.22 LR Ruger Wrangler not performing.

P

pathdoc

New member
It loads, it goes bang, it ejects, but any sort of reliable, repeatable accuracy and precision seems to elude it as close as five metres (~6 yards).

What sort of performance should I expect from it? My suspicions lie with the following in order: Ammo, user, firearm.

Ammunition (Remington bulk pack) - there are a few rounds in this box I couldn't even put in the cylinder, and some wouldn't allow free rotation. Those will be sequestered and fired off in my single-shot combination rifle.

My first impulse is to try with a different brand, then something more toward the premium end. If that doesn't fix the problem, at least I have another gun I can use it in.

User - requires practice, practice, practice... but my centrefire handguns seem to do better.

Firearm - the impression I get is of shooting low and left at five metres. If this persists but the groups close up with different ammo, it's off to the gunsmith for some adjustments to the front sight. (I do not consider myself anywhere near competent to do this at home.)

Am I missing something?
 
low left usually indicates trigger control problem.
Try having a shooter who you know is accurate try out the gun first before adjusting sights. or get on a bench and test fire it.
 
Okay, so the nut behind the trigger needs adjusting. :p

Any hints as to exactly what I'm doing wrong and how to correct it?
 
Do not wrap the trigger finger around the trigger too much. Pull STRAIGHT back into the web of your hand, instead of pulling to the left with the trigger squeeze (right handed shooter).
Try to imagine "pulling" the front sight through the center of the notch.
Do not anticipate the shot bread or the shot going off. Surprise shot.
 
I ordered a Wrangler as soon as they hit the market. (Literally within 24 hours of release, as the first shipments were going out to distributors.)
I expected it to be mediocre and planned to chop the barrel and do something stupid with it.

Unfortunately(?), my first shots out of it were at 90 yards - because that is where the targets were that day. It did very well. Everyone that shot it was impressed.
Since then, it has not lost any respect.

It shoots pretty much dead-nuts at 75 yards, runs fine, shoots great, doesn't gobble ammo like an auto when kids or women shoot it, and doesn't have problems with any ammo except some Federal Champion Target (40 gr RN) that I bought by the case in 2009.
That FCT ammo has had the wax coating swell with time and has difficulty chambering in anything.

What I bought as a cheap base for a dumb joke turned out to be a great little revolver.

There are now three, maybe four other Wranglers in the family. My brother bought one, after shooting mine. My nephew bought one after shooting my brother's. And on the tale goes. Now, I believe, another nephew's girlfriend is in line for the next one.
They all shoot well for everyone that touches them.

So, my advice would be:
1. Try some good ammo. Skip the bulk packs. See if it helps.
2. Practice and pay attention to your technique.
3. Shoot it more. Get used to the sight picture.
 
Franken, what would you call "good ammo"? I'll have a look next time I'm at the LGS.

High Valley Ranch - I will have a go at that next time I take it out.
 
If you can get Remington bulk pack to hit paper at more than 5 yards, you're doing good. Try some mid-grade stuff such as RWS Pistol Match, or SK Pistol Match and let us know.
 
At a minimum step up from bulk pack, I'd try some (boxed) Aguila, ArmsCor, tray-packed Remington, etc.
Or just jump to CCI, Fiocchi (CCI-manufactured), RWS, Eley, etc.

Everyone has their own opinions on every brand, including those that I might like.
But, in my opinion, the bottom of the barrel is bulk Remington and Federal.
--Probably Winchester, too. But I stopped shooting Winchester ammo (with one exception*) about 12 years ago. So I don't know if current stuff is better or just as bad.


*I still shoot Winchester Supreme .22 WMR, on the rare occasion that I see it for an affordable price.
 
Pathdoc, I shoot mostly CCI rimfire. I found pretty good prices at CCI.com. I spend $100 every time to get the free shipping. I find I get the best deals buying in bulk online. Before you give your gun to a gunsmith contact Ruger.
 
1st order of business with any firearm is to shoot it of a rest. 25’ is good to start, this will show if gun is capable of group and point of impact. Many fixed sight guns will not shoot to point of aim. To some extent vertical can be adjusted. Windage is only going to be adjusted by bending sight or canting barrel. I don’t own a Wrangler but shot 3 of them now and they didn’t do bad at plinking 0 to 50’ approx. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one but if it hit to far off point of aim, I would off it and buy another. It’s always possible to get a lemon.
 
