I have a ruger m77 mkii in 7mm rem mag ( thin barrel with the paddle stock), and I’m having a bit of trouble getting it to shoot smaller groups. Most groups with different brands of ammo average around 1 1/2-2”.

Any suggestions on how to make it shoot a little better? I replaced the original factory stock with an HS precision.

It’s definitely not a scope/mount issue as I’ve tried a few ring/scope combos.

The barrel is currently free floated and action bedded. It also has a Timney.

Should I bed the barrel? Will it help? I recall some issue with the torquing the action screws ? Any suggestions?

Bedding it won't help; those usually need upward pressure at the foreend tip.
I would bed the receiver and the first two inches of barrel. And make the upward pressure a few pounds.
That might not help but it won't hurt.

I have seen a few Mk2's with badly copper fouled bores. What does yours look like? Also, I know it can hurt our feelings but you may get a known good shot print a few groups with it. I have swallowed my pride more than once and have caused the same in others. Remember too you have a skinny barrel that will heat up quick. Allow at least 5 minutes between shots. Reloading may help too.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobster:
I have seen a few Mk2's with badly copper fouled bores. What does yours look like? Also, I know it can hurt our feelings but you may get a known good shot print a few groups with it. I have swallowed my pride more than once and have caused the same in others. Remember too you have a skinny barrel that will heat up quick. Allow at least 5 minutes between shots. Reloading may help too.

To be honest, the rifle is very new. I had acquired it many years ago when a gun shop owed me money. I have cleaned it thoroughly after every range visit ( 3 trips). It probably has around 100 rounds through it.

I even removed recoil/flinching as an issue by installing a brake.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Bedding it won't help; those usually need upward pressure at the foreend tip.
I would bed the receiver and the first two inches of barrel. And make the upward pressure a few pounds.
That might not help but it won't hurt.

Thanks DPCD,

Sorry this might sound dumb, but when you say bed the first two inches, do you mean closer to the muzzle or the receiver?

Receiver. I just mean, don't full length bed the barrel; that does nothing. They often need upward pressure on the end of the forearm and factory rifles are made that way for a reason. I have even used paper gasket material shims to do that.
Also, I forgot to ask; how many shots in your groups? Remember these are hunting rifles and the first shot, maybe the second and rarely the third are all that is important. Five shot groups mean nothing in the field.

I had two stainless 7 mag mk2's in canoe paddle stocks. Neither would shoot very well.
Both became customs with new barrels and stocks.

I have a stainless Mk II in 7 mm Rem Mag that drove me crazy trying to get it to shoot consistent groups.

By accident I found out that it likes a fouled bore before it will group. When I clean it, it shoots 2-4 inch groups. After I shoot about 10 rounds through it and it will start to group about an inch or so and after 20 rounds it will shoot under half an inch with it's preferred load. It will hold that accuracy for about 100 rounds before it fouls so much that I have to clean it again.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Receiver. I just mean, don't full length bed the barrel; that does nothing. They often need upward pressure on the end of the forearm and factory rifles are made that way for a reason. I have even used paper gasket material shims to do that.
Also, I forgot to ask; how many shots in your groups? Remember these are hunting rifles and the first shot, maybe the second and rarely the third are all that is important. Five shot groups mean nothing in the field.

Thanks, 3 shot groups.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
I have a stainless Mk II in 7 mm Rem Mag that drove me crazy trying to get it to shoot consistent groups.

By accident I found out that it likes a fouled bore before it will group. When I clean it, it shoots 2-4 inch groups. After I shoot about 10 rounds through it and it will start to group about an inch or so and after 20 rounds it will shoot under half an inch with it's preferred load. It will hold that accuracy for about 100 rounds before it fouls so much that I have to clean it again.

Thanks Frank, will give it a go.

Interesting, I had the same rifle, albeit with a magnum contour barrel and stainless in 300WM that shot extremely well after tight bedding the recoil lug, tang and a 2” pad under the barrel.
Before this it was a 2MoA rifle with factory ammo.
Maybe a pressure point in the stock is required.

Cheers.

quote:

Both became customs with new barrels and stocks

This!!!!!!!

I personally never use forearm tip pressure I bed the action and the first two or three inches of the barrel in front of the action.

Not saying you shouldn't try it. but I seldom found that it helps.

I also do a lot of my longer range stuff off a bi-pod forearm measure can really do a number on accuracy when using one.

And it could be that you just have a 1.5 to 2 inch rifle. So what that is dead big game out to 400 yards easy maybe passed.

Unless you plan on taking shots passed 400 yards on a regular basics with this rifle

It is very easy when one has a few rifles that shoot bug hole groups to get spoiled and expect them all to do it.

I have killed dozens of heads of big game with 1.5 to 2 inch rifle. I have killed a couple that needed a bug hole rifle.

It all can depend on what you are going to do with it.

Very true; there are no sub moa rifles in the field.
Anyway, hunting rifles need to be held in the hands, grasped by the forearm. Laying them on freely on bags or bipods; they don't like that either.

Thanks for all the help.

Yeah I have used it successfully in the field out to 300m, taking wildebeest and gemsbok.

Its more a matter of curiosity as to why it won't shoot smaller groups and what are the usual remedies.

one of the old time things was to put a card shim under the barrel at the of the foreend - easy thing to try

Thanks for all the help. Will tinker during the next range visit!

I would use shims and get it to shooting before I glassed it, when it shoots and inch I would glass it accordingly. perhaps start by shimming up the forend and try it..put a shim under the front ring and under tang, try that then maybe use the shim up in the forenc..play with it until it works..

You said it had been glassed, maybe it was glassed improperly, that's not unusual, glass is a great thing, but there are a bijillion poor glass jobs out there in the gun world..Its a skill like most other things.

The other thing is 1.5 inches is not a bad rifle. its accurate enough for any hunting situation, 2 inches is good, but maybe mentally disturbing, at least in my case it would be..

Those boat paddle stocks almost always shoot good and there is no better rough country stock, they are tough as hell and hold a zero for years on in..I would start by removing all the glass, try that and if it doesn't work then start over..Thats what I do when someone wants one fixed..