Ruger Gen II accuracy update

As a general rule, I bed almost all my rifles. I have a few that really didn't need it so I didn't. The problem with bedding the Ruger is the v-blocks. Every video I watched bedded the v-blocks into the stock. IF I decide to replace the stock, I'm screwed as the v-blocks are now permanently bedded into the cheap plastic Ruger stock unless I can use enough release agent to allow me to get them out.. I guess I can buy new ones or maybe there are better replacement blocks but one way or another I will need them.
 
To windy to test loads so I just started looking at the rifle to see if I could find anything "abnormal". LOL!! I put my rifle on a bi-pod and the movement in the fore-end has to be part of the accuracy issue. With my hand on the grip, I can twist the stock in either direction and make the barrel contact the fore-end. I don't think bedding will cure this issue.
 
Well it is considered a "Budget" rifle and with budget rifles you get budget components. I was hoping I might be one of the lucky ones that got a rifle that didn't need fixing. LOL,, I should have known better. I still consider it a challenge but I do know my limitations. I've only had a few rifles I couldn't get to shoot. Heck I have a Handi rifle shot shoots under an inch. Also a Ruger No 1 that shoots way better than most No 1's as well. If I can get them to shoot there is still a possibility this one will.
 
talked to a friend yesterday who was having grouping issues with his AR. sounded very much like the problem you're having. His AR won't shoot polymer tipped bullets, he said it was shooting 3-4 inches left or right sometimes more. Apparently the tips are getting screwed up as they chamber the round. Just passing this along.
 
GC said:
You are doing it wrong.
1) Drive out to the woods somewhere.
2) Tack a target to a tree.
3) Back the truck up an approximate distance, "'bout a hunnert yards."
4) Lay the rifle over the hood.
5) Fire four shots. Four shots because once you failed to clear the offset from the scope to the bore and shot a hole through your hood. That one doesn't count in the group size.
6) Gather up target, squint hard, then proclaim loudly "that's a 1/2" group all day long." DO NOT MEASURE THE GROUP. That just mucks things up and causes problems.
7) Enjoy your new tack driver!
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MOA is 2" at 50 yards isn't it? lol
 
Well, I fixed the trigger or at least its livable at 2 1/2 pounds and I fixed the stupid bolt not closing on an empty mag. Those were two issues bothering me. The stock, not even going to waste time trying to stiffen it up as its a POS and you can't polish a turd, so I ordered an MDT Field stock today. Its was fairly cheap and got a 10% discount and free shipping so that is on the way. Reviews on the stock were pretty good and it should be much better that the tupperware that's on it now. My only hope in getting this rifle to shoot is getting rid of things that keep it from shooting.
 
William Suter said:
Well, I fixed the trigger or at least its livable at 2 1/2 pounds and I fixed the stupid bolt not closing on an empty mag. Those were two issues bothering me. The stock, not even going to waste time trying to stiffen it up as its a POS and you can't polish a turd, so I ordered an MDT Field stock today. Its was fairly cheap and got a 10% discount and free shipping so that is on the way. Reviews on the stock were pretty good and it should be much better that the tupperware that's on it now. My only hope in getting this rifle to shoot is getting rid of things that keep it from shooting.
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Why do all of that? If you aren't happy with the accuracy just call Ruger, they will take it back.

As for bedding... I have read a lot that says bedding a Ruger American stock has zero affect on accuracy.
 
No offense, but you guys need to learn to shoot cheap rifles. Savage cheap stocks are the same but for a hunting gun work fine. I have removed laminated stocks and moved to the cheap plastic to save weight and they seem to shoot the same. This is with 20vt, 223, 223AI and 22-250. All will shoot half moa to 1 moa. I doubt it is the stock. They may not shoot as good as my Coopers but they shoot good. It may be a bad barrel.
 
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I own 4 Americans and all shoot great. 2 .308’s, 1 .243, and 1 7mm/08. 3 are Gen 1 Americans and 1 is a Predator.
No, I don’t care if they shoot cloverleaf groups, but they kill whatever we shoot with them out to 300yds. My farthest is 225, my son will sling some lead out to 300 when shooting does and hogs and has dropped them all.
Other than the thermal which gets shot all year, the others are put in the safe and taken out a couple weeks before time to take some does. They always hit exactly where they did the year prior. The .243 is my 9yr olds and he’s dropping his deer as well.
Heck, I’m waiting on a Gen 2 .308 and hopefully it’ll shoot as straight as all its predecessors. I keep hearing bad things about the American line, but I haven’t seen it yet out of mine. Heck when it’s time to kill does, we rotate through each rifle just to shoot them. If we gonna shoot, we gonna get something in return, lol.
Disclaimer: we have to shoot a certain number of does each year for management purposes.
 
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.243 works great for culling Does Here's weekend's work Murl B.
 
