What would you do next?

[Earl Three Beavers]

About three weeks ago I bought a Ruger Number One Varmint in .25-06 Rem. I love the looks, clean lines and handling of the gun.

I've done nothing to the gun other than put a Leupold 6.5 x 20 x40 and a Limbsaver pad on it. Started working up loads; first for a quick and dirty starting point I just set back the bullets deeper for my Sendero quarter ought six loads. It threw the Sierra 100 grains all around, put the Sierra 117 grainers in a 1 1/3" group. Then today I tried the 120 grain HPBT Sierras the Sendero never liked. Bingo! It shot a 0.85" six shot group: load is Sierra 120 gr HPBT seated to a COAL of 3.159" in Rem brass over 51 grains H4831SC with a WLR primer. The bullet is .002" off the lands.

That is certainly a "minute of deer" but I like shooting over some long farm fields rather than in the woods, so would like to get the group a bit tighter. And groundhogs are always in season.

I'd like to tweak this further by playing with seating depth, or, separately, varrying powder charge by .2 grains each way, but wonder if it would be better to float the barrel off the forearm first and maybe glass bed the forearm bolt seat area? I guess the barrel is still breaking in, too, so groups may improve a bit with time and shooting. Maybe 70 rounds through it now.

What would you do next to dial this gun in? Work on the load? Work on the gun? Go hunting?
Any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks!

[acloco]

Keep shooting it until the barrel settles in. Then decide if it needs more work.

[Earl Three Beavers]

Thanks, acloco.

That sounds easy enough!

[acloco]

Earl3Beav,
I forgot one thing. Loosen and torque the action screws once as well.

My 223 savage seemed like it took 500 rounds to settle in. But now, this is the "go to" rifle. Has 5-6000 rounds down the tube, never fouls, and....well....USUALLY hits what I point it at!

[Glen]

0.85" isn't too shabby at all.

What would you do next to dial this gun in? Work on the load? Work on the gun? Go hunting?

I think I would go blow a hole in something with it!!


~Thanks B B!!~

[Earl Three Beavers]

Thanks, guys.

I'll check those action bolts, acloco, and maybe put a touch of blue locktite on 'em.

Glen, I am ready to blow a twenty five caliber hole in a whitetail, alright. If it ever gets fall around here. Way too warm! But the groundhogs are still poking around a bit.

Next purchase for this gun might be a nice food dehydrator for deer jerky!

[Glen]

Thats what we like to hear!!