JMorris, I shoot from a bipod typically, not a rest, and I while I did shoot some bulk stuff I also typically try to find what a rifle likes, and try CCI SV, Stinger, Velociter, AutoMatch, and Fed Champion, I also have a couple boxes of Eley, Wolf, and Norma, and I typically shoot 10-20 rounds of this through a rifle if it is really picky. I have read the Ruger target barrels can be hit or miss, so you may very well be right, that the barrel could have made a difference. But I bought the Target to have a more accurate 10/22.
My bolt action Savage likes the good stuff (Eley) but also shoots well with most decent ammo, including Automatch, Champion and is very comfortable with and CCI SV at 50 and under.
I am by no means a match shooter or BR expert, I don't compete, I just like little holes, I like to see them all touch at 25 and mostly touch at 50, my competition is myself, and TBH as I get older, the eyes are not as good, and it gets harder and harder to accomplish. OK, I do like to compete with my Son and my friends
Nice when dad can still show up the 20 and 25 year olds.
From recollection, the Ruger was just not as accurate as I expected, I can keep my 6.5CM under 1" at 100, but with the Ruger it seemed I was lucky to keep it closer to 1" and with an occasional flyer at 50 I was disappointed, again, it may have been me, it may have been the barrel, maybe I didn't torque things like I should or didn't find the right ammo or right whatever, but with the occasional FTE and FTF, and not as accurate as I was hoping. As it turns out, I wanted a .223 Howa Varmint and my friend wanted the 10/22 so I sold it to him and bought the Howa a few years ago, so I can't swear my memory is perfect on the ammo tried, or actual numbers but, this is what I usually do when trying to find the ammo a .22 likes and on a good day I can still shoot MOA or better with a good rifle and scope.
Now I don't hate Rugers, have many of them, GP100, Sec 9, lcp, lc9s, LCRs, my carry is a ruger, I have an RPR in .22 mag, so, this is not a Ruger Bash, my friend says he loves it and will never sell it, he plinks and likes to shoot at clays on a bank at 25 or so, and it will definitely do that, so he is happy.
As stated above, I may go down the 10/22 road again, I do like the variety of mags and all the after market support, so you can configure how you want. If I do, I suspect it wont be a target model, it will most likely start out as a base model and upgrades from there.
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