Gun Review: The Ruger 77/17 Rifle in .17 WSM

The Ruger 77/22 series of rifles heralds back to an earlier era of firearms design. Featuring classic, svelte lines and (in its traditional variant) blued steel and walnut construction, the 77/22 brings back memories of a bygone era in firearms. For many shooting enthusiasts, the halcyon days of blued steel and walnut- stocked firearms are more than nostalgia—they are a way of life. For those shooters, the 77/22 represents a modern take on this old-fashioned style, and an appealing one at that. However, as we all know, you can count on Ruger to not only respect the past, but also keep things moving toward the future.

In addition to stainless steel variants, versions with synthetic stocks and laminated wood-stocked models, to name just a few, Ruger has also adapted the bolt-action line to chamber .17-caliber offerings in its 77/17 line. One of the newest of these is the .17 WSM variant, which combines classic styling with stainless steel construction and one of the most advanced rimfire cartridges available.

The .17 WSM (which stands for “Winchester Super Magnum”) is claimed by Winchester Ammunition to be the “world’s fastest and most powerful modern rimfire cartridge” and is designed to deliver centerfire cartridge performance in a lower-cost rimfire package. While this may seem to be an unrealistic goal, it would appear that Winchester has achieved its goal. The round pushes bullets ranging in weight from 20 to 25 grains in the range of 2,600 to 3,000 feet per second, delivering long-range performance in a soft-recoiling and lightweight package.

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The new Ruger 77/17 harnesses this impressive power through a 24-inch barrel that features six-groove rifling in a 1-in-9-inch, right-hand twist rate, which helps wring out the greatest practical performance from this interesting new round. As a result, you have a rifle capable of delivering impressive downrange performance. The bolt-action rifle sports an attractive American walnut stock with a 13.5-inch length of pull, and it feeds from a six-round rotary magazine that does not protrude from the rifle. The 77/17 weighs in at 7.5 pounds and features a rugged heat-treated receiver for strength. The bolt of the rifle features a 90-degree lift and a quick lock time. A three-position safety rounds out the package and allows shooters to lock the bolt as well as load and unload the rifle with the safety engaged.

The result is a rifle that is attractive, handy and one of Ruger’s most classic designs, all while firing one of the most advanced rimfire cartridges available today. For those who want to have a rimfire that combines the charm of yesterday with the capabilities of tomorrow, then the new Ruger 77/17 in .17 WSM is definitely worth a look. In fact, in some ways you can’t find a more representative example of what Ruger stands for than this interesting new offering. It represents the best of the new and the old, in one appealing package.

Specifications

* CALIBER: .17 WSM
* BARREL: 24 inches
* WEIGHT: 7.5 pounds (empty)
* STOCK: American walnut
* SIGHTS: None
* ACTION: Bolt
* FINISH: Stainless steel
* CAPACITY: 6+1
* MSRP: $999

For more information, visit http://www.ruger.com.