Spurchaser said:
I own 4 Americans and all shoot great. 2 .308’s, 1 .243, and 1 7mm/08. 3 are Gen 1 Americans and 1 is a Predator.
No, I don’t care if they shoot cloverleaf groups, but they kill whatever we shoot with them out to 300yds. My farthest is 225, my son will sling some lead out to 300 when shooting does and hogs and has dropped them all.
Other than the thermal which gets shot all year, the others are put in the safe and taken out a couple weeks before time to take some does. They always hit exactly where they did the year prior. The .243 is my 9yr olds and he’s dropping his deer as well.
Heck, I’m waiting on a Gen 2 .308 and hopefully it’ll shoot as straight as all its predecessors. I keep hearing bad things about the American line, but I haven’t seen it yet out of mine. Heck when it’s time to kill does, we rotate through each rifle just to shoot them. If we gonna shoot, we gonna get something in return, lol.
Disclaimer: we have to shoot a certain number of does each year for management purposes.
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IMO Savage started the "accurate budget rifle" trend then Ruger stepped in and took it a step further.

There are a lot of reloaders and rifle snobs on here and I respect them and their input, but some of them tend to talk down to a lot of people. It's like the ol mighty bow hunter that does everything better than a gun hunter. I say that and up until year before last hadn't touched a rifle in over 15 years..... I strictly bow hunted.

If it were me, I would have sent the rifle back to Ruger before I started tinkering with it. WhooTeeWhoo, as much as he loves Ruger Americans sent one in a while back that would not shoot well. If I remember right it was a 7prc? They replaced it.
 
I can respect the bowhunting aspect. My son and I do it as well. We’ll take 4-5 does each with the bows and all bucks…if we shoot one. But then it’s time to start taking them out, a box of bullets is way cheaper than arrows and broadheads, lol.
 
William Suter said:
I'm to anal to settle for one inch groups.
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Nothing wrong with that at all.

Some folks are satisfied with minute-of-coyote or so.

Others want a bit better.

And also there are those that have no earthly idea how or why their rifle won't shoot under 3" at 100 yards and they either don't care or don't know how to correct the problem. They shove every different brand & weight of factory loads into the rifle trying to "fix" it. And then they just shrug their shoulders and go hunting.

And then ... there are those who want to squeeze every tiny amount of accuracy out of a particular firearm and will do everything within reason to accomplish the task. Tuning stocks, handloading, and other things are the norm. Why do they do this? Because it is FUN. It is a CHALLENGE. And it just fits their personality.

I think that you and I both fit into that last group. :cool:
 
Dead is dead regardless. If I aim for the shoulder and hit 1-2” either way, it’s dead.
Not quite sure where or how y’all hunt, but I hope to get to the level of shots y’all experience. I don’t get too many opportunities where I can “pick a hair” to aim at. I normally get a general vicinity spot and send it…so far it’s worked every time. Then again I’m not shooting fairy dust at them either. If I hit it, it’s going down.
Someone else mentioned it before…it’s figuring out the best time to break that trigger vs having time to pick an exact spot.
 
Spurchaser said:
Dead is dead regardless. If I aim for the shoulder and hit 1-2” either way, it’s dead.
Not quite sure where or how y’all hunt, but I hope to get to the level of shots y’all experience. I don’t get too many opportunities where I can “pick a hair” to aim at. I normally get a general vicinity spot and send it…so far it’s worked every time. Then again I’m not shooting fairy dust at them either. If I hit it, it’s going down.
Someone else mentioned it before…it’s figuring out the best time to break that trigger vs having time to pick an exact spot.
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One more thought and I'll shut up ........... A lot depends on what the owner is planning for the rifle.

For a deer rifle in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi where 95% of the shots are likely to be under 50 yards, anything near or approaching 3" is adequate. I know guys who are completely satisfied with that and kill bunches of deer every season and never lose a wounded animal.

And then there are those who hunt coyotes or antelope and routinely find themselves shooting 200-300 yards and REQUIRE the rifle to shoot MOA or preferably better in order to get the job done without wounding an animal or missing completely.

Spurchaser: Aiming for a general area at 300 yards is a recipe for disaster. What is the old saying ...... "Aim small, miss small". And we ALL are going to make a mistake, sometimes quite often. The more accurate the rifle, the smaller the mistake is likely to be. And that is why making the rifle as accurate as possible is paramount in my book.

The great Ben Hogan was once asked if he aimed at a certain object when hitting a golf shot. He said: "I don't aim at the tree in the far distance, nor a branch on that tree. I single out a leaf and aim at it." 'Nuff said. ;)
 
Hidalgo said:
For a deer rifle in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi where 95% of the shots are likely to be under 50 yards, anything near or approaching 3" is adequate. I know guys who are completely satisfied with that and kill bunches of deer every season and never lose a wounded animal.

And then there are those who hunt coyotes or antelope and routinely find themselves shooting 200-300 yards and REQUIRE the rifle to shoot MOA or preferably better in order to get the job done without wounding an animal or missing completely.
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In a nutshell^^^^^^
When I was a teenager, I spent all my spare time at a friend/menor's gunsmith shop. His pet peeve was all the deer hunters leaving 9" paper plates hanging on the target frame at his range with bullet holes literally covering the plates, and all the comments from the "hunters" comments in the shop that, "it's good enough if I can hit a paper plate @ 100."
 
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