I have a 77-22 blue/walnut sporter barrel that I had some success with accuracy work. I pillar bedded it with aluminum pillars and Devon plastic steel. I bedded the action and about one inch of the barrel in front of the action. I got the trigger down to 1.5 lbs by changing to a lighter spring and stoning the sear. I also shimmed the bolt and installed an extra power firing pin spring. With Eley Target I can consistently shoot half inch 5 shot groups at 50 yards with this rifle.

 

Free floating a pencil taper barrel is often not beneficial. Rather a pressure pad an inch or two back from the end of the forend produces better results. Take a piece of bicycle innertube 4 inches long and put it under the barrel so the ends hang out shoot and move the pad back untill you find the sweet spot. Trim the ends off.
The 77/22 was never designed to be a target gun. It was a trainer for the larger caliber 77s,Same weight,action , stock, but cheaper ammo for off hand training.
But like other popular 22 s there were a whole raft of improvement parts to make it slightly better. Try Trigger Shim,Ruger 77/22 & 77/17 Bolt Action Shims, Trigger Kits, Springs
and Rimfire Sports & Custom
You can use a gunsmither block to cure barrel droop, and aluminum hvac tape to bed the action.
Besides diy , there are gunsmiths that specialize in them. Alas CPC is gone, but there are others.

 

We need someone to fill Randy's absence😔

 

Having burned a pile of cash upgrading a couple 77/22's, if you are working with the sporter taper barrel, which are quite good in my limited experience, the best way to get more accuracy is going to a heavier "Bull" or Varmint Taper barrel. Trigger upgrades will help, whether home grown, or purchasing the springs, trigger and sear, but the barrel will make the most difference. No matter what you do with the lighter barrels, they will always be more responsive to shooter input/bias. I've shimmed a couple bolts, and triggers, the difference in accuracy is microscopic unless you have a really sloppy trigger set. (Maybe not even then). No matter what barrel you use, extensive ammo testing can make a big difference, unless you "luck in" to a best on your first trip to the range, (which never happened to me). If you replace the barrel you have, look into the chamber dimensions of the barrel you want. I find that past the 4X-12X magnification level, more magnification is not likely to do much. I glass bedded the action early on, the difference there was below my ability to measure. Ammunition, the more you spend, the better it will shoot, but past a certain dollar, you need a magnifying glass and multiple groups to average, to see the difference.
Much as I like my 77/22, it does come with mechanical limitations, it will never be an Anchutz. But it's fun and interesting, (and expensive), to try.

 

Having burned a pile of cash upgrading a couple 77/22's, if you are working with the sporter taper barrel, which are quite good in my limited experience, the best way to get more accuracy is going to a heavier "Bull" or Varmint Taper barrel. Trigger upgrades will help, whether home grown, or purchasing the springs, trigger and sear, but the barrel will make the most difference. No matter what you do with the lighter barrels, they will always be more responsive to shooter input/bias. I've shimmed a couple bolts, and triggers, the difference in accuracy is microscopic unless you have a really sloppy trigger set. (Maybe not even then). No matter what barrel you use, extensive ammo testing can make a big difference, unless you "luck in" to a best on your first trip to the range, (which never happened to me). If you replace the barrel you have, look into the chamber dimensions of the barrel you want. I find that past the 4X-12X magnification level, more magnification is not likely to do much. I glass bedded the action early on, the difference there was below my ability to measure. Ammunition, the more you spend, the better it will shoot, but past a certain dollar, you need a magnifying glass and multiple groups to average, to see the difference.
Much as I like my 77/22, it does come with mechanical limitations, it will never be an Anchutz. But it's fun and interesting, (and expensive), to try.

Having burned a pile of cash upgrading a couple 77/22's, if you are working with the sporter taper barrel, which are quite good in my limited experience, the best way to get more accuracy is going to a heavier "Bull" or Varmint Taper barrel. Trigger upgrades will help, whether home grown, or purchasing the springs, trigger and sear, but the barrel will make the most difference. No matter what you do with the lighter barrels, they will always be more responsive to shooter input/bias. I've shimmed a couple bolts, and triggers, the difference in accuracy is microscopic unless you have a really sloppy trigger set. (Maybe not even then). No matter what barrel you use, extensive ammo testing can make a big difference, unless you "luck in" to a best on your first trip to the range, (which never happened to me). If you replace the barrel you have, look into the chamber dimensions of the barrel you want. I find that past the 4X-12X magnification level, more magnification is not likely to do much. I glass bedded the action early on, the difference there was below my ability to measure. Ammunition, the more you spend, the better it will shoot, but past a certain dollar, you need a magnifying glass and multiple groups to average, to see the difference.
Much as I like my 77/22, it does come with mechanical limitations, it will never be an Anchutz. But it's fun and interesting, (and expensive), to try.

Having burned a pile of cash upgrading a couple 77/22's, if you are working with the sporter taper barrel, which are quite good in my limited experience, the best way to get more accuracy is going to a heavier "Bull" or Varmint Taper barrel. Trigger upgrades will help, whether home grown, or purchasing the springs, trigger and sear, but the barrel will make the most difference. No matter what you do with the lighter barrels, they will always be more responsive to shooter input/bias. I've shimmed a couple bolts, and triggers, the difference in accuracy is microscopic unless you have a really sloppy trigger set. (Maybe not even then). No matter what barrel you use, extensive ammo testing can make a big difference, unless you "luck in" to a best on your first trip to the range, (which never happened to me). If you replace the barrel you have, look into the chamber dimensions of the barrel you want. I find that past the 4X-12X magnification level, more magnification is not likely to do much. I glass bedded the action early on, the difference there was below my ability to measure. Ammunition, the more you spend, the better it will shoot, but past a certain dollar, you need a magnifying glass and multiple groups to average, to see the difference.
Much as I like my 77/22, it does come with mechanical limitations, it will never be an Anchutz. But it's fun and interesting, (and expensive), to try.

