Groups from my new Ruger Hawkeye in 06

Step 4: Sell rifle to Wrong Way cheap. WW sees that based on shots 2&3 with the 168 gr. load the gun has potential to be a serious tack driver
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Be patient it's only a matter of time.:popCorn:
 
gitrdun said:
By my experience, if the flyer is the 1st shot, the gun needs a bedding job. Someone mentioned "not liking to shoot cold", that doesn't make sense. If this was true, then it would be pretty well useless as a Canadian rifle. I wouldn't sell it either simply because it needs a bedding job. The one you buy as a replacement may not necessarily be any better.
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It most certainly does make sense ;)
Lots of guns will send a flyer out of a cold barrel...the secret is to either deal with the barrel presure, or sight in your scope to the POI of the cold barrel shot. In most hunting scenarios the second and third shots (if required) are hardly a precision affair anyway.
Anyway, back on topic, If you re-read all of the threads, you will see that he has installed a shim under the barrel. In this case, I suspect that the barrel being cool is putting a certain amount of pressure on the barrel where as it warms up (warm metal=expansion) it exerts more pressure. In his case he has not found the point where the harmonics of the barrel are the same throughout the temperature range. You are correct however, that the "first shot flyer syndrome" can generally be corrected with a bedding job....but that only applies to a free floated tube. His is not floated completely. *IF* he does a true free float, and the suggestions I made earlier don't work, only then will it be time to bed. I have had factory rifles that shoot incredibly well without it (my 700 mountain in 7mm/08 for example..will put three shots in 3/8")...and some that shoot better because of bedding. It will not improve every rifle it's tried on...and bedding is a ##### to undo.
 
(1) Free float the barrel right to the lug.
(2) Apply floor wax to any metal parts that will be in contact with epoxy.
(3) Epoxy 2 inches forward from the lug in the barrel channel under the chamber and include a spot of epoxy to the backside of the lug only.
(4) After drying time disassemble and wipe metal down and remove all wax.Don't use any chemicals , just wipe off.
(5) Assemble and try a piece of paper down the barrel channel to see if barrel is free floated.
(6)If more epoxy is needed then do step 2,3,4,5 again
(7)Try a heavier bullet,every 06 I have had liked 180 grain and heavier.
(8)Clean bore with a tight fitting dry patch only.
(9)Before trying for groups,take a couple fouling shots.
(10)If this works out then after I would apply some blue loctite to the action screws.
I have not yet had to do any epoxy at the fore end of the barrel and have had better luck removing the pressure point like Remington's have and free floating down to the lug.I reseal the wood after sanding it down to prevent any water from warping the wood.
When I shoot for groups I will fire and wait a minute between shots,I always make sure I keep my ammo out of the sun and allow the barrel to cool in the shade for the minute between shots.
I know it's rather long winded, but I hope it helps. If it works I may send my PAL, and if it doesn't, I won't...............:D
 
I have never experienced it personally, but I have heard of such barrels that actually require some "preload" or pressure point to shoot well. Specifically, the M70 Featherweight with pencil thin barrels. Definitely a science, I'm fortunate enough that none of my rifles are so - finicky. :)
 
I like 303Carbine's suggestion to use BLUE loctite on the action screws. Blue is actually medium strenght or removable. RED is strong, non removable. Well it is, but it could get ugly. Stay away from RED.
 
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I have heard that with the 06 and other larger capacity cases that if you reload and use a powder that does not fill or come close to filling the case the first shot can be off and the recoil will pack the powder in the cases that are in the mag. and the cause them fire more consistantly. I don't know if this is true because I have never experienced it, but I'd say it is worth a look.
 
Keep us posted on what you did to improve things. One more thing, if you are shooting max or near max loads your rifle may benefit from loading down a couple of grains.:shotgun: Accuracy is not always the quickest......but 50 fps faster will not make big game any deader.......
PS, do not over tighten action screws, but you already knew that , right!!!;)
 
303carbine said:
Keep us posted on what you did to improve things. One more thing, if you are shooting max or near max loads your rifle may benefit from loading down a couple of grains.:shotgun: Accuracy is not always the quickest......but 50 fps faster will not make big game any deader.......
PS, do not over tighten action screws, but you already knew that , right!!!;)
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I partially agree on not overtightening action screws. But what is and what isn't. How many inch/lbs ? This is where proper bedding or even better, pillar mounts and bedding come into play. The torque of action screws should only cause the action to stay put in the stock's home position, not cause distortion. A truly bedded and pillar mounted action should not in theory be distorted by action screw torque. Obviously, within reason. One of the reasons why bedding and pillar mounts are promoted.
 
I have been in the same boat as you a time or 2.

When shimming the forend use compressed cardbord like the stuff from an ammo box or buisness card. Don't make your shim so wide it wraps around the bbl, pinching it on the sides. This in it's self causes problems with vertical stringing as the bbl is "clamped" on the sides. It needs to push upwards on the bottom 1/4 radius of the bbl.

After shimming grab the bbl and forend and pull them apart. Your bbl should lift off the shim without binding on it.

Rather than applying forend pressure, I have found that Rugers can sometimes use a support pad made of epoxy under the chamber portion of the BBl. I bed the action normaly, try it out, then place a piece of paper under the action and make the bbl support bed. This causes the suppoert bed to be a TINY bit higher than the rest of the action beding, making sure it is snug with a little presure when the action screws are tightened. It has cured the problem you are having, while still getting a free floating (for the most part) bbl.
 
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One thing i haven;t tried is 180 grain bullets. I have read some 06's are finicky and shoot 180's the best. I have definitley gone through powder and 165's and 168's so maybe i'll give the 180's a whirl as well next week. Or i live with the best group of the bunch and quit fiddling.
 
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