Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Best bullet for a 16" Ruger Scout do-all load?

The chrono says my 16"barreled Ruger Scout loses 170fps over published velocities for factory (Winchester and Remington) 150g ammo. Average is ~2650fps instead of published 2820fps. So far I haven't built any test loads for it and started giving the matter of a do-all load some consideration. After playing with the ballistic calculator a bit I've come to the conclusion one could do a lot worse than using a 210g AccuBond Long Range bullet for serious work and a 208 A-MAX for practice loads.

Here are some comparisons based on the assumption all are zeroed for Maximum Point Blank Range for a target 6" in diameter, a 10mph crosswind and that I can continue to get within 150fps of published handload velocities:

150g AccuBond, B.C. .435, 2650fps, 2339fpe, zero 224 yards, MPBR 263 yards
165g AccuBond, B.C. .475, 2550fps, 2382fpe, zero 217 yards, MPBR 255 yards
208g A-MAX, B.C. .648, 2300fps, 2443fpe, zero 201 yards, MPBR 238 yards
210g AccuBond LR, B.C. .730, 2300fps, 2466fpe, zero 202 yards, MPBR 239 yards

300 yards:
150g = -7.0", 2092fps, 1458fpe, 7.6" drift
165g = -8.0", 2048fps, 1536fpe, 7.2" drift
208g = -10.8", 1947fps, 1751fpe, 5.9" drift
210g = -10.7", 1986fps, 1838fpe, 5.4" drift

400 yards:
150g = -23.0", 1922fps, 1230fpe, 13.8" drift
165g = -25.0", 1893fps, 1313fpe, 13.1" drift
208g = -30.9", 1837fps, 1558fpe, 10.8" drift
210g = -29.8", 1886fps, 1658fpe, 9.4" drift

500 yards:
150g = -48.7", 1762fps, 1033fpe, 22.6" drift
165g = -52.2", 1748fps, 1119fpe, 21.6" drift
208g = -61.7", 1732fps, 1386fpe, 17.7" drift
210g = -59.3", 1790fps, 1495fpe, 15.3" drift

As the numbers above show, inside 300 yards there isn't much difference in drop or drift but the 210g retains considerably more energy. At 500 yards the 210g drops an extra 10-1/2" (22%) but has 7" less drift (33%) and retains an extra 462fpe (45%) compared to the 150g load. Calculated recoil is a bit over 19 ft-lbs compared to a calculated value of 15.0 ft-lbs for the 150g load.

Suggestions?

Try a few and stick with the most accurate in your gun

There no need to agonize over something as simple as bullet choice when they all do basically the same thing

All the "good ballistics" on paper means nothing if they don't shoot well in your gun.

What he said. I wa shooting with a friend today who just bought one of these scouts as a close range deer rifle (within 300 meters). He bought a box of winchester super x 150gr to run the barrell in and we were super suprised when it shot under half inch all day, three shots touching. Now the super fussy guy who loads 210 bergers in his custom 300wm isnt even going to handload for his new rifle. Just go with what shoots best.

Seems to be a common theme with the Ruger GSR.
Mostly shoot pretty good !

One thing I don't see considered is the expansion range of the bullet. Are you going to kill stuff with the rifle ? If so, you need to consider hunting bullets and their expansion range.
I do understand the Hornady A-Max bullets open pretty well a low impact velocities, but I'm not sure they would make you happy as a hunting bullet.
Jeff cooper felt that 2700 fps. plus was plenty with a 150 gr. bullet in his scout rifles.
Just a few thoughts. E

I have been shooting a Steyr Scout for 15 years in a Cooper configuration. As Cooper suggested, it is at best a 350 yard rifle. I have found for deer and smaller stuff the 150 grain Hornaday at 2700 fps is enough. For larger game I change to the the 150 Nosler Partition or the Barnes at the same velocity. When I go to Africa I will take only the 150 Nosler. Partition and use it for all legal plains game.

If you want to shoot at stuff farther away, get a heavier barrel and a fancier scope. Wouldn't change the cartridge however.

