new barrel for my Ruger

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dreamdrummr

Guest
Hello to everyone here and happy new year!
I have a question and I hope this is the right place to post it. If not, please forgive me.
I have a Ruger bolt action thats about 20 years old in 22-250 that I bought from a good friend of my dads. The gun is pristine as well as is the 6-20 leupold scope that came with it. The only issue I have with the gun is the small tapered barrel that came with the gun. I want to upgrade to a bull barrel and was wondering if someone could give me some advice as to which barrel mfr I should try. I know I will need another stock as well. The gun shoots awesome and I will be using it for shooting paper as well as some varmints here and there. Probably nothing much farther than 200 yards. So with that said, would it be worth the extra money to get a heavier barrel and stock or would it be cheaper to just get another gun?
Im fairly competent when it comes to working on all of my guns, but dont know if changing a barrel is something I would try on my own.
By the way, the gun also has a timney trigger. I bought the gun for 500 dollars, and like I said, it shoots very well with hand loads, but I want the heavier barrel because it heats up pretty quick and the accuracy goes down when it does.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Jimmy
 
Jimmy,

My advice is to keep the scope and sell the rifle. Sell the rings with the Ruger rifle. Invest the money in a Savage or a Rem 700. IMO you will achieve better accuracy for your money doing it this way. Buy the cheapest used Savage 110-112 or Rem 700 bolt action you can find. Pawnshop or local paper. Now you will have a platform on which to build. Aftermarket upgrades for the Savage or Remington are readily available.

Don't even consider rebarreling the Ruger yourself. Savage you can do this with only a 35.00 wrench, no other brand allows this.

al
 
My advice would be to shoot the Ruger as it is for now.
A 22-250 will burn through a barrel pretty quickly so go ahead and get your moneys worth out of the one you have as long as it shoots well.
I recommend to avoid current production Remingtons as they don't seem to be the quality they were 15 or 20 years ago.
You can have the Ruger re-barreled for less than a new Savage will cost you.
SHoot it as it is.
 
I have to agree with the above. Use up that factory barrel and when the accuracy starts to fail, put on the barrel of your choice. You will be money ahead in the long run. At least if it shoots ok now, no reason to discard what you have and start over with an unknown.
 
A Ruger 77 with tang safety action in my humble opinion is a good piece, with integral scope rings and recoil lug, and beautifully dark purple bluing. The triggers and barrels and factory fitting of both have traditionally been marginal.

Rifle Basix makes a replacement trigger hammer that installs in just a few minutes that I would recommend.

Krieger Barrels / 2024 Mayfield Road / Richfield Wisconsin 53076 / 262 628-8558 I would recommend for a barrel. Ask for Scott Schmaelzle.

To have a factory Ruger 77 varmint contour barrel made you can send one that has been removed to them and an exact contour copy can be made.

Last time I checked Sturm Ruger still has a supply of factory varmint short action stocks for $232.00.
 
Dreamdrummr: I think you got a great deal on that Rifle/scope combo!
I tend to agree somewhat with the other posters who want you to shoot the Rifle a while "as is"!
Myself, I GREATLY prefer heavy barrels on all my smaller caliber Rifles!
I have had great luck with Shilen, Hart, Pac-Nor, Lilja and Douglas barrels!
In 22-250 Remington caliber I think I would go with a stainless barrel by Shilen, Lilja or Hart. Hart being a strong choice as I assume accuracy is your intended goal.
I have two of the new Ruger Varminters with the laminated wide forearm Varmint style stocks!
I also have two Ruger 77 Varmint Rifles of the older (one is 32 years old!) narrow forearm Varmint stocks - I really enjoy and prefer the new style Ruger laminated Varmint wide forearm stocks. They fit me very well and are very easy to use in the field and at the range!
I sometimes see these laminated Ruger Varmint stocks for sale at gunshows and such.
Best of luck with your new project Rifle!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
 
dreamdrummr - My response to your question is based on my idea of practical, and sound financial advice (best bang for the buck) - pun intended!

My advice would fall in with those who recommend that you shoot and enjoy the rifle as it now is.

Something to keep in mind - A good rule of thumb for when a rifle is getting overheated is that when you wrap your hand around the barrel and it is uncomfortable then you should let it cool for a bit, a least until it is comfortable to the hold again.

I have a friend who has had a Ruger nearly identical to yours for well over 25 years, his is chambered in 220 Swift, a cartridge which heats barrels even faster than your 22-250, he has over 4000 documented rounds through it and it still shoots very accurately. The trick - if it starts getting too hot, he stops shooting and lets it cool.

He is a one-gun shooter, he uses this rifle for gophers through deer. We were together on a PD hunt last spring and any PD within 400 yards was dead when he shot at him. Now 4000 rounds may not sound like a lot but believe me - it takes a person who shoots a lot to fire 4000 rounds, the average shooter will not fire that many centerfire rounds in their life.

Consider this from a financial standpoint - a quality barrel, such as a Shilen, Pac-Nor, or any of the other makers will run from $300 to $400. You will then have to pay another $200 to $300 to have it fitted and chambered, and depending on the gunsmith this price may or may not include truing up the action and bolt, whch you should have done as long as you are spending that kind of money and the rifle is already apart. So now you are into the rifle for $500 + another $500 to $700 for a rebarrel, figuring a stock will set you back anywhere from $100 to $400, depending on whether it is a used take-off stock or an aftermarket stock - you now have from $1000 to $1200 in the rifle + the cost of the stock. You are now up to $1100 to $1600 in the rifle.

It all comes down to how badly you want a heavy barrel rifle doesn't it? If you really want a heavy barrel rifle then from a practical standpoint the easiest and most inexpensive way to get there is to either sell your current Ruger and put the money towards a new or used heavy barreled rifle or use it as trade towards one at the sporting goods store of your choice.

Personally - I would shoot the rifle you have until the barrel grows tired and then trade it or sell it and buy a heavy barrel at that time.


just my .02 cents

drover
 
Ruger Re-barrel

I would go with Krieger.I have 4 rifles with the Ruger varment pattern from him-all excellant products.Ask if they will due the work of installing the barrel as well.Will
 
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