I have a bicentennial ruger no 1 in 25-06. Bought it a couple of years ago. Worked up some decent loads using 117 gr sst and hunted with those for a year. 2 inch groups at 100. Meh.
This year I started using 120 gr aframes and experimented with a couple of powders but never got great results. Maybe inch and a half performance. Switched to reloader 22 and bingo, three bullets in the same hole.
Last week while deer hunting it suddenly would not hit the broad side of a barn. 9 inch spead at 100. Thuroughly cleaned the rifle and headed to the range. After a fouling shot it put three in one hole at 100. Half hour later three into 3 inches at 250 yds. Half hour later moved back to 100 with a four inch group. Half hour later I could not hit a 12 inch peice of paper at 250. After just 13 rnds it was useless. What gives? I am thinking a worn out barell? It is 43 years old and I have no idea how many rounds it has seen. The bore never really shines inside, even after a cleaning.
This year I started using 120 gr aframes and experimented with a couple of powders but never got great results. Maybe inch and a half performance. Switched to reloader 22 and bingo, three bullets in the same hole.
Last week while deer hunting it suddenly would not hit the broad side of a barn. 9 inch spead at 100. Thuroughly cleaned the rifle and headed to the range. After a fouling shot it put three in one hole at 100. Half hour later three into 3 inches at 250 yds. Half hour later moved back to 100 with a four inch group. Half hour later I could not hit a 12 inch peice of paper at 250. After just 13 rnds it was useless. What gives? I am thinking a worn out barell? It is 43 years old and I have no idea how many rounds it has seen. The bore never really shines inside, even after a cleaning.
