Ruger Blackhawk consistency problem

[tjk]

Keith, if you have less than a1000 shots through your Ruger,...I'd say the barrel is still in the seasonning process. I suggest you don't clean the barrel too often,...let her lead up some. Then a swipe or two with a dry patch to buff it some. Another thought that comes to mind is your scope. Not the mechanics of it,...but more likely where it's set with the AO and the magnification. I'm thinking paralax problems more than anything. Obviously your a great shooter from your posted groups!!,...but I keep thinking your settings may be off a tad. When you look at the target with a clear view of the rets and the target,...if you slightly move your head/eye a bit and the target shifts,...you may try adjusting the paralax a tad bit. I've experienced this with a few of my rifles, and this seemed to help me when zeroing from a bench. Just a thought. Best Wishes, tjk

[kkoenning]

Not sure exactly. I would guess something in the neighborhood of 350 to 500 shots.

[tjk]

OK then,...Forget accuracy and shoot the crap out of it for the time being!!!!! LOL's Once you get her slicked up and buffed,...then you can start going for the one-holers!!!! I'm sure you'll get those in no time at all!!!!! tjk

[BumbleShot]

fixed this issue on one of my rifles.  I almost sent the scope in...  

On a lark, I took the scope and mount off, re-seated the mount and was very careful tightening up the bolts again.  Also, not sure if this is right or not, but when I remounted the scope, I made sure the stop pin in the mount was tapped to the rear before tightening up again.  Also don't tighten the stop pin hard since this might loosen the grip of the dovetail mount.  Just tighten enough so the pin doesn't loosen up.  The stop pin doesn't need to be real tight like the rest of the mount.   Saved myself some shipping costs, and this fix was free!

YMMV

[hodgjy]

I have the B-25, which is the exact same thing as the Ruger.  I found out that mine likes to be rested in front of the middle of the forestock--much further forward than where I rest all of my other rifles.  It is hold sensitive.

[hodgjy]

One more thing---at first, I had some vertical stringing.  As soon as I shimmed the breach seal, it all went away.  Check your breach seal, too.

[kkoenning]

Already shimmed the breach seal some time ago.

[mikeiniowa]

Just keep shooting it, some of the Xisco barrels take awhile to get happy....keep trying new pellets also...

[Big_Bill]

I have a thought for you Keith,

I have found that the placement of the stock is very important on the rest ! A little forward, or a little to the rear will change your poi.

I had to mark the stock so that I would always place it in the same position. This goes with hold sensitivity.

Hope this helps you !

Bill

[kkoenning]

Have been shooting the Ruger a bunch and yesterday I noticed that the groups were tighter. Did some more shooting today and the groups are looking pretty good. Guess it just needed more shots through it? Groups are starting to be tighter more often. I wonder----is it the gun "breaking in" or is it me getting used to how to shoot it properly?

One thing I did learn--the Ruger DOES NOT LIKE JSB Diabolo Exact (8.4 gr) pellets! It seems to like heavier pellets such as: RWS Supermag (9.3 gr) and Beeman Kodiak Extra Heavy (10.6 gr) pellets. I will try some of the lighter pellets and see if I can find some that will group well.

[mikeiniowa]

My own Bhawk can't shoot anything under 10 gr. worth a darn. With 8 gr. it's at 1000 fps so it might be just to powerful for the lighter stuff, keep banging away at the target and you and the gun will become one....

[gamo2hammerli]

What Mikeiniowa said....some springs are just abit too powerful for the airgun.  I have a Crosman Sierra Pro that was SO inconsistent....Thanks to Bentong for posting those photos....but none of them looked like my groups.  My groups were 7 in a 7mm hole and then the other 3 would be all around the clock....always, with any type of pellets...and this were shot at only 8 meter distance.

Checked everything; scope, mount, stock screws, changed scope, iron sights, changed hold position and grip strength.....nothing worked.  Finally the spring broke after 3400 shots.  Put in a new Crosman spring, deburred, cleaned and put on new lubes, new scope.....still didn't help.  Finally I cocked the rifle and left the spring sitting for 10 hrs.....tested it and the accuracy were better.  So left the spring compressed for another 10 hrs. and now it is shooting excellent.  At 30 meters off a camera tripod I can put 10 shots into a dime-sized hole.  It's so good now, I took off the scope and use it for the 25 Yard Open Sights Rifle Match.

But from what you've just typed.....it seems your Black Hawk is starting to settle down....either the barrel is seasoned or the spring is a little compressed and abit weaker.

[kkoenning]

Just when the groups were looking pretty good consistently, they have opened up into a pattern again. Instead of tight 3/8-in groups, I am again seeing 3/4 to 1-in patterns. I am using the same pellets that were consistent (RWS Supermag 9.3gr); the scope has not moved according to the marks I put on the scope and the receiver; I believe I am shooting (holding) the gun the same. I am shooting in the same location at 25-feet from the target in my basement.

It occurred to me that maybe the bore needed cleaning, so I ran a couple of dry patches through it. First one came out slightly soiled--not very much. Then I ran another dry one through it. Did not help.

Next I decided to chrony it. For a string of 10 shots, I got a high of 880fps, a low of 873fps, extreme spread of 7fps, average velocity of 876fps, and a standard deviation of 1.7fps. Seems like that should produce consistent shooting.

There are probably 1000 to 1200 shots through the rifle.

The rifle has been lube tuned and the breech seal has been shimmed. I am at a loss for what to do next. This has been going on for about 10 weeks and I am ready to resign myself to the fact that the rifle is not going to shoot as consistently tight groups as my G1, Summit, CFX, Big Cat, or B26.

[gamo2hammerli]

Maybe you need to run a patch with Hoppe's No. 9 barrel cleaner down its barrel to give it a good cleaning.  Just be careful not to wet the breech seal....it could get ruined.  I did that once with my Gamo Viper and Crosman Storm XT, when they were losing accuracy......after the Hoppe's treatment.....the guns immediately got their accuracy back.   Hope it works for you.

[airgunandy]

Have you tried different pellets now that the rifle has some age on it? Sometimes a gun will crave a different pellet after it breaks in.