This question is for anyone who owns a Ruger MKII. I just bought my first Ruger (6mm) and I was wondering what to do about the barrel ? I know all rifles are different, but would like to hear what you others fellows did (left as is from factory, free-float, single pressure point or fully bedded) and how it shoots ? Thanks, Ben

I own several I like to glass bed the front of the action and the barrel in front of the action for about 2 inchs. Then free float the rest. After that put in a new trigger. I just put in some Spec-Tech triggers they work well adjust easy and give you a much nicer trigger.

Ben243,
I did about the same as p dog shooter on an early 77 Ruger/6m/m. 43.8gr. IMR 4350, 85gr.Sierra HPBT, Remington cases, CCI BR primers, bullets seated .010" short of lands. This load shoots in the low 3's and is a conservative load.The above load will give you a starting point at least.
Stepchild
PS Works well on deer.

Why don't you just try it first and see how it shoots?

As Buzz said, try it before you fiddle - see how it shoots. Mine shot like shit!! Floated the barrel, bedded the action to about 2" in front of the recoil lug, installed Timney trigger (fiddly, but I did it myself), but found that the tension on the action screws was really critical. Front screw, tight as you can by hand, rear screw, slightly less tight, middle screw, just snug. I now have a rifle that shoots quarter to half inch groups at 100 yds - consistently. Took a bit of fine tuning loads, and I suspect that it took a few shots to 'settle the whole thing down'. It's a stainless/laminate in 270win, and this rifle ain't for sale!! Have had a few Ruger 77's, so I kind of knew what to expect, and all of them seem to be responsive to action screw adjustment.

Buzz is right; try it first. Although I have had relatively limited experience with Rugers (two rifles), both an older tang safety model in .270 and a newer MkII in 7x57 deliver very acceptable hunting accuracy- 11/4"-11/2" three shot groups at 100 yards- this being done with low (1.5-5x) variables and just trying different factory and handloads. A higher power scope and fine-tuning the loads would likley improve this. A lot of guys will talk of 1/2" groups with this or that rifle, but unless your varmint hunting or benchrest shooting, why would you need that level of accuracy- especially since I don't know of anyone who can come even close to holding that well offhand or sitting. A very small group does help to build your confidence (I had a .25-06 in one of those brands everyone raves about being so accurate, and it wouldn't group any better than 3"- some ran as great as 7" despite trying a wide variety of loads, free-floating, etc.- I didn't have much confidence in this rifle).

I own three Ruger Rifles, a 416, 338 and 35 Wheelen. All shoot acceptable ( 1MOA or less ) groups. I'd try your rifle out first with different loads, then if it soesn't shoot worry about what to do then. Over the last few years, Ruger has made a quantum leap in the quality of their firearms. jorge

and they'll need another quantum lead to get where they need to. fiddlin and fooling with guard screws and tweeking everything but the kitchen sink to make em shoot. throw it to the corner and buy a pee shooter. you'd have better luck. the barrels are junk and inconsistent. no rifle for that money should be so difficult to get it to shoot. all other major manufacturers will shoot with a little shade tree gunsmithing. this tightness on the screws, what happens if you travel to extremely different weather climates and you have a wood stock or something? you have to start all over. sorry to be so negative but 7-8 rugers failed to shoot in my circle of shooters. they got sold or overhauled into custom rifles. they shoot fine now or the ones sold are dissappointing someone else. we ought to be ashamed for doing that to someone.

I've not seen near the difficulty with Rugers that Snider has. Have owned ( and still own ) a number of tang-safety models and all were acceptable or better without much horsing around at all .

Have only had one Mark II version , a stainless .223 . Shoots 3/4 MOA with Black Hills factory stuff right out of the boz without even hardly checking the screws . It could use a trigger job , but there is certainly nothing wrong with that barrel..........