22.250 barrel

fairview mick · October 7, 2012, 03:43 PM

I have a Ruger m-77, caliber 22.250. It is starting to lose it's grouping. Up until a while ago, I could almost always put three touching at 100 yards. Now the group is opening up. I do not use real hot loads, but the rifle has been shot quite a bit, and I'm not the first owner(probably, at least thirty years old). Can anyone recommend a good barrel, and gunsmith to install it. I do want to keep the gun, as it's over all condition is excellent.
Thanks
Mickey

Creeper · October 7, 2012, 04:14 PM

There are dozens of barrel makers who's quality will far exceed that of the original barrel.... so running down a list that you can easily find on the internet is a waste of time. What it really boils down to is how much (potential) accuracy do you want to buy?

Kelbly's... a well known benchrest "center of the universe" is in your neighborhood. I'd contact them for advice... if anything, they can direct you to a good local gunsmith. It's always nice to be able to discuss face to face with a gunsmith than by phone or interweb.

Kelbly's Inc.
7222 Dalton Fox Lake Rd
North Lawrence, OH 44666
Contact: George Kelbly
(330) 683-4674

C

fairview mick · October 7, 2012, 05:02 PM

Creeper.
I totally forgot about them. I've shooting there since the early eightys. I go ther two or three times a month, but always on a weekend and they're closed. i'll go down during the week and talk to the techs inside.
thanks very much.
Mickey

Creeper · October 7, 2012, 05:05 PM

Quote:

I've shooting there since the early eightys.

Lucky you... I was doing good to get there once a year for the Super Shoot and the occasional NBRSA National.

C

603Country · October 7, 2012, 05:23 PM

I have a Ruger 77V (tang safety model) that eventually started shooting a bit more loosely than it had for years. I figured that it was probably due to throat erosion, so I seated the bullets out just a bit further and got the accuracy back for a while. Eventually I did need a new barrel.

Scorch · October 7, 2012, 06:10 PM

You have a few options:
* Rebarrel with a barrel by a barrel maker of your choice. I use McGowen for building rifles, but there are several very good barrel amkers you can find on the web.

* Have the threads cut off, the barrel set-back, and the chamber recut.

* I typically do not recommend seating the bullets out farther with small-caliber cartridges.

603Country · October 7, 2012, 09:23 PM

Seating the bullets out a bit further to compensate for an eroded throat wasn't something I came up with after a bunch of wine. One of my shooting books suggested it, so I thought I'd give it a try. I didn't just randomly seat the bullets out further. I approached it, and measured it, as if it were a new rifle that I wanted an overall cartridge length for. And I went to a heavier bullet, and I had to use flat based bullets for best accuracy. It worked great, but I did eventually need a new barrel after another year or so because there's a limit in how far out you can seat the bullets that I had. Unless the OP just has the hots for a new barrel and the ultimate in accuracy, which I would understand, he might try my approach. The biggest thing going for my approach is that it's really cheap and quick, and maybe even free if you have the reloading stuff on hand. Load up a couple and shoot em. Or...you can spend a bunch of money on a new barrel or mods to your existing barrel. I'm just sayin...

Picher · October 8, 2012, 02:55 AM

I recently had a barrel replaced to change calibers on my Rem 700 from .22-250 to .243. I don't normally recommend barrel replacement, since it's usually more expensive and time-consuming than simply trading the rifle for a new one.

Mine took about 4 months and cost more than trading guns! If there hadn't been sentimental value to mine, I wouldn't have done it. It was the rifle that won many turkeys in local shoots, to the extent it was banned by one shoot!

I recently bought a Tikka T-3 Lite that shoots under 1/2" groups out of the box and without tuning handloads for it. It cost me about the same as the barrel and gunsmithing on my Remington.

Scorch · October 8, 2012, 10:31 AM

Quote:

I did eventually need a new barrel after another year or so because there's a limit in how far out you can seat the bullets

And that is just one of the reasons why I do not recommend seating the bullets out farther, you are just chasing a moving point of reference. It's like putting the spare tire on your car if you need new tires, it doesn't solve the problem, and you have to fix it pretty soon anyway.

603Country · October 8, 2012, 12:30 PM

If the OP doesn't shoot the rifle that awful much (50 or 100 rounds per year), he could probably go for quite a few years just seating the bullet out a bit, and it might not need much of a seating adjustment. Again, my approach could be tested quickly and with zero expense. Your suggestion of a new barrel is undoubtedly the best long term solution, but it isn't cheap and it isn't quick. A minor change to the seating is free and quick. If it works, great. If not, grab the checkbook and go see the gunsmith. Why not try it? Why advise against just trying it?