I agree with you on this Tman. I have had 3 77-22’s with slip-in sporter barrels that I did accuracy work on. I only saw a big improvement on one of these rifles. It was manufactured in 1987 and came from the factory with a Wilson barrel. Improving accuracy on a 77-22 is like a crap-shoot with the odds not in your favor.

 

I’ve learned my lesson and I’m done throwing money at mine. Last one I sent out for work came back less accurate and much less reliable. With the accuracy I got it back to where it was prior to sending it in. I accept mine are what they are. Wish I’d left them be.

 

I have always done my own work on the 77-22,s so I am not out much money, only some labor. This makes it worthwhile for me because when I finally do get one to shoot to my satisfaction, I have a very good keeper. The 77-22 is good looking, lightweight, easy handling and has a flush fitting 10 shot magazine. It is my favorite squirrel rifle.

 

It was manufactured in 1987 and came from the factory with a Wilson barrel.

Ah ha!
My VBZ was delivered in that time frame, and the barrel was/is a really good tube. I also have used Wilson barrels on a couple of my AR's, a 5.56 and a 300 Ham'r, both of which are in an accuracy class all of their own.

It is my favorite squirrel rifle.

I have no doubt. Mine has retired several garden raiding pests, and a pile of squirrel pot pie filling.
PA restricts magazine capacity on "game animals", including rabbits and squirrels, and I have purchased several of the 5rd magazines to make it a legal fit. No big deal, as I have yet to attacked by a pack of rabbits or squirrels

 

The 77/22 was never meant to compete with the BR rilfes. It was made to be a solid full size trainer, and hunter. You can upgrade parts depending on how much you want to spend, from mild to wild. The "choice" is yours. But to expect it to hang with a Kimber, Anschutz, Sako, Cooper, Winchester 52, Remington 541 just to name a few is down right wrong. I think with the right parts added the 77/22 can be made to shoot with or marginally better than the average( think CZ) rifles.👍

 

No doubt they didn’t design it to compete with BR firearms. Just the same I doubt they sat around the board room and said let’s design a rifle that may be a mediocre shooter. Sometimes things don’t come out as planned or hoped, be it cars, toaster ovens or in this case a 22 rifle. It’s a beautiful rifle and I’m guessing they had higher expectations.

 

They were affordable when they came out. I think inflation and poor sales did it in. So Ruger gave us the RAR.

 

I think with the right parts added the 77/22 can be made to shoot with or marginally better than the average( think CZ) rifles.

Before the 77/22 came out, I owned or had owned .22LR's from Winchester, Remington, Marlin, Mossberg, and Savage, well before the internet even had a name. The 77/22 with the early Sporter weight barrel was in the same class for accuracy as any/all of those. Shooting the the rimfire ammunition generally available at the local gun store, and mostly Hi Speed stuff, with a 4X Leupold rimfire scope in the rings, a 1"/ 5 shot group @ 50yds was pretty decent accuracy. At that time, the new Ruger was one of the few .22's that looked and felt like a "real" rifle in hand. I don't recall doin' anything with the trigger. When the VBZ entered the market, most shooters that had one were up to speed with trigger springs and more scope magnification, and I topped mine with a Leupold 3X-9X AO, and that did turn in 0.5" for 5 shots @ fifty yds more often than not, and I took it with for antelope hunts in WY and MT to shoot at the prairie dogs out to 150yds. The VBZ's were not cheap, and I learned a lot adding upgrades, and measuring the results. It was worth the money, and it still feels like a serious rifle. I use it at 100yd offhand shoots at eggs from time to time.

I doubt they sat around the board room and said let’s design a rifle that may be a mediocre shooter.

When it was introduced in the early 80's, it was easily in the better class for styling, and accuracy, with the ammunition commonly available. It was relatively inexpensive compared to some of the rifles available, pricier than the economy options.

I think inflation and poor sales did it in. So Ruger gave us the RAR.

Towards the end of the period that 77/22's were available in .22LR, they were getting real pricey, to be kind. The shooting public wanting a really accurate .22LR, looked at the price, and comparing accuracy with other more expensive options, pulled out the extra money, and bought something else.
A few years back, I went for a Savage MKII BV, just to see if the Savage fans were just pulling my leg. (They weren't). The BV shooting entry level serious practice ammo from Eley, SK, and Wolf, the same products I keep on hand to this day, is the equal for accuracy to my VBZ, right out to 100yds. It's easily the most accurate rimfire rifle, per dollar, I've ever owned.
The introduction of the RAR's, and the reports and comments in the forums on their performance, I decided to try a couple to see if the comments were just "hot air". (They are not). I have four of those now, 2LR and 2WMR. They've exceeded my expectations in every way, for finish, accuracy, reliability and economy. My RAR Target in .22LR is probably an indication of how well I can shoot with my 74 year old eyes, with several types of ammunition. In inflation dollars, they might be less expensive than my Savage BV. The only modification I've used in all four RAR's is trigger springs.
No matter how I do the math, the RAR(s), are less expensive than the 77/22's, especially if you're adding on the upgrades.