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I know some naysayers will chime in, but there are many who have had accuracy problems with rugers. I have a little 22-250, I take it out of the safe every now and again, its a pretty little gun that seems to have it all, 3pos saftey, hindged floorplate, CRF action, nice stock, with an attractive finish, It would be tuff to find a prettier rifle from the other companies. only problem is the thing just don't shoot that great. is the weird bedding the problem or what?? what does it take to get a ruger to shoot?? in times when one needs a rifle, he tends to need it very badly.....PHC | ||
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Cummins cowboy--I've got 2 Rugers, one a .25-06 that I paid $137.50 for new (a few years ago), and a 7mm Mag built in 1976 that I paid $300 for 5 years ago. Both shoot under .5" for 3 shots at 100 yds off the bench. The .25-06 is full-length bedded and has a Timney trigger. The 7mm Mag is unbedded and still has the factory trigger. Go figure. Guess the short answer to your question "What does it take to get a Ruger to shoot?" is nothing in some case and something in others. I did have a MkII Left Hand in .270 Win that would shoot great groups if you only measured the 4 best. Always seemed to throw one--never the same shot and never the same brass, but 4 in under an inch and one somewhere else. Couldn't solve it so sold it. An old pilot, not a bold pilot, aka "the pig murdering fool" | |||
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The same reason Remchesters etc. sometimes don't shoot. Everything is built to a price, and that includes some pieces that just aren't quite right. Browningguy Houston, TX We Band of 45-70ers | |||
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The premise is wrong - Ruger's do shoot well. Jaywalker | |||
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A big reason Rugers are hit or miss with their accuracy is because their barrels do not come from a single reliable source, rather just the lowest bidder of the week. This is why I believe there are many minty used Rugers around. The original buyer probably bought it, fired a few boxes, and realized it shot like crap and dumped it. I have hardly ever seen a used accurate one because who would sell it? -Spencer | |||
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Lots have had problems getting there weatherbys,browning,&remchesters to shoot!! Out of 30 or so Ruger M-77-r & M77mkII I have only had 2 Rugers I had to work with to make shoot!! I have had 4 Rem 700 1 shot great 2 did not& 1 is still unfired. Good luck!!   | |||
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I have a Ruger M77 (Mark I) that I have poured my heart into in order to get it to shoot. I have failed. I floated it, glass bedded it, installed pillars and put new rings and scopes on it. All to no avail. I even monkeyed with pressure bedding the barrel and installed an aftermarket stock. This dosent include the different brands of brass, bullets, primers and powder that I went through in an effort to get my .270 win to shoot. The only thing that made an impact on accuracy was installing a wolf spring. It went from a 3-4" gun to a 2-3" gun. I am pretty sure the 30 year old spring was weak and not detonating the primers consistantly. Even with the poor accuracy perfomance, I have killed a pile of deer and bear with it over the years, with superb results. I just dont take long or risky shots, I would not take the rifle on an out of state hunt though. Now I am not saying that all Rugers dont shoot, but if you get one that dosent shoot, ditch it. I have a friend that has a (5yr old) M77 MKII all weather in the same caliber and it shoots like a hawk. It dont matter what brass or bullets, it just shoots. When it came time for me to buy a new gun this fall, for elk, the Ruger was not on my list of guns that I considered. ------------------------------------ Originally posted by BART185 I've had another member on this board post an aireal photograph of my neighborhood,post my wifes name,dig up old ads on GunsAmerica,call me out on everything that I posted. Hell,obmuteR told me to FIST MYSELF. But you are the biggest jackass that I've seen yet, on this board! -------------------------------------- -Ratboy | |||
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I purchased a M77 All weather about 1 1/2 years ago. Its been sent back to the factory TWICE because it doesnt shoot. The first time they put a new barrel on, the second time they did NOTHING. Still shoots like shit (300WSM) I believe its a combo between bad barrels and bad actions. Just my 2 cents | |||
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Improper tightening of the action screws is a big part of the problems. I have a .338 thats been massaged and will now stack them with the factory barrel. I have a .257 Roberts in an M77 rs that shoots well, as does my M77 .22-250. I don't think I've had any better percentage with any other single manufacturer. Nate | |||
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Cummins cowboy, My little ruger 77RL in .257 roberts was not accurate when i bought it, But i free floated the barrel, glas bedded the action, and slapped a timney trigger in it and it is a great deer rifle now. I get MOA with a 100 grain tripple shock and almost moa with other stuff too What have you tried to improve your accuracy, the stock screws are very inportant!...tj3006 freedom1st | |||
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When all else fails, look the crown over REAL good. It's the last thing to touch the bullet so it has to be right. Make sure each land and groove breaks clean, and without any sign of damage. If even one land or groove apears suspect or is the slightest out of whack, all bets are off. Regardless of the release angle, the crown has to be clean, square and concentric. | |||
