Old ruger 77 in 243

[Schandler]

Looking for comments and suggestions on this old gun. I bought used years ago and the reason I bought it was because it shot really good with factory ammo and because it has a heavy barrel. Since then I have started reloading and have custom rifles and several bench rifles that will shoot same hole and this ruger won't meet that standard now !! Well I found it in back of safe and remember how well it shot when my definition of accurate was defined before the rifles I have now. This is the only ruger I own and have never had an accurate ruger And don't think its commonplace for ruger to considered nothing more than a hunting rifle for big game. Anyhow I took old plain stock off and put a varmint Boyd stock and a leupold 36x on it thinking it would shoot now but after many of my reloads using different powders bullets Well it sucks It's all over the place so I know 243 is hard on barrels and I cant even guess number of rounds but I do know it would at least group with factory ammo way back when. One thing I have noticed when reloading for it is --- I like to put bullet close to lands or maybe a little jump in everything except my Remington's and customs but when I try to do that in the ruger - can't even come close. It's like I can't even come close without bullet falling out of brass. Does it sound like barrel is shot out ? Is this normal for an old factory ruger ? I know changing stock hurt accuracy but is it worth bedding ? It did shoot pretty good before I started messing ! I just want to know thoughts on COL and anyone else have an old ruger that sounds like this one. I won't rebarrel because of cost if it is shot out. It shoots well enough to hunt with but guns have trouble hanging around the house unless they will shoot sub moa and I really like this rifle but rules are rules 😳

 

[jonbearman]

It isn't unusual for a ruger to have a looooooonnngg throat. I have a mark II and it is the same way with way less rounds than yours.

 

[Schandler]

That's good to hear -- I want to believe it's a 1 in 9 but I tried to measure with cleaning rod 😂. Best I could come up with is 1 and 1/8 turns in 12 inches or 2 and 1/4 turns in 23 inches -- not exactly sure how that works out but it is a 23" heavy barrel or hair over but I know part of barrel is chamber. Anyhow do you think it would shoot some 88gr Bergers vld and they are long and slim and still may not reach lands but I would like to try them. I always tried to shoot 55g Nosler and vmaxs blitzkings in it never anything this heavy. I have a ton of them too for 6br's and never thought about shooting in 243 !! Anyhow what's your thoughts ? And anybody make a suggestion on col and powder to start out Thanks

 

[Schandler]

Ka bammmm - all along I guess I was using too light a bullet !!! I cleaned barrel really good and loaded up some of the bergers in 88gr with 40gr of 4350 and this was the first load I tried and 3 holes touching at 100. I rezero scope and shoot 6 more and I am very pleased. Now I had cleaned necks up on the brass already on a rainy day but it's cheap win brass and I used WLR primers because of lack of faith I guess. Now as far as col I read the article about base to lands and with the longer bullets I was able to reach them but I just seated enough to touch and bolt closes easy - that may be part of it too Easy 1/2 moa Will try it out at 200 this weekend and fine tune. Never hunted deer with this rifle but I believe I found my son a deer gun. I appreciate comment on long neck. That's what caused me to go to heavier bullet and solved a long problem from way back