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I took my Ruger hawkeye 257 Roberts out shooting sunday. Starting on my reloads with H100V and they all shot really bad! 3-5" groups. Then I took the factory ammo that was shooting .881" groups and was still 3-5" groups

When I got home I checked the scope rings and everything was tight. Next was the action screws. The front and back was tight but the middle screw was loose. It was so loose that I took it out with my hands. My question is will that through it off that much?

That shouldn't affect the action at all. Typically the middle screw's only purpose is the keep the trigger guard in place. Very little actual torque is applied.

My suggestion would be to point your attention at the scope first and the bedding second.

I do know my ruger is sensitive to screw torque, but I've never had it go that bad. I agree that the middle one shouldn't make a big difference though. However, I can't say I've ever verified that it didn't matter. If it was shooting well something is amiss and the only thing that should make that big a difference would be the scope (or a ding in the crown).

Scope. None of my Rugers are even bedded, and they all shoot great. Like was posted prior, the middle screw is just to hold the trigger guard.

Hummmmm!

i have a ruger that will shoot .5 all day as long as i dont let my finger tip touch the barrel if i touch or hold the forarm wrong ,it goes to pot at about 2 1/2" group . my other 5 rugers do not do that but this one is very torque senctive im going to bed it im sure that will fix most of the problem .

had you taken this action out of the stock since you last shot it and achieved those .881" groups?

No!

Piss off [bleep]! I don't care what you have to say!!

When mine went south, it was due to moisture and contact in the barrel channel.

Sarge - you had to know that Swampman would jump on your post like flies on chit... Let's see where this goes - "Hummmmmm" is only the beginning. Has to be good for a chuckle or three. Regards, Homesteader.

Loosen the front and back action screw, tighten the forend action screw very tight, then tighten down the back action screw not quite as tight, then snug up the middle screw, and try again. I know you said that you tightened the screws, but make sure there isn't something in the barrel channel making contact with the barrel.

Have you tried cleaning the barrel and starting new again, cleaning for copper build up?

I'm loading a Ruger .257 Roberts with 115grn bt and h100v, and it seems to like a clean barrel. Never noticed that before with that rifle, but looking back at all of the groups, the longer I've gone between cleaning the worse it has shot. Early on in load development, with a clean bore, I was getting sub MOA, but while shooting the same load later without cleaning (60+shots), it has openned up some.

I also couldn't get h100v to group worth a crap with my standby bullet the 117grn interlock.

I replace my action screws with socket head screws making it easier to torque with a wrench. 95in lbs in front, 70 in back, and the middle finger tight.

Just a suggestion to consider Occam's Razor.

The gun shot perfect before you used the the reloads then shot badly with both the reloads and the original ammo. It's not the ammo.
The gun was not taken apart. There was only a loose screw. Reinstall the screw and shoot the gun. If it still shoots bad, it's not the screw.

Don't take the gun apart first. This adds another variable.

Look at the scope. If the fastenings are tight, then install another known good scope and sight it in. If it is acurate again it is was the scope.

When sudden unexplainable changes in accuracy occur in a known accurate gun, Check the scope first.

Just my 2cents.

Regardless of what swampy says, I have had better out of the box accuracy with Ruger 77s than Remington 700s. Just about every 700 has needed to be floated and/or bedded to shoot decent. I would try another scope on the Ruger and try that scope on another gun.

The barrel is floated but the rifle not bed. I did give the rifle a good cleaning after I got home from the range. I used a cooper cleaner and found there to be a lot in there (dark blue patches). I'll try again next weekend.

Copper doesn't cause 5" groups.

My bet it is the scope.

Put another one on there and try again.

Yep - scope. Also ensure front screw is "farmer tight", back screw tight, middle just snugged.

+1,
as a side note if after ruling out the scope give the crown a once over to see if it somehow got into contact with something during this time.