Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ruger RSI accuracy????????

I have always been intrigued with these rifles. That said I have been told they are extremely finicky about accuracy due to the full stock.
Also how much velocity loss would occur from a 22" barreled to an RSI in 308?
Any input fellas?

Cant answer the question about the accuracy as I have never had one of these but as far as velocity it depends. Might find a shorter barrel gun that actually gives higher velocities than a longer barreled gun due to individual chamber variances and internal barrel dimensions but on AVERAGE I would say about 100 FPS loss from 22 inch to 18.5 inch.

Ok thank you. Found the velocity vs length answer, about 18 fps per inch they said.

Here's what they both look like...



The're both in .338 Fed, and they both shoot very well...the RSI killed one mule deer buck this fall, and the stainless/synthetic model killed two bucks -- a whitetail and a mule deer. The 22" barrel runs, in general, about 100 to 150 fps faster than the RSI -- mostly not enough to make a real difference.

Different models for different purposes...mostly revolving around weather and conditions.

Dennis

Here's a couple from this year...

Whitetail from SD...



Mule deer from Montana, on the back of the truck...



If I knew how to dump pics from my cell phone, I'd have more pics...

Dennis

I have found Ruger 77 RSIs to typically be sub-2MOA shooters, but none (that I recall) were ever consistant sub-1MOA shooters, even with the neoprene O-ring treatment. I have only had 1 bad 77 RSI, a tang safety 243 that must have had a kink in its barrel, 'cause it shot patterns rather than groups, even when the barreled action was installed in a 77V stock, which gave it 100% free float.

If 2MOA will fit your hunting requirement, they are short, handy, rifles to have around.

EDIT: I forgot to put the standard "YMMV" disclaimer on my comment, as I am sure that there are many folks who have 77 RSIs that will shoot consistant sub-MOA groups, but their experiences are not my experiences.

Jeff

While 2MOA is likely plenty good enough for big game hunting, mostly, in most places -- I have two that shoot much better than that, as have all the ones I've owned in the past. Freeing the wood around certain points is always important, as is getting everything set up between action and stock.

FWIW...

Dennis

Several years ago, a gunshop in my area had a Ruger 77RSI
in 250-3000 on the used gun rack. One guy bought it and
brought it back, said it didnt shoot very well at all.
It sat for a long time and another guy bought it and
kept it. I would have bought it myself, but at the time
money was tight. Just because it was a cool looking rifle.
I also handled an RSI in 22-250 once, but the caliber
and the style didnt go together in my opinion.

Had one in 7X57 that would shoot 154gr. Interlocks into an inch and a half real consistently with H4350. Had a beautiful piece of wood on it too, wishin I had kept it.

Though 2 moa will work I am too anal for that!

I own an RSI in Ruger's #1 configuration. It's the most finicky gun I own, but it will shoot. With that semi-thin barrel against all that wood I really need to let that barrel cool between groups, or it won't group. I thought the rifle simply 1 1/2" grouping rifle and that's it (which is not bad at all). After further experimentation and proper practices at the bench, it will do just fine! I love those full-length stocks and all the trouble is worth it.

FWIW, it has been my experience that the standard production Husqvarna and Sako mannlicher stocked rifles shot better, on average, then the standard production mannlicher stocked rifles made by Mossberg, Ruger, and Winchester. The CZ 550FS that I have shot, have shot well, but the stocks on these rifles fits me so poorly that I couldn't, in good conscience, recommend them.

Standard disclaimer; "YMMV and since my experience is mine alone, your experience is likely to be different.".

Jeff

Well, after years of talking myself out of an RSI stocked #1 or 77 whenever one was on the rack or table I noticed the the 77 RSI's don't appear to be in next years catalog. So ones on the way in 308 and hoping to get my hands on it late next week.

As much as I'd like to get it to shoot an inch or so, I'm convincing myself that 1.5 is acceptable given the platform. Of course finding the load the particular rifle likes is half the fun, to me at least.

Cool give us a range report when you get a chance

I've owned two of the Ruger RSI rifles.

The first was a tang safety model in .30-06. This rifle would just never shoot well enough for me to fall in love. I found a single handload that would shoot near 2" groups, but most loads (factory as well as handloads) were in the 2 1/2"-3" range. What was really the killer, for me, was that the accuracy was erratic. Even with the best loading, some days the rifle would shoot 1 3/4" groups and the next open up to 2 1/2". This seemed to be effected very much by the temperature. I finally gave up on it and sold it to a friend who has been very happy and killed a dozen or so deer. He also reports 2-2 1/2" groups but doesn't feel that's out of line. This rifle lost about 150-200 fps velosity compared to a 22" barrel.

After many years without one, the good looks and handling of the Ruger Mannlicher lured me into trying again......and I'm glad I did. This one is a Mk II in .308. This rifle is a whole different story as it groups every factory load as well as handloads into groups no worse that 2".....most shooting near 1 1/2"....and the best handloads going into 1 1/4" with an occational 1" group. This rifle also shows none of the tendency to open up groups as the temperatures change. Velosity loss with the .308 seems to be 100 fps or so.

My observations from these two rifles (as well as several others owned by friends and customers) is that while the accuracy is a rifle-by-rifle thing (some good, some not-so-good) it is almost always good enough for medium range hunting. The worst accuracy I've seen has been 3" or so (good enough out to at least 300 yards) and some rifles will consistantly shoot near 1" with the best loads. The rifles do seem to be sensative to different loads, but are generally consistant once their prefered load is found (my own first one was an exception with the wandering accuracy).

Velosity loss is better with the short rounds like the .308, .250-3000 and .243 and is about 100-125 fps below a 22" barrel. The longer rounds such as the .270 or .30-06 lose a bit more (in the 150-200 fps range) but are still not enough to rule out these guns for normal use. The longer rounds are significantly louder from the short barrel.

To me, the handling characteristics and looks more than make up for the small velosity loss and "touchy" accuracy.

I have owned a couple a 250 a while back and a 243 currently. Both while not bench rest guns shot fine. The 243 claimed me a nice doe last year at about 200 yds. I like 'em fine though both lacked the ability to generate high velocity. For example the 243 run 2500 to 2600 fps with 100 gr bullets. That short barrel takes a toll.

I had one several years ago in 308. Dialed her in and went to the woods. Sure worked good on the deer, they didn't know how she grouped and neither did I. Will have to admit that any more I do like to see how they group, and do like those nice small groups. The RSI does carry well and has a very nice appeal, at least to me, any way.

The RSIs shoot about like any other Ruger long gun.