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Ruger hasn't bought barrels from outside sources for over 10 years. They bought the expensive equipment for hammer forging barrels at that time and have made there own ever since. Lately they've been getting pretty good at it. I have 3 M77's that shoot great(3 for 3, haven't had to get rid of any that wouldn't shoot) I've shot 4 others over the years that would all make 1.25" or better with factory ammo. The only problem Ruger M77 I've tried was a tang safety .270 my cousin bought many years ago. He said it wouldn't shoot, I tried it with his ammo and he was right. He was using some very cheap imported stuff that looked horrible. Part of it wouldn't even chamber. Never could talk him into trying better ammo, and I believe he finally sold it. Who knows what that rifle would of done with decent loads. Like someone above said, they all put out an occasional lemon. I know of M700 that is getting serious consideration for a donor action. Been working on that one for about 8 years! | |||
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When Ruger rifles were first introduced many years ago Ruger used Douglas barrels and all of them were highly accurate. Then Ruger bean counters outsourced their barrels to Wilson, a few shot OK but most shot terrible. This went on for many years, why they didn't wise up sooner I'll never know. In the old days I lost count of the number of Rugers I glass bedded, recrowned, and tuned for customers but all was in vain.The only cure was to rebarrel. Ed Shilen told me back in those days that Ruger bores were all .001 oversize for added "safety". Then somewhere around 1992 Ruger wised up and built a facility in Prescott, AZ to manufacture their own barrels with multi million dollar hammer forging equipment. Since then most Rugers will group extremely well with just a little encouragement. If I can find the target I will show you what one of their .458's will do at 100 yds. Craftsman | |||
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this particular rifle is about 4 yrs old, I don't like the theory of the pressure point in the forearm, this adds too many variables to consistant accuracy and POI, IMO. my fater in law has a sporter 6mm tang saftey model, I would have to whip out my CZ varmint in order to dust it. it just stack them in there. I would have dumpped the rifle long ago but my dad gave it to me so in regards to the pressure point in the forearm, is this a good idea to remove?? in times when one needs a rifle, he tends to need it very badly.....PHC | |||
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I’ve seen Ruger’s that will shoot right along side anything else out there. Some rifle’s like pressure points and some don’t. Jeffeoso has mentioned this technique before, and I think it’s a really smart way to find out what your rifle likes best. Bed the entire barrel channel and shoot some groups. Then start floating the barrel an inch or two at a time with scrapers and shoot some groups each time you remove some bedding. If you go too far and the groups start opening up just add some bedding material back in. | |||
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I havent had a a ruger with a factory barrel in some time, but I swaped a 77 in 270 once that I wish I had back.......it was a nail driver. The ones that I've had over the yrs shot good. Was at my buddies shop the other day, he had a couple of heavy barreled rugers of some kind that he had ordered.........they were both shooters per what he said, he said of lately the rugers he's set up shot dang near as good as the Savages. Billy, High in the shoulder (we band of bubbas) | |||
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I wouldn't say CRF is a positive feature on a 22-250
I'm among the Ruger nay sayers.....but never said they don't shoot Same as all the others.....glass bed and free float.....reload for accuracy and if it's not there.....trade it off....very few rifles have ever failed this test for me. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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Cummins, you just got a lemon. I have four Rugers and three of them shoot great, and my 25'06 shoots good. I think I just need to find a good load for it. But even it will shoot around 1.5" at 100. Only thing I have done to mine is install Timneys. None of them are floated or bedded. My 223 is a tack driver. Even my 338 Win is shooting around an inch or under at 100. | |||
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Interesting thread. I have no experience either way with Ruger rifles. I am curious, for you folks who like Rugers what size groups are you talking about? And the same question for the folks who dislike the accuracy. My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost. | |||
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Cummins....A few years ago, my shooting buddy bought a new Ruger, 22-250, and a new Remington Express 12 ga. shotgun, with a rifled barrel. The Remington would shoot 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards, with Remington Sabots.......The Ruger would not do better than 2 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards, with any load we tried. One day my buddy went coyote calling, and came home with a nice one....I remarked, "the Ruger worked O.K. huh?" "No," he said, "I used the Remington, it shoots better!" Grant. | |||
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I am in my third Ruger..............I have traded 2 off a 30/06 and a .222 rem netheir was a great shooter, both between 1.75" 2.5" for 3 shots........................took a chance on a .338 Ruger and this one shoots just under an inch with woodleigh 225 gr protected points, this one is not going any where as Rugers have a lot of features which I like...................third time lucky I guess  | |||
