The fact that you cannot slide a dollar bill between the fored of the stock and the barrel means nothing, UNLESS YOU KNOW FOR CERTAIN that the dollar slid in there OK last year when the gun was shooting OK! Maybe the stock was always touching the barrel out there.....

IF the barrel bedding has changed, it might account for erratic shooting. However, a synthetic stock should NOT be weather sensitive. As everyone has already stated, buildup of bullet jacket fouling in the bore might be responsible. Cleaning will cure that.

However, there are a number of other possible causes, such as one or more loose scope mount screws, a loose guard screw, a change in ammunition, etc.

Do you load your own ammo? If so, are you using the same load that shot well previously? Powder from the same can, bullets and primers from the same box, etc.? If you use factory ammo, are you using ammunition from the SAME LOT of factory-loaded ammo that worked OK last year?

Even a change in LOT NUMBERS of the same kind of ammo from the same maker can shoot very differently. This is one of the reasons why tailored handloads are better.....

There are other factors that affect where a bullet hits at 200 yards besides ther gun and ammo. Things like wind and mirage, for example.....

I am using new ammo. I don't roll my own and this box has been in use since last summer when I started my fall "sight-in" shooting. I'll try another box/lot. I check scope and mounts often. Probably the first thing I'll check being the most obvious. My bore cleaner has been the Outers Nitro Solvent. "Removes metal fouling & powder residue. Good? No good?

I was reading some stuff on Chuck Hawkes rifle site and a product was mentioned called 'David Tubb's Final Finish System'. Anybody try this stuff? Sounds effective and interesting. The article claimed a significantaccuracy improvement. It basically is a system where you shoot rounds that are provided in order to lap or polish the barrel. The .308 kit used as an example came with 75 rounds in 5 different levels of polish. What a concept!

No, No, No. You do not want to use the Tubb Final Finish or any other fire lapping compounds in your bore, at this stage. You have been shooting that rifle for a while and the bore is broke in. Any lapping at this stage will only shorten your remaining barrel life or completely finish it off, one or the other.

The bore solvent you are using is OK for powder residue, but to get to the really stubborn copper out, you will need something like Sweets 7.62, Barnes CR10, or Montana X-Treme. If it needs further cleaning or copper removal, try a little J&B Bore Cleaning Compound.Then clean the again with one of the copper removingsolvents.

No The ruger barrel is not free floated that is a technic that is used when bedding the action. The barrel chanel is sanded to remove wood so that only the action support the gun. The barrel free floats to improve accuracy. The synthetic stock has a slight swell at the fore end so a dollar will not slide down

I agree with 1-shot! Those "fire-lapping" things scare me. About the only abrasive I am not afraid to get in my barrel is J-B Compound. Use a proven copper solvent like one of thos 1-shot listed!

I thought this was an interesting topic because I am experiencing the same problem with a Savage 30-06. In the case of my rifle I am convinced it is the scope. I know the Monarch is a dependable scope but all scopes can fail due to parallax/erector assemblies etc.. Shifting point of impact. Do you have another scope you know is good?

Joe...You can check that scope by "shooting a square"...This will verify that its doing what it should do....

NC, could you explain a little more about shooting a square. My Savage simply quit grouping with same ammo lot #s and everything else. I checked over everything similar to the way you described in your earlier response. Thanks

I don't trust mine either that's why i got rid of it.

They are bargain guns IMO. Not a serious weapon anymore.

Joe...Here's what you do....Make sure all screws are tight, use ammo that you know groups well...

Put a target up at 100 yards, shoot 2 shots....
Adjust scope 4 inches right and 4 inches up, shoot 2 shots...
Adjust scope 8 inches left, shoot 2 shots...
Adjust scope 8 inches down, shoot 2 shots...
Adjust scope 8 inches right, shoot 2 shots...
Adjust scope 4 inches up and 4 inches left, shoot 2 shots, and these 2 should go into your 1st group and you should have shot a square around your initial 2 and final 2 shots....

This lets you know that your scope is tracking well and returning to zero when put there...The times I have done this, I didn't have to go all the way around the square if the scope was bad, it showed up pretty quickly.... Good Luck