I have a standing rule on my big game rifles. Groups can be no larger than 1.5" and the rifle has to shoot them or smaller consistantly.
One of my favorite rifle of all time was a 1903 Mannlicher- Schoenaur that some low life liberated from my truck while I was having a pit stop in Elko Nevada. For years I looked for a replacement that was in decent shape and reasonably affordable.
No such luck. Then Ruger came out with their RSI and after fondling one I knew I wanted one. At that time we were just getting into a new house so any gun buying had to be put on hold. One day looking in the want ads, I spotted olne for sale in .308 Win. at a more than reasonable price so I gave the guy a call and went to see the gun after work. I'm thinking it's probably beat up but no, it was not only not beat up buy cherry as hell. I had to ask why the low price and was told the gun was inaccurate as all hell. Gun fit is important to me and this thing fit me like it was custom made for me. I bought it. The guy threw in a bunch of brass, bullets a can of powder and a couple of boxes of factory ammo. Said he was through with the .308 forever.
He was right. On a good day a 3" groups was about the best the gun would do and sometimes only 4" groups. You name it, I tried it to no avail. Then I started tgrying powder not so well suited to the .308. One day, while working with W760 and the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core I got the first group that fell into what I would accept, 1.5" at 100 yards. I gave the rifle almost a half hour to cool down and tried another group. Again I got 1.5". I've since relieved that metal nose cap a bit and now groups are more often than not in the 1.25" range. After two long years, I finally got that rifle to a point that I can use it. The load is no speed demon at 2550 FPS but the deer that I've shot with that load haven't complained one bit Since then I I've picked up two more of those Ruger RSI rifles, all in .308 that sold cheap because their owners said they were inaccurate and worked up with the same load with W760 and the 165 gr. Speer and they've shot within my criteria. Funny thing (pecliar, not ha ha)is switch to a different 165 gr. bullet and accuracy goes all to hell. Those three rifles truly are my one trick ponies.
Paul B.
