10.5" SBH not grouping? Need advice

My plan is to switch out the rear sight blade and go back to the range on Friday.

I took some better pics of the crown and it looks good to me. From 5 different angles;

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What part of the gun are you positioning on the rest? I've found that resting the barrel of my long piped revolvers on the rest itself leads to large groups and that using the front of the frame as a resting point works much better.
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That's been my experience as well. I only rest the butt of the gun on a bag of lead shot.
 
Something isn't right with this gun. After changing back the rear sight blade and using the frame for a rest its still shooting all over the place at 25yds. It's going back to Ruger.

I hope I get this one back because it means a lot to me.
 
One last thought, check to make sure that all grip frame screws are tight. I noticed that you have a Hogue grip on the gun that covers the bottom frame screws. After removing the grip and tightening all the frame screws, make sure the grip screw is also tight and the grip isn't moving.

Paul
 
I was also going to suggest a complete strip, clean and re-assemble (though Ruger can do that for you). Sometimes when the gate latch spring, pawl, hammer etc. "get out of sync" you can get out of time lock-up of your cylinder. Since you've already said that it was shooting fine--then wasn't after changing the sights--but still doesn't after changing back--I'm guessing maybe something "jiggered loose" in the process.
 
Without having someone else shoot it?
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There hasn't been anyone else at the range the last three times I have went. I do trust my ability to shoot well though.

I was also going to suggest a complete strip, clean and re-assemble (though Ruger can do that for you). Sometimes when the gate latch spring, pawl, hammer etc. "get out of sync" you can get out of time lock-up of your cylinder. Since you've already said that it was shooting fine--then wasn't after changing the sights--but still doesn't after changing back--I'm guessing maybe something "jiggered loose" in the process.
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It has locked up with Hornady ammo once but doesn't with Winchester. Everything is tight. There is a little play front to rear and rotationaly with the cylinder but I picked up a new SBH at my LGS and it feels the same. I have had a smith look it over with only one minor concern and that was one of the cylinder bores was slightly under sized.
 
I'm going to throw this out there, have you slugged the bore to determine best bullet size? One thing that might come up if you do is a tight spot where the barrel is screwed into the frame. This was a fairly common occurrence a few years back with rugers. The barrel was tighter where it was screwed into the frame, squeezing the bullet down a thousandth or so, letting it kind of rattle the rest of the way down the barrel. Or maybe your gun just doesn't like that particular diameter of bullet.
 
Especially with hard cast as I have been advised by one bullet manufacturer--you reach a certain hardness--or not enough depending on velocity/charge--and the lead may not "seal" in the bore properly.
 
You say you had a gunsmith check it out . . but just what did he check?

Did he slug the bore and then slug each throat? Rugers are well known for having small throats and throats that don't all match. When they ream the throats, they use a "gang ream" - i.e. three reamers at a time. If one gets worn, it gets changed out. You actually could end up with three adjacent throats each having a different size.

It can be fixed by a good pistol smith who has the equipment - but the bore needs to be slugged as do the throats to see just what you have. You say you get debris back in your fact - that sort of indicates to me that the forcing cone should be checked as well.

You aren't going to get decent accuracy if you have a given bullet size . . . swage it down as it goes through a tight throat and then expect it to swell back up to fit the bore on the way out. And all the expensive sights, etc. aren't going to compensate for that. As an example . . . take a 45 Colt. If you cast a bullet in a Lyman 452 mold and it drops at .454 and you size the bullet to .452 and then you fire it through a throat that is .451 and expect it to go through a .4525 bore . . . and on handguns, there can always be a variance . . that bullet is not going to exit the barrel accurately But, if you cast a .452 from a Lyman mold and it drops at .454 . . . you size it to .453 and you put it through a throat that is reamed to .4535 . . forcing it into a bore of .4525, its going to conform to the actual bore size and exit accurately each time. All things equal, if each throat is size correctly for the bullet diameter and true bore size - each chamber should be consistent (within variables such as + or - .1 or .2 grain weight of powder and grain weight of bullet - if cast) and your groups should tighten up. Even if POI is different than POA . . the groups should tighten.

If you are confident that your gunsmith has actually don a slug of the bore and either slugged the throats or used pin gauges on the throats - then that potential problem should be eliminated. If he did a quick check using a set of dial calipers or some such method of measuring - you can't get a true and accurate measurement.

Good luck to you and I hope you can figure it out so you groups tighten up. :)
 
Its on its way to Ruger. I'm hoping to get it back before deer season opens here in VA.

I will let you know what they find
 
Ruger called today, the SBH was not fixable. They are sending me a new one. Something about the barrel being loose and unable to tighten it sufficiently.
 
So, how did the barrel get "loose" during a sight swap?
OP said it was shooting well until the sight change and then "poof" accuracy gone.
 
Two things; The upper frame strap was drilled/tapped for a Leupold mount, and done badly I might add, by a previous owner. That alone scrapped the gun. Ruger will not repair firearms that have the frame drilled and tapped. The barrel was loose but apparently the frame was cracked as well. I didn't see it neither did my local smith. They did so I will take their word for it.

The new revolver cost me $400. No I'm not happy about it. I paid $400 for the now scrapped SBH a year and a half ago and now I have a new one for $400. I have $800 in a $600 gun:mad:
 
The new revolver cost me $400. No I'm not happy about it. I paid $400 for the now scrapped SBH a year and a half ago and now I have a new one for $400. I have $800 in a $600 gun
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No, you still have $400 in a $600 gun. Your old SBH was dead and worth nothing, the cracked frame probably helped by the poor drill and tap job probably led to the loose barrel. You have a new gun for only $400. Sounds like a thumbs up to me.
 
Two things; The upper frame strap was drilled/tapped for a Leupold mount, and done badly I might add, by a previous owner. That alone scrapped the gun. Ruger will not repair firearms that have the frame drilled and tapped. The barrel was loose but apparently the frame was cracked as well. I didn't see it neither did my local smith. They did so I will take their word for it.

The new revolver cost me $400. No I'm not happy about it. I paid $400 for the now scrapped SBH a year and a half ago and now I have a new one for $400. I have $800 in a $600 gun
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I had my SBH drilled and tapped for a mount also--do you mind my asking where your failed one was drilled--especially nice if you could post a pic--thanx.
 
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