That's an interesting comparison for the somewhat velocity deprived 16 inch tube, which I've been thinking about a 308 so set up. Being that the accubond are designed to expand down to 1800 ft/s and the accubond LR down to 1300 as they tell us looks like the ABs are good for 400 almost 5 and the ABLR good to expand out to somewhere off the chart. I wouldn't have thunk the slow #ssed 210 would be the way to go stretch its limits with a short tube..

Just a note to some of the posters - Accuracy is always a concern, as is terminal performance when game is involved. The 210ABLR, as has been noted, is designed to expand at pretty low velocities.

For paper and steel accuracy is all that matters and I've had great luck with the A-MAX in all my rifles. I'll probably develop subsonic loads for the 2087 A-MAX as well, just as I plan to do with my .300 BLK.

By way of comparison, here are some numbers for my .44 Mag revolver and carbine using chrono'd loads and the Ruger Scout using a 210g AccuBond LR at an estimated 2300fps:

Ruger 7-1/2" Super Redhawk, 240g
0 yards = 1529fps, 1246fpe
50 yards = 1390fps, 1030fpe
100 yards = 1269fps, 859fpe

Browning B92 carbine, 240g:
0 yards = 1881fps, 1885fpe
50 yards = 1714fps, 1566fpe
100 yards = 1559fps, 1295fpe

Most people don't have any problem considering a .44 Mag revolver good to 50 yards for deer or even elk or a .44 Mag rifle as good to 100 yards for the same game. Here is the calculated velocity and energy of the 210 AccuBond LR out to 700 yards:

0 yards = 2300fps, 2466fpe
100 yards = 2192fps, 2241fpe
200 yards = 2088fps, 2032fpe
300 yards = 1986fps, 1838fpe
400 yards = 1886fps, 1658fpe
500 yards = 1790fps, 1495fpe
600 yards = 1699fps, 1346fpe
700 yards = 1611fps, 1210fpe

Out to 400 yards bullet drop is pretty manageable (-30") even without fancy scopes with drop compensating reticles or turrets or whatever, and the 210ABLR packs a pretty good punch at that range. At 700 yards the 210 ABLR would have about the same velocity and energy as my .44 revolver has at the muzzle and my .44 rifle has at 100 yards. The almost 13 feet of drop at that range, though, is considerably more than I'm prepared to deal with when game is concerned.

CH,

I think you are on the right track. The 210 Accubond LR shows how high BCs are important at longer ranges, even at reduced velocity. Up and down is easy. It's the East and West that can be difficult.

If the gun likes 'em, I would be using the higher BC pills. Bullets in the right place perform much better than bullets that miss the mark (steel and flesh included).

Thanks. Here are some more interesting (to me, at least) comparisons to my other leverguns - .30-30, .375 Winchester and .45-70. Love to carry the levers and love the feel of them in my hands and while all have gone deer and elk hunting, they are more than a little lacking when ranges get long.


Winchester .30-30 150g, Winchester factory ammo:
0 yards = 2390fps, 1902fpe
100 yards = 2019fps, 1357fpe
200 yards = 1685fps, 945fpe

Winchester .30-30 170g, Winchester factory ammo:
0 yards = 2200fps, 1827fpe
100 yards = 1879fps, 1332fpe
200 yards = 1591fps, 955fpe



Winchester .375 200g, Winchester factory ammo:
0 yards =2200 fps, 2150fpe
100 yards = 1841fps, 1506fpe
200 yards = 1526fps, 1034fpe

Winchester .375 220g handload ammo:
0 yards =2230 fps, 2429fpe
100 yards = 1885fps, 1735fpe
200 yards = 1579fps, 1218fpe
300 yards = 1321fps, 853fpe


.45-70 350g handload ammo:
0 yards = 2181fps, 3696fpe
100 yards = 1861fps, 2692fpe
200 yards = 1577fps, 1932fpe
300 yards = 1334fps, 1383fpe


Ruger Scout, 210g AccuBond LR handload (estimated MV)
0 yards = 2300fps, 2466fpe
100 yards = 2192fps, 2241fpe
200 yards = 2088fps, 2032fpe
300 yards = 1986fps, 1838fpe
400 yards = 1886fps, 1658fpe
500 yards = 1790fps, 1495fpe
600 yards = 1699fps, 1346fpe
700 yards = 1611fps, 1210fpe


Ignoring the 153" bullet drop at 700 yards, the 210g ABLR matches or exceeds what the other cartridges and loads are doing at 200 yards with the exception of the .45-70 in the energy department. I wanted a short, handy rifle with longer reach than my leverguns (.30-30, .75 Win, .44 Mag and .45-70) and the Scout with the 210ABLR looks like a good choice.

