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Do the Ruger No 1 RSI's have the same accuracy hang-ups as the 1A? There is a new one in .243 at the local shop for 6 and change calling my name. I won't keep an inaccurate rifle long.

It will be a work in progress. She may shoot well, right off the shelf; but don't bet on it. That said, they can shoot VERY well.

The question is whether you want a project, or a shooter.

If it shoots 2" groups what is my first move?

Ask for help on the Single Shot forum here.

Trigger, obviously. Barrel float and pressure from the forearm screw.

If it shoots sub 4"; Ruger will be no help at all.

A little work can get you better.

But truthfully? If round #1 and round #2 go into about an inch, consistently?

I call that good enough. It's a walkin' rifle, not a varmint rig.

- Tom

My little RSI does pretty well with a 1-4 power on top. I'm the limiting factor.

Ron here is getting TINY, tiny, TINY groups out of his long throated International.

"If it shoots 2" groups what is my first move? "

handload

First and foremost... LET THE SHORT, THIN BARREL COOL OFF BEFORE SHOOTING ANOTHER SHOT !~!~! Depending on the temperature and whether or not you're in the sun or the shade, this could take 5-15 minutes between shots.

I hadn't done anything to my 7x57mm #1 International (aka "RSI") at the time I shot a couple of 3-shot groups of .167 inches & .169 inches @ 50 yards using a 140 grain Sierra, flat-based ProHunter bullet with loads of 37.2 grains and 37.6 grains (chronographed @ 2578 fps) of H4350 (maximum listed load is 50.0 yielding approx. 2775 fps out of our 20" barrels) grains of H4350 with a 145 grain Speer bullet) sparked by standard Winchester primers in Remington cases. But in order to achieve that level of accuracy, I had to let my rifle's barrel cool off.

Another possible "accuracy trick" that doesn't cost anything (in addition to letting the barrel cool off which has "zero" cost) is seating the bullet within 10/1000ths of the rifling which seemed to help my rifle's accuracy quite a bit.

If I didn't allow it to cool off, my RSI shot 2" to 2� inch "patterns" rather than "groups". And before I began seating the bullet within 10/1000ths of an inch of the rifling, it shot in the .25 to .35 inch 3-shot group size... so seating the bullet close to the rifling actually does improve accuracy... or at least it did for me with my rifle.

Of course, each rifle is different and might not respond the same to these little "accuracy tricks" I've used. But if you think about it... that thin little barrel on the RSIs not only heats up easily and quickly, but being almost surrounded by the wood of the Mannlicher-style stock retards the cooling off of the barrel as well. This is why it is so important to allow that barrel to cool off almost completely before firing the next shot.

After I had shot those smallish groups, I had my gunsmith install a Kepplinger Single Set Trigger in hopes I could shoot even smaller groups. But frankly, I believe a classic rifle like our Ruger RSI's "need" a single set trigger because a "set trigger", like the rifle, had "classic overtones" as well.

However, I haven't been able to do much shooting with the RSI since I had the new Kepplinger single-set trigger installed because I've come up with a different "plan of attack" in attempting to shoot tiny groups with my relatively "stock" rifle.

I also have a fairly powerful scope (a 4-12x by 40mm) with an adjustable objective turret for eliminating parallax.

In the meantime, I decided to get a very accurate .22 rimfire rifle as a "companion" rifle to shoot while I'm waiting for the RSI's barrel to cool off... and, as a result, I bought a new CZ453 "varmint" (aka "heavy" barrel, no sights) .22 rimfire with a single set trigger.

I've also bought 29 different brands/types of .22 rimfire rounds and am in the process of testing the accuracy of the various brand/types of ammo. So far, I have tested 18 brands/types with another 11 brands/types to go. To date, the most accurate was the Wolf Match Target .22 rimfire rounds which produced "one-hole" accuracy @ 50 yards using a duplicate 4-12x by 40mm scope like the scope on the RSI.

However, the Wolf Match Target ammo is more expensive than I wish to pay for .22's to shoot while waiting for the RSI's barrel to cool off... and so, the "cheapie" ammo that seems most accurate is the CCI "Blazer" solid point, 40 grain ammo. It doesn't shoot nearly as small a 5-shot group as the Wolf, but it only costs $1.90 a box (50 rounds) rather than $5.99 a box (50 rounds)... and the Blazer ammo will stay within the diameter of a bright orange target paster without any problem... and, occasionally, will shoot almost a "one-hole", 50-shot group... but it won't consistently shoot that well whereas the Wolf ammo will.

I'll use the Wolf for informal "matches" with other Club Members (we usually bet a can of Coke the loser buys the winner).

Recently, I moved the 6-24x by 40mm scope from my heavy barreled Sako .222 to the CZ to see if I could improve accuracy... and haven't shot that combination enough as yet to be able to tell.

Please try my suggestions (waiting for the barrel to cool off and seating the bullets out to within 10/1000ths of the rifling) before you sell the rifle or do any expensive modifications. I hope you will find those "expensive modifications" may NOT be necessary in order to turn your little RSI into a "minute-of-angle" rifle.

Between the ever-rising cost of reloading components and the often BORING "wait-time" for the RSI's barrel to cool off... I may end up shooting the CZ more than the RSI.

Oh... yeah... and one more "accuracy trick"... start HANDLOADING as Prostrate8 suggested !!!


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

The handloading I started in 1977 as a 17 yr old. Many reloads have been shot since that time. I love the look and feel of full stocked rifles. I have owned 4 Ruger 77 RSI's none shot better than 2". I have owned No 1 standards and 1A's. 1.5" if I waited long periods between shots. If I am groundhog hunting over a field with many dens shots could come within a minute of each other. This would make great accuracy with a .243 No. 1 RSI challenging at best.

My son bought a 1A in .270Win that I explained might not shoot very well. It shoots under 1" with factory ammo. I have one in .270Wby that shoots in 1 1/2". I have a Mod 77 RSI in .243 that shoots factory loads 2-3". Good luck.