16" .308 Ruger American

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swampratt

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Thinking out loud here.
I got a 22" version and it just does not shoot as tight of groups as my 18" Savage rifle in .308.
I had another savage in .308 with 24" and it does not shoot as tight as that one either.
That 24" did not really impress me for a thick barrel deal I ended up cutting it to 20.5" and it tightened right up and the accuracy node was much wider.

The node on the 18" is wide also.. it is just not picky if you get the charge off a bit.
I can load with Lee scoopers and have very excellent ammo Sub MOA easy.

I shot the 22" Ruger vs my 18" savage and found the savage has a fast barrel.
Same loads.
I handload for my guns just so you know.

I was thinking a barrel swap on the Ruger but maybe cut the stock barrel first and see what kind of accuracy I can get from it.
I have 2 .308 rifles now.. the 18" and this Ruger 22"
As is the Ruger is not fast or accurate enough for long distance stuff.

Any suggestions?
 

swampratt

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Ok some more thinking. I have decided to do what has been done many times cut the barrel and watch for accuracy improvements.
I will find a good 200 yard load then cut the now 22" barrel to 20" and shoot the same load and see what it does.
Then cut to 18" and see what it does. then cut to 16.5" and see what happens to the same load at 200 yards.
Not going to use a chronograph.
That has been done many times and is old news.
Accuracy is what i want more of.
150 gr flat base.
I will use IMR 4064, cci 200 primers and Lapua cases.
Start load will be 41.5 gr and work up in 1/2 gr steps
 

swampratt

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what happens if 22" is the most accurate length?

I thought about that.
And I have sent a few down range in this gun and it is very finicky on temp changes and it only groups well with flat base bullets.
Makes me think the last bit of barrel is fubared.
Accuracy as is even with the flat base makes me hate the gun.
Just sitting there with no one to love or even want to take it out.

Justifiable barrel shortening in my mind.
Or barrel swap.
What would I do with the old barrel if I did a barrel swap. scrap it.
I would not want someone to have it thinking it was going to be a good shooter.

No harm in cutting it since it is just scrap iron.
 

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I may get the accuracy I need at 20" and stop there. we will see.
25-300 yard shooting at critters that is all the goal I need and most will be 200 yards or less.
My old 30-30 got it done for many years at those distances.
and 2200 fps 150 gr from that one.
I worked Varget and 4064 and 2495 in that gun.
Varget in winchester and lapua cases from 41 gr to 47 gr in small steps .3 gr depending on cases.
Too much work trying to make it happy.. some 100 yard stuff looked promising then at 200 it fell apart.

Barre was cleaned of all fouling before I started including copper.
and I tried fouled and not fouled barrel.
 

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I got some loads made for the testing.
Going to do a ladder test at 200 yards at each barrel length.
IMR 4064, New Lapua cases prepped. 210M primers and Hornady #3031 Interlock SP 150gr.
https://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifle/30-cal-308-150-gr-interlock-sp#!/

Loads are .5 gr increments 44.5 to 47 gr. That makes 6 loads for each barrel length.
And I also made a load with 168 A-Max 210M with 43 gr IMR 4064.
That load works great in my other .308 5 rounds of that.
Hopefully this will happen before Saturday.
 

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I went shooting and reloading on sight buddies place 200 yards.
The gun is a finicky junker to say the least.

I think I know the issue and it is in the chamber.
I did a ladder test at 22" showed 2 loads right next to each other.
I made those loads and shot them.
First shot low next shot high and to the right and another shot higher and more right and the next one did the same higher and to the right.
Like a rainbow as the barrel warmed.
I had a 7mm mauser that would do that.

I cut the barrel and used the same load.
Now I got a triangle shape for 3 rounds.
Then i shot another ladder test.. all over the place. Made many loads with 168A-Max and the flat base 150 gr.
Junk.
Cut the barrel to 18"
Did some load work and found an excellent load.
Made a cloverleaf at 200 yards and shot #4 went low and left.
I took those cases and loaded them again and other Lapua cases got prepped the same way and loaded that good load in them.
5 rounds each.
JUNK.. all strung out.
I stepped up the charge 1/2 a grain. JUNK I cleaned barrel af all fouling and copper and shot multiple loads with different primers and some different powder.
JUNK.
I changed the scope to a Nikon from the Redfield. JUNK


Conclusion:
There are 2 spots on my case neck after firing the cases that look like rifling grooves.
They are into the neck a good .020" almost like the chamber or throat was not finished correctly.

I have never had a gun shoot soooo bad as this one.
I did not cut to 16" as it was not really showing any progress like it should have been.
My ladder loads shot tighter groups than a load with all the same powder weight.
And that is making 4 of all the loads in the ladder.

Trimmed chamfered cases each time..I even played with how much i sized the case.
Set shoulders back and left them as fired.
Played with seating depths of bullets.

Nothing showed any gains that could be repeated.

2 full days daylight to dark.
I tried.

On a good note my 6.5 creedmoor has a dandy load 4064 and 129 gr flat base hornady in R-P cases with cci 200 primers.
Shot a possum in the eye as it was looking at me from 20 paces.

Ripped the lower jaw off and 1/2 of it's face and came out it's side past the ribs and made all the guts come out of that area.
Brutal.. have not blown up a critter like that.

It was pestering a dog.. or dog was pestering it.
Buzzard food now.
 

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