Help Please--I'm Stumped!

[LongRange]

Precisely my worry--no matter how well it shoots warmed up--which is pretty well since I have maybe 75 rounds down the tube--it's that one and only cold shot you get in the woods that is the most important for me.

The trigger is one of the features that totally baffle me. It has received very high ratings and praises in just about every review I've read--I think it sucks eggs bigtime. Right now there are no after-market alternatives so I'm thinking I'm going to have to take it apart and see what I can do to improve the pull and break characteristics.

are you sure riffle basix dont make a trigger for your riffle?

[thermaler]

are you sure riffle basix dont make a trigger for your riffle?Yup--called em up just now--no trigger for the American. Sorta like when we were all waiting around for an aftermarket stock for the axis--the aftermarket manufacturers need to wait around and see market numbers grow big enough for a new model to justify the R&D put into a new product.

[LongRange]

Well that sucks no triggers....just a tip and this is what I do when doing load development(but i shoot 3 shot groups until i find a load then go to 5 shot groups)I shoot in long range varmint silhouette matches so I want my first shot to count as well as the last....get a tee shirt or a towel wet and wrap your barrel with it to help cool it off faster after each round...shoot 1 round and cool your barrel make scope adjustments and shoot another round...this will help you find a cold bore load faster...also pay close attention to you tigger pull, try placing your finger deeper or shollower and either dry fire or get a snap cap and dry fire with your scope on target and watch closely to see if your cross moves off target when you squeeze the trigger. And heres a tough one...put a dime on the end of the barrel and dry fire if it falls off you need to work on your trigger pull.

[thermaler]

Well that sucks no triggers....just a tip and this is what I do when doing load development(but i shoot 3 shot groups until i find a load then go to 5 shot groups)I shoot in long range varmint silhouette matches so I want my first shot to count as well as the last....get a tee shirt or a towel wet and wrap your barrel with it to help cool it off faster after each round...shoot 1 round and cool your barrel make scope adjustments and shoot another round...this will help you find a cold bore load faster...also pay close attention to you tigger pull, try placing your finger deeper or shollower and either dry fire or get a snap cap and dry fire with your scope on target and watch closely to see if your cross moves off target when you squeeze the trigger. And heres a tough one...put a dime on the end of the barrel and dry fire if it falls off you need to work on your trigger pull.I do practice the dry-fire and watch the cross hair on target for movement though I probably couldn't do the dime balance thing since I move the gun around alot to get lined up on target. I've got to start brewing up some reloads.

[thermaler]

BTW--over on the Firing Line forum Dan Newberry posted a great fix--actually the American's trigger is one of the easiest to modify that I've ever worked on--took all of a few minutes--and it's vastly improved. I also decided to do a "complete" stock stiffener job (just like I do on my axis and 111's) and finished reinforcing the butt section of the stock. Gotta give ity a couple of days to thoroughly dry--but we'll see how she shoots.

[LongRange]

BTW--over on the Firing Line forum Dan Newberry posted a great fix--actually the American's trigger is one of the easiest to modify that I've ever worked on--took all of a few minutes--and it's vastly improved. I also decided to do a "complete" stock stiffener job (just like I do on my axis and 111's) and finished reinforcing the butt section of the stock. Gotta give ity a couple of days to thoroughly dry--but we'll see how she shoots.

im interested to hear what you did to the trigger and how it works when you shoot it again.

[thermaler]

im interested to hear what you did to the trigger and how it works when you shoot it again.Here's Dan's description--nothing special, just a spring coil trim job. The Ruger trigger group and safety are very innovative--even if the action of the trigger isn't exactly pleasing in it's stock form. Their safety is the best I've ever used ergonomically-speaking. The trigger housing is extremely solid and pinned to the receiver with two roll pins--kinda like the way a gas block or sight post is pinned to the barrel on an AR. I thought about polishing the hammer/sear surfaces--but I'm going to see if they don't smooth off a bit with some use. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5914875#post5914875

[390fe]

My Model 11 in .308 likes a dirty bore and hot loads also - 1,200 rounds since the last solvent patch.

I do run a dry boresnake through the barrel once after a trip to the range.

[LongRange]

Here's Dan's description--nothing special, just a spring coil trim job. The Ruger trigger group and safety are very innovative--even if the action of the trigger isn't exactly pleasing in it's stock form. Their safety is the best I've ever used ergonomically-speaking. The trigger housing is extremely solid and pinned to the receiver with two roll pins--kinda like the way a gas block or sight post is pinned to the barrel on an AR. I thought about polishing the hammer/sear surfaces--but I'm going to see if they don't smooth off a bit with some use. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5914875#post5914875

i did something similar to a S&W AR15 and it helped a lot but i ended up putting a different trigger in it...post up your thoughts after you test it out...i bet loosing a lb of pull will help a bunch.

[thermaler]

i did something similar to a S&W AR15 and it helped a lot but i ended up putting a different trigger in it...post up your thoughts after you test it out...i bet loosing a lb of pull will help a bunch.Epoxy should be suffuciently set by tomorrow--I'll send a few rounds through and let you know ; )

[thermaler]

Yes--I've been moaning and groaning about all my problems with my new American 270--but today I think my "reconstructive surgery" efforts came together and I now have a rifle I'm proud to shoot! : )

Most importantly--the "impact wandering" has ended--in fact, even when switching between brands and sizes of ammo, the POI shifted very little. I can't say for sure what made the most difference; but after having shortened and polished the triggerpull spring and reinforced with epoxy the stock--it shoots vastly better. The last nine of ten shots of Winchester power points were all in or touching the bull's at 100--impressive mostly because it was very windy--20 mph with gusts stronger and I was literally shooting at a moving target. I'm a happily married man. LOL.

[wbm]

Precisely my worry--no matter how well it shoots warmed up--which is pretty well since I have maybe 75 rounds down the tube--it's that one and only cold shot you get in the woods that is the most important for me.

If that is what is most important to you, then you should modify your shooting regimen. Instead of trying to determine how accurate three or five shot groups are take a tactical rifle approach. In that approach, groups are not the most important factor. Where that first shot out of a cold bore strikes the target is most important. I guess there are several methods you could use to tweak your rifle/scope combo to make that first shot almost a sure thing but I like the one used by Carlos Hathcock.

[thermaler]

If that is what is most important to you, then you should modify your shooting regimen. Instead of trying to determine how accurate three or five shot groups are take a tactical rifle approach. In that approach, groups are not the most important factor. Where that first shot out of a cold bore strikes the target is most important. I guess there are several methods you could use to tweak your rifle/scope combo to make that first shot almost a sure thing but I like the one used by Carlos Hathcock.What was Carlos' technique?

[LongRange]

Good deal glad you got it shooting now...small things make a big difference.

[wbm]

Carlos basically taught shooters how to know with a great deal of certainty where a "cold shot" was most likely to strike a target. The full regimen is given below. I doubt many hunters would go to this extreme but when life is on the line it seems to be a bit more appropriate than when deer hunting.

http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=21263.msg166216;topicseen#msg16621 6

[thermaler]

Carlos basically taught shooters how to know with a great deal of certainty where a "cold shot" was most likely to strike a target. The full regimen is given below. I doubt many hunters would go to this extreme but when life is on the line it seems to be a bit more appropriate than when deer hunting.

http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=21263.msg166216;topicseen#msg16621 6Awesome read and to me makes complete sense, especially for hunting (and gives a bit of pause for thought for the dirty-bore advocates lol)--THANKS so much for that!