I have a Ruger 77/22 magnum with the now-standard crappy barrel. If I go the trouble of rebarreling it, I would like to stack the odds in my favor as much as possible. I have read about a match reamer that PTG used to make, but is not listed on their website. Does anyone have information that would lead me to a solution?
Thanks in advance.

I'm pretty sure if you call them they will run off a copy of the reamer. They probably discontinued it as a stocked item. They will make anything you care to dream up.

Thanks, I will get in touch with them.

We have tried so many different 22 WMR rifles, from many different manufacturers, sadly, non of them shoot really that well.

I am sure the problem is not the rifles or barrels.

It is all to do with the ammo.


We have tried ammo from Federal, Winchester and several European manufacturers.

Getting consistent accuracy does not happen with any of them.

quote:

It is all to do with the ammo.

22WMR has never been known for their great accuracy

What are your accuracy standards for mag? I shoot mine at 100 and have been quite pleased. It digests Winchester very well. The disclaimer is that it is older ammo I have had around for some time, pre obama stuff. Now the kicker, a Savage 24 22 mag over 410. Holds 1 to 11/4 inch at 100 yds with a 4X scope. Maybe I'm a lucky guy.

With 22 rimfire rifles the manufacturers send out sewer pipe actions, with mouse trap triggers, barrels made of twisted, high pressure oil line pipe and people shoot 1/2 inch groups at 40 yards and are happy little munchkins.

With 22 magnums the manufactures ship out the same cheap guns chambered in a more hi-intensity cartridge and people automatically think they should shoot 1/2 inch at 100 yards and they are surprised and disappointing when they get 1 inch to 1-3/4 groups. Or slightly worse.

Most all of the custom 22 magnums that I have built on Anshutz, Ruger or CZ actions with Shilen or similar quality barrels have shot anywhere from 1/2 inch to a rough inch or slightly over at 100 yards with medium sporter weight barrels. The same as any hunting rifle. You can't make Christmas dinner out of horse shit, feathers, beaks, feets, noses and assholes.

I am not expecting BR accuracy, but better than the 3-8 inches that I am getting.

You can try free floating the barrel and also make sure that the tang screws, scope ring screws and the barrel retainer screws are tight.
I have seen quite a few 77/22s that didn't shoot worth a shit, that shot very well after the barrel retaining screws were tightened up a bit so the barrel didn't rattle in the receiver anymore. How they come loose I'm not sure. But it happens.

If you're going to rebarrel, start with a good quality barrel. The bargain barrels always look great and some of them do shoot quite well for $150. But I have a sneaking suspicion that there is a reason why Shilen and some of the other bench rest quality barrel makers are selling their stuff for $325 and getting away with it.

I just received an email from Richard Coleman at PTG. They still make the match reamer. I will order one tomorrow. Then all I have to do is decide on a barrel.

Before you buy a new barrel have the factory barrel setback, recut the chamber and recrowned it. I've had very good luck doing this with rimfire Rugers.

The secret to a good 22 mag rifle is all in the lead.

Most folks that made them did not put much effort in that area,most are to large.

before doing s re-barrel might try to get as many different makes of ammo and see if one fits your chamber.
My Winchester 94 likes CCi mini mags

I want to thank all who have put forward suggestions. I have tried all available ammo. Rather than modify the original barrel, I will rebarrel, just in case I need to "restore" the gun when the value goes high enough that I will sell it. I would not recommend this to a customer, but since it is my gun, the labor is "free".

I dunno about not recommending it to customers.

If a guy wants to build a really nice 22 magnum or 17 HMR, the Ruger isn't the worst platform in the world to begin with. A lot of people will pour thousands of dollars into a centerfire and shoot 12 rounds out of it a year. They won't even spend $300 on a good scope for their rimfire, yet they shoot thousands of rounds out of it per year.

It's never made a gram of sense to me!

quote:

It's never made a gram of sense to me!

A lot of requests don't make a lot of sense. That is why I don't recommend some things. If after trying to talk common sense to them, they are still game, I will go ahead and do it anyway.

I like the 77/22 platform and am willing to put the time in to find out what can be done with the 22 wmr. I have experience with the LR and have had very good results. Just broadening my horizons.

Cartridge/projectile to bore concentricity is a big determinant of firearm accuracy.
the problem with 22WMR is the SAAMI specs for cartridge & chamber being quite incompatible with achieving consistent cartridge/projectile to bore concentricity, with the chamber specs being considerably oversize to commercial cartridge offerings. And the relationship varies from manufacturer to manufacturer ( both rifle & ammo ).
A quick comparison of the SAAMI specs for WMR & 22RF in regards to chamber to cartridge clearance will identify to anyone interested in WMR accuracy what the issue is ..........then add to that the typical minimum spec cartridge diameter that the manufacturers provide & the fundamental problem is at its worst.

WMR powder charge weight variability & projectile weight variability is comparable to commercial 22RF offerings , so thats not the reason why WMR performs relatively poorly in the accuracy stakes compared to 22RF.

I have a PTG WMR match reamer & it provides a tighter chamber diameter with a more tapered lead to the rifling.........all to the good, but still sensitive to ammo brand.
My Krico likes Winchester 34Gr Supreme much better than anything else , but my Custom Win RB is still in the process of developing a good combination.