I have an early ST in 30-06, and it will put 5 shots into 1/2" at 200yds with boring consistency!! 100yd groups are basically a .32-.33 caliber hole for the same 5 shot group. This is with my handloads of 180grn Nosler Partition Spitzers in front of 53.7grns IMR 4350 and a Federal 210M primer (2700fps), or with Federal Premium factory loads using the same bullet and which my load exactly replicates performance-wise in this rifle. I did leave the sights on this rifle as a backup, and they are sighted to the load I described above. Before I started load development, I free-floated the barrel and bedded the action. I also glass lined the barrel channel as well as running a deep V (glass filled obviously) along the center line to stabilize the forend. This was all done at the same time as when I bedded the action (pillar bedded BTW...a trick to do with Ruger's angled bedding screw set up!). The scope is a German production fixed 4X Zeiss from the early "80s when I assembled the rifle initially. After initial sight in and tweaking with load development, I have not had to touch any adjustments on this rifle for over 30 years. It's just that stable.
As others have mentioned, many of the early round tops used Douglas barrels, but I am not sure about the latter production models or when this practice ceased. I do know that Ruger had some issues with 7mm barrels in the mid to late 1980s, and perhaps even later. I had a 7x57 77RS and a 280Rem 77RS in that period and neither of them would produce groups under 2" at 100yds. And even the 2" groups were not consistent. Frankly, I could have lived with that had they been reliable, but I'd get a 2" group one time, and then a 4" group the next. I tried clean barrels, cold barrels, hot barrels, dirty barrel, oiled barrels and dry barrels. I tried floating the barrels, polishing the bores, umpteen different handloads and factory loads, every available bullet weight and configuration...all to no avail. I REALLY wanted the 7X57 to shoot since I LOVE that caliber, and would have tolerated even 3" groups had they been consistent, but it just wasn't to be. Ultimately I gave up and both rifles were traded off. But the 30-06 is still with me today, and has accounted for easily over 300 head of game. It is known as "Dad's Rifle" by my sons, and is still the rifle I pick up when the hunt is important to me even though I have a couple of safes full of other stuff that is newer and nicer. I wish I could give you some encouragement on your 7mm, but my experience with Rugers in that bore size have been about my only true disappointment with any Ruger product.
