Things are looking up for old Lightning.....

[HeathSexton]

My .257 Roberts Ruger Ultralite, nicknamed Lightning because it never hit the same place twice, has been a thorn in my side as far as accuracy since I got it. I am into it for $0, I won it at our local shop so it's really no big deal it just ran all over me that it wouldn't shoot.

Shooting a 2" group was a great group and it was never repeatable with 3"-5" being the norm. While searching the innerwebs I found a thread that spoke of H4831 and heavier bullets, I had only tried 4350 and 4895. I started @ 45grs and it sucked until I hit 48grs H4831 with the 115 NBT. 2 - 3 shot groups that were under 1.5" @ 100yds with a Weaver 4x is showing promise. I am going to work on my depth because I am 2 and 1 right now.

 

[Vince]

Great!
It's nice when you finally get something to start working. Good luck. I was running in to the same issues with my 25-06 until I switched to IMR 4350 and a flat base bullet. My rifle showed a definite preference for flat based mid-weight bullets, 87 grain and 100 grain, and everything else was like shooting a poorly patterned shotgun.
Good luck and keep us updated on your endeavors.

Vince

 

[SJB358]

Very nice Heath. I felt your frustration with that 257. It's such a sweet little rifle, I'm hoping you can square it away and hunt it. 115's should run 2900 or so with H4831 and man, that'd be a first class deer swatter.

 

[sask boy]

Heath, I believe that every rifle has that perfect match of bullet grain and powder :wink: now finding it can sometimes get the best of us . A pillar bedding job might not hurt the situation if this problem lingers too long :wink:.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[DrMike]

Perhaps you are travelling down the correct path. Chasing accuracy can be frustrating in some rifles. However, when you do find the sweet sport, you wonder why you ever pulled out all your hair.

 

[6mm Remington]

Heath maybe that little wispy barrel might take to being glass bedded to help out in the accuracy department. I have a Remington Model 600 in 6mm Remington that my gunsmith full length glass bedded and it sure made a shooter out of it!!

Good luck as that .257 is just too nice of a cartridge to send down the road, but hey if you won it, maybe you could use it for trading stock on a newer one. Does sound like you are headed in the right direction though.

 

[HeathSexton]

I dropped back to 47.5grs H4831 and shot back to back to back 1" groups @ 100yds. The rifle has a fixed 4x new Weaver on it so I don't know if I could shoot any better honestly. I may play with the depth some but it's for sure good enough to take out to the woods and about 3000% better than it was.

My only regret with the rifle is when I was full length bedding the original stock I popped it apart to be sure all was well and when I put it back in I must have missed a spot with release agent because it stuck on me the next day. It was one of those days that best to just put things down and come back later, but me being me I grabbed a 4lb rubber mallet and the 1st whack brought the barreled action out with a piece of the stock hanging on it.

 

[SJB358]

It was one of those days that best to just put things down and come back later, but me being me I grabbed a 4lb rubber mallet and the 1st whack brought the barreled action out with a piece of the stock hanging on it.

Sorry Heath, but that was funny buddy! I am sure a little more Acra Gel would get it about right! :lol:

 

[HeathSexton]

What was funny is my wife walked in my shop right about the time the mallet came out of the cabinet, she knows as much about rifles as I do building jet engines, and she says don't do it. It was like throwing gas on a fire, when the action/stock came out, she looked at me and said, "sometimes you are just not very smart." She is correct.


It would take quite a bit of gel to fix that stock.

 

[DrMike]

Don't you hate it when the wife is right, even if her rationale had no basis?

 

[HTDUCK]

Heath I'm sorry but I'm sitting here giggling.
I feel your pain, been down that same road with my Tikka 223.
One day at the range, Creedmore thought I was gonna get a hacksaw and saw the barrel off in pieces.


Stocks can be fixed or replaced.
Hang in there.

 

[HeathSexton]

I have it in an old zytel boat paddle right now which makes it much lighter than the original walnut even without the pieces I knocked off, lol. If it was anything but the Ultralight I would drop it in a Boyds laminate, I just think it would balance funky.

 

[Hegland]

Fixed the newel post! :grin:

Been there many, many times myself. Good work so far and best of luck with the rest of your project.

 

[HeathSexton]

Fixed the newel post! :grin:

Been there many, many times myself. Good work so far and best of luck with the rest of your project.

LOL, that's awesome! Going all Clark Griswald on it, I had never even thought of that.


One of the best movies ever, I laugh everytime it comes on.

 

[HeathSexton]

This little Weaver k4 and I are not gettng along in the eye relief department. Being short necked and thick chested I have to slide my scopes back and the Ruger is a long action, so what scope do you guys recommend?

I would love to put a VX2 2-7 on it but I bet it's too short also. 3-9x40 VX2 would not look out of place on the little Ultralight would it?

 

[SJB358]

Nope. Not at all. I think a 1-4/5 would be slick as well. Maybe a straight 4 or 6 would give you enough tube as well.

 

[sask boy]

If it were mine & I was going with a fixed. I would seriously look at the FX-3 6X42mm it would be a sweet combo!!!

Blessings,
Dan

 

[wildgene]

This little Weaver k4 and I are not gettng along in the eye relief department. Being short necked and thick chested I have to slide my scopes back and the Ruger is a long action, so what scope do you guys recommend?

I would love to put a VX2 2-7 on it but I bet it's too short also. 3-9x40 VX2 would not look out of place on the little Ultralight would it?

...you can use a Leupold 2X7 Compact if you buy the extended rings...

 

[JD338]

Heath,

IMR4350 is my go to powder for the 257 Bob with 100, 110, and 115 gr bullets.
I have also had great results with RL 22 and the 110 gr AB.

Glad its starting to go your way. The 257 Roberts is a sweet heart round for deer and coyotes.

JD338