22BR Problems

[ErnieB]

Hi everyone,
I have a friend who just had a Ruger Model 77 action re-barreled to a 22BR by a well-known barrel maker,I won't mention the name but they are known for making decent barrels at very reasonable prices). He sent the action,std. action - not the varmint action) to them to have them do the job. His choice of barrel was a hvy. sporter, 24" long with 1-14" twist. He has had the gun back now for about a month and has tried just about all the 40 - 55 gr. brand-name bullets through it with um-teen different recipes. To date, an average 5-shot, 100-yd group is about an inch, optimistically speaking. He has followed the barrel maker's break-in procedures religiously and has done everything else he can think of but no luck. Does anyone have any ideas? Is the 24" barrel too short? Anybody got any good recipes for the 14 twist? I,we) appreciate any help you can offer.

 

[OldSchool]

Hey ernie,
I got a friend with a 22BR so I called him. He says 24" is no problem at all. You only lose maybe 100fps to the 26" guys. His recipe is 55gr. V-max, 32.5gr. Varget, Lapua case, Fed 205 match prmr, at about 3600. Says it's real accurate for him but start a little lower in your gun for safety. His biggest questions were how long is the throat and how good if at all is the bedding job on the action? If the throat is too long the bullets could be jumping acrossed a lot of deadspace to get to the rifling, and since the 77 uses the angled recoil lug screw there could be some bedding issues. Also make sure you got it chambered for 6mmBR Norma and not Remington the chambers have some small differences.
Hope this helps!

 

[ErnieB]

Thanks for the info. I just got off the phone with my buddy and he is going to try some Varget powder in the gun since about everybody seems to list it as either their number 1 or 2 choice. I gave him your friend's load, as well. While it shocked me to here it from HIM, he had NOTHING done to the action - no truing, bedding, or anything. Regarding the throat, he has no idea. I don't think he liked it too well, but I told him with that stock Ruger 77 action, he'd probably be lucky to average much better than an inch with it! He says he's going to bed it as soon as he gets the time.

Thanks,
Ernie B
from MD

 

[OldSchool]

Wow ok,
Kinda surprises me too he didn't have anything done to the action. But I have a M77 in .308 and at best I might rebarrel it to something more interesting. But I certainly am not expecting to win any money with it. I bedded it myself and free floated the barrel because there was a lot of contact along the forend. This could be what is messing up his shots too, especially if his new barrel contour doesn't exactly match the old tube. As an M77 owner myself I would strongly recommend he works the bedding issue before potentially dumping Varget down the drain.
Take care,
Terry

 

[SnakeEye]

Could very well be a bedding issue. But I would check scope rings and make sure they aren't binding the scope tube. They need to be lapped 100%. Also he could have a damaged or ill functioning scope. The barrel crown could also have a burr or scratch causeing shots to go haywire.

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