Before I sell this gun...

[Jspeed]

I would like to hear of a proven load in a Ruger American 270 Win. I have been loading for 3 hunting rifles for just 18-20 months,and have had some success with 2 of them (consistently shooting MOA or better out to 500 yds). However, I've had nothing but frustration in this RA. I've shot 6 or 7 very promising groups with 6 or 7 different loads (.4-.7" at 100), but none that could be repeated at 100! I've used 130 and 140 AB, 130 Bergers, and 130 Barnes. IMR 4350, H4831 (and SC). WLR, Fed 210, CCI BR-2, and some WLRM. Varied seating depths from mag length to .125" off. All of my best groups ran in the 2750-2840 range. All of my velocities were also significantly lower than what the manuals had me expecting. Again, could not repeat any good groups. Getting a bit frustrated and thinking of trading gun, but I know the 270 is a great choice for white tails and I've read great things about the ruger American. We're recovering all of our deer with very little effort (only out to 150 yds or so), but I'm almost steering my son away from the range/steel (and forbidding longer shots at deer) unless I can get this gun to shoot!

If you're still with me, you must have a heart of gold!

Thanks for any help.

 

[sedancowboy]

If a 270 wont shoot a Max Charge of H4831 and a 130 gr bullet then something else is wrong. Assuming you are using good reloading practices. Does it shoot factory loads? I see this a lot. It would take several pages to list everything that could be wrong. I would start by a through cleaning and then looking at the barrel and crown. Since your velocity is off look in the barrel or have a gun smith do it. I bought a Lyman Bore Cam and got a education.
Not nearly enough info to make a good assessment.

 

[gohring3006]

Did you go thru the Ruger?
The stock sucks, and is always touching the barrel somewhere.

 

[bowkill02]

Try a box of 130gr core lokt. I had a similar situation with my 270. At last resort I bought a box of core lokts and what do you know, it shot great. If anything it may get you through the season and you can mess with it in the off season again. I've shot several deer past 350 with them too.

 

[Barrelnut]

I don't have a Ruger American. Have no need for one. And I hate to say this, but I have seen several shot at the range by other shooters, and I have never seen one shoot any where near as good as the reviews on the net. I kinda pay attention just because of all the good stuff you read, but have never seen one as good as what you read about. There is a disclaimer here though - and that is most of the guys you see shooting them are somewhat new to the game and maynot be good enough to pull the accuracy out of them.
I wouldn't struggle with it too much beyond making sure that stock is torqued correctly and not rubbing the barrel etc. and let it cool good between groups.

 

[Jspeed]

If a 270 wont shoot a Max Charge of H4831 and a 130 gr bullet then something else is wrong. Assuming you are using good reloading practices. Does it shoot factory loads? I see this a lot. It would take several pages to list everything that could be wrong. I would start by a through cleaning and then looking at the barrel and crown. Since your velocity is off look in the barrel or have a gun smith do it. I bought a Lyman Bore Cam and got a education.
Not nearly enough info to make a good assessment.

I did clean the bore today (haven't done that in a while). No more than 350 rds down the tube, 300 of which have been during the course of load development. I feel im very meticulous with my loading technique. Again, my other 2 guns are factory guns, and my 243 is shooting MOA or better to 500 and my 270WSM is often shooting 1/2 MOA to 800. All Nosler brass (100 pcs now fired x3), Forster dies, co-ax press. Like I said, he's killing deer but I don't want him to shoot steel at 300, for fear of him getting discouraged. Gun shoots factory Barnes TTSX at 2900+ but only 2-3 MOA at 100.

 

[Mike 338]

Well, before you sell the thing, call Ruger and send it in. Nobody likes to pass off their gun to the mailman for an indeterminate amount of time, and I do mean "indeterminate", however, your gun may be a total stinker, and for good cause. Always give the company a reasonable chance to get it right. I see guys spend years and countless dollars, trying to fiddle with a gun that just won't shoot. Generally speaking, I've never had a Ruger anything that was awesome in the accuracy department but that doesn't mean a guy shouldn't make a phone call and buy a stamp to get it shipped back. Lot's of guys love their American's. Me... I got some Hawkeye's that are lame and a RPR that's inconsistent in 243. Still, if a guy isn't willing to put it in a box and send it back cause it stinks, then he hasn't done the most obvious and cost effective thing to rectify the problem. Seriously... stop spending countless hours and dollars trying to finess a gun that's crap. Just make a phone call, get a email shipping label and throw the turd in a box and send it away to it's birth mother. Chances are, you'll be totally screwed in the keister but maybe not.

 

[Jspeed]

Did you go thru the Ruger?
The stock sucks, and is always touching the barrel somewhere.

I have not contacted Ruger...I bought the gun for the boy when he was 13 or 14 and didn't want to shoot his "momma's 243" anymore. Read pretty good reviews on the RA and figured for $400 he could learn to hunt/shoot and take care of a firearm. Thinking I'll put this one in the classifieds and move on to a Rem 700, and leave room for accurizing and component upgrades in the future....that's about where I am now.

 

[bob4]

I like what Mike said. And from the sounds of things you seem to know how to reload. Although 350 rounds down a tube seems a bit much before a cleaning, but that's just me. Still, If I can't get a 270 to shoot I would have to send that rifle back. The 270 , my favorite caliber, is too easy to load for not to produce some sort of repeatable accuracy.
I'm sure a few here will ask just how meticulous is your reloading routine? If you go through that it will stop endless questions.

 

[gohring3006]

I have not contacted Ruger...I bought the gun for the boy when he was 13 or 14 and didn't want to shoot his "momma's 243" anymore. Read pretty good reviews on the RA and figured for $400 he could learn to hunt/shoot and take care of a firearm. Thinking I'll put this one in the classifieds and move on to a Rem 700, and leave room for accurizing and component upgrades in the future....that's about where I am now.

By going thru it I meant, checking it over making sure the stock is not contacting the barrel. Pull it out of the stock and make sure nothing is contacting the trigger assembly etc..

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I have done very well with the Ruger Americans. Thinking you got a bummer. We've had about 8 of them and all so far have been sold sub moa shooters. I've been carrying one this year in 6 creed and it shoots sub 1" art 200y and had been sold sub moa out to 800y.

They have been as good or better that any other factory gun I have ever used.

Steve

 

[Jspeed]

Today was not my 1st time to clean it, but has probably been 150-200 rounds since last (I used to wipe down the bore after every weekend hunting or range session). I do not sort/weigh bullets or cases. Cases were annealed after 2nd shooting. All case lengths are +/- .0005", as are all measurements to the ogive. All powder is measured only once, but on a chargemaster. Brass never hits the ground. Tumbled, flash hole deburred, primer pockets cleaned/uniformed, case neck chamfered, FL sized with custom neck hone, .002" shoulder bump and expander ball removed, case mouth deburred, expander mandrel, bullet base in imperial graphite applicator, Forster ultra micrometer seater.

 

[bob4]

Thinking I'll put this one in the classifieds and move on to a Rem 700, and leave room for accurizing and component upgrades in the future....that's about where I am now.

You go all out no doubt. HMMM I may have a rem 700 in 270 coming up for sale very soon.

 

[Jspeed]

I have done very well with the Ruger Americans. Thinking you got a bummer. We've had about 8 of them and all so far have been sold sub moa shooters. I've been carrying one this year in 6 creed and it shoots sub 1" art 200y and had been sold sub moa out to 800y.

They have been as good or better that any other factory gun I have ever used.

Steve

Maybe this is what's got me so frustrated... I've heard/read this again and again. And I know these folks aren't pulling my leg!