Ruger compact .243 not accurate

[chucknbach]

I can't get this rifle to group and getting close to hunting season. I've put 200 rds down range factory and various reloads. Timney trigger, pillar and glass bedded barrel is currently free floated. Though I'm not done. Plan on going to a lighter bullet 87gn been using 100 and 95 gn. If the lighter bullets don't work then it gets expensive. Anyone have the same problem as me and fixed it? How'd you do it?

Groups are all over the place I'd say 3" to 4" sometimes stringers vertical sometimes horizontal some times in a triangle. Scope is tight and it's not me.

 

[four70nitro]

Have you swapped another scope on to this rifle and tried that? Have you had someone else shoot it?

Dave

 

[chucknbach]

Have you swapped another scope on to this rifle and tried that? Have you had someone else shoot it?

Dave

Haven't swaped the scope, could try that. Someone else shooting it? I'm capable.

 

[Cholo]

I can't get this rifle to group and getting close to hunting season. I've put 200 rds down range factory and various reloads. Timney trigger, pillar and glass bedded barrel is currently free floated. Though I'm not done. Plan on going to a lighter bullet 87gn been using 100 and 95 gn. If the lighter bullets don't work then it gets expensive. Anyone have the same problem as me and fixed it? How'd you do it?

Groups are all over the place I'd say 3" to 4" sometimes stringers vertical sometimes horizontal some times in a triangle. Scope is tight and it's not me.

Lighter bullets aren't the answer unless you're shooting some sort of junk heavier bullets. Verticle strings? Shooter. Horizontal strings? Shooter. Triangular? Who knows. Bottom line, it seems like the shooter. As much as I hate to admit that bad groups are anything but me, after all these years it all boils down to...me.

Good luck in your endeavors. Have you tried some Sierra or Nosler 100 gr. bullets? They work well for me in my old ultra light Ruger .243; maybe 1.5" @ 100 yds. Good luck!

 

[chucknbach]

I can't get this rifle to group and getting close to hunting season. I've put 200 rds down range factory and various reloads. Timney trigger, pillar and glass bedded barrel is currently free floated. Though I'm not done. Plan on going to a lighter bullet 87gn been using 100 and 95 gn. If the lighter bullets don't work then it gets expensive. Anyone have the same problem as me and fixed it? How'd you do it?

Groups are all over the place I'd say 3" to 4" sometimes stringers vertical sometimes horizontal some times in a triangle. Scope is tight and it's not me.

Lighter bullets aren't the answer unless you're shooting some sort of junk heavier bullets. Vertical strings? Shooter. Horizontal strings? Shooter. Triangular? Who knows. Bottom line, it seems like the shooter. As much as I hate to admit that bad groups are anything but me, after all these years it all boils down to...me.

Good luck in your endeavors. Have you tried some Sierra or Nosler 100 gr. bullets? They work well for me in my old ultra light Ruger .243; maybe 1.5" @ 100 yds. Good luck!

Last bullets tried were 95gr nosler bal tips. Just got an X bolt .243 this year as well, Was grouping 1" to an 1 1/2" with 100 gr bullets. Switched to 87 gr bingo! 1/4" to 1/2", the 1 in 10 twist wasn't stabilizing the heavier bullet. The Ruger is a 1 in 9 twist so should be able to stabilize a 95.

What I was getting at with the stringers was that it didn't seem like a pattern but random. Hell I had one group 2nd round was 2 1/2" away from 1st and third round landed right next to the first.

I know and am proven capable of 1/2" groups so it's not me. 470nitro had the Swing Blade comment. "It ain't got no gas!" The scope is a place to look. I'm looking to blame the new rifle when it could very well be the new scope. Well if it is the scope at least I'm only out the $ in powder, bullets and pillars. The trigger would have been replaced anyway. Nothing like doubling the price of the rifle by getting a re barrel and trued action only to find out it was the scope all along.

Oh yeah and 1 1/2" is not doing well for me even in a hunting rifle.

 

[four70nitro]

Nothing personal -- not saying you are not capable -- it's just that we all shoot a bit differently -- one more thing you can eliminate if another capable shooter has the same results that you do. The scope, even if brand new, could be defective -- swapping in another scope from a rifle that is shooting well will eliminate that as a source of the difficulty. Even if you've checked the scope mounts/rings/ etc, always worth one more time through snugging the fasteners to assure they are tight.

