Heavy recoiling rifle on a bench

[COREY]

Hello All,

I bought myself a Ruger #1 H stainless in 375 H&H Mag a few months ago and I am trying to get some groups out of my handloads on the bench to see what the accuracy is like. I will get two shots touching and then one shot way out. I am not looking for a target rifle with this beast, but I want to make sure I have a half decent load before I start hunting with it.

I am used to shooting my 260 Rem target rifle on the bench; I getting 1/2" groups consistently with it yesterday. When I shoot it I sit in on a front rest with a rear bag, adjust the rifle to the center of my target and place my free hand against the rear bag for adjustment. I was trying this with the #1 yesterday, but I was keeping the rest about 1-2" away from the front of the action. When I touched it off it would jump up off the front rest quite a bit, but not enough to come back and hit me in the face (3.7" eye relief).

My questions are:

1) Is the rifle jumping like this possibly causing the odd groups? I had a 30 fps spread on the velocities so the loads are consistent, but then again a consistent velocity does not always make an accurate load in a rifle.

2) Would any of you hold this type of rifle differently on the bench due to the recoil and muzzle jump?

Thanks in advance for any info you guys can give me.

 

[mbessey]

I was doing the same thing you are doing with the same rifle a few years ago,
I found the recoil made it difficult to do any spectacuar target shooting over long periods of time.. I shot it alot and I did the same thing with a 458 lott in the same rifle, The 375 pretty much ate all ammo I gave it with no problems (or improvments over one powder to the next) but you may want to know that that rifle has a fair bit of freebore so you wont ever get the bullet close to the lands. That said it was pretty accurate anyways and had alot of fun with it.

I never held it differently on the bench, you just have to take the recoil full on, the only thing i found was that it would slide through my hand with the recoil and id cut up my hand a bit on the serated tang safety.

 

[slaym]

Is the rifle quit front end heavy. If so this is common, and where the front
bag is located makes a big difference. At least did on mine. Also might pay
to weight the stock more at the rear.

 

[COREY]

The beast weighs 8.5 lbs without a scope, much of that being the barrel. I was under the assumption that keeping the front rest as far bacl towards the action would help, but maybe I was wrong.

The recoil does not bother me really, I am just trying to get a conistent group out of it, whether it is 1" or 4" is what I want to determine. After I get a group out of it I will do not do much more shooting on the bench with it.

 

[guntech]

Place a bag of lead shot between your shoulder and the buttstock and hold the forend down on the front bag and pull it all tight to your shoulder is one method.

Another more realistic method is to hold the rifle in your hands as you would in the field, resting your elbows on the bench and supporting your forearms against some bags. You can get settled in pretty good that way. The recoil still hurts though.

Keep in mind .375 Ruger #1's were meant to be shot standing up in the field.... how good does it really have to shoot?

 

[Steeleco]

My #1B in .338 does the same thing. I bought mine with a mercury recoil suppressor installed and it jumped a fair bit. The heavier the load the more it jumped. I have since taken out the suppressor and it has tamed down a bit, not much, but the the weight savings is more of an advantage when carrying than the recoil reduction at any time. The jump may just be a quirk of these type of rifles in the heavier caliber's. My #1V in 6mm Rem, dosen't even flinch!!!

 

[NormB]

You may not be able to expect much more from a Ruger#1orm

Hello All,

I bought myself a Ruger #1 H stainless in 375 H&H Mag a few months ago and I am trying to get some groups out of my handloads on the bench to see what the accuracy is like. I will get two shots touching and then one shot way out. I am not looking for a target rifle with this beast, but I want to make sure I have a half decent load before I start hunting with it.



My questions are:

1) Is the rifle jumping like this possibly causing the odd groups? I had a 30 fps spread on the velocities so the loads are consistent, but then again a consistent velocity does not always make an accurate load in a rifle.

Yes the rifle jumping can cause the odd groups. If it recoils differently before or as the bullet is leaving.

2) Would any of you hold this type of rifle differently on the bench due to the recoil and muzzle jump?

I would try all the tricks mentioned and you must hold the rifle tight or you will be the recepient of the dreaded scope ring eye.

Thanks in advance for any info you guys can give me.

