I recently purchase a Ruger American rifle in 22-250 and am finding that the best I can get is 1 " groups at 100 yards. I have tried 3 different factory loads and 8 different reloads.
Does anyone have any experience with this gun?
Is it capable of sub 1" groups, if so can you please share your recipe.
Thanks

Just out of curiosity, what do you need to do that you cannot do with a utility rifle that shoots 1 inch groups at 100 yards?

I well remember back in the 1950's and '60's when an out-of-the-box rifle that would consistently shoot 2 MOA was praised everywhere as a tack-driving phenomenon -- especially if it was from some company's budget line. There may be a load out there somewhere that will make your rifle a sub-MOA rifle, but what you're getting is darned good.

My son-in-law recently bought a slightly-used American in .30-06. Its previous owner claimed it would consistently shoot 1/2" groups at 100 yards with Remington Corelokt 150 gr.loads. He and I took it to the range and found the best we could get it to shoot was about 1.5". He said, "I don't understand it. He swore it was a 1/2" rifle!", to which I replied, "I understand it. He lied." I suspect that is true more often than not these days.

__________________
Pisgah

Because I have similar priced Savage rifles that do shoot sub 1" groups and was simply asking if the Ruger was capable of the same.

Take a look at the bedding and check if either side of the stock touches the barrel.Will the stock flex?How heavy is the trigger?

I've got two. A 300 BLK and a 308. The 300 gives me half inch groups. The 308 is a bit more. For the price of these guns, I'm extatic.

How are you shooting? Bipod? The weak spot is the stock. Lots of flex and bend. Bed it and it might help. Mine both need some modification. Stock touching the "free floated barrel"

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

It shot much worse out of the box, the barrel was touching the forend, I added a shim to the front pillar block, the barrel is now centered in the stock. The trigger is set as light as Ruger allows, and I shoot off of sand bags as a rest, not a bipod.
One bullet (Hornady 55 gr FMJ-BT) appears somewhat better than others so I will continue experimenting with that.

I once wanted to get into shooting really tiny groups. I bought a medium heavy barreled Weatherby .223 with a Leupold 4-12X scope, a very heavy adjustable front bench rest, and a Leupold Spotting scope. I went to the range with a log book to keep notes of weather conditions, wind, and loads. There was a box of cheap Remington Value pack ammo to get the scope sighted in and my very first group was 3/4". I then thought why do I want or need to shoot tighter groups than that? After that experience I have never tried to shoot tiny groups again.

It sounds like you've got the barrel free floated? It might be worth experimenting with a pad under the barrel near the tip of the fore end just to see what it does

Trade it in for a 700.

Friends don't let friends buy Taurus.

I am surprised! I thought every rifle talked about on the net nowadays shot under 1/2 inch.

ALL of MY rifles shoot into 1 hole.....I just shoot 1 round!!!

Randy

I bought a Ruger American in 30.06 shortly after they were introduced and have found it to be capable of small groups for all of my handloads. I have only used one factory load in it and it was accurate with that as well. As noted above, the stock will flex and bear on the barrel with obvious results in the group size.

I also know of someone at my gun club who owns a Ruger American in .308 that cannot get a 2" group at 100 yards. I have no idea what the difference is, but I also remember magazine articles from the 60's, 70's that would note specimens of rifles that were much more accurate than other rifles of the same brand and caliber. (And recall, at that time, a 2" group from a factory hunting arm was something you would frame and hang on the wall).

I think that variance still exists, but it is working from a more accurate base point, so the rifles considered inaccurate are better than the good rifles of a couple generations ago.