or .300 Win mag.. 7MM is another good choice.. Even .243's are reaching 1,200 with the right gun and loads... Do a lot of research

I shoot my 308 out to six or seven hundred yards and switch to my 338 Lapua mag from there out. Nice thing about 308 is they are cheap to shoot and have a decent barrel life

Depends on caliber.

.308: 4-800 mid, 800+ is long.

Furthest I'd try to take an animal is probably 500 that I'd try. I'm very comfortable in hitting a 6" circle at that range. Beyond 600 and the wind really messes with me.

If you're concerned with the target part avoid the .270, as good long range match bullets don't come in 27 caliber. Also consider a Remington 700, or a savage. .243, .308, 30-06, .284, 280. All good for 500yds.

6" circle huh?

Better be an elk!

I've got a stock Remington 700 .270 with a Zeiss 4.5x14-50 Rapid Z 800. I'm good to 400 yards but haven't tried past that yardage. I don't think it would be to difficult to get another 100 to 200 yards out of it though.

Interesting that nobody has mentioned .25-06?

Is Berger building a .277 VLD now? Very interesting.

I'm not sure how you could claim the kill zone on a WT to be smaller than 6".

Excellent for shooting game at unknown ranges because it shoots so flat. For target shooting on the other hand, the only long range bullet I'm aware of is still getting it's butt whipped by the larger bores, and the barrel life likely a bit short for the taste of
most target shooters.

I love when these long range topics post up...... All of the "I am comfortable in my profound abilities to take shots at over a mile" folks seem to come out of every nook and cranny........ It really makes me laugh because it is my experience that most folks can't shoot nearly as good as they profess or think that they can

It is my opinion that the 500 yards you spoke of is not long range and your .270 can be effective at that range. Like was stated ..... Good trigger and good optics with an understanding of basic ballistics and you will be fine. If you just want a firearm to hunt long ranges, there are plenty to choose from. When I was in the Marine Corps, all of us that were on the national shooting team and some competed in Wimbledon Cups using a USMC armory accurized Winchester model 70 .308 for 1000 meter comps

It's not long range until you have to take the Coriolis effect into consideration...... IMHO, if course

^^^^

I agree with most of what you say, especially considering that you don't get sighting shots when hunting. I probably shoot an 8 or less for my first sighted at least 1/3 of the time at 500yds and beyond, so even if you know your come ups and have a decent estimate of wind it's not a sure thing for your Average Joe. Most people don't even have acces to a place that large to practice on.

My disagreement would be that you don't consider 500 yards long range. For competition...it's mid-range, yes, but for hunting that's a long way off. Most people either don't have a range finder, don't have a good one, or laser the wrong thing. You of all people should know that with a .308 at that range, it doesn't take much of a range error to cause some problems, especially if you are holding over because you don't have target turrets. Although perfectly capable at that range in the right hands, my first choice for a hunting gun at that range would be pumping out more velocity than a .308. That choice is personal, but I don't wanna carry or purchase a range finder, or deal with memorizing drop tables in intervals any smaller than 100 yards, or use a variable scope, or have a cluttered reticle. For me, a 6x scope with a duplex reticle, my gun and a knife are just about all I want to take into the field with
me. That said, 500yds is a long way for me to be hunting, and for that I lean toward the .243, 250 savage, 25-06, 270, 6.5-284, or maybe an '06 with light to mid-weight bullets handloaded to outperform a .308.

I agree with you in almost every point. I am not trying to raise anyones hackles. I agree with what you say about better cartridges for hunting...... I am .257 guy and love my .25-06 as well. I just used the .308 as an example of what we used in the corps for 1000 meter comps ( of course that was over 20 years ago).
H*ll I can't even see that far anymore and have no business trying a shot at those ranges aging is a wonderful thing.
500 yards in hunting is a LONG way for certain but 500 yards is still only 500 yards and is not long range and is relatively easy to range without a rangefinder. Mil dot recticle's are used to range all the time and is fairly easy to do.
Yes I was just being mean to those MANY who profess to be accomplished long rangers from behind a computer screen when I spoke about the Coriolis effect but it was just a dig on them but it is stilly firm belief that most folks need to keep their shooting at under. 300 yards . If it offends some to hear it then so be it. It's easy to talk long range but entirely different to actually be able to shoot it. That was my whole point.
I would be willing to bet if you searched forums....... This one included........ Maybe even this thread before it's done , you will find folks who talk of making shots of a mile or more and speak of it like its nothing. I know and have shot with and against a lot of real shooters and I can promise you there are a handful only who can make those shots and make them consistently . There is a difference there to be sure

Well thanks for all the advice guys..... I'm gonna put a trigger Job on my 270 and probably change the stock and go from there

I was assuming 6" radius, making it a circle one foot in diameter. I wouldn't be comfortable with this.

Ahh no, but thanks for assuming so....you know how that goes.

A 6" circle at 500 yards is just over MOA and I have found that not too many people can actually consistently hit a 6" steel plate at 500 yards. This comes from limited group shooting experience at Tiger Valley outside of Waco.

Truth be told I'm very comfortable shooting clay pigeons at 500 yards, so that's what a 4.5" circle. But that is bipod, relaxed, and taking my time with my shots. Past 600 and things get very tricky. Add substandard shooting positions and buck fever to the mix and in my experience sub-moa goes out the window.

And to date my furthest kill of anything with a rifle is less than 150 yards. I only shoot what I CAN hit and kill.

For a hunting rifle built to be a 500 yard gun, I'd recommend switching to a flatter shooting caliber out to that distance maybe more to give you some play. Also consider upgrading optics. What kind of budget you working with? How seriously are you target shooting?

I would get rid of it a get something different