Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Owners- Ruger stainless boat paddle advice

Found one of these in perfect condition and thought about grabbing it.

Wanted to ask if any other owners have opened up the bbl channel to free float the tube on one of these stocks. It looks to be tight as Dick's hat band.

Wanted to see if there was anything I should be aware of before I have someone start whittling on that stock.

Thanks

Try shooting it before you mess with it, have three and no complaints on any of them as far as accuracy is concerned.

I have one of the ugly bastards with a [bleep] .270 chamber and it shoots great with only some trigger work.

Hi Cal,

I planned on it. Bro in law has one that shoots quite well.

Just wanted to see if there were any snags if I needed to open up the bbl channel.

Thanks

This is a .270!

Will be my first ever. Poohbah will dis-own me, but I'll have millions of new redneck friends to soften the blow. Lol.

I like the rifle, but it's no lightweight. Does anyone know how much they weigh?

Put a hone to the trigger, and go kill stuff. I have a boat paddle 223, uncle has a 280. Barrel channels have not been touched. They both shoot way, way better than they should. The boat paddle Ruger is the 90s version of a Tikka. Ugly, but shoots.

If I remember right, as I'm not at home, it is high 7's with a scope.
Seems alot lighter than M77 wood, but probably a pound or so.

The last time I looked at one, the channel of that boat paddle is a little opened up already - underneath. Like the others have said, get to the range first. Maybe a little trigger work first.
There just a no nonsense, all weather rifle that is hard to beat.

It's ugly, but I like it.

Intended on rebarreling in 25-06 at some point. The trigger felt like it could definitely use some work, but most do so that's no biggie.

Planned on replacing those hangers with screw in swivels as well.

8 lbs 12 ozs with 4 carts, 3-9x40 FFII, and quake claw sling..

Thanks Rancho.

I could tell it wasn't a lightweight. Most of mine run around 8.5 lbs scooped and ready to hunt.

All mine are floated and they all shot better after floating.

Here's a few weights on a couple of mine


1st 7mm Mag, Leupold 4.5-14x40, Vero Venelli sling



2nd 338 Win Mag, Leupold 3-9x40



I'm guessing the .270 is a 22" barrel, so that shaves a few ounces off of mine.


They're ugly, but they do grow on you. I also have a .22 mag with a Leupold 3-9x40 on it.

I don't know if those stocks are stiff enough for free floating to work unless you really took a lot of material out.

I have three of them and have owned a fourth. One is a .280 that shot 1.5-2 MOA with most loads. I wanted to improve the accuracy so I bought a B&C stock and bedded it. Groups shrank down to 1" with most loads.

Then I decided I wanted to mess with the boat paddle and see if I could get it work just because I think they are cooler looking. So I used carbon arrow shafts and epoxy to stiffen the barrel channel and then glass bedded the action. Still shot the 1.5-2" groups...go figure.

The .243 I bought from highridge shoots great though. And so does my 7 mag.

Its just luck of the draw.

JM, they do look good in wood....

Yup.

That one does. How does it shoot?

Yup, I have a 260 I put in factory wood and like the look very much. I just screwed it in and added a set of ruger mounts with a m8 6x on it and it shoots factory 7/8 in. as is. What's not to love?

most awesomely.. I floated it.