Okay I just put the factory spring back in. When I was shooting the other day with the factory spring it was at about 4 pounds, 2 Oz.  The difference between 4 pounds and 2 pounds is night and day (to me, anyway).

Next time I go to the range I'll see if I can get someone who is a known good shot to try a few shots and see how they do with it.

It helps. A smooth trigger is better than a light one. Both is better than either. Neither will make a poor rifle or shooter into good rifle or shooter.

Is it a stock accutrigger?
Mine (93r17 FV SR) bottoms at 2.5 lb.
I'm looking to Rifle Basix to get it down.

@ch1966

Yes it's the stock Savage Accutrigger, but I modified it by filing a shelf into the back part of the trigger where the spring screws in to get about 1/8" more spring travel. This lets you back the trigger spring out enough to get it down to about 1.5 pounds minimum.  I found the mod online somewhere with pictures.  The original author used a dremel, but I just filed it.

ETA this method doesn't involve cutting the spring at all and you can still adjust it as usual with the little tool.

OP, what caliber and ammo? What is the size of your groups?

Thanks!

It's. 223 1:8 twist and I tried 2 different 55 grain FMJ and one 64 grain FMJ, which was all I could find locally.  Nobody had any match ammo in stock, and I don't either.  Most of my ammo is 5.56 and not .223.

"Group" size (5 shots) was probably 2.5 to 3.5 inches at 100 yards.  Sometimes I'd get 2 holes really close, almost touching, then crazy fliers.  It just was so inconsistent.  It's almost as if it was a scope problem.  

I went and bought a torque wrench and torqued the action screws to 70 in/lbs to try to eliminate that as a possible cause as well.  Ruger recommends 60 to 80 in/lbs.  They were looser than 60 in/lbs from the factory.

IME and HO,  "light" isn't nearly as important as crisp with minimal over travel.

My precision rifle has about a 4# trigger but virtually zero movement. I like it. I've used triggers everywhere from HK91 to SSG69 set trigger.

I don't want to be the Soda Pop Kid and have the gun go off before I touch it.

Honestly. 2.5 to 3.5” at 100 is about what you should expect from any FMJ except Hornady.

Hornady will-likely be better. But even something like AAC 68/75/77 will beat that.

Seriously, blow $100 on a few boxes of AAC BTHPs. You won’t regret it.

For ARs, Olympic Arms had a set trigger on their top of the line Ultramatch AR based rifle, the regular trigger is like 3.5-4lbs let off(I forget the exactly), but if you push the safety lever backwards, it become a set trigger with a 1-1.5lbs let-off.

A good barrel is the heart of an accurate rifle, but a fine, crisp trigger is its soul.

Of course a skillful shooter can get by with a heavier trigger, but it's nice not to have to. And I'm willing to bet that fewer shooters know the weight of their trigger break than think they do. The ONLY reliable way to test this is with fixed weights, and even then, there is some technique to it.  Any spring gauge or digital load cell gauge is suspect.

I used to work for a guy who did expert witness testimony on cases involving firearms. He had a case where the opposing attorney was making wild claims that the trigger weight of the shotgun involved was the sole causation of the accident the case revolved around. He had used one of the Lyman digital gauges, and I was able to demonstrate that the Lyman was both inaccurate and highly inconsistent compared to the weight sets approved for testing competitor's guns.

But you can use a fixed weight to set your adjustable trigger even if you don't have the correct tool. Years ago, I was away from my bench and needed to adjust some Timney triggers on some long range rifles. I did a quick web search, and found a Browning Hi-Power weighed right about 2.5 pounds. I made a quick hook from coat hanger wire, and set the rifles all to just trip on that weight. It worked out perfectly!

The ammo is your problem. Find something using Sierra Match King bullets (IMI Razorcore, Black Hills OTM, etc.)

My competition rifle (5.56) shoots under 1/2moa with my match ammo. It will barely hold 1.75”-2.0” at 100 yards with cheap FMJ.

Okay just got back from the range.

At 100 yards with winds variable from 2 to 7 mph measured on my 17 year old Kestrel. 87 degrees F.

I drove a long way this morning to get some heavier ammo.  This is Norma 77grain BTHP Golden Target ammo.

As a side note, it looks like a bird ate a rodent on this bench, or someone had a really bad day at the range. I didnt notice the blood until I got home and looked at the pics.

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I didn't know these were going to be under an inch or I would have stuck around and shot enough to qualify for the 1 MOA all day challenge.

The first shot was way on the left of the target.  The center target was fiddling with the scope turrets and then I shot three of the smaller outer bullseye.  The bottom right bull was only 4 shots.  The other two were 5 shots.

I'm satisfied with this rifle/ammo combo.

Beside the ammo, the things I changed were shooting from a bipod instead of a rest, lowered the trigger pull from 4 pounds to 2 pounds, and used this Norma 77gr BTHP Golden Target ammo.

