Chris
Well-Known Member
Recently bought a 200th year Ruger #3 in .45/70, it's in mint condition. My first single shot.
I have shot about 150 rounds of cast on paper, 3 bullets and 4 powders at varying levels on the mild side of things. Just looking for a decent load at the plinking level and around 14-1500 for hunting. Trying to assess accuracy potential.
A pattern, with an exception or two, has devoped which makes me consider bedding issues. Light loads, i.e. 10-13 grains of Unique (315 to 420 grain cast) shoot very well, easily inside 1.5" at 50 yards using the factory leaf and bead sights. Get to 14 grains of Unique, or equivalent velocity using 4759 or 2400 and the groups just blow up... I mean bad. It just vomits my favorite load of 24/2400. Generally there is visible a vertical stringing component.
I'm thinking to bed the forend, later the buttstock. Do you guys have experience with this, can you comment on bedding success in #1 or #3 Ruger?
I have been reading a bit since I am new to this rifle, although I am not new to accurizing rifles with two-piece stocks.. I have studied McPherson's accuracy book and crawled the internet and have been able to determine a general direction, but guidance from anyone with experience will be helpful.
Summing what I read, the accuracy issue is with improper/erratic contact between forend and barrel, as well as forend contact with the action. Near unanimous that relieving contact (freefloating) between barrel and forend/action bears fruit. The barrel/action should not touch the forend except at a created pressure point. Also, the barrel band should be relieved where it touches the upper side of the barrel.
There appear to be two camps, those who use a shim of some kind between the barrel and forend hanger (or bed in a Hicks device, or a screw to provide pressure to barrel) to provide wood/metal clearnce and support the barrel, and those who put pressure on the barrel at the forend tip. This is done using bedding compound, strip of rubber, maybe ATV (which makes sense to me). There aren't a lot of barrel threads in the action, so it makes sense to support the barrel... the question is where, how, and how much pressure. Shooting groups may well determine the amount of pressure needed.
So that is what I read. Anybody have any experience or cautions they can relate?
I have shot about 150 rounds of cast on paper, 3 bullets and 4 powders at varying levels on the mild side of things. Just looking for a decent load at the plinking level and around 14-1500 for hunting. Trying to assess accuracy potential.
A pattern, with an exception or two, has devoped which makes me consider bedding issues. Light loads, i.e. 10-13 grains of Unique (315 to 420 grain cast) shoot very well, easily inside 1.5" at 50 yards using the factory leaf and bead sights. Get to 14 grains of Unique, or equivalent velocity using 4759 or 2400 and the groups just blow up... I mean bad. It just vomits my favorite load of 24/2400. Generally there is visible a vertical stringing component.
I'm thinking to bed the forend, later the buttstock. Do you guys have experience with this, can you comment on bedding success in #1 or #3 Ruger?
I have been reading a bit since I am new to this rifle, although I am not new to accurizing rifles with two-piece stocks.. I have studied McPherson's accuracy book and crawled the internet and have been able to determine a general direction, but guidance from anyone with experience will be helpful.
Summing what I read, the accuracy issue is with improper/erratic contact between forend and barrel, as well as forend contact with the action. Near unanimous that relieving contact (freefloating) between barrel and forend/action bears fruit. The barrel/action should not touch the forend except at a created pressure point. Also, the barrel band should be relieved where it touches the upper side of the barrel.
There appear to be two camps, those who use a shim of some kind between the barrel and forend hanger (or bed in a Hicks device, or a screw to provide pressure to barrel) to provide wood/metal clearnce and support the barrel, and those who put pressure on the barrel at the forend tip. This is done using bedding compound, strip of rubber, maybe ATV (which makes sense to me). There aren't a lot of barrel threads in the action, so it makes sense to support the barrel... the question is where, how, and how much pressure. Shooting groups may well determine the amount of pressure needed.
So that is what I read. Anybody have any experience or cautions they can relate?