SYSS Ruger K77/22
- Last updated: 27/01/2017
I am a big fan of the bolt action Ruger K77/22 rimfire. It forms the basis of my own pest control rimfire rifle, and now South Yorkshire Shooting Supplies have produced a Ruger K77/22 with a full length barrel moderator. It is based upon the same system they first made for Ruger 10/22 semi auto’s some years ago. The only difference is the 10/22 SYSS fully moderated has a match barrel fitted.
On the bolt action version the standard 20 inch Ruger barrel is cut down to 14 inches and threaded ½ UNF. The aluminium barrel shroud can then be screwed on. It has a section of four baffles in the 5 ½ inch forward section which protrudes off the end of the cut down barrel. Ports direct the expelled gases down the shroud towards the breech. The shroud is 17 inches long and .920 inch in diameter; any custom match barrel stock will take the shroud without modification. The moderator can be taken off the gun and stripped from the muzzle end for cleaning. SYSS do modify the standard walnut stock or the plastic stock depending upon what version of the K77/22 you want the fully moderated gun built on. While I was taking the test rifle back they had just finished two stainless steel actioned plastic stocked fully moderated Ruger rifles to go to a very important person in one of the Gulf States.
Trigger Job and some Hydrographic Cosmetics
To improve the appalling standard Ruger trigger they fit a Rifle Basix drop in replacement, which takes the pull weight down to 2.5 pounds, with a crisp clean let off point. Perfect in fact for a pest control rifle, where hair triggers have no place at all. For those who want a lighter trigger they do a 14 oz version, all of which can be bought separately for £70.
Roger at SYSS has had the barrel shrouds CNC produced and then dipped in a carbon fibre finish by Hydrographics. They do look good and from my own experience the surface finish is very hard wearing. I’ve had a “dipped” gun for over eight years now, with little or now signs of damage and that’s a hunting air rifle of mine. You can have a plain black shroud if you desire, but I’d go for the carbon finish personally.
Purpose Built
The whole concept behind the gun is a serious pest control rifle for use around farm buildings, pheasant pens and stables, all areas where you do not want loud bangs disturbing either sensitive animals or sensitive people. The Ruger action is not the cheapest on the market, it’s no CZ, but it is a well engineered rifle action, made to last and take any amount of punishment from it’s owner – again, I know this as I use one.
For testing purposes SYSS fitted a Weigand one piece Weaver conversion rail on the K77/22. I wish I had put one of these on my Ruger years ago. It allows the use of standard Weaver scope mounts rather than the hassle of being forced to use the dedicated Ruger rings. I have had trouble with eye relief being stuck with the position of the Ruger bases on the action, but not so when fitted with a Weaver conversion rail. At £42 its worth considering as it opens out the K77/22 to simple scope changes as well as stiffening the action by ‘bridging the gap’ as it were. Using the rail allowed me to fit a quality test scope, the Lightstream 5-20x50 sidewheel Mil-dot with illuminated reticle. This is the firm’s first dedicated rimfire/centrefire scope. The 30mm tube and fully coated Japanese glass made it a worthy optic to mount on the Ruger. To get the most out of the rifle SYSS fitted a Shooters Ridge - Rock Mount bipod. This swivel top folding spring loaded bipod attaches to the front sling swivel stud on the stock and is very reminiscing of another well established bipod type, but is somewhat cheaper.
Accuracy Testing
At the range I used Eley Hollow Point Extra Subsonic ammunition and the rifle exceeded my own personal requirements for a pest control gun; that is ½ inch groups at 50m. This put in a 10.5mm centre to centre 5 shot group. There are those who would be concerned that SYSS cut down the standard twenty two inch long barrel to 14 inches. I first tested their prototype shrouded Ruger 18 months ago, and it too shot a ½ inch group at 50m. This new test rifle was even better - in my own (and SYSS’s) shooting experience shortening a standard length rimfire barrel improved the accuracy.
SYSS now have their own lathe and dedicated machinist/gunsmith in the shape of Dave Wylde. I have an HNC in Mechanical and Production Engineering and I am qualified to say Dave is a very accomplished machinist indeed. The upshot of which is that SYSS can now shorten, re-crown and thread any rifle you require. He has already done a bit of work on my .308 F class rifle. After testing two chopped standard Ruger barrels which both gave ½” group at 50m performance it cannot be a fluke.
The test gun was zero’d at 50m, with the 10.5mm group as I stated before. On nine times magnification the scopes reticle is at mil settings (3.6 inch between the dots at 100 yards) turn to 18 times magnification and it half Mils at 100 yards as the reticle is in the second focal plane. I found the HP Extra’s dropped onto the 2nd dot down at 100 metres on nine times magnification.
I then had a special ammo type to try in the gun. The Eley Zimmer is a .22 long rifle rimfire round but with the power of a .22 short. The more normal cartridge length allows it to be used in the rotary ten shot magazine of the Ruger. The lower power is even more ideal for the gun for short range work. The 57 ft/lbs Zimmer’s (HP Extra’s are 105 ft/lbs at the muzzle) are not hollow point but at less than 50 yards they still have enough power to dispatch your chosen pest.
The sound of the K77/22 bolt action firing these lower powered rounds is more akin to a 12ft/lb air rifle, so that’s quiet enough for any situation. The added bonus was the rounds fell upon the 2nd Mil-dot at 50m, so with no re-zeroing of the gun it could use both the HP Extra and Zimmer ammo. The Zimmer put in just over a ½ inch five shot group at 50m.
The real test of any pest control gun is in the field, so I set off to deepest Lincolnshire to give is a good trial by fire. Shooting close to farm buildings and livestock it comes into its own. Also when shooting from a 4X4 vehicle, the lack of overall length and ultra quiet report makes it a perfect gun for targets of opportunity. Semi autos have their place in pest control, but a tack driving bolt action is my preferred PC rifle. The Ruger is no cheap tool, but the performance more than lives up to its price tag.
SYSS have come up with the rifle and they are proving very popular with professional pest controllers due to their bomb proof construction and unbelievable sound reduction qualities. The test rifle costs £650, the Lightstream 5-20*50 scope is priced at £489, with the optional bipod at £59 and Weaver rail conversion £42.