I just picked up an old Ruger .44mag carbine, I'm hoping to have a little fun "accurizing" it...

First thing, bedding; should I fully bed the barrel into the forearm, leaving the barrel band on.

Or bed just tha action and full float the barrel, machining away some of the barrel band to eliminate contact?

What can be done to clean up the action?

I'm not out to make this thing shoot miracles, 1inch @ 50m would be nice, and into a couple at 100...If it does better, I'll be so much the happier

How did it shoot before modifications?

To tell the truth, I haven't shot it yet, I know I should at least give it a try and maybe work with some handloads first, which I will do.

I was just after some ideas as to what I could do with it.

A problem someone came up with is that it might be hard to bed the action with the tubular magazine running up through the forend.

I need to have a look at it and see if it is possible to work around the tube.

Can a tubalar magazine be bedded?

I have 2 of these fine older 44 mags and they shot just fair as far as accuracy goes but I did find that they like bullets of at least 240 gr.. Mine hated anything lighter than 240 grains and just wouldn't shot them. More like a shotgun pattern with 180's. Also stay away from cast bullets in these older Rugers as they are difficult to take down to clean the gas port.

Why don't you just shoot it first and see what it does? Seems to me 2" groups at 100m is a little unrealistic for a Ruger Semi Auto.

Most are shooting more like 4" groups at 100 yards. For me, that is probably accurate enough for that rifle,considering that range is about the practical limit of the .44 Magnum on game.

If I were you, I'd put peep sights on that carbine and you'll find that it seems to cut groups to about 2 1/2" with GOOD factory ammo. After all, this isn't a tack driver it is a woods gun and handy as all hell.

I first got about 3MOA from mine with 200 gr Noslers. Then I went to 250gr Partitions-HG and opened to about 4MOA.

I then bedded it but since I moved the rear swivel forward I am engraving an escucheon for the empty hole and haven't assembled it yet.
Might add a couple inlays too. So I haven't shot it with the bedding. I have an old USA Redfield 1x4 on it.

If you bed you will do a lot of clay damming. Be sure to clay fill in the very front to allow for tilting the action out.

My vintage Ruger Deer Stalker prefers the Hornady 300gr XTP bullet over a max load of Win 296. Best 5 shot group @ 100yds was 1.68". This rifle can be depended on to shoot this load in 2.5" on any given day. Not bad considering that it takes a block & tackle to pull the trigger back :>
VH

I just bought one as well and took it out for the first time last week. With an old 3X Leupold on it groups with the 240 gr XTP over 24 grs of H110 hovered around the 1 1/4" mark at 50 yards. I have not tried 100 yards yet. I prefer at least 300 grs in my 44's so will try them. If they shoot well I will yank the scope and put on a Williams WGRS receiver sight and be done. If not, I will probably try the Speer 270 Gold Dot. I wouldn't fuss with it just try a few bullets and if they stay inside 3-4" at 100 yards call it good.