I have a Ruger in the above mentioned caliber and configuration and in attempting to develop loads for it, I can't seem to get it to shoot consistently.

I have used 150 gr. and 165 gr. Interlocks and Interbonds using 4064 in increments from 44-45.5 grns. of powder. I know that these are somewhat finnicky rifles, but this fits the bill for hunting in thick brush for deer and hogs.

My question is should I have full length beded, trigger adjusted and maybe condider a re-barrel, or should I have loads developed for it from someone like Superior Ammunition. I really like these compact little rifles so the goal is really to try and keep it. Thanks in advance for the help and advice.

Bill

Bill
if you like those components, those should be what you aim for. I will suggest, if you are open to it, that 180gr RN and 748 will be better for a brush gun.

How is it shooting? 2 touching and a flier? "patterns" not groups? 2" ?

here's what I would do.
first, try other bullets/powders, just to see if it shoots anything else. The 165s SHOULD shoot well, though

next, TRY a pressure point. you can do this with spot bedding or with a folded business card.

only then would I bed it, and knowing if it shot better with a pressure point or not, full length bed or float the barrel.

next would be trying several different bullets, after it's bedded....

then I would think about crowning it...

and only then would I think about selling it and doing something else, as the rebarrel/blue will be about 70% of a new gun in this (roughly $400 for barrel, blue, install)

jeffe

Jeffe:

Thanks for your comments and recommendations. I will try the 748 and the pressure points. I shoots patterns, not groups, and this is what has been frustrating. I shot 45.5 gr w/the 150 and the best I got was a horizontal string.

Best,

Bill

Hello,
I have heard it said by those supposedly in the know that the barrel on the rifle you have is very thin walled and subject to pressure, heat build up, etc. very quickly and do not turn in best accuracy. It is also felt by some that the European versions of this style rifle used a somewhat heavier barrel, but again, this is someone talking and whether accurate talk or not I do not know. The suggestions of pressure point, different load would certainly be in order prior to a complete rebarrel or mod of the rifle. Plus it is a whole lot less money! Does the rifle deliver good accuracy w/ cold barrel,one shot, two shots, etc.? Would not expect it to keep a group of 5 unless lot of time between each shot w/ such a light weight sporter barrel. In any event, good luck with the Ruger for they are a very classy looking rifle but would even be classier if it could give good performance.

The Ruger 77RSI is hit or miss. They use their Ultralight barrel, which doesn't seem to agree with the inletting of their full length stock.

The barrel heats very quickly, and contacts the stock unevenly.

Solutions include bedding the chamber and freefloating the barrel, full length bedding the entire barrel, replacing the rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by whm7753:
I have a Ruger in the above mentioned caliber and configuration and in attempting to develop loads for it, I can't seem to get it to shoot consistently.

I have used 150 gr. and 165 gr. Interlocks and Interbonds using 4064 in increments from 44-45.5 grns. of powder. I know that these are somewhat finnicky rifles, but this fits the bill for hunting in thick brush for deer and hogs.

My question is should I have full length beded, trigger adjusted and maybe condider a re-barrel, or should I have loads developed for it from someone like Superior Ammunition. I really like these compact little rifles so the goal is really to try and keep it. Thanks in advance for the help and advice.

Bill

I have three Ruger RSI rifles, all chambered to the .308 Win. I'll admit that they are some of the most temeramental rifles I have ever played with, but you gotta love 'em. While some people have said that their RSIs will shoot sub MOA groups, I take that with a grain of salt. I have exactly one load that id sub MOA and I don't normally hunt with that one. FWIW, I got into all three rifles on the cheap because their previous owners said they were not accurate. The following is my experience with all three rifles.

One, the best I have gotten with 150 gr, bullets is 3 to 3.5" groups, regardless of the powder type and charge.

Two, none of the three rifles will shoot better than 5" with 180 gr. Spitzer bullets, flat based or boattail.

Three, the most accurate load in the three rifles is a Sierra 180 gr. round nose and 48.0 gr. of W-760. groups run from .75" to 1.0" depending one which of the three rifles I'm shooting. I have never chronographed that load, sorry.

Four, my go to load is the 165 gr. Speer Hot-Core over 49.0 gr. of W-760 velocity is 2550 FPS from the rifle's short 18.5" barrel. Accuracy runs from about 1.25 to 1.5" depending on the individual rifle. That is good enough to hit even a small sized deer at 250 yards BTW. I've used that load for about 10 or 11 years now and it hasn't failed me yet. I have recovered exactly one bullet and that was a deer at 250 yards laser measured. The bullet hit the front of the chest, passed through the deer stopping against a back leg bone, breaking that bone. The bullet retained about 65 percent of it's original weight and was about as perfect a mushroom as one could expect.
I have suggested this load for the RSI to others that were having problems and it seems to have worked well for them according to the E-mails I have received. All the other deer I have shot with that load were complete pass thoughs.
FWIW, I tried this laod in a Winchester M70 with a 22" barrel and the velocity was 2610 FPS.
I can't guarantee the load will work for you, but I feel it is worth a try.
Winchester brass, Winchester WLR primer, 49.0 gr. W-760 and the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core. If you want to try the 180 gr. Sierra round nose, all the componets are the same with the charge of W-760 being 48.0 gr.
None of the two loads showed pressure signs in my rifles.
FWIW, The Speer Nitrex 165 gr. load (unfortunately discontinued) gave the same velocities in the RSI and M70 with basically the same accuracy.
This is what I found that works in my rifles.
One thing you might want to try is remove the metal nose cap and see how the rifle shoots. Mine did shoot a bit better, so I used a Dremel tool and relieved it just enough that it no longer conracts the barrel, but not so much that it is apparently visible. You might find that to be an option. Other than that, I've left my rifles strictly stock. let's be honest here. The RSI is a neat lightweight hunting rifle, not a tack driving target or varmint gun. I figure 1.25" or better is more than good enough and a hell of a lot better than Ruger's accuracy guarantee. Just make up a decent hunting load and use the rifle for what it is. A sheer delight.
Paul B.

I have a ruger 7x57 with a Douglas barrel and a custom mannlicher stock. It gave me probles in accuracy too. I tried all the powders and bullets I could get my hands on and could not get much better than 3". As a last resort I free floated the barrel and added paper at the tip to create a pressure point. It worked and the rifle will now shoot less than 2" at 100 yards. Not great accuracy but good enough to hunt with. I used it last month in Africa and it worked out fine. I plan on playing a little more with the bedding but expect that I am going to have to live with what I have. This is my first Mannlicher and I was warned not to expect bench rest accuracy. IMO they more than make up for it in looks!

My thanks to all of you for the various insights and anecdotes. I will attempt to put the information to good use.

Best regards,

Bill