Tight group, but one flyer

[fasteddie911]

Hi,
I've been developing a load for my ruger M77 MKII in .308. I know its not known for accuracy, but i've free floated the barrel and have been trying to get a load for 150gr corelokts. I've been using Fed 210 and IMR4895 and I got the best group around 46gr., by best I mean that it would shoot all but 1 shot under 1", today it shot all but 1 shot under .5". I am making good shots, and letting the barrel cool between shots, nevertheless the flyer is sometimes the 2nd or 3rd shot. Part of me thinks the powder model/weight is off, but then why, at 46gr, would it shoot all but one accurately? Whereas other powder charges shoots all shots inaccurately. So maybe its not the powder charge, so could it be the OAL? Could playing around with the OAL possibly solve this flyer problem? Also, i've been just FL resizing the brass, not doing anything fancy, but should I consider playing around with necksizing or removing the expander ball or anything else for the brass? Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks!

 

[flashhole]

If you are not culling components it's unlikely you will get different results.

Are you weighing each bullet and checking for uniformity in the ogive? The bearing surface of the bullet will make a difference too.

Take the known fliers and cull that piece of brass and see if that makes a difference. Checking for concentricity may help too.

I never liked 150 grain bullets in 30 cal. The heavier ones always shot better for me.

 

[fasteddie911]

Thanks for the response. I am just wondering how effective culling my components could be since the bullet itself isn't very high-precision and already, without culling, I am getting good groups except for the one flier. So could that one flier be due to components that are so far off from the rest? And whats the likelihood that its always one flier and it has happened in a couple groups? I am just thinking out loud here, but I do plan on taking a closer look at the components. I did try 165gr bullet before and these 150gr corelokts are actually giving me the best groups yet(assuming I can solve the flier problem). Do you think its worthwhile to keep working at this load that is giving me a flier? Or does that flier indicate its still the incorrect load, even though the other bullets are grouping tight? Thanks!

 

[flashhole]

I once had a box of one hundred 180 grain Hornady SST bullets in 30 caliber that I was using with a 200 win mag. Results were very erratic so I started poking at things and discovered the SST bullets (touted to be high quality) were all over the map. The extremes went from just over 190 grains to 110 grains (yes 110 grains). That was a lesson for me and I don't take anything at face value when it comes to reloading components.

 

[bigngreen]

If I get the occasional flyer screwing with me I will switch up primers, I'll just load a series of tests with primers being the only difference and I'll usually see a big difference, not always but I've had it happen enough times to think it's worth a try.
I don't mess with Rugers much but I've read several times they are sensitive to action screw torque.

 

[newmexkid]

I've used to shoot a couple of Rugers quite a few years back. When I started to have grouping trouble the first place I went to was the front action screw.

 

[fasteddie911]

I've used to shoot a couple of Rugers quite a few years back. When I started to have grouping trouble the first place I went to was the front action screw.

Any suggestions about how to check or fix this? I did change the stock and free floated the barrel along the way. I read that you should tighten the front angled screw down then tighten everything else, but I don't have a torque wrench and just made it as tight as possible. Any suggestions on how you deal with the front action screw?

Thanks for all the tips, I'm gonna take a closer look at the consistency of the components and maybe try a different primer. But do you think its worth my time to play around with this load more(i.e. can the flier be resolved) ? Or do you think I should just try other powders, charges, bullets, etc?

 

[41mag]

I've had a Ruger COmpact for quite a few years, and to be quite honest it has always shot factory Remington 150gr CL's the best getting 1" consistently at 100yds. In fact they shot so well I never bothered to waste time and energy to work up a load until the prices went up on them. I use Winchester mostly but as of late have been working with the WOlf LR's with pretty decent results. These loads are also using the bulk 150gr CL's and some surplus powder. The latter loads are staying within 1.5" at 100yds consistently and are primarily only for hog hunting so BR accuracy isn't an issue.

This said, I have put that rifle into two other stocks and back again to the factory. In all cases the front screw was adjusted at the range. I initially didn't have an inch/Lb torque wrench so I just snugged up the back one till it felt good to me, then snugged down the front. Once things were not movable I shot a group, then tightened up again. Usually the front screw would take a bit more pressure to settle things down.

I haven't to date used the torque wrench on this particular rifle as it is shooting fine like it is. But I do suggest like the others giving that a try, as well as switching primers with all else being the same.