So, the last pic has 4 shots touching & 1 away.

Did you call the “flier?”

Looks like both you & the gun are capable & just need trigger time to get more consistent.

Nice job!

ETA: I handload for my Tikka T3x 6.5CM & Compass Lake 5.56 build & both will 0.5MOA as a result 5 shot groups with my loads.  The best group was shot by a long range stud who did 0.3MOA, 5 shots 6.5CM (but my handloads).  So, tuning a handload to a barrel helps get every smidge of obtainable precision from a gun.

Ironically, the guy who shot the 0.3MOA group uses only Black Hills match factory ammo, noting he prefers to shoot vs tedium of reloading, so either will work.

an absolutely predictable break is pretty important. A hair trigger can be worse than a 9 pound gorilla trigger if it is inconsistent.

No, I was surprised by every one of these trigger breaks.  Wind was variable 2 to 7 MPH but it was mostly blowing at me instead of across the range.  You're right, I need more practice.  I am glad I found a load the gun likes.  Next time I am up by that shop I'm going to buy a bunch more of it.  It was 500 rounds loose packed in plastic ammo cans.  

Also, I could see the reticle moving around a bit, so even off the bipod it wasn't rock solid.  Still, I'm very happy with my second trip to the range with this rifle.  I'm not practiced enough to really describe the trigger pull, but it is definitely not gritty, and when it breaks it just lets go.  Really maybe only a barely perceptible "wall" it hits just before the break.

As for reloading, I did save the brass and I have everything I need, except for time and space to do it.  But it is definitely possible the rifle could shoot even better with better ammo.  What I really wanted was to know if it would do a sub MOA group, so I'd know that the rifle is capable.  Then that means if I improve, the groups will too.  

You do realize that you need to subtract .22 from what those calipers are reading to get your group size, right?

That's pretty good for a factory rifle, 3/4 moa if shot at 100 yards. That said I would definitely order some IMI Razorcore, Black Hills and AAC with 69 gr. and 77 gr. OTM to see what it likes the best before buying in bulk.

And you should try a rear squeeze bag like another poster recommended. It shrunk my groups a bit when shooting off the bench or prone.

Good luck with the process.

I've always had great experiences with Norma rifle ammo.  I don't use their hunting ammo for killing anything but paper, but it has been very consistent.  The Golden Target stuff is one of my main go tos for 556 and 308 bench shooting.

Why would you subtract .22?  Because he's not measuring to the middle of the outside holes?

Because groups are measured center to center and he's measuring edge to edge.

Yes, exactly.  You measure from the farthest outside grease rings and subtract one bullet diameter to get the center-to-center measurement.

ETA it's more precise than guessing where the center of the holes might be.

“Surprise” is ok if you’re teaching draftees in WWI or II shooting 30-06 or something.   But it will seriously hinder performance in any sort of practical shooting.  You’ll never hit a mover, or anything unsupported if you don’t know when the gun is going off.   Steer clear of that bad habit

Taking  one coil  off of the "trigger sprinng " not sure what it's called, turned my cheap ass savage axis into a moa gun with nearly any .223 ammo. Before, it was 2ish"

Smooth and crisp is more important
It should brake like glass

“Shot calling” or “calling your shot” isn’t about a surprise trigger break, but rather an honest assessment of your technique, sight picture & follow-through to explain why the shots went where they did, if I’m making any sense.

We all see the crosshairs or sights move, but a key to understanding your errors & improving is pragmatic assessment of “why?”  It’s a developed with many sports-type activities, including shooting.

As noted, “experts” in all activities including shooting get into “the zone” and aren’t thinking “exhale, slow, tighten trigger finger…” any more than they’re thinking “back straight, head down, grasp is too firm…”. I sure don’t think Jerry Miculek does & that man is amazing.

You just need some additional experience—and remember—we all have off days.  I have left the range or changed my range plan to fun plinking from precision shooting when I find myself off & making errors—but that’s a huge difference in pros vs amateurs in most activities— the pros can “do” on command (but will even still be bested by someone who makes fewer errors).  You learn to push yourself to learn/grow but need to recognize when you’re just emptying cases vs learning.

Save the brass.  You may or may not find yourself interested in handloading.

https://precisionrifleblog.com/

Beware rabbit holes….I say this having been lost in several re: precision rifle.

Cheers!

ETA:

https://ryancleckner.com/books/

Cleckner’s book is very good.  He appeared on The Warrior Poet’s YT page teaching long range basics & demystifies voodoo I was taught in my younger days.  I don’t remember Cleckner’s bio, but his book is a solid foundation to a new long distance shooter & insightful for old farts like me.

