New Barrel for Ruger

[razmuz]

I have a light weight 20 in barreled Ruger in 257 Roberts.  It won't shoot worth a hoot.  Can this small rifle be rebarrled with a thicker and longer barrel or would I be better buying a new rifle that's a proven shooter?  While on the subject, is there a product one can buy that will cool your barrel while sighting in at the range?

[Dave in WV]

raz,have you checked the action screws with a screw driver to make sure they're tight? I was at the range several years ago and a fellow had a M77 stainless like mine but chambered in 300 WM. He said he liked the rifle but couldn't get it down to 1.5" or better groups. I asked if he checked his action screws and he hadn't. We torqued them down ( at least 1/2 turn) and he got his 1.5" group or better. He was a happy camper. You tighten the front screw all the way first and then alternate between the ones on either end of the trigger guard.

[razmuz]

Heck, I'd be happy with three inch groups.  This thing will put the first shot about two inches and the second shot will be off the target.  I'll try the screw tightening thing though.

[gunnut69]

Razmuz
That sounds awfully bad for a rifle in good shape.  Is there damage to the rifle's crown?  Is the bore in decent shape.  Inspect the crown by looking at the muzzle, preferably with magnification and bright light.  Check the bore first visually then by running a tight patch thru the bore.  If there are visible pits or if the tight patch detects loose/tight sections of the bore, then re-barreling is probably needed.  Has the bedding on this rifle been fooled with?  For a Ruger to demonstrate that bad of accuracy there has to be a serious fault somewhere.  To check the beddingstart with the front and rear screws tight.  Loosen the front screw slowly.  Does the front receiver ring move?  Re-tighten the front screw and loosen the rear screw slowly.  Did the tang at the rear of the action rise?  The front action screw needs to be tight(capitol 'T') and the rear screw slightly less so.  The middle screw does nothing but hold up the front of the trigger guard and if tightened too tight may 'bend' the action down.  This springing of the action is quite detrimental to accurate shooting. Is the barrel free floated?  If not this can effect the testing of the front screw, although I've never seen barrel bedding effect a rifle to the point it won't stay on a target.  Is the accuracy variable or does it always do the same thing in the same sequence as the barrel heats??   Finally, and no flame intended, have you sufficient shooting skill to assure yourself that it's the rifle and not you?  Re-barreling a rifle is a fairly expensive undertaking.  Sometimes necessary but not always..  Perhaps we can get that Ruger shooting well enough without resorting to that extreme.

[razmuz]

I have done all the above or is it below.  I'm not forgetting that crack about my shooting skills.  I think shooting Remingtons and Savages have spoiled me.  I expect to much.  Anyhow, Ruger told me to send the rifle which I've done.  I told them I wasn't looking for 1 MOA with that little skinney barrel, but I did hope to hit a picnic plate at 100 yards.

[gunnut69]

Razmuz
No crack intended about the shooting skills.  I've been working on guns of all types for too many years..  The 2 most common clieches are 'it can be me I shoot everything else just fine' and 'I've got this gun my brother-in-law took apart and couldn't get to work again, can you fix it??'.  I didn't mean anything by the question, just trying to get things straight in my head(a small place indeed, requiring a lot of organization)..  I never asked if this was a new rifle, should have.  The skinny barrel sshould indeed shoot much better than that.  I've a M7 Remington(222 rem)that'l shoot under a inch easily, also an old 99 Savage in 250/3000(a takedown no less) that'l do an inch pretty easy(it has the featherweight barrel) if allowed to coll between shots.  I've also shot a bunch of Winchester M70 Featherweights and have only had one that wouldn't shoot well, a 300 WinMag.  Coincidentally it was made with a standard weight barrel profile and the problem was traced to the wonderful hot melt bedding compound Winchester now uses..   Rruger has a really decent customer service dept. and their rifles are OK.  I've been really disappointed with the MKII's I've seen of late but have always found the light weights interesting..  Good lcuk and do keep us posted...I promise not to ever questions your shooting skills again....  Have a great day..Jerry

[razmuz]

I wasn't offended.  You were just helping with my problem.  Anyway, I ran down to Oshman's today and bought a new 270 Remington ADL.  They had them on sale for $344.  I'll use it this season since I doubt Ruger will have the 257 back by 11-08.  Two different gun dealers told me that Chain Store rifles were inferior to those bought at a gun shop?  I called Remington and they said that when they produced rifles they had no idea where they would end up being shipped.  I immediately took off the but pad and put on one of those new Rem. R3 pads, also on sale for $18.  It was during this process that I noticed how flimsy the plastic stock was.  Oh well, I guess you gets what you pay for.  Reming also told the that other than cosmetics there was no difference in the ADL from the BDL.  Yes, the Ruger was brand new.

[Dave in WV]

razmuz, IMHO the "flimsy" stock may or may not cost a little off the bench in the accuracy dept. Offhand I don't think they are less accurate and may help cut felt recoil and you don't have to baby them.  :wink:

[gunnut69]

I will appologise for not replying sooner but am having medical problems that interfere with my vision but had to mention.  I did the stock work for a busy shop for several years and we had a barrel of broken synthetic stocks and most were Remington..  There are no mechanical differences in any of the Remington centerfires, other than length and cosmetics..

[Mr Bill]

rasmuz, Good luck getting your 77RL to shoot. I have one, with tang safety, and one thing I've had to do is load light to moderate loads with 100gr or less bullets. I can load 120gr bullets but the velocity has to be around 2500fps at 10ft from muzzle. Another temporary fix is a poor mans bedding using pieces of credit card as spacers to get the action off the wood and preload the barrel about 5lbs an inch or two in from the end of the forearm. These spacers are only an interim solution until I glass bed with pillars. Even after it's glass bedded I don't expect it to group less than 1" at 100 yards nor be able to handle loads near max listings. Oh, another thing is I changed the trigger to a Timney and tuned it to a crisp 3# pull. If you decide to install a Timney trigger you'll have to remove some stock for clearance. Also, with the MK II's, I've read that something needs to be adjusted with the safety, so it might be in your best interest to have a smith do it for you. Lastly, with that thin barrel give plenty of time between shots, the barrel heats up very quickly.
Bill

[260 AAR]

Dear Razmuz,
   I had one of those pretty little rifles for a while back in Hawaii. The absolute best it would do with anything was about 2". I think the long leade had a bearing on the accuracy but even with the 117s seated till they were almost falling out of the case it wouldn`t shoot. In short I sold the thing. It came back a few months later and I installed a new Shilen barrel in the same cal[257 Rob] and it became a sub moa shooter. Made another into a 250 Sav. Ackley Imp that was just as fast as a standard 257 Rob and more accurate too. Good luck with the Ruger.
Aloha, Mark[in Or]

[Mr Bill]

260 AAR,
Which barrel profile did you select?
Did you do anything else to it, like; glass bed it or true the action?
Thanks.
Bill

[billy]

Hey Razmuz ,i have a light ruger in 270 and it will shoot two shots in a inch sq. Only thing i did was have gunsmith work on the trigger and i lightly sanded the barrel channel and put a sealer on it. My barrel will warm up but not so bad after two or three min. it is ok and ready to shoot.Sometimes i open the bolt and let it cool.