4MUL8R said:
Although shooter technique is often the cause of boolits that don't go to the same spot, I'm wondering if a tight base pin could prevent a cylinder from moving ever so much to align each cartridge chamber with the forcing cone. Obviously I need to grip the same way each shot, etc. But, my question is ... is it worth purchasing a standard Ruger base pin to see if this is contributing to shots that go askew? I have only a high quality aftermarket base pin.
4MUL8R.... your theory has merit and is widely shared. The bullet acts as an alignment tool and may improve chamber-to-bore alignment at the moment of passage. However, the good work of the bullet means nothing in the presence of a lousy forcing cone. Further, the good work of the bullet to align chamber with bore may distort the bullet, in the process destroying the bullet's balance to fly straight.
Let us for the moment remove shooter and ammunition from the equation. We are talking REVOLVER ACCURACY, a deep enough subject by itself. And presume the ammunition is capable of 4-inch groups at 100 yards----ammunition loaded by top marksman and markswomen from the hairy days of silhouette had better hover in the 2-inch zone from one football field away. Non-factory parts were not permitted in
Production (closed breech) and
Revolver category competition.
To answer you question directly, Yes, by all means fetch a factory base pin. Find out for yourself whether one base pin shoots tighter than the other. Shoot
CREEDMOOR, or the steadiest, most relaxed bag position with the
longest eye relief possible, and which dry-fire results in no sight movement at hammer fall.
50 yards is a reasonable minimum distance for trying to separate the accuracy potential of one base pin from another. Use a target which doesn't distract your eye from the sight picture. To continue your question, details and/or photgraphs of revolver.
David Bradshaw