Just looked at Winchester's .270 Win ammo for fun. Here's how it compares:

.270 Winchester, 130g Winchester factory ammo (X2705)
0 yards = 3060fps, 2702fpe
100 yards = 2802fps, 2267fpe
200 yards = 2559fps, 1890fpe
300 yards = 2329fps, 1565fpe
400 yards = 2110fps, 1285fpe
500 yards = 1904fps, 1046fpe


.270 Winchester, 150g Winchester factory ammo (X2704)
0 yards = 2850fps, 2705fpe
100 yards = 2585fps, 2226fpe
200 yards = 2336fps, 1817fpe
300 yards = 2100fps, 1468fpe
400 yards = 1879fps, 1175fpe
500 yards = 1673fps, 932fpe

Out to 400 yards the bullet drop of the 210ABLR is manageable (-30.0") and not that much more than the .270 Win loads (-20.6" and -25" for the 130g and 150g loads respectively with a 200 yard zero for all). From shortly beyond 100 yards the 210g delivers more energy than either of the .270 Win loads. Given that all but one of my shots on deer and elk have been 400 yards or under, and most under 300, the 210g ABLR is looking pretty good for an all purpose hunting bullet.

My Ruger Hawkeye in .280 Rem was purchased thinking Daughter #1 would use it on her first elk hunt next fall. She had her first chance to shoot it today but she had a strong preference for the Ruger Gunsite Scout in .308 Win. Big Brother also really like the Scout and I'l be surprised if he doesn't get one in short order. Both rifles were shooting 150g loads, Winchester for the .308 and Remington for the .280.

For more fun I ran a comparison against the .280 Rem and the Scout with 210 ABLR bullets at 2300fps. The .280 shoots flatter, no surprise there. Using 200 yard zeros for both, the, .280 is down 48.9" at 500 per Remington while I calculate the .308 210g load would be down 59.6". In the energy department, though, the .308 Wins by a significant margin:

Ruger Scout, 210g AccuBond LR handload (estimated MV)
0 yards = 2300fps, 2466fpe
100 yards = 2192fps, 2241fpe
200 yards = 2088fps, 2032fpe
300 yards = 1986fps, 1838fpe
400 yards = 1886fps, 1658fpe
500 yards = 1790fps, 1495fpe
600 yards = 1699fps, 1346fpe
700 yards = 1611fps, 1210fpe

.280 Rem, 150g Remington factor ammo (R280 R1)
0 yards = 2890fps, 2781fpe
100 yards = 2624fps, 2293fpe
200 yards = 2373fps, 1875fpe
300 yards = 2135fps, 1518fpe
400 yards = 1917fps, 1217fpe
500 yards = 1705fps, 968fpe

However, I also ran the numbers on the .280 Rem for a 150g ABLR and assumed the same 2900fps at the muzzle I do with the Remington loads. Here's how that looks:

.280 Rem, 150g Nosler AccuBond Long Range handloads (estimated MV)
0 yards = 2900fps, 2801fpe
100 yards = 2753fps, 2524fpe
200 yards = 2611fps, 2270fpe
300 yards = 2473fps, 2036fpe
400 yards = 2339fps, 1822fpe
500 yards = 2209fps, 1626fpe

This load would be down only 32.3" at 500 yards and would retain more energy and a lot more velocity than the .308 210g ABLR load, with slightly less drift. While I'd prefer she takes whichever she shoots best, I kind of hope that with some practice in the coming months she will get comfortable with the .280. If not, I'll probably take it myself. Come to think of it, if she does choose the .280, I'll probably take the Scout.