OP make sure you have your parallax set right, and make sure you are getting behind the rifle consistently, especially your cheek rest...Notice how your groups range from high and low as well as left and right..Thats inconsistency showing up in your position..In other words you are trying to use muscles to hold the crosshairs on target to maybe your parallax is off.....
 When you get all lined up ready to shoot, you should be able to close your eyes and when you reopen them your crosshairs should still be centered, if its not you are using muscle to force the crosshairs on target..Also, if you try to hold on to tight you get so shaky you can't keep the crosshairs on target, making it hard to get good groups....I shoot a big 300rum and I barely touch the rifle between cheekrest, trigger hand and shoulder..The more force I put into trying to hold the rifle perfect the worse the unwanted movement I have to fight to keep the crosshairs on target...

 A simple rear bag such as these are my most used, and it's hard to beat both bags for 14 bucks...you squeeze them with your off hand to adjust height....The big square bag you have looks like it would be hard to control....

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I don't enjoy high precision rifles much, so I'm not the best to answer. This also depends completely on your definition of "MOA all day". If you are talking about 3 shot groups where most are under 1" at 100 yards, that's not too high a standard. If you are talking about shooting 5x5 averages and having every single 5 shot group under 1" at 100 yards, that's a much higher goal. If you start adding distance, such at 5" at 500 yards, that's harder yet.

The only rifle I ever owned that I consider "MOA all day" was a custom barrel Savage 110 in 6mm Remington. It could shoot a 5x5 and every single group at 100 yards was under 1", but only with one particular tuned load. It could not do the same at 500 yards. I no longer have the rifle, but the trigger was not earth shattering, maybe 2.5 pound break. The key was the rifle with scope was pushing 14 pounds.

That's something people forget is rifle weight. You can shoot a 13-15 pound rifle with a 3 pound trigger easy enough. A 7-8 pound rifle with a 3 pound trigger is not as easy. An 8 pound rifle with a 5 pound trigger and you can sometimes see the shaking from the strain of pulling, there's no getting around that. It's still possible to put 3 shot inside an inch at 100 yards with a little shake. You just blame yourself for the groups that don't, and now you have a MOA all day rifle. You can practice forever, but when a 4-5 pound trigger breaks, you are still imparting 4-5 pounds into the rifle.

Essential

Looks like good potential. Could be a bit of parallax or maybe a little bind in the action or barrel that a bedding tweak might fix.

Chasing a flier can be aggravating!

So to address some more questions a d comments...

The rear bag I am using is pretty small in the hand.  It's actually a tube shaped bag.  It only looks rectangular in the picture.  It's pretty small and is filled with poly pellets. It's about the size of a crew sock homemade bag (not a big tube sock).  I also have a little square bag I haven't tried yet.  I have been using it as a squeeze bag to adjust elevation.  I'm not really that new to using bags and bipods for shooting, as I have attended a few NRL22 matches and learned a good bit there.  

As for the crosshairs/target alignment at 100 yards, yes I can definitely see them moving around a bit.  The bipod is pretty stable, but I have been trying different variations in my hold to try to minimize the effects of things like my pulse, etc.  I can see the crosshairs moving back and forth about 3/8" to 1/2" on the target with my pulse, depending on how I hold the stock.  I know I'm not supposed to drink a bunch of caffeine before hitting the range, so that's something else I'll have to be aware of.

It does make sense that a lighter rifle is harder to keep steady with a heavier trigger.  With an 8 pound rifle, a 4 pound trigger is half the inertia of the rifle.  Dropping the trigger to 2 pounds puts it at a quarter of the inertia.  A 2 pound trigger on a 16 pound gun would only be an eighth of the gun's inertia. Ruger does sell a weight kit for the stock, but I don't think this stock is nice enough to spend money upgrading it that could go to other things like more ammo.  I haven't weighed the gun, but it's definitely more on the lighter end of the scale.  The barrel is both fluted and tapered, and the stock is hollow plastic.

I think I can do better, but it will take some practice, and enough patience to make sure I settle down and adjust my position for every shot so that I'm not applying any off-axis pressure to the gun when the trigger breaks.  Also waiting for lulls in the wind would help too.

Also I need to tighten my bipod screw periodically.  I noticed it was a little loose when putting the gun away.  The group with the "flyer" was the last group I shot.  So perhaps the bipod could explain it.

As for the heartbeat issue, is that something you try to time your shots to, or can that be eliminated by changing the hold on the gun?

I do not get any heart beat in the scope, or any movement really..but again, I barely touch this rifle to shoot it, if I try to hold it tight, the groups will open up...parallax may also be an issue..if you are moving your eye up/down or left/right and the target and crosshairs are jumping all over it is likely the parallax is off...

I'm a bit out of date but the guys I knew used 2 - 2.5lbs.  Of course, they could outshoot me with 7lb, lighter is better up to a point but rifle, experience and particularly wind reading wins.