Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots No.1 RSI Returned

I dont worry about #1 accuracy.

If one doesnt shoot will have Penrod rebarrel it.

Dunno if this proves anything but FWIW here goes..

Back in 1975 I special ordered a Ruger #1S in .300 Win. Mag. When it arrived at my LGS, it was the "B" model and not the "S". The LGS called the distributor and was told that was all they had, take it or send it back. Grudgingly, I took it with the hope of finding the proper forearm to make it into the "S" configuration. Never happened. As I bought the rifle for an elk hunt I worked up a load using the long now discontinued WMR powder, Winchester brass and standard primer covered by the 200 gr. Speer Hot Core. Once sighted in at 3" high at 100 yards I settled down and shot for accuracy. First group was .375" at a velocity of 2880 FPS on average. That rifle was consistently good for .50" all day long, at least till my shoulder said enough, and even then I still shot it well.

It wasn't until the early 1980s that I finally founs an "S" model in .300 Win. mag. and it too, shot about as well as the first rifle. It was one of the 200th year guns made in 1976. Then a few years later I came across another 200th year in .300 Win. Mag. and it too shot that oad like the first two.

While we're on .300 Win. mags I also came into a Winchester 70 in .300 Win. Mag. and figured it would be a great back up rifle to the Rugers. It was just as accurate with that load so when I did an elk hunt the guide wouldn't let me use the #1 so I took an elk with the Winchester.

At a gun show about six or seven years ago a fellow had two Ruger #1s on his table; a "B" in 7MM Rem. Mag. with decent wood and a black pad (late model) "S" in .300 Win. Mag. We dickered on price for about a half hour or so when I finally got tired of haggling, I pulled out $1,100 in cash and said $1,100 cash for the pair, yes or no? Guess he was tired too as he said yes. The .300 was also just as accurate as the others I had chambered to the .300 Win, cartridge. On that 7MM Rem. Mag., all I've done with it was shoot it enough to see if I went bang.

My point being, I have yet to see a Ruger #1 in .300 Win. Mag. that was inaccurate. One cold probably duplicate my load with H4831 or IMR 7828 and get close to that 2880 PS speed.

I do have a small collection of Ruger #1s ranging from .22 Hornet to the might .416 Rigby. Most have been decently accurate and the few that weren't were fairly easy to work up a reasonable hunting load. You don't need a rifle doing.50" or less at 100 yards for big game. for varmints sure but a rifle consistently at 1.5" will kill deer and larger animal well past 400 yards. I don't like shooting that far and have done so only twice in my life. Frankly, I've neer seen a bench rest out in the field when on a hunt.
PJ

I have a 1A in 250 Savage thats a lovely gun and a great classic caliber. I shot a Blackbuck in Texas with it at very close to 300 yards. If ypu want to rebarrel your RSI the 250 Savage would IMHO be a good canidate.

Gentlemen,
The Ruger gunsmith that works on Number 1 rifles called me today with the news.
He informed me at this time Ruger had no plans to his knowledge to make any RSI rifles thus there is no wood available. He checked my barre and said it's good - recrowned it then shot it at 50 yards with Factory Federal 100 grain cartridges...........they all touched!! He couldn't shoot at 100 yards because of the snow. I inquired as to rebarreling and he left it up to me but did emphasize how well it shot and grouped. At 100 it may open up some, but I think it may not be much. He also said if I wasn't happy, I could send it back in and he would rebarrel it.
I haven't been shooting anything but Nosler factory 90 grain BT. My reason was I thought the twist was too slow. I need to find a load with 100 grain bullets.
Got a box of Hornady Interloc's and I'll try to find some Nosler 100 grain Partitions and work up a load for them.
So, the RSI is heading home, cured!! With a new crown. Let's see what happens.
If anyone has a few proven No.1 -100 grain .243 loads, please pass them on .

WHY did I ever become a No.1 addict?? Only you fellows know the answer!!!

Thank you in advance for your time, help and consideration.
Semper Fidelis
Soup

Someday I would like to have that gun.

My '85 .243 RSI shot the 100gr and 95 gr Winchester factory ammo just fine.
100gr was silver box reg, and the 95 gr was the Deer Season XP.

If I get another #1 and want it rebarreled, it'll go to Penrod Precision.
Excellent work and super nice guy.

FWIW my #1 A in .308 win has a bit of thump w factory 150gr.
I haven't shot a .250 Savage but think that could be the ideal polite deer popper.

i got to say i really like the 250 Savage its a great cartridge as is my favorite the 257 Roberts cartridge ,i would love to have a 250 Savage in a Ruger # 1 maybe someday that will happen. but to be honest with trying to find good brass for a 250 Savage is difficult . i hate to say this the 6.5 Creedmoor brass is so easy to buy and that 6.5 Creedmoor brass case is so close to a 250 - 300 Savage cases maybe that would be a better option for easy brass to buy ? i did chamber a rifle with a new Brux barrel in a 257 Creedmoor which really does shoot well ? good luck with your choice . i also wonder if you could use Creedmoor brass to remake into 250 Savage brass ? good luck, Pete53

You might try some of the factory Federal 100 grain rounds to generate a baseline.

