Ruger American Group Stringing

[Dr T]

I have a new Ruger American 22-250 (standard length). I have scoped it with a Burris 3.5x10 50mm.

It is consistent in its grouping, but that is not good. I have tried three factory loads: Winchester 45 gr, Federal Fusion 55 gr, and Nosler 64 gr solid base.

Here is the pattern: I have shooting three shot groups with about 1 minute between shots. In all cases, the first two shots are about .75 inches apart. The third shot will be about 2 inches low and about 2.5 to three inches to the left.

I am speculating that it is a barrel heat issue. In checking the barrel float with a dollar bill, the barrel is floated almost all the way back to the receiver, but does begin to bind on the right side of the barrel about 2 inches in front of the scope bell.

Any ideas about how I can correct the stringing?

 

[nathan]

The stock screws tighten well?

 

[Skylerbone]

Dr. T, there are a great many factors that come into play from cleaning to shooting gear to technique to stock stiffness to firing pin and springs. A lot.

Can you give us a brief overview of your set-up; front & rear rest or bags/bipod, reading wind or no, maintaining cheek weld throughout group or breaking contact between shots, scope used (if any) and parallax adjustable or no, cleaning or no before/ between shots and your typical group size with other rifles.

 

[gamestalker]

I also have an American 22-250, a .243, and a .270 win. and they actually group pretty decent. These Americans are capable of shooting pretty decent cold bore groups, but if you attempt to shoot 1 minute cool down groups your almost certainly going to get some variation of group distortions. Try letting it cool down more between shots, 1 minute isn't long enough for a thin hunting barrel.

You color the back of the lugs, then work the bolt several times, then pull it and see what the contact patterns look like. If they aren't consistent with one another, use some really light compound, then work the action until the contact patterns are consistent.

And go ahead and remove some material where the barrel is touching the stock.

GS

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Classic: "... high & to the right"

One thing to do before getting too far into modifications (other than obvious issues based upon bench inspection) is to advance to at least 5-shot groups.

Then move to advanced cold and "hot" inspections to find your variables.

There is a good chance that the circumstances will go away with a break-in period if it is not down to an obvious set-up factor. I've accelerated break-in three or four times (maybe more) with "fire-lapping" kits... Love those things.

Some folk simply factor in cold trajectories rather than "fixing" anything so there's that option too.

We had 2 M-21 & 2 M-24 Sniper systems on our teams and on my last team, one of each system had a cold behavior known and accounted for rather than sent back to potentially get mucked up worse. Years, we knew and counted on its cold behavior... Only problem being extended gaps after the first couple rounds relative to ambient temperature. Obviously we never paired the odd-balls together as primary and spotter weapons.

 

[wombat13]

Does the American use an angled front action screw like the M77/Hawkeye? If so, make sure you properly tighten all the action screws, but particularly the front. Ruger specs 95 inlbs on Hawkeyes. You can just go with "gorilla tight" if you don't have a torque wrench that'll do 95 in-lbs.

 

[fotheringill]

More information, as requested above, from the OP is needed.

It might be

"Binding" as OP says. There might be expansion from heat off the barrel.
Scope
Scope mounts to rifle
Scope ring tightness
Are you at any end of scope adjustment knobs?
Improper torque on the action screws.
Residue of some sort from cleaning material.
Are you dry patching or wet patching at the range?


What happens when you take ten shots a minute apart? Is there consistency for #'s 3,4,5,6 and thereafter or is it a repeat of #'s 1,2 and 3?

 

[Dr T]

Thanks for the suggestions. I now have several additional items to consider when I pull the rifle from the stock this weekend.

 

[TBH]

I witnessed the same thing. Found the stock is soft. It took very little pressure to make the barrel hit the stock. They sell a stock stiffener, kind of like glass bedding. Other than that, this one 7mm-08 shoots real well.

 

[Dr T]

One option I am considering is to just put a Boyd's laminate stock on it, then fiddle with the bedding.

Has anyone done this? If so, how did it work out?

 

[HJ857]

I had an American in .308 and found that groups opened up after three shots.

Also as mentioned the fore end is not stiff at all. If you rest the fore end bring the rest as far back as you can - right to the magazine if possible.

I now have the rimfire version and put a Boyd's laminate on it. The mounting blocks fit right in and I did not need to do any fitting at all. The fore end on the Boyd's is much beefier, it's a huge difference. Plus they look great.

 

[Dr T]

I now have a brand new Boyd's Laminate stock for the 22.250. In the instructions, it says that you should try fit everything and tighten all the screws down, then remove the barreled action and lugs and then use bedding compound to fix the lugs in place.

Any idea of what kind of bedding compound to use or if the lugs should be cemented in place?

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

I have done several bedding jobs and have a few pointers.

#1 Always use an effective release agent on your rifle action!

#2 Block any areas you don't want bedding compound in with modeling clay, including screw holes.

#3 Put release agent anywhere on the stock you don't want bedding compound.

#4 Put a layer of electrical tape on the barrel starting from the action and going forward if you want to free float (plus carving out the stock for clearance).

Use brownells acraglas (wood stocks) or acraglas gel for synthetic stocks. Read the instructions and follow them to a T and you will be fine.

Marine Tex also works well but is quite expensive.

 

[Dr T]

I found this nice little story that covers most of my questions:

http://www.gunnews.com/boyds-ruger-american-rifle-replacement-stocks/

Now I just have to get around to it.

Any thoughts of whether I should use a liquid or putty epoxy?

Thanks to all.

 

[Dr T]

UPDATE: I got a Boyd Laminated stock for the rifle and installed it per the instructions. It is a nice laminate in "green", but there is more cinnamon and grey in the pattern than green. It actually looks better than I thought.

I used a little dab of JB weld (rather than bedding compound to cement the bedding cradles in place. It seems to bed better than the factory stock.

The only problems came on the magazine catch.

1. The catch is a half round piece of plastic with a lip designed to catch the pawl on the magazine (the little beak that holds it in place). This piece fits between the front bedding screw and the stock. As supplied, this piece is was too thin, and the magazine pawl would not slip over the lip. The magazine would seat fully, but the catch release would remain fully depressed and the friction between the pawl and catch help the magazine in place. To remedy this, I put one size 12 stainless steel washer between the stock and the catch. The magazine now snaps into place, but...

2. The magazine is snapped fully into place, but I could not remove the magazine by fully depressing the magazine release. After examining the problem, I fixed it by taking my handy, dandy little Swiss Army pen knife and carefully scraping a little bit of plastic off of the catch and the magazine pawl. Now everything fits, and I can remove the magazine.

Now I just need to get to the range to see if everything will work properly.

In the meantime, I have also been looking at a T3 in 22-250 just in case...