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Posted: 2/4/2013 8:17:20 AM EDT
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If this topic belongs in a different subforum, oops and sorry.
Many handloaders tend to be obsessive regarding accuracy (ahem  ) so this seemed like an appropriate place.
Backstory: I 'accurized' a 10/22 years ago. It (used to) be sub-moa capable with the right ammunition. The groupings have become MUCH larger as of late, and I've noticed that my bedding job doesn't 'grip' the action nearly as tight as it once did. I bedded the factory Ruger stock; the whole point was to make as accurate a rimfire rifle as I could on as little coin as possible. Is this typical with bedding jobs in 'cheap' stocks? Do they 'loosen up' over time? |
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barrel leading was a concern, so I recently took it all apart and thoroughly cleaned the barrel; first with Hoppes (brush & patches, you know the drill), and then with a chemical lead remover (although I'm not convinced the 'lead remover' is anything more than snake oil).
I will probably re-bed the action. Just looking at it from a cause/effect standpoint, I can't pinpoint anything else that would change the bullet impacts so dramatically and inconsistently over how the rifle shot before. I've been through the scope rings/bases, nothing has loosened up there. I'm no expert marksman, but the whole point in building the little 10/22 was having an economical platform to practice with, and it's not behaving well 
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check the fit of the barrel to the receiver fit. The ruger 10/22 over time can loosen up the fit since the receiver is only a soft alloy. The steel barrel is only held against the receiver by the barrel block. Its the tight fit that keeps the barrel alligned and that fit will loosen up over time. A new receiver with an aftermarket barrel will take a good bit of force to mate up. An old receiver with thousands and thousands of rounds (easy to do with a .22) will be easy to push the barrel in. Since the scope is mounted to the receiver it will shift as the bolt snaps back and forth and strikes the barrel face.
Seems like just a minor difference, but it matters. take out the action, see if the locking block is still tight. If it is, loosen up the locking block and see how tight the fit is to the receiver. My 10/22 started to wander a bit and I found mine had become a little loose after a couple thousand rounds with a new barrel. I tightened the two screws back up and it was good to go again. |
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