Newbie Questions

[corneliusdt]

So I have a few questions about an accuracy issue and I can't figure out if it is me or the rifle.

I have a Ruger American in .243 that I just recently mounted a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 on previously it had a Nikon Buckmaster 3-9x40. From the first shot I have had accuracy issues with the rifle, and I cannot figure out if I am the problem or it is the rifle. When I shot it the first shot is dead on my aiming point, second and third shots are strung out anywhere from 1.5-2" horizontally from the first shot. Essentially I'm getting 2-3" groups with the rifle. It was consistently shooting the second round to the left and the following round would be farther left or sometimes far right.

Two other more accomplished shooters have shot the rifle and the best they get is between 1.5-2".

The consistent horizontal stringing didn't occur until the most recent time I shot the firearm after mounting the new vortex scope. Before it would be a more consistent but spread out group.

The only modifications I have done to the gun is to open up the stock channel to prevent the barrel contacting which was an early issue I noticed after the first attempt at shooting.

Thank you for any input as I'm stumped by this problem.

 

[Dosh]

Corn, recheck your scope mounting procedure. Did you use Locktite, is the scope leveled to the stock, are the bases and rings torqued to spec. I have also seen some shooters mount a scope touching the barrel. The Ruger Americans I have seen shoot surprisingly well out of the box.

 

[corneliusdt]

Dosh after following some tips I read on here it looks like I need to get a cheek riser. Even with low rings the 50 mm scope is too high for me to get a proper cheek weld. Also I was in a hurry and failed to set eye relief at the highest power. After making those two adjustments and doing more dry fire practice I'll have to hit the range again.

 

[JSHou]

Vortex scopes are also notoriously sensitive to overtorquing. You can bind up the turrets and flex the tube if you have the rings too tight.

That may be why the groups have gotten worse since you mounted the new scope. No theories on why it was only a mediocre shooter originally.

 

[corneliusdt]

Jshou,

I will double check the torgue on the rings. I did it with a warne torque wrench set to 27" pounds thats recommended for the maxima rings I used. I will double check it.

Yeah I can't explain the accuracy issues at first either. The other shooter who managed a 1.75" with the gun is accomplished enough I'm confident it wasn't shooter error on his part.

 

[Shortmagman]

Why did you open up the stock channel? Ruger made this rifle with bedding blocks. Did you change the bedding blocks. Many rifles shoot best with some pressure on the barrel.

 

[Dosh]

Corn, 27 inch pounds is pretty high for the torque on that scope tube.

 

[WildRose]

Why did you open up the stock channel? Ruger made this rifle with bedding blocks. Did you change the bedding blocks. Many rifles shoot best with some pressure on the barrel.

Very few rifles will shoot better with any pressure at all on the barrels which is why the first step to accurizing a rifle for most of us is to ensure the barrel is fully free floated.

 

[corneliusdt]

Dosh, here is the link for the torquestion wrench I used. It's actually 25 inch lbs I'll try dropping g it lower with a differvent torque wrench.

In regards to opening the barrel channel all I did was lightly sand the end of the stock where it was touching the barrel. I compared my rifle to others in the sporting goods store and the others all had mugh larger gaps near the end of the stock I simply modified mine to math those. Hope that makes sense it was my understanding the gun should bend fit by being truly free floated. Hopefully I didn't mess anything up in the process.

 

[corneliusdt]

Update: I had a more experienced shooter take a look at the rifle and he figures that it is still the stock contacting the barrel even the tiniest bit of pressure or torque on the stock is causing it to contact the barrel. Also when we looked at the bedding blocks they were moving quite easily with just a little torque of the stock again.

Sounds like the only thing I can do at this point is be very careful were i rest the rifle and to make sure to not put any stress or pressure on the firearm when I'm shooting. Hopefully I can get to the range soon and see if it does any better.

 

[Dale700]

Most Rugers I have delt with have had a pressure point at the end of the stock . Rugers uses this by design to help make up for the generic stock bedding system . The ones that had this modified lost their accuracy dramatically . The only way to correct this was to purchase a good aftermarket stock with aluminum bedding blocks . The scope issue could be a lot of different things but in my experience , loose screws or ring alignment is the most common. I have had new Ruger rings that were less than average where they make contact with the receiver , and would move during recoil.
Ruger makes a good HUNTING rifle but if you wont something more you may won't to look elswere .

 

[NORAG]

There have been some really good comments offered here. I'll add a couple of things from my own experience. Without going into detail, you would be really well-served to do some research on barrel harmonics and action stabilization. It's pretty common for folks who don't understand internal ballistics to overlook the critical combination of a stabilized action and free-floated barrel because they simply don't know what happens when either of these factors aren't accounted for.

The short story here is that the action needs to be perfectly bedded to the stock so there is no room for movement within the stock. Additionally, the barrel needs to be allowed to float freely, without anything putting pressure on it from the point of the recoil lug forward, so that the barrel harmonics can run the length of the barrel unimpeded. As suggested, you will likely want to get a good aftermarket stock for this rifle since it is possible to have accuracy issued even if the action is bedded and the barrel is free floated IF THE STOCK ISN"T RIGID ENOUGH TO PROPERLY SUPPORT THE ACTION BEDDING. In other words, bedding the action of a Remington 700 into the cheap plastic stocks that come from the factory will do nothing to improve the rifles accuracy. The stock must be solid enough so the bedding job can do it's part. Laminate stocks are excellent aftermarket choices because they are very rigid and accept glass bedding compound well. In my neck of the woods a professional gunsmith will do a complete bedding and free-floating job for around $40.

When tackling any accuracy issue, the first step is to eliminate as many of the variables affecting accuracy as you possibly can. This process inevitably begins with bedding and floating in a quality stock. With that accomplished, you can confidently exclude the combination of action and barrel harmonics from the list. Vortex makes very good quality optics and I run a Vortex Viper PA 6.5-20x50 on my Rem 700 chambered in 223. The action is bedded and barrel floated in a good quality wood stock. This gun, with no other modifications, shoots sub-MOA at 300 yards.

I guess I've taken the long way about suggesting that you get a good aftermarket stock from Boyds Stocks or Stockystocks and get it bedded and floated. THEN see if you have any issues with accuracy.