Dave

 

[four70nitro]

Also might want to check that the action screws are properly torqued -- if the action is loose in the stock, or not properly torqued it could play havoc with groups sizes.....

Dave

 

[chucknbach]

Nothing personal -- not saying you are not capable -- it's just that we all shoot a bit differently -- one more thing you can eliminate if another capable shooter has the same results that you do. The scope, even if brand new, could be defective -- swapping in another scope from a rifle that is shooting well will eliminate that as a source of the difficulty. Even if you've checked the scope mounts/rings/ etc, always worth one more time through snugging the fasteners to assure they are tight.

Dave

No, I didn't take it personal your suggestion on the scope was good and I plan on trying it as it hadn't occurred to me. I can sometimes jump to more complicated solutions before I've tried the easier ones first.

If you suggest that I use a scope off one of my other guns that I know shoots well then using the same shooter(me) would be about the same.
Hell I have a modl 94 .357 with a 16" barrel that groups better at 100 than this Ruger and it has a 4X BSA.

 

[chucknbach]

Also might want to check that the action screws are properly torqued -- if the action is loose in the stock, or not properly torqued it could play havoc with groups sizes.....

Dave

True but with the pillars it becomes less of an issue.

 

[mr surveyor]

Also might want to check that the action screws are properly torqued -- if the action is loose in the stock, or not properly torqued it could play havoc with groups sizes.....

Dave

having had the same issues with an M77 MkII in .243, this would also be my first guess.

 

[mcknight77]

I'd try about eight pounds of forend pressure.

Not sure what your bench techniques is, but I've found with light rifles that they do better held tightly in the bags.

 

[chucknbach]

I'd try about eight pounds of forend pressure.

Not sure what your bench techniques is, but I've found with light rifles that they do better held tightly in the bags.

I'll try it. You think these things jump too much before the bullet leaves the barrel?

I use bags just not the ones that wrap the stock.

 

[chucknbach]

Also might want to check that the action screws are properly torqued -- if the action is loose in the stock, or not properly torqued it could play havoc with groups sizes.....

Dave

having had the same issues with an M77 MkII in .243, this would also be my first guess.

They're torqued.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

chucknbach i see it all the time on here. theres guys on this fourm that are just ruger fanatics. After all its a ruger fourm. Every time a guy post that his ruger wont shoot guys will blame it on everything but the gun. Truth be know ive had a few rugers that were just junk. Ive owned many rifles from many manufactures and rugers have allways had the highest percentage of dud shooters. Just about ever remington 700 or winch. 70 ive owned was capable of moa with some load developement but thats not the case with rugers. Id say i have had about half of the ones i owned that wouldnt do moa and out of them half were about pathetic. My rule of thumb for new guns is a good accurate rifle will shoot 2 inch with about anything and I can usually cut that in half with load developement. If the first couple groups are 3-4 inch the gun doesnt have much hope for shooting moa and ill usually pawn them before they get to many handling marks on them. It may be your best bet

 

[chucknbach]

All the posts with the exception of cholo's to me have seemed like they have been trying to help.

Cholo comes across to me as a superior attitude type. I mean even after 470nitro's scope suggestion it kind of makes cholo seem not that bright 'cuz a bad scope would look the same as bad shooter. I guess he was looking to bust someones bubble, didn't work.

I'm not giving up! I have some of the suggestions and some of my own to try yet. Some of them I don't think will help but must be ruled out.

If nothing helps it goes back to Ruger if they won't help then a cost analyst will be done on selling and taking a lose and buying a different brand vs re-barreling.

 

[Cholo]

No matter what it seems like to you, I was only trying to help. Feel free to put me on your "ignor" list, you're now on mine. I'll say it again...Good luck!

 

[chucknbach]

No matter what it seems like to you, I was only trying to help. Feel free to put me on your "ignor" list, you're now on mine. I'll say it again...Good luck!

Sorry, to burst your bubble. I won't put you on my ignore list as I won't give up on this Ruger I won't give up on you! I was just letting you know how your post seemed to me.

