Ruger # 1 reloading and tweaking.

[[email protected]]

New # 1 owner and new member. I am familiar with accurate reloading TC single shot firearms.
Will I need to use the same procedure for the # 1? FL resizing every time to bump shoulder back to keep .001-.003 headspace? Any advantage to indexing?
Will probably need to do some trigger work, are there some instruction and is there a diagram of the trigger.
Understand the forend often needs attention. Are there any instructions and/or recommendations?

Thanks,

Bill

 

[wwb]

Can't help you with the forearm on a #1, but reloading for accuracy, everybody has their own pet method. Here's mine:

1 Fireform the brass, trim to length, and neck turn for concentricity.

2 Assuming the ammo is always for the same gun, neck size only from here on out..

3 With a given bullet and powder, try 5 or 6 different powder charges, then repeat with same bullet and different powder, shooting a 5-shot group (not 3-shot groups).

4 Once you have a bullet and powder combination that gives the smallest group, seat a bullet in an empty case. Seat it long with no crimp, and chamber it so it will be pushed back by the rifling. Extract it and measure the OAL - this is your "zero jump" length. Then load and fire 5-shot groups with the bullet seated at different lengths to see which performs the best.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Too much for a single post. Entire librarys are needed to cover every aspect of accuracy reloading and every rifle is different, even another rifle of the same model and caliber may/will react differently to a change in a loading.
Keep good records and change only one thing at a time. Have fun!!!

 

[Big Old Boy]

Of all the #1 I have owned I never had an accuracy problem. Don't over think it just shoot it and enjoy.

 

[steelshooterco]

I'd suggest firing several sample rounds, check head space with a RCBS cartridge gauge (didn't catch caliber, but may have missed it). Would then bump shoulder as you said .001 to .003, trying for the middle. Shims for a 7/8 die work great for this, easiest way to set the head space I've found. Skips Tool and die makes these, with several people selling them.

You probably also need to determine seating depth for the bullets you are using.

I would try indexing to see if there is any impact, would not think there is, but it would not hurt to try.

Think there are several threads on the foreend, plus differing opinions on line. Kind of like a TC, you do not want a lot of foreend pressure if shooting off bags/rests and also need to be consistent.

 

[[email protected]]

Thanks for the replys. I understand ladder tests and OAL. and barrel harmonics.

Are there any drawings of the trigger mech., with instructions for honing?

How about after market triggers?

 

[SAJohn]

Bsek, Welcome to our forum.

You did not tell us the date of birth of your No. 1. The early triggers were fully adjustable and about as good as it gets. Later ones not so much until about 2005 when Ruger made improvements. I bought mine new in 1975, the so called "red pads" with the good trigger. Right out of the box it broke at 3.5 pounds which I consider perfect for a .300 magnum hunting rifle.

The first thing I always do with a new to me firearm is to completely disassemble, inspect and clean every part to within an inch of its life. The thing I noticed was that the beautiful wood was not well sealed on the underneath sides. Multiple coating of diluted sealant with long curing times between coating were applied to better stabilize the wood in varying temperature and humidity hunting conditions.

Next came experiments with loads and bullet seating distance. With no magazine restrictions, it was easy to set it up with the bullet tip just not touching the barrel groves which worked best for my rifle.

As to the forearm, I installed a shim and free floated the barrel.

Now about shooting groups. Realize that were are talking about a single shot rifle, the only important thing is how close the first shot strikes to the scope cross hairs point of aim at a given distance from a cold near clean barrel. 3 shoots are fine with me. Long 10 minute waits between shots are the way to go so you are always shooting with that cold barrel. With the right load and a calm day I always get 3/4" 100 yard three shot groups in the black.

I have never tried firing 5 quick shots groups but suspect they may be several MOA which is meaningless for a single shot rifle unless you are Tom Selleck faced with multiple bad guys.

As to your trigger, I suggest that you leave it alone until you have done the above. If it is really too heavy or creaky, send me a PM.

John

ps, No mule deer has ever escaped my first shot with the Ruger No. 1.

 

[1smith]

Bill, i just saw your post on your new No 1. I am new to the forum myself and have already learned a bunch from these contributors. There are some very knowledgeable and experienced people commenting here. I have been working on No 1s for 5 years now. I am a stock maker and have chosen to concentrate on this Ruger model. John's comment on OCL is a good one. Usually, a reloader is able to seat bullets just off the lands, because there are not restrictions on total length.

On the subject of the No 1 forearm and it's role in effecting the guns accuracy, I have learned a great deal on this subject. Some folks have No 1s that shoot great right out of the box. I have a couple of those myself, but most need some help if they are going to achieve that 1 MOA benchmark. No 1s have an action that is inherently capable of very fine accuracy, although lock time may be lagging behind just a little. Barrels on No 1s are generally better than most production guns. So why do No 1s get a bad reputation for accuracy? It's not the hardware. It's the complexity of how that hardware interfaces with it's furniture. On the average bolt gun this is a relatively straightforward issue. Lock it down tight so it can't move and your good to go. Factory No 1 forearms have two small blocks at the rear of the inletting that control how deep the barrel is allowed to rest in the forearm. Theoretically, these two points and the very forward part of the barrel channel,being the third point, put upward pressure on the barrel while the takedown screw pulls down on the stut holding the barrel down against those three points. That's how it's supposed to work and some of the time it does, so I always recommend that the gun be given a try before any alterations are undertaken. When it still won't shoot, I have developed a fix by bedding certain points of the barrel and strut. I will try to illustrate this in a future post that includes some pictures, as this is a difficult process to cover by text alone. The bottom line is that I have yet to run up against a No 1 that won't shoot a minute of angle with this kind of help. Although, I do blame my baldness on a couple that were stubborn.