Hawkeyes and What is Typical w/ Sporter Barrels?

[Welding Rod]

I have 3 Ruger Hawkeyes with standard "sporter" barrels.

One is a .308 w/ walnut stock.
One is 7mm Rem Mag in Hogue full bed / free float stock.
One is 7mm Rem Mag SS factory synthetic stock.

Using good ammo (Black Hills and Hornady) and 9X magnification they shoot about the same.

From dead cold barrels at about 50F the first two shots touch or almost touch. The third shot goes way off in a predictable direction blowing the group open and making it look like a shot gun blast.... somewhere in the 3 inch range at 200 yards. Which direction the 3rd shot goes depends on the gun, but the direction is consistant for a given gun.

Shots 4 and 5 are a waste of ammo unless the barrels are allowed to cool. If allowed to cool until barrel is maybe body temp (not dead cold) the groups end up about 3-4 inches at 200 yards.

I find it interesting the guns behaved so similar even though the stocks were different.

Is this about normal for "sporter" barrel contours? Or are the barrels suffering from some kind of stress relief issues?

PS: The LC6 triggers are not particularly "L" and definitely not "C".

 

[lopezni]

I had to delete everything I wrote just now. Okay, at 200yds a 3-4" group is 1.5-2MOA. That is pretty much what you can expect from a Ruger, especially a magnum. That is really what you can expect from most factory hunting rifles. If you want better get a Weatherby Sub MOA, a TC Icon, certain Savages model 12,16,14, or a Remington 700 BDL/CDL and have the action bedded and get the trigger set up by a good gunsmith.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Firearms, like all machines have their certain quirks and personalities.

There are a whole smorgasbord of reasons point of impact changes due to barrel heating, stress is one of them.

As for being 'normal' no, it isn't. All barrels move around, but a 'sporter' barrel is not dedicated as to moving a certain amount, or moving more or less than other barrels with different configurations.

 

[rizbunk77]

That is not normal for a sporting weight barrel. I have had several that will go into 2" at 200 yards for four or five shots, without alot of time to cool. If your rifle shots are starting to skip around like that you have bedding issues. What I am saying is the shots skipping around has nothing to do with the fact that those barrels are sporter weight. Its the bedding of the action and barrel.

 

[Welding Rod]

But if it were bedding why would the first two shots from dead cold touch (or come close to it)?

 

[Welding Rod]

I had to delete everything I wrote just now. Okay, at 200yds a 3-4" group is 1.5-2MOA. That is pretty much what you can expect from a Ruger, especially a magnum. That is really what you can expect from most factory hunting rifles. If you want better get a Weatherby Sub MOA, a TC Icon, certain Savages model 12,16,14, or a Remington 700 BDL/CDL and have the action bedded and get the trigger set up by a good gunsmith.

I guess I am learning that about bolt actions. For some reason I grew up under the mistaken impression that bolts guns could be expected to be more precise than autoloaders.

I have been shooting ARs for years, and mostly Rock River ARs. I guess I got spoiled. They are quite accurate and aren't quick to move POI.... the Rugers are flat sloppy shooting by comparision.

 

[rizbunk77]

Those rugers are pressure point bedded near the forend tip. That is why the later shots move around. You would do well to take a dowell and some sandpaper (after taping the top edges of the barrel channel) and removing just enough wood to float the barrrel. Take your time and reassemble the rifle making sure the magazine box is completely seated in the receiver. Tighten the action screws together but tighten the front one all the way first followed by the rear. Make sure the barrel is centered in the channel.
My two rugers will shoot a ragged hole at 100 yds. Nothing sloppy about them.

 

[Horsemany]

My 270 M77MKII has this characteristic. It is a "3 shot group" gun. Once the barrel heats up all bets are off and groups open up big time. Mine's been floated, bedded, and trigger tuned by my smith. It'll shoot ballistic tip 3 shot groups under 3/4" but a 5 shot group opens way up. I've learned to live with it and I never need more than 3 shots in a row hunting.

All my rifles walk when hot to some degree. This is why shooting matches are timed events. The Ruger is worse than most at walking hot.

 

[Uncle Mike]

You would do well to take a dowell and some sandpaper (after taping the top edges of the barrel channel) and removing just enough wood to float the barrrel

Be advised that this MAY work or it MAY cause your problem to worsen...your rolling the dice here.

Not apocalyptic however, you can put your pressure points back in the stock with a dab of epoxy and some sanding/ working.