Kinda funny..... shooting a Ruger #1 and worrying about brass
availability and or cost.

I have never had a problem finding brass for "hard to find calibers" such as the 250 or 300 Savages or teh 6MM Remington. I just missed 100 new pieces of Hornady 250 Savage brass in the classifides. If you look you will find it.

Agreed.

i hope that holds true on 250 Savage good brass ?

Depending on how you define it, I had one. I bought a used #1V in .300 Win Mag at Mazama Sporting Goods in Eugene OR back in about 1992 or 1993. I threw a scope on it and headed for the range. It was pretty awful. Later, as I got used to it, I figured out it just heated and traveled. If I shot at a steady pace on a number of days, the first shots would make a nice group. The second shots would form another nice group but about 2" above the group of first shots. The third shots would all form a nice group about 1.5 inches higher than the group of second shots. And so on. After about 10-12 shots the barrel would be piping hot and the thing would settle into a half inch group about a foot above the cold-barrel point of aim. If I'd stop and let it cool back to ambient temp, then it'd go right up through the warming/stringing process again.

Eventually I got rid of it.

In hindsight I kinda wish I had it back if only to experiment to see what the root of the problem was. Could have been stresses in the barrel. Could have been heat causing something to swell and push unevenly on the stock. Could have been a lot of things. At the time, I was poor, paying 1/3 of my check to uncle sam, 1/3 to child support, and trying to live off the skimpy rest of it. I could only afford to have one rifle and it couldn't be something I had to fight like I had to fight that one. Sending it down the road was the right thing to do at the time .. and it's why it was for sale in the first place .. but some days I do wonder what its deal was.

Guys,
The FedEx driver delivered my RSI today!
The lever still has play, but to be fair, the gunsmith told me that before shipping. I'm told some No.1s do and some don't have play and it's not an issue. Still annoying to me. Enclosed with the rifle was a photocopy of the targets and the ammunition used; Federal " Power-Shock" .243-100 grain JSP at 50 yards shot a 7/8" group with vertical stringing. The second was shot with; Hornady American Whitetail .243-100grain "InterLock" ammunition all 3 shots were touching! No stringing.
I'm going to a big Sport Show in Harrisburg, PA on Monday, maybe I'll come across some of this ammo there.
In the meantime if anyone knows what Federal and Hornady use for powder please pass it on. I've got Nosler 90 and 95 grain Ballistic Tips and 100 grain Hornady InterLocks. I need a formula!!
Thank you all for your input.
Semper Fidelis
Soup

Down South-68-69

I got a little bit of time and weather to shoot the RSI today.45 degrees and 13 mph wind.
I shot at 50 yards benched just like Ruger said they did. First 3 shots I couldn't find a single hole! NOT ONE!!
This was with Nosler, factory 90 grain BT. So, I tried 2 -100 grain Hornady Interlocks over RE 17. Ziltch!
Went down range and covered the entire backer with a yellow cardboard.
Fired 1 shot -after 22 clicks left and 7 up I was on. Shot 6 more of the factory 90ers and put 5 in 1 jagged hole.
I did move 4 more clicks to the left after the first shot. It's only 50 yards and benched but now I've got a base to work on. I'm happy!
Now I need to see what kind of a load/loads I can come up with for 90-95 and 100 grain bullets. I've got quite a few 90 and 95 Nosler BT blems . I can use some proven help if anyone loads for these bullets.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Have a nice weekend.
Semper Fidelis
Soup

Down South 68-69

I use IMR 4350 with the Nosler 95gr BT. Might not be the fastest, but shoots great.

Gents,
I loaded some 100 grain Hornady Interlock bullets over 41.0 Of IMR 4350 and another with 38.0 of RE 17.
I'm still shooting @ 50 yards. Both groups shot 1/2" groups ( 3 shots) with all shots touching and the RE17 group had 2 of 3 in the same jagged hole.
I'm guessing the group will enlarge at 100 yards. If I can do MOA @100, I'll be happy. My plan is to use it as my deer hunting rifle in Pennsylvania. I'm 75 next month and since I was a youngen I can't remember even a 60-yard shot! I've got a lot of 90 & 95 grain BT I also want to play with to see which of the 3 weights shoots the best. Hookeye are you still looking for rings?
Thanks for listening.
Semper Fidelis
Soup

Down South 68-69

Based on your comments, I think I know what you needed to do to fix that problem. With the rifle no longer in hand, what I say not has to be conjecture but, I think your problem was caused by the rib.

Bear with me, the rib is fastened to the barrel with screws and two pins. Many times I've seen the rib making contact with the face of the receiver. The barrel heats up and expands forcing the rib to press even harder against the receiver and affecting the barrel's vibrations. The trick is to remove the rid and carefully file off a few thousandths off the end than makes contact with the receiver. If when you removed the ribs from the barrel you hear a pinging sound, the holes for the screws and pins need to be enlarged slightly as they too are affected as the barrel expands. Note that the screws may be sealed with red Loctite and you will have to apply a source of heat to break them free. They are hell for tight.
PJ