Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Is it worth bedding a Ruger Mark II for accuracy?

I have a Ruger Mark II chambered in 300RSAUM that is an absolute pig when it comes to the walnut stock. What a big fat piece of walnut. When I compare it to the svelte fore end of a Remington M700 CDL I just shake my head. Why does Ruger have to make them so porky? Anyway, need your advice... i have this wild hair to glass bed the stock (I have never done this before), slap a bipod on it, and traipse out to the long distance range at Quantico to see how I can hang with my 6.5 Creedmoor buddies. I know, no contest, but this is more about seeing what I can actually accomplish with this pig. I figure I will just push a 150 BT as fast as it can go and see what happens... I should be able to hit paper at least out to 500 yards (lol). No turrets on the scope... it is sporting s 3-9x40 Vortex, so this is going to be an exercise in reading the wind and guessing on elevation.

All of mine are bedded and floated

My 2 cents....

If the rifle shoot shot well don't mess with it. I only bed if I am chasing accurac but only after many other issues are ruled out.

Sounds like you hate it. Wouldn't waste the time if your just going to see what it will do...

W

i don't hate any of my rifles, and tend to become sappy and sentimental about them. But the stock is a pig. I figure the bipod will cause all sorts of craziness on the fore end if it ain't bedded or free floated...?

Restock it with a new hawkeye syntheic or spring for a McMillan

One of the changes Ruger made to the MKII with the Hawkeye was to slim down the stock. If you want a slim wood stock, just order a Hawkeye stock to replace it from Ruger. I'm sure they also sell synthetics as well. Or you could go aftermarket. I have a MKII myself and have considered replacing with a Hawkeye stock.

Same here

Why not something slippery?

slippery... I have thought about 190 Sierra HPBTs...

The Hornady ELD-M and even the X series offerings in 178gr stomp on the 190 Sierra for long range and it only gets better with the 200,208 and 212's.

With the extra ass of the RSAUM I would be starting with the 208 ELD-M

I've never seen a proper bedding job hurt the accuracy of a rifle, irrespective of how well the rifle shoots beforehand.

Have a look at this thread.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/3003214/DIY_bedding_M77_(pic_heavy)#Post3003214

John

If it's worth owning, shooting and hunting with it's always worth bedding...

pulled the rifle apart to do some weight measurements:
walnut stock = 35 oz
bottom metal and screws incl trigger guard = 10.25 oz
barreled action = 4 lb 5.25oz
scope rings = 5.25 oz
Vortex scope = 14.375 oz
rifle w/o rings = 7lb 2.625 oz
assembled rifle = 8lb 6.375 oz

the component parts are heavy and substantial. built like a tank. no wonder the SOB feels like a pig.

will check out that bedding thread... thanks for the link

I'm thinking I'd be trying 155gr Scenars. That's my project this spring/summer for my 30-06.

how does it shoot now? if it shoots now, why bother, if it doesn't... why not?

=]

have not done any serious accuracy testing with this rifle. it is minute of deer with factory ammo. hope to get to a 100 yard range in the next couple weeks...

couple things that are my opinion here. first of all I am not a big fan of 30 caliber magnums for long range. I think its just trying to burn too much powder, too much blast, too much recoil and too much speed with match bullets that generally prefer around 3000 fps or less.

Your using a factory barrel that is basically a hunting rifle. If you get 1 MOA 3 shot groups with this setup you should be very very happy. I think the 30 caliber magnum has seen its time come and gone. There is just too many other options in 6.5 or 7mm that do a better job with less of all the too much stuff I listed above. If I want to play with the boys at quantico get a ruger precison rifle in 6.5 creed.