 

[Pal Val]

I see you're taking a rational approach at a problem. Sometimes the obvious eludes us. I once had a simiar problem with a gun, and it turned out to be a scope that could not hold zero. I learned then hat a rifle will only shoot as good as the sights on top of it allow.

 

[pcgod]

Ruger compacts can be tough to get used to due to their short LOP. I have a 243 that shoots consistantly under an inch at 100 yds. I use 38.5 grains of Varget with a 85gr Sierra BTHP.

I agree change the scope and use a higher powered one if you have it.

Also having another person shoot the gun is a good idea. Many years ago I bought a snubby .38 and couldn't get it to shoot. I had no problem with any other pistol and felt I was better than the average shooter so it must be the gun. I had a freind who had carried a snubby for years shoot it and he was able to shoot it very well. I realized it was me.....I stopped shooting everything else for about 6 months and now I can shoot any snubby with ease...No flame on your skills but another shooter may tell you something.

 

[Chief 101]

My 77 257 Roberts didn't shoot but 10" groups till I loaded 120 grainers a quarter inch longer than specs. If I didn't load my own ammo I would never have figured that one out. Chief aka Maxx Load

 

[chucknbach]

I have a limbsaver that I use on it as it is too short for me. I've lengthened the rounds to right off the lands. Funny, I heard someone say that Rugers were inaccurate because they had long throats. This Ruger actually has a shorter distance to the rifling than my Browning .243 but the Browning has a much tighter chamber.

I have some rounds loaded up with H4895 85gr speer boat tail soft points. Plan on loading some 87gr berger VLD's. Don't really need the boat tails for this gun but it's what I had for my gun.

I use 38.5 grains of Varget with a 85gr Sierra BTHP

That would be worth a try.

 

[chucknbach]

Shot the rifle just now. First group 1 inch, 2nd group 2 inches.

Things I changed:

Shot it out in a field instead of at the gun range
Shot off of bi pod instead of bags
lighter bullet
faster powder
reduced load

Going to let gun cool completely and try again later if the 1 inch can be repeated with first 3 I'll be satisfied to hunt with it this year.

 

[63November]

I don't think Ruger is likely to give much at this point (nor would Remington, Winchester, etc) Once you've altered their rifle with pillars and add-ons, they aren't especially receptive to criticism of the "factory original" problems you may have experienced.

Scope

Bedding

Crown


that's where I'd be looking.

 

[Beachbum]

chucknbach i see it all the time on here. theres guys on this fourm that are just ruger fanatics. After all its a ruger fourm. Every time a guy post that his ruger wont shoot guys will blame it on everything but the gun. Truth be know ive had a few rugers that were just junk. Ive owned many rifles from many manufactures and rugers have allways had the highest percentage of dud shooters. Just about ever remington 700 or winch. 70 ive owned was capable of moa with some load developement but thats not the case with rugers. Id say i have had about half of the ones i owned that wouldnt do moa and out of them half were about pathetic. My rule of thumb for new guns is a good accurate rifle will shoot 2 inch with about anything and I can usually cut that in half with load developement. If the first couple groups are 3-4 inch the gun doesnt have much hope for shooting moa and ill usually pawn them before they get to many handling marks on them. It may be your best bet

And there is always some snooty know-it-all who enjoys bashing Rugers and has nothing positive to add to a thread except "Rugers Suck". I have two M77's, an old tang safety with an 18.5" barrel and iron sights. I also have a Frontier Rifle with a 2.5 power scout scope. Both are in .243. Both are tack drivers out of the box. I also had a Remington 700 in .30'06 with a 3-9 power scope that was only capable of 4" groups no matter what I did.

If your only answer to a poster's problem is to say "your choice of gun sucks" you have nothing to offer. It IS a Ruger Forum as you noted. If you don't like Rugers, feel free to leave. You shall not be missed.

