Playing gunsmith.... sorta.... Ruger American

RCP Fab · March 11, 2013, 08:43 PM

I can't leave anything alone. First I clearanced around the barrel a bit, then I decided that it needed to look different... just to me be.

kutz · March 11, 2013, 09:24 PM

Nice job, I love my plain, but accurate American in .270.

Dan Newberry · March 11, 2013, 10:56 PM

that trigger is a breeze to work on too... remove the trigger pin, then you can get at the spring (the one the tension hex screw adjusts)... clip a couple of coils and voila... 2 pounds, crisp and clean. Put some white lithium grease on the sear engagement for best results...

good job on the forearm... I opened up the channel a bit on my son's .243 also, but not to that extent.

Dan

RCP Fab · March 12, 2013, 08:53 AM

Thanks

Dan, do you have any pictures of the trigger work? It is something that I want to do, but I am a little nervous about going at it blind.

hooligan1 · March 12, 2013, 03:57 PM

Dang dude that's wat I call "Free-Floating", that will definitely make the barrel vibrations more repeatable.

RCP Fab · March 12, 2013, 04:17 PM

We will see if it makes a difference. This past weekend I probably abused the rifle a little more than I should have, and the warmer it got, the bigger the group got. About 60 rounds into the day I noticed that the barrel was completely touching the stock on the bottom and the left side. Moving the rifle around on the bench I could get it flex close to an 1/8" in any direction. Just the tension on the bipod legs from taking aim would completely change how and where the stock was touching the barrel. The underside of the barrel at the front of the stock has a shiny silver "smile" from contact.

Polinese · March 12, 2013, 04:37 PM

You could try what I did with my savage axis and fill the front in with epoxy putty to stiffen it up.

Picher · March 12, 2013, 07:08 PM

I've filled in plastic forends with epoxy, but set pieces of blue styrofoam in the bottoms of the chambers to take up space without adding weight and using so much fairly expensive epoxy.

The barrel can be wrapped with tape to maintain clearance from epoxy, but don't forget release compound on the tape. I use soft paste wax, like clear shoe polish on my bedding jobs. It's the best release compound I've ever used.

RCP Fab · March 12, 2013, 07:57 PM

Interesting. I might look into do that in the future as well. Right now I have the butt of the stock filled with some rubber, I am looking for a more permanent solution to that.

RCP Fab · March 12, 2013, 10:45 PM

Did the trigger work, simple, and works great, going to do a small write-up for others.

Dan Newberry · March 12, 2013, 10:50 PM

yeah, the RAR trigger is the easiest trigger to work on I've ever seen... it's a 5 minute job, really...

It'll be good to have some pictures... I didn't take any (I wasn't sure it would work, and didn't want a photo record of a screw up!

)... but it worked like a champ.

I'm glad it worked well for you also.

Dan

RCP Fab · March 12, 2013, 10:52 PM

I didn't take pics either, but here's a pretty simple write-up. Really if you can unbolt the stock, you can handle the trigger.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=519494

RCP Fab · March 16, 2013, 04:28 PM

Rifle shot great today, 1.5MOA all day, with some pretty decent wind, and I am not the best of shooters that's for sure.

March 11, 2013, 08:43 PM	#1
RCP Fab Member Join Date: February 22, 2013 Posts: 63	Playing gunsmith.... sorta.... Ruger American I can't leave anything alone. First I clearanced around the barrel a bit, then I decided that it needed to look different... just to me be.

March 11, 2013, 10:56 PM	#3
Dan Newberry Senior Member Join Date: October 3, 2012 Location: Wytheville, VA Posts: 179	that trigger is a breeze to work on too... remove the trigger pin, then you can get at the spring (the one the tension hex screw adjusts)... clip a couple of coils and voila... 2 pounds, crisp and clean. Put some white lithium grease on the sear engagement for best results... good job on the forearm... I opened up the channel a bit on my son's .243 also, but not to that extent. Dan __________________ *www.BANGSTEEL.com* Practical Long Range Rifle Courses... Optimal Charge Weight handload consulting

March 12, 2013, 03:57 PM	#5
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 2,830	Dang dude that's wat I call "Free-Floating", that will definitely make the barrel vibrations more repeatable. __________________ Thanks for coming!

March 12, 2013, 07:08 PM	#8
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 2,310	I've filled in plastic forends with epoxy, but set pieces of blue styrofoam in the bottoms of the chambers to take up space without adding weight and using so much fairly expensive epoxy. The barrel can be wrapped with tape to maintain clearance from epoxy, but don't forget release compound on the tape. I use soft paste wax, like clear shoe polish on my bedding jobs. It's the best release compound I've ever used. __________________ If I can't be with the rifle I love, I love the rifle I'm with!!

March 12, 2013, 10:50 PM	#11
Dan Newberry Senior Member Join Date: October 3, 2012 Location: Wytheville, VA Posts: 179	yeah, the RAR trigger is the easiest trigger to work on I've ever seen... it's a 5 minute job, really... It'll be good to have some pictures... I didn't take any (I wasn't sure it would work, and didn't want a photo record of a screw up! )... but it worked like a champ. I'm glad it worked well for you also. Dan __________________ *www.BANGSTEEL.com* Practical Long Range Rifle Courses... Optimal Charge Weight handload consulting

March 11, 2013, 09:24 PM	#2
kutz Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2012 Location: New Mexico USA Posts: 145	Nice job, I love my plain, but accurate American in .270.

March 12, 2013, 08:53 AM	#4
RCP Fab Member Join Date: February 22, 2013 Posts: 63	Thanks Dan, do you have any pictures of the trigger work? It is something that I want to do, but I am a little nervous about going at it blind.

March 12, 2013, 04:17 PM	#6
RCP Fab Member Join Date: February 22, 2013 Posts: 63	We will see if it makes a difference. This past weekend I probably abused the rifle a little more than I should have, and the warmer it got, the bigger the group got. About 60 rounds into the day I noticed that the barrel was completely touching the stock on the bottom and the left side. Moving the rifle around on the bench I could get it flex close to an 1/8" in any direction. Just the tension on the bipod legs from taking aim would completely change how and where the stock was touching the barrel. The underside of the barrel at the front of the stock has a shiny silver "smile" from contact.

March 12, 2013, 04:37 PM	#7
Polinese Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2010 Posts: 245	You could try what I did with my savage axis and fill the front in with epoxy putty to stiffen it up.

March 12, 2013, 07:57 PM	#9
RCP Fab Member Join Date: February 22, 2013 Posts: 63	Interesting. I might look into do that in the future as well. Right now I have the butt of the stock filled with some rubber, I am looking for a more permanent solution to that.

March 12, 2013, 10:45 PM	#10
RCP Fab Member Join Date: February 22, 2013 Posts: 63	Did the trigger work, simple, and works great, going to do a small write-up for others.

March 12, 2013, 10:52 PM	#12
RCP Fab Member Join Date: February 22, 2013 Posts: 63	I didn't take pics either, but here's a pretty simple write-up. Really if you can unbolt the stock, you can handle the trigger. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=519494

March 16, 2013, 04:28 PM	#13
RCP Fab Member Join Date: February 22, 2013 Posts: 63	Rifle shot great today, 1.5MOA all day, with some pretty decent wind, and I am not the best of shooters that's for sure.