You don't say how far out the shot is that is not touching, or which shot it is.
With heavy recoiling rifles, you may be developing a flinch on anticipation of the "goings on" that are about to come when pulling the trigger on an 8lb .375.

Lastly, Ruger number 1's, due to their 2 piece design and forestock hanger, are not noted for there target accuracy. I had one in 22/250 that would shoot a very occasional .25 inch group followed and/or preceeded by many a 1.75 inch. 100yd group.

If the small group was the last one of the day, all was sweetness and light on the drive home, while the more frequent 1.75 inch groups induced a large ugly black cloud for the entire journey.

I shoot bolt actions now .

NormB

 

[COREY]

The shot that was out was random, and I usually do not let recoil bother me that much to develop a flinch; I can usualy call a bad shot with my target rifle before I see the target. I wear a recoil shield under my jacket, I had the hockey puck recoil pad replaced with a 1" Pachmyer Dec. pad, and I had the trigger adjusted down to about 3 lbs. I am using 235 grain Speers, and they are moving about 2800 fps; should work for almost anything in N.A.

I had a Ruger #1v in 22-250 that would group 3/4" all day long, I never got a group over 1 1/2" even during load development. From what I have found, and been told, the newer #1s group better than the older ones. That being said, I am not looking for another target rifle, I have one already, but I do want to see if the 1" 3 shot group I was getting was the norm and not the 1" group with two flyers that opened it up to 3".

I know this is closer to a hunting question in certain aspects, but I thought this area here would be batter for the proper hold to determine load accuracy. I will not hunt with it until I am confident of exactly where the bullet will go when I pull the trigger.

 

[mbessey]

The shot that was out was random, and I usually do not let recoil bother me that much to develop a flinch; I can usualy call a bad shot .
QUOTE]

you may be suprised if somone tests you for flinch. its hard for people to admit to having flinch, I dont think I flinch but i want to get a buddy to test for sure so I know that thats not something I have to improve on.

 

[NormB]

The shot that was out was random, and I usually do not let recoil bother me that much to develop a flinch; I can usualy call a bad shot with my target rifle before I see the target. I wear a recoil shield under my jacket, I had the hockey puck recoil pad replaced with a 1" Pachmyer Dec. pad, and I had the trigger adjusted down to about 3 lbs. I am using 235 grain Speers, and they are moving about 2800 fps; should work for almost anything in N.A.

I had a Ruger #1v in 22-250 that would group 3/4" all day long, I never got a group over 1 1/2" even during load development. From what I have found, and been told, the newer #1s group better than the older ones. That being said, I am not looking for another target rifle, I have one already, but I do want to see if the 1" 3 shot group I was getting was the norm and not the 1" group with two flyers that opened it up to 3".

I know this is closer to a hunting question in certain aspects, but I thought this area here would be batter for the proper hold to determine load accuracy. I will not hunt with it until I am confident of exactly where the bullet will go when I pull the trigger.

Well, It sounds like you are doing everything right to get good results on the target, so if you are not flinching, and the rifle is rock steady on shot letoff, then I guess that's all the accuracy available in your currently confirgured Ruger. You could try bedding the forend, or floating , or shimming between the hanger and forend at the hold down nut. A piece of bread bag tag closer cut to size makes a good shim. Go to a Ruger accuracy site and see what the current thinking is.

I stoned my hammer and sear, and installed a Canjar set trigger. I shimmed and floated the forend. I even shot it off the fore end hanger on the front bags. It didn't help much. The groups I was talking were 5 shot, not 3 shots at 100yds. It was never going to be an accurate rifle. I traded it for a 6.5X20 Leupold.

NormB

 

[Why not?]

Corey,

Guntech has given great advice. Until one tries putting a bag of lead shot between the rifle and their shoulder, it's hard to believe just how effective it is.

Over the years, I have suggested to many guys that they try this. Some just laugh at the idea, but those who try it all say the same thing. They can't quite believe how easy it is to shoot good groups.

Think about it.......... you are effectively adding 25 pounds to the weight of the rifle. The recoil is so soft that it allows you to concentrate on other aspects of the shot, such as trigger control, rifle cant and in the case of your rifle holding down the forend.

Give it a try. You can get a bag of shot at any store that sells shotshell reloading compopnents. You can always sell the shot or give it to a friend if you don't like using it.

Ted