 

[chucknbach]

chucknbach i see it all the time on here. theres guys on this fourm that are just ruger fanatics. After all its a ruger fourm. Every time a guy post that his ruger wont shoot guys will blame it on everything but the gun. Truth be know ive had a few rugers that were just junk. Ive owned many rifles from many manufactures and rugers have allways had the highest percentage of dud shooters. Just about ever remington 700 or winch. 70 ive owned was capable of moa with some load developement but thats not the case with rugers. Id say i have had about half of the ones i owned that wouldnt do moa and out of them half were about pathetic. My rule of thumb for new guns is a good accurate rifle will shoot 2 inch with about anything and I can usually cut that in half with load developement. If the first couple groups are 3-4 inch the gun doesnt have much hope for shooting moa and ill usually pawn them before they get to many handling marks on them. It may be your best bet

And there is always some snooty know-it-all who enjoys bashing Rugers and has nothing positive to add to a thread except "Rugers Suck". I have two M77's, an old tang safety with an 18.5" barrel and iron sights. I also have a Frontier Rifle with a 2.5 power scout scope. Both are in .243. Both are tack drivers out of the box. I also had a Remington 700 in .30'06 with a 3-9 power scope that was only capable of 4" groups no matter what I did.

If your only answer to a poster's problem is to say "your choice of gun sucks" you have nothing to offer. It IS a Ruger Forum as you noted. If you don't like Rugers, feel free to leave. You shall not be missed.

I would have to disagree. I don't feel he was bashing Rugers. He might have been blaming Ruger loyalists for blaming everything else but the gun. If he was talking about all the posts, then I think he's wrong but if he was talking about 1 individual possibility he was right.

My opinion on guns is this. If it's an accurate gun it'll be accurate with just about anything, from there you can dial things in to make it more accurate. So far with my experience with Rugers is that they are not inherently accurate. I have a load that shoots at an inch and my daughter hit a prairie dog today at 180 yds so this gun is good enough to hunt with this year. Thank God! I know I did an about face on load development so I really don't know what actually fixed the problem. That'll be figured out later as I'm out of time this year.

I don't think Ruger is likely to give much at this point (nor would Remington, Winchester, etc) Once you've altered their rifle with pillars and add-ons, they aren't especially receptive to criticism of the "factory original" problems you may have experienced.

Scope

Bedding

Crown


that's where I'd be looking.

I'm pretty sure if it turned out to be the crown, the action or the barrel any of those manufacturers would fix the problem. Kinda hard to blame a pillar-glass bed job when the barrel has incomplete rifling or something.

Thanks to all those who were trying to help.

 

[Calthrop]

I was snooping around a 6.8sPC users board and a shooter there could not get his compact to group. He said he called Ruger and was told that the rifle was intended to shoot two [2+"] at fifty yards! Ruger's rifle range is only fifty yards. For him that the group was completely unacceptable.
I stopped looking at the rifle as a possible buy when I read several other similar other reports of the rifle and caliber.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I've HAD two ruger ULTRALIGHTS. I only found satisfaction when I cut down a standard barrel to 19" with a recessed crown. I'll never do Ruger ultra lights again. They were both the new models too so there weren't no excuse.

 

[RJ556]

Luckenbach, I always thought Ruger Compacts had a 16" barrel from the factory. Did you replace the 16" barrels with standard M77 barrels that you shortened to 19"?

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

My bad Ultralights, I changed it.

One 308 win, I could not get it to group worth a crap unless I used 180 grain and that ain't the load I wanted to use. I can say for the 308, you need to know what twist rate is right for your ammo too.

My 243 weren't bad but it weren't good enough either.

This goes for Remington 700 mountains and Model sevens too. The only model seven I've seen that drives tacks is 7mm-08.

Just get yourself a good solid barrel bolt action like the M77 Stainless Sporter, spend the $125 on a good gunsmith job, add an Uncle Mike's Mountain Sling 1 1/4" with sewn-in swivels, and make your own "ultra light" or "compact" and it will be a better rifle and maybe four ounces difference in weight.

I had inquired about the same subject after having the same issue as you but I didn't expose my trouble. I acted like I wasn't familiar with them. I was trying to poll for problems.

 

[Calthrop]

The nice thing about the M77 [do not quote me it is sometime I have read so find out for your self]. The #1 or #3 front mounted rail will fit on the rifle giving you the option of a forward mounted scope.

This is something I have just read above and am responding to. So I have some work to do.
IMHO .243 has plenty to do the job from varmint to larger game if the shot is well placed. It will do the jobs recommended for lighter .308's.