Years ago I bought a Ruger M77 RSI, the International for a ridiculously low price because the gay said it was inaccurate as hell. $200 for the gun, dies, bullets of which there were plenty, brass and the sellers somewhat words saying, "Good luck." It took two years to find a load. Ended up with a max for the rifle using W760 and the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core. Best that gun will do consistently is 1.50". I killed a lot of deer with that load.
I came into two more of those rifle in .308, all well below their worth because their owners couldn't get a usable level of accuracy from them. Seems all three like the same load. Did some tinkering with them on that metal nose cap and now groups are closer to 1.25".
Velocity is similar in all three with the combined average being about 2550 FPS from the 18.5" barrel. That same load run through a Winchester M70 with 22" barrel is 2610 FPS.
You cannot change a thing. Winchester brass and WLR primer and that Speer bullet. Change to a Sierra or other brand bullet and accuracy goes straight to hell. Change primer and no more accuracy. The strangest thing about it is the Speer Nitrex factory load would shoot right along with my handload with exactly same results. A pox on Speer for dropping that load.
Two more things; why did I buy three? Well, one was for my wife. She wanted to take over mine and the the last just a moment of weakness due to a very pretty piece of lumber. Second, I was at the range shortly after buying the second one testing the loads and I ran info the guy I'd bought it from. The look on his face when we checked targets was priceless. He wanted to know what I did and offered to buy the rifle back for twice what I gave him. Told him I'd do it but that I'd given the rifle to my wife and I was sure she wouldn't sell.
Paul B.