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Snowwolfe, Re my Ruger M77 MkII's accuracy... I bought my 6.5x55 about three years ago after reading John Barsness's comments on the apparent quality of the barrels, and I found he was right. My barrel cleaned up, and shot, like a custom. After 50 - 100 shots, it took three patches - one dirty, one gray, and the third clean - to get the barrel clean. The Ruger also averaged under an inch at 100 yards with five-shot groups, not three, which is a much harder test. I think the limiting factor here was my skill, and my shooting was only scratching the surface of its capabilities. It was my first attempt at cleaning up a trigger. It was also my first attempt at glass-bedding the fore-end tip. Finally, it was my return to reloading after some years. It all paid off, though. Many of the groups (Lapua brass and Hornady 140g A-Max, with much care given to seating depth and jump to lands) were under half an inch, and even the 0.8" groups should have been better. (In two groups in a row of five-shot 0.8" groups, four shots went into 0.26" and 0.31"! Just think how much better they'd have been if I'd been using a better scope than the new Weaver 4X K-4. There were things I didn't like about the rifle, so I sold it, but none of it had anythng to do with accuracy. Edited to add: I'm not a production specialist, but I deal with them regularly, and IMO the barrels I'm describing are not an accident; I believe Ruger had to take concrete steps to achieve what I experienced. Sure, the mandrell could have been new, but Barsness described the same phenonenon in 6.5mm 7mm, and .308 barrels. From that, it appears to me Ruger's caring better for their mandrells (or changing them more frequently, maybe, or perhaps honing the bores, or something else) to get that finish. Ruger's always put its money into function over appearance - this is just the next step, perhaps. Maybe the question on Ruger accuracy shouldn't group all Rugers together. The newer barrels appear to me to be of much higher quality and much greater consistency than the old ones. Jaywalker | |||
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Never had a problem getting a Ruger to shoot. Before going to the range, find a competent Ruger-qualified gunsmith. Replace barrel with Shilen match grade. Install a 2 1/2 pound trigger. Glassbed rifle. Properly install Leupold scope. Then go to the range and shoot 1/2 MOA groups. Hammer | |||
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So after spending $400-500 more, you get a rifle that shoots like a Savage  .And yes, I am being a touch sarcastic! To be honest though, the only Rugers I have had were a 10/22 (great little gun) and a Mini 14 I traded off for the money for an engagement ring. Hated that mini. | |||
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Slug the barrel! My friend had a Ruger that woulden't shoot, we sluged the barrel and found that it was tight at both ends but the slug would fall thru the middle part of the barrel. He sent it back to Ruger. After some time they sent it back with a new barrel and it shot great. Mike "An armed man is a citizen, an unarmed man is a slave", Ceasar | |||
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Like Ruger's wood. | |||
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Why do some Rugers not shoot well? Why do some shoot great? Why is the girl two houses down the street sweet & friendly? Why does the one who lives in the house across the back fence act sour and ugly? Same kinds of questions. Because they are different individuals. Same is true of ALL makes of guns. Some you can find a way to sweeten them up pretty easy. Others are, pardon the expression, a real bitch. My country gal's just a moonshiner's daughter, but I love her still. | |||
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Cummims Cowboy. Someone asked earlier: What kind of groups are you shooting? People seem to have different standards. I have a Ruger Ultralight in 257 R which gave me fits ie. over 2 inch groups. Finally, the only thing I did was to take my Dremel tool and remove the "high spot", upward pressure point, whatever you want to call it). The result was 5 shot groups in the 1 inch range. I am happy with that kind of accuracy for that rifle. I love the rifle. It is good looking, light and handy! It also shoots TSX's and Nosler NP's very well. Peter. Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong; | |||
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Can't really argue with that. My Savages shoot good, but are as ugly as a farm dog fresh from the hog lot. Still, for what I use them for that is great. Someday, probably after I get a little older, I will have the money and time to do a "pretty" gun. Until then I must be content with funciton over form. | |||
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I really like the fact that a lot of people assume that Ruger's won't shoot. I buy up just about any M77 I can find when the owner is disgusted with it. The truth is that a lot of the owners don't know how to shoot. Go to a range and watch the techniques the average guy uses to sight in his rifle or shoot for groups. If they don't have an ego or attitude problem I try to help them and most can shoot a lot better groups with just a few pointers. The first thing I do if the shooter will let me is snug up the action screws. They are often a bit loose which does nothing good for accuracy. The next thing I check are the scope rings. Often they have been tightened improperly and the cross bolt is not seated properly. Any new gun can shoot poorly. It is up to the shooter to learn enough to correct common problems. Visiting web sites like this will help most folks learn how to do it right. I am amazed at how helpful posters are when someone asks a question. Keep it up guys. RELOAD - ITS FUN! | |||
