Let's start with the 7-08 first.
As I said earlier, the rifle has much nicer wood than most of the recent Number 1's I have seen. One of my criticisms of 1A's over the years is that they often seem butt heavy, but this particular rifle seems to balance nicely wearing a Leupold VX 2 2x-7x 32 . I replaced the number #5 rings that came with rifle with a set of low rings, but I need to exchange the rear rings for extended rings to allow the scope to come back another 1/2 inch . Why Ruger ships these rifles with high rings is a mystery...who in their right mind would put a 50 mm scope on a 1A? OK, well, maybe you would, but to my eye at least, a big objective lens just seems out of place here.
The trigger pull is heavy and creepy, measuring well off the high end of my trigger scale. Fit and finish is not up to the standards of older rifles.The wood sits noticeably proud of the receiver, not terrible, but not as well stocked as my older rifles. The polishing of the metal is not what it use to be either, but, again, it's not awful. It' just not as well finished as my previous Number 1's.The over all impression though is quite positive. This is a handsome rifle. The chamber seems to be short. The Sierra 140's I loaded to Sierra OAL were in full contact with the lands. I seated them 20 thou deeper.
I can hear you asking..... how does it shoot? Quick answer is, pretty well. I just grabbed a load that has shot well in other 7-08's, 140 gr. Sierra PH ,46 and 47 grs. of Win.760/H414 over a Fed 210 primer in Winchester cases..run out on all was less than .002. The heavy trigger pull was not conducive to fine accuracy and my bench technique was a little rusty, but the rifle seemed to want to shoot... groups measures just over 1.5''s usually with 4 in an inch or under with one hanging out. Happily, groups did not display any tendency to string vertically. Shooting the gun hot does not appear to affect group size. I am going to like this rifle, but the trigger needs to be worked on and I will install a red Pachmayr