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Little help with .257 Hawkeye

3K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  BassMan 
#1 · (Edited)
Great day at the range

hello, I have worked up loads @.3 grain increments to 46.1 grains of IMR4350 and shot off bags to no avail,in my .257 Roberts Compact Hawkeye. 3" inch groups are unacceptable.
I have shot a ladder and have selected one load in the middle range of a cluster. Now I'm going to try seating depths from jam to ????
using Nosler 100 gr Ballistic tip /Fed 210M/Rem. cases

I thought about bedding but do not want to decrease value if I want to 86 this one. I have put a Spec-Tech trigger in it,which is nice.
I thought maybe a faster powder considering the short pencil barrel

Anyone who has experience with the Hawkeye Compact 20"barrel?
 
#4 ·
I have had issues with a number of Ruger 77's being inaccurate out of the box. Check the action screws first. Proper sequence is to install all of them but less than tight. I then snug up the front angled screw but just enough to remove the slack and not over tight. Then snug up the rear screw but watch for any action movement. Don't overtighten. Then do the center screw to bottom but do not over tighten. If you see any movement in the floorplate or action you definately have a bedding problem. After proper screw install, shoot the weapon. If you still have poor accuracy I would free float the barrel. This is the place that most accuracy increases occure. Many 77 forearms are rubbing the barrel somewhere.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Your selection of components is among the best for the .257 R. I believe you have 20 inch 1-10 twist barrel.

The next step is to check out the rifle:

Crown - free of dings and dents, check this out with a magnifier.

Magazine Box - this should not be part of the rifles bedding system, take a small file and remove metal from the bottom back and front of the box where the front floor plate hinge and front part of the trigger guard contact the magazine box. Screws when cinched tight exert large amounts of tension, when everything is tightened properly the magazine box should be able to be slightly moved using your fingers. You want to avoid warping (bending) the action. The .257 R HE action is very stiff but still might be bent.

Action screws - the front one should be real tight, the back two just tight enough so they are firmly planted and won't back out.

Evenly bearing bolt lugs - remove the firing pin assembly from the bolt by inserting a tight fitting allen wrench or tapered awl through the hole in the cocking piece and unscrewing the firing pin assembly from the bolt. With the firing pin assembly removed from the bolt coat the bearing surfaces of the locking lugs with felt tip pen ink of the permanent type. Put the bolt back into the rifle, insert a cleaning rod into the rifle (be real careful not to damage the crown) then push on the cleaning rod just enough to shove the bolt back in then work the bolt up and down. Upon removing the bolt the ink should be rubbed off both lugs.

Firing a rifle causes all sorts of stress inside the stock both compressional and torque. Epoxy bedding sort of locks everything in place but this is a major event as far as Ruger is concerned and for resale. Possibly, if a rifle with an epoxy bedded stock was sent back to Ruger they might replace the stock and charge you for a new one.

If all else fails you might consider buying a box of factory ammo and sending the rifle and several 3 inch groups back to Ruger. If they tell you a 3 inch group is satisfactory go to work on the rifle or find a good gun smith.

I have many Ruger M77 MII's and I routinely perform the preceding steps.

Good luck, keep in mind that rifles are to be shot and a bag of silver coins would be a better investment.
 
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