m77 MKII sporter .204 load work up problems

[USMCPAHunter]

So i have a m77 mkII in .204 ruger. I have been trying to work up a load for this **** thing for two years now i have tried all kinds of powders and bullets and seating depths. Does anubody out there have the secret cure for a rifle in this model i put a new stock on it to free float the barrel a new trigger. the best i can load rate now is a touch over an inch but this un acceptable to me i would like at min 3/4moa. Im running 28gr of w748 and 40gr vmax for my best result any other load and bullet/powder i have tried is about 2-2.5 moa !!

 

[Jud96]

My Uncle's Ruger .30-06 shot terrible too when he first bought it. My Dad had to put a Timney trigger in it, free float it, and surface and pillar bed it. Now it shoots under an inch pretty easily with handloads, but it was terrible before all of this work was done. Because of this incident and others I have heard about, I don't care much for Rugers. They also have an odd recoil lug which makes them harder than others to glass bed. Get it bedded and see if this improves accuracy. If you don't want to do that, you could always sell it and buy another .204 like a Remington or Savage which shoot outstanding.

 

[USMCPAHunter]

My Uncle's Ruger .30-06 shot terrible too when he first bought it. My Dad had to put a Timney trigger in it, free float it, and surface and pillar bed it. Now it shoots under an inch pretty easily with handloads, but it was terrible before all of this work was done. Because of this incident and others I have heard about, I don't care much for Rugers. They also have an odd recoil lug which makes them harder than others to glass bed. Get it bedded and see if this improves accuracy. If you don't want to do that, you could always sell it and buy another .204 like a Remington or Savage which shoot outstanding.

Im going to give it one more shot with a few dif seating depths if it does not tighten it up im trading it in on a savage model 12fv and that will save me the frustration and i wi ont have to spend a whole lot to get a new rig. wish everything i own was as accurate as my tikka with no time at all like two dif loads my tikka .270 was a 1/2 moa gun.

 

[USCGLongBow]

Without knowing exactly what you have and haven't tried, it's hard to say. The thing I notice when I look at the current production Ruger rifles is the very slow twist available on the 204. If I were loading for it, I wouldn't go over a 40gr bullet, and I would probably stick to the 35gr high BC options. My start load would be a 32gr Nos BT over 25gr of Benchmark and H335, and work up. Have you trued the action?

Another thing to consider is the high velocity, maybe you need a sturdier bullet than you are trying. For example, when I was in high school I shot my cousin's 22-250 with some new HP handloads he had just loaded. After a little while of shooting with nothing showing on paper, we moved the target into 25 yds, nothing. It ends up the High velocity of the 22-250 was causing the HPs to seperate and expand as they exited the barrel, we were lucky to not get hurt. Even Ballistic Tips and other tipped bullets often expand in flight with 22-250. I believe with the 204 this was taken into consideration during development, but you might try a couple of slower published loads for smaller bullets, and see if grouping improves.

 

[benchracer]

First, read the following thread:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/i-can-hardly-bring-myself-say-ruger-51205/

Many of the "issues" that Rugers have are caused by people not understanding that some of the unique features of the design require an approach different from the more conventional accuracy fixes used on other actions. Pay particular attention to what is said regarding action screw torque and sequence. I would be surprised if that does not yield some improvement.

If you have a wood or laminate stock and feel that it needs bedding work, Brownell's sells the pillars and the correct cutters to install them in your stock. I have done this myself, so if you have questions, I may be able to help.

Next, start with one of the accuracy loads posted here:

204 Ruger


It doesn't matter whether or not you are using Nosler bullets. Just match the bullet weight and powder. Use that load to do a seating depth test like this:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...accuracy-berger-vld-bullets-your-rifle-40204/

This seating depth test works with any bullet, Berger or not. Once you establish the preferred seating depth for a given bullet, it will remain the same regardless of powder or primer used.

With preferred seating depth established, do your powder charge workup with your chosen powder. I like to use a variation of the technique posted here:

OCW Overview - Dan Newberry's OCW Load Development System


It will take some time and elbow grease to work through these suggestions, but a minimum of expense. If you go through all of the above and your rifle still will not shoot, then you probably have issues that can only be corrected by a teardown and rebuild (or getting rid of the rifle).

 

[USMCPAHunter]

First, read the following thread:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/i-can-hardly-bring-myself-say-ruger-51205/

Many of the "issues" that Rugers have are caused by people not understanding that some of the unique features of the design require an approach different from the more conventional accuracy fixes used on other actions. Pay particular attention to what is said regarding action screw torque and sequence. I would be surprised if that does not yield some improvement.

If you have a wood or laminate stock and feel that it needs bedding work, Brownell's sells the pillars and the correct cutters to install them in your stock. I have done this myself, so if you have questions, I may be able to help.

Next, start with one of the accuracy loads posted here:

204 Ruger


It doesn't matter whether or not you are using Nosler bullets. Just match the bullet weight and powder. Use that load to do a seating depth test like this:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...accuracy-berger-vld-bullets-your-rifle-40204/

This seating depth test works with any bullet, Berger or not. Once you establish the preferred seating depth for a given bullet, it will remain the same regardless of powder or primer used.

With preferred seating depth established, do your powder charge workup with your chosen powder. I like to use a variation of the technique posted here:

OCW Overview - Dan Newberry's OCW Load Development System


It will take some time and elbow grease to work through these suggestions, but a minimum of expense. If you go through all of the above and your rifle still will not shoot, then you probably have issues that can only be corrected by a teardown and rebuild (or getting rid of the rifle).

awesome iv tried nosler 32/40gr and 32/40gr v max and 39gr sierra BK iv used benchmark h4895 w748 and varget ..w748 with the 40gr vmax is the only combo thats gotten me anywhere then again i have not used the seating depth method you gave me i just go off the book. i appreciate all this info !!