October 7, 2012, 03:43 PM	#1
fairview mick Senior Member Join Date: November 3, 2005 Location: North Olmsted Posts: 795	22.250 barrel I have a Ruger m-77, caliber 22.250. It is starting to lose it's grouping. Up until a while ago, I could almost always put three touching at 100 yards. Now the group is opening up. I do not use real hot loads, but the rifle has been shot quite a bit, and I'm not the first owner(probably, at least thirty years old). Can anyone recommend a good barrel, and gunsmith to install it. I do want to keep the gun, as it's over all condition is excellent. Thanks Mickey __________________ 90% of my hard earned money went to Hot women, fast bikes and guns. THE REST I WASTED!!!!! Mickey-NRA life member

October 7, 2012, 04:14 PM	#2
Creeper Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: Woooooshington Posts: 1,797	There are dozens of barrel makers who's quality will far exceed that of the original barrel.... so running down a list that you can easily find on the internet is a waste of time. What it really boils down to is how much (potential) accuracy do you want to buy? Kelbly's... a well known benchrest "center of the universe" is in your neighborhood. I'd contact them for advice... if anything, they can direct you to a good local gunsmith. It's always nice to be able to discuss face to face with a gunsmith than by phone or interweb. Kelbly's Inc. 7222 Dalton Fox Lake Rd North Lawrence, OH 44666 Contact: George Kelbly (330) 683-4674 C __________________ Shoulder Drive Nicholson Club

October 7, 2012, 05:02 PM	#3
fairview mick Senior Member Join Date: November 3, 2005 Location: North Olmsted Posts: 795	re: barrel/Kelbley's Creeper. I totally forgot about them. I've shooting there since the early eightys. I go ther two or three times a month, but always on a weekend and they're closed. i'll go down during the week and talk to the techs inside. thanks very much. Mickey __________________ 90% of my hard earned money went to Hot women, fast bikes and guns. THE REST I WASTED!!!!! Mickey-NRA life member

October 7, 2012, 06:10 PM	#6
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	You have a few options: * Rebarrel with a barrel by a barrel maker of your choice. I use McGowen for building rifles, but there are several very good barrel amkers you can find on the web. * Have the threads cut off, the barrel set-back, and the chamber recut. * I typically do not recommend seating the bullets out farther with small-caliber cartridges. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

October 7, 2012, 05:23 PM	#5
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	I have a Ruger 77V (tang safety model) that eventually started shooting a bit more loosely than it had for years. I figured that it was probably due to throat erosion, so I seated the bullets out just a bit further and got the accuracy back for a while. Eventually I did need a new barrel.

October 7, 2012, 09:23 PM	#7
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	Seating the bullets out a bit further to compensate for an eroded throat wasn't something I came up with after a bunch of wine. One of my shooting books suggested it, so I thought I'd give it a try. I didn't just randomly seat the bullets out further. I approached it, and measured it, as if it were a new rifle that I wanted an overall cartridge length for. And I went to a heavier bullet, and I had to use flat based bullets for best accuracy. It worked great, but I did eventually need a new barrel after another year or so because there's a limit in how far out you can seat the bullets that I had. Unless the OP just has the hots for a new barrel and the ultimate in accuracy, which I would understand, he might try my approach. The biggest thing going for my approach is that it's really cheap and quick, and maybe even free if you have the reloading stuff on hand. Load up a couple and shoot em. Or...you can spend a bunch of money on a new barrel or mods to your existing barrel. I'm just sayin...

October 8, 2012, 02:55 AM	#8
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	I recently had a barrel replaced to change calibers on my Rem 700 from .22-250 to .243. I don't normally recommend barrel replacement, since it's usually more expensive and time-consuming than simply trading the rifle for a new one. Mine took about 4 months and cost more than trading guns! If there hadn't been sentimental value to mine, I wouldn't have done it. It was the rifle that won many turkeys in local shoots, to the extent it was banned by one shoot! I recently bought a Tikka T-3 Lite that shoots under 1/2" groups out of the box and without tuning handloads for it. It cost me about the same as the barrel and gunsmithing on my Remington.

October 8, 2012, 12:30 PM	#10
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	If the OP doesn't shoot the rifle that awful much (50 or 100 rounds per year), he could probably go for quite a few years just seating the bullet out a bit, and it might not need much of a seating adjustment. Again, my approach could be tested quickly and with zero expense. Your suggestion of a new barrel is undoubtedly the best long term solution, but it isn't cheap and it isn't quick. A minor change to the seating is free and quick. If it works, great. If not, grab the checkbook and go see the gunsmith. Why not try it? Why advise against just trying it?