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 This group was fired with a Ruger 77 .458 Win Mag at 100 yards. This rifle has the original factory bedding including tight contact in the barrel channel. I bought it at a gun show, it appeared to have been carried quite a bit, lots of nicks and dings. Maybe it has been to Africa? Needless to say it has a permanant home now. Craftsman | |||
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What a good question!! My 1976 "Made in the 200th year of American Liberty" 257 Roberts will usually hold into the 14" square paper at 100 yds. Free floated, bedded, etc., just a POS!! Under 2" @ 100 yd is really GOOD? My 2002 (or so) 7 RM stainless and synthetic shoots into ~1" all day!!  Consistancy, that's what I like about Ruger. NOT!!! Regards, WE | |||
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C1PNR, You're combining two different rifles - the M77 and M77 MkII are different actions - from two different periods of time, the earliest of which had recognized instances of barrel problems. Also, it's a bit unfair to complain about inconsistencies between the two models when the recent barrels are so much improved. By your argument, Ruger should not have improved anything - that would maintain its "consistency," but at the expense of what is now a very accurate series of rifles. There were some bad barrels from Ruger's subcontractor, Wilson, but that relationship ended before the 90's, and certainly doesn't apply to Ruger's in-house barrel manufacturing facility. Also, I don't believe there were as many bad barrels as I have heard people complain about. I thought I had one myself - 3 inches at 100 yards - until I glassed the fore-end tip and tightened the front action screw down to 50 inch-pounds. That "bad barrel" now shoots three-shot groups close to an inch at 100 yards, with, more importantly, the first cold-barrel shot into the same group as the others. I have no problem with people describing bad results, but let's be fair about it. Jaywalker | |||
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It never was that Rugers wouldn't absolutely shoot. It all depended on who made the barrel and when. When I was younger Ruger was not so jokingly called , "the home of the $12.95 barrel." Often they shot like it. I understand that Ruger has taken a step in the right direction and now makes their own barrels. This may account for why Rugers often shoot better now than in the past. I'm not so certain it's just Ruger anymore. I recently bought a Remington 700BDL in .25-06. Supposedly Remington makes their own barrels. This one doesn't shoot worth a damn, and I'm really disappointed. Doubtlessly it'll be the last Remington I buy. If I return it Remington will no doubt tell me the accuracy is within reason. To a guy whos owned many very accurate Remingtons over the years, this is outlandish. All our manufacturers seem to be obsessed with the bottom line, and at the same time run up the "Buy American flag." Not this boy. From here on out it'll be Sako, Tikka or CZ. If they want to throw away the firearms market like they did the automobile industry that's their business. Whether I buy the product is mine. Sorry guys but it's really a sore spot. Best wishes. Cal - Montreal Cal Sibley | |||
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With all the bad press and bad personal experiences, it makes me wonder how Ruger gets as much of the market share as they do. I've never owned or even shot a Ruger. | |||
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I have owned both tang safety M77 rifles and No. 1s, and all of them shoot well. Some I traded off or sold to buy others. I have a 6 mm Rem Ruger No. 1B that is my most accurate out-ot-the-box hunting rifle: I did an average of all groups fired with it during load development and got .75" -- that is all the groups, good, bad and ugly. This one was built in '76 and has the 200th year of liberty markings. It also has the long throat common from Ruger in those times. I haven't tried the MkII rifles yet, but I am fixing to change that. You guys keep bad-mouthing Rugers until I buy that rifle, hear?  jim if you're too busy to hunt,you're too busy. | |||
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Never seen any bad press about a Ruger. Can't count what is on a few internet forums because 99% of the potential buyers never see that. | |||
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I have 2 tang safety Ruger 77's and no problems with hunting type accuracy. My gunsmith did a trigger job, glass bedded the action, free floated the barrel, and installed a custom muzzle brake and a 7mm Rem Mag has shot 3 shots inside a dime several times now. But his opinion was that I was just lucky to get one that accurate. | |||
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SIMPLE They are not Remingtons !!!  | |||
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There are probably some Rugers that don't shoo well. But there are probably a lot MORE Ruger SHOOTERS that don't shoot well, and they blame it on the gun........ 7X57mm Ruger M77  7X57mm Ruger No. 1A  .30/40 Ruger No. 3  7mm Rem. Mag. Ruger No. 1B, 200 yards  I also had a 1V in .25/06 that shot under 1 MOA, but noi pictures of its groups in my Photobucket yet..... Also a IH .375 H&H and a .45/70 that shoot pretty well. The only Ruger I've ever had any problems with was a Mini-30. It was about a 1.5MOA grouper, but it changed zero from day to day. I'd sight it in, then tomorrow, the center of its' groups would be a couple of inches away from where it was yesterday...... every day! "Bitte, trinks du nicht das Wasser. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen." | |||
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