Is 1.5” @ 100 accurate enough?

[wdtorque]

Good to Go

Has it been cleaned? It could be copper fouling that is the problem.

I had a 308 that wasn't grouping, thought it was ammo. Good cleaning with a foaming agent, Magic Lube or Wipe Out (?) and back to 1".

But I agree with most posts, 1.5" good enough.

[Outback]

Is the barrel free floating to the lug? Does it make contact with the stock when you shoot assuming you put downward pressure on the scope? I've heard that some old rifles reportedly had factory applied pressure to the barrel. Have you tried a different scope? Are the rings and bases torqued down properly? Have you really cleaned the barrel? Copper fouling will cause groups to open up. Can you adjust your trigger down below 2#? If not, consider a Timney or similar. If all those things check out and it only shoot 1.5" with a variety of factory loads, and you want to keep it and use it, then I would sell it or rebarel it.

Good luck.

[GoBears870]

Lots of great pointers here - thanks

The barrel is not free floated - Ruger designed the front several inches of the stock to contact it but I'm not sure of the reason for this. I'm considering removing some of that material to free float it. If I screw it up, the replacement Hogue stock isn't that much money. A trigger would probably go a long way as well.

I have run two scopes on it over the years and neither seemed to shoot better than the other, but I have never had a high end optic on it. Everything has been torqued to spec with a Wheeler FAT wrench.

I'm betting fouling is a big issue here. I run patches of Hoppe's between boxes and copper solvent & brush every few boxes. But after shooting yesterday (which prompted my original post) I went after it harder than normal late last night. Every time I ran a brush through it, more fouling was loosened up. I would run solvent patches until they were clean, run the brush, and patches came out black again. This went on for probably 8 different cycles until I dried everything and quit for the night. I thought about taking it to a smith to complete the job but was quoted $100 for it this morning.

[trophy8]

Lots of great pointers here - thanks

The barrel is not free floated - Ruger designed the front several inches of the stock to contact it but I'm not sure of the reason for this. I'm considering removing some of that material to free float it. If I screw it up, the replacement Hogue stock isn't that much money. A trigger would probably go a long way as well.

I have run two scopes on it over the years and neither seemed to shoot better than the other, but I have never had a high end optic on it. Everything has been torqued to spec with a Wheeler FAT wrench.

I'm betting fouling is a big issue here. I run patches of Hoppe's between boxes and copper solvent & brush every few boxes. But after shooting yesterday (which prompted my original post) I went after it harder than normal late last night. Every time I ran a brush through it, more fouling was loosened up. I would run solvent patches until they were clean, run the brush, and patches came out black again. This went on for probably 8 different cycles until I dried everything and quit for the night. I thought about taking it to a smith to complete the job but was quoted $100 for it this morning.

Do not buy the hogue and expect an improvement. Very flimsy stocks. Not quality. Run iosso after you remove all copper build up. It’ll remove all carbon fouling. It’ll take it to near new. Rugers aren’t known for accuracy. General have a very big freebore. I would try an accubond type Bullet or nosler partition. I’ve had a bunch of rugers. Most didn’t shoot well. My 300 likes the Barnes vortx bullets quite a bit. .5” at 100. That 1.5” is good enough to kill animals. But I’d try like heck to cut that in half to shoot at 400+.

[cva34]

I vote with copper cleaning and Trigger..both mentiond already...Its aleady within my limits...

[Vulcanman]

Try Dallas Reloads. I bet they can work up a load for you that may tighten that up.

[ren087]

i vote with copper cleaning and trigger..both mentiond already...its aleady within my limits...

this^^^^

[GoBears870]

More cleaning last night - same results. I have been using Hoppe's powder solvent, brass brush, Hoppe's copper remover, Gun Scrubber, powder solvent again till clean, then dry patch, in that order. When I repeat the process, I get dirty patches again after running the brush. I bought and used Gunslick Foaming Bore Cleaner yesterday - still got dirty patches after using it then running the same process before. So it appears I have a lot of layers of baked-on fouling. Any recs for new products to try?

[TacticalCowboy]

Sweets 7.62

[SabreKiller]

Sweets 7.62

^^^^This and JB Bore paste is all I use any more. I've tried the Wipe Out with the accelerator and I still get dirty patches when I go back with 7.62 and JB.

[xman59]

Did anyone mention 6.5 creedmoore

probably not because he did not ask about it, he asked about accuracy from his existing rifle

[trophy8]

More cleaning last night - same results. I have been using Hoppe's powder solvent, brass brush, Hoppe's copper remover, Gun Scrubber, powder solvent again till clean, then dry patch, in that order. When I repeat the process, I get dirty patches again after running the brush. I bought and used Gunslick Foaming Bore Cleaner yesterday - still got dirty patches after using it then running the same process before. So it appears I have a lot of layers of baked-on fouling. Any recs for new products to try?

Iosso....

[jefandaward]

Did anyone mention 6.5 creedmoore

Ha!

[Honeybadger1]

I would say no but it depends on what your goal is. If you are just Texas Feeder hunting and won't shoot past 100 yards you will be fine but if you are planning on shooting at 200 or further than I would at least get under MOA. If you are 1.5 inches off at 100 then 200-300 you will be a lot further off.

[SmTx]

Only takes about $750 to make a Ruger shoot well.

Have a barrel put on it.