The first thing you need to do, is get a supply of as many different brands/loads of ammo you can. The second thing is to find a buddy who can shoot well, as a check against the issue being you.

IF the gun in everyone's hands, puts all the rounds in a certain place, and not the point of aim, then its safe to assume there is a gun issue.

BUT, if it shoots something to point of aim, in someone's hands, then its not a gun issue, its a "ammo compatibility" and/or a shooter issue.

This has always been my biggest gripe about fixed sight handguns, and why, whenever possible I buy adjustable sight models.

I've had a Ruger Super Single Six convertible for about 40 years now, and feel its the finest SA .22LR you can get for the price. And, if I happen to only be able to find ammo that shoots "off" a tiny screwdriver puts it back on target.

Fixed sight guns are set by the factory to be "on" with what the factory uses. In the old days, there was test firing of actual ammo to verify this. Today, I don't think they do. I think they "laser bore sight" it and box it up. Ask Ruger what they do.

different brands and loads of ammo can shoot to about the same spot, or they can shoot to radically different places. I have seen both with different guns. Shooting is the only way to find out.

Don't send your gun off to a smith just yet...unless, of course, you just want to....:rolleyes:
 
Ammunition: CCI Blazer and Aguila (standard velocity doesn't get a special name) are good and a big step up over bucket-o-22 bulk. CCI Standard Velocity is more expensive but maybe not better than Blazer. Check and see. No need for match ammo, just stuff that sells in boxes of 50, priced at about the CCI SV cost should be "respectable" for a Wrangler.

Have a decent rest to shoot from, in a seated position. Fire 10-12 rounds at an NRA slow fire target at 50 feet. If that's not possible, shoot 12 at a big piece of paper with a target sticker on it at as close to 50 feet as you can get and post a picture with a ruler, showing the group size.

Then shoot at a similar target with your LEFT hand dominant and left trigger finger. two cylinders worth. Send a picture.

Be aware of the LIGHTING. One public indoor range I know of has horrible lighting and the sights are illuminated from the hard left. The lighting results in POI changes the farther to the left you go in terms of the lane you shoot from. So.. consider it. Shoot outdoors if you can.

Don't send it off until you've got 12 shots at 50 feet, right and left handed, with a small selection of decent (not bucket) ammunition.

I did this with my Bearcat and did end up sending it to Ruger.. who told me it was in spec, and that they turned the barrel a tiny bit.. and sent it back with a test target. It's now dead nuts on. But I sent them all the data they needed to see what was going on.

All the fellas wanted to tell me it was my grip.. but shooting left handed and getting the same exact result put that to bed.
 
It's the ammo. Bulk ammo is just garbage from handguns.

My wife got a new S&W M&P 22 Compact last week. We got a bulk pack of CCI. They advertise it as being for AR-style 22 rifles. I figured it should work in handguns too, but no. Best we could do was about 5-6" groups at 7 yards. I got all kinds of comments that it is not a target gun and that is combat accurate, but I could easily outshoot it with any of my combat guns in centerfire calibers.

I went back the next week with a box of Remington Target (standard velocity) and regular CCI MiniMag in the 100 round box. The hollow point MiniMag shoot the tightest and are mid-priced. The round nose MiniMag is good, but not as good as the hollow points.

The bulk ammo I've had the best luck with was Remington Golden Bullet, but that was 5 years ago. It might be garbage now too. Winchester Super-X also used to be good 20 years ago, bit it's garbage now too. I've heard the same about Federal bulk.

I don't think you'll find it shoots any better with match ammo than with a good quality regular ammo.

Do let us know what you find.

Tangent: By the way, I'm finding that I like airguns better for cheap plinking than 22LRs, these days. Quality ammo is cheap and not regulated or taxed extra. Can shoot in your basement or garage or back yard. If you're not out to kill anything, why do we need 100 ft-lbs worth of energy? Why go through all this hassle and expense to shoot it. A nice quality CO2 or single stroke pneumatic is the way to go. Pay once for a nice gun. Buy good pellets; they are very cheap compared to decent quality 22LR ammo.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top