Well, I was able to do some preliminary work with the 26" barrel, and it was obvious from the outset that it had a decided preference for Re-15 over the H4895, H335, BL-C2 and Varget I tried. I fired test loads with the Hornady 68 grain BTHP, Sierra 69 grain BTHP MK and the Hornady 75 grain A-Max, got my bearings and then worked up some specific loads.

As long as I stuck to Re-15, sub-MOA was easy to achieve. The best overall load so far proved to be the 69 grain grain MK with 25.5 grains of Re-15. A 5-shot group at 100 went just over .400. A 3-shot, 200 yard group (under less than ideal conditions as the wind picked up) went 1.02".

Both the 75 grain A-Max and 68 grain BTHP Hornady bullets hovered in the 3/4 MOA range with Re-15, but more shooting & experimenting w/ seating depth, etc. will be required before I settle on the barrel's favorite load.

I was only able to chrongraph 2 of the loads: 24.5 grains Re-15 and the 75 grain A-Max produced 2833 fps at 15 feet. WIth the Sierra 69 grainer, 25.5 grains of Re-15 produced 3022 fps.

Sounds like the "1st go-round" with this new barrel was quite successful! Are you going to try Sierra's 77 or 80 grain MK's?

I probably will but did not have any on hand. I also want to try some of the heavyweight Berger bullets.

Bobby,

Your results mirror mine for the RL15/69HPBT load.... I have the target "posted" on my reloading bench - 10 shots in .7", throw out the single flyer, it is .4" for 9 shots at 100 yards.

Sounds like you have a winner!

Bill

Bill-
Are the velocities pretty much in line with what you are getting? The re-15/69 grain load was pleasantly high; I would have "guesstimated" somewhere around 2900-2950 fps for this load. And, there were no exterior signs of excessive pressure.

I did clock the loads under overcast conditions, but as a "test" afterwards, I fired a 6.5x55 load that I have been using in a rifle for years, and it registered within a couple fps of the established average.

Hey Bobby it seems you have the magic touch with these things. So can you do me a favor on my next barrel, can I send it to you just so you can handle it & put some of the magic on it & send it back to me? Please ???
Rich Jake

Rich-
I wish it was a "magic touch" or something. Then I wouldn't be pulling out my few remaining hair over a Ruger 77 7x57 that I traded for a couple months ago. The best 3-shot, 100 yard group so far has been a little over 1.8", and most fall into the 2.5-3" range. I have tried everything with this one.

Right now, I am considering having Ruger rebarrel it -- if they'll do it at no charge. However, a local guy is interested in the rifle, and I may just sell im the "headache" outright. He plans to turn it into a short range brush gun by setting it up w/ special sights, so the accuracy is sufficient for him.

It just drives me nuts...

Bobby,

I didn't check my exact charge last night, but as I recall, it was in the 25 gn neighborhood for RL15. My barrel is a little shorter than yours, though - 22", but I think it was right around 2700 fps. Cases and primers look just fine.

The SprArm 4-14 223 reticle scope is supposed to be "calibrated", in 100 meter increments, for the 69HPBT at 3000 fps MV. I figure that I'm 10% slower, but meters are 10% longer than yards, so I just use the reticle as yards instead of meters, and it seems to work out just fine!

Regards,

Bill

I had one of them guns a few years ago Bobby. It was a Winchester Model 70 in 223. That rifle would shoot pretty much any bullet sub MOA for 3 shots, add 2 more and it would go 1.5"-3"!! I tried EVERYTHING!! I had it bedded, recrowned, trigger adjusted, lugs lapped, etc... all to no avail!! I tried bullets from 40 to 69 grains and just about ever bullet mfg that was available at the time. I started looking into rebarreling the thing. At the time i was managing a gun shop so i took it to work with me one saturday, set it up behind the counter, and before the day was out someone else owned it!! WHEW! Coulndt have been happier to see it go, LOL!

Bill-
Thanks for sharing your info. I may have to look into one of those scopes some day.

Mike-
I am convinced this is just a bad barrel -- and I'd swear it looks warped when the light hits it from the side. I am going to contact Ruger next week, and if the turnaround sounds long or if they won't outright rebarrel it, I am going to sell it. I just don't have any more patience with this rifle.

I've shown the fellow interested in the rifle some of the targets, and he is just fine with it. If memory serves, I believe he was going to chop the barrel back to 18 1/2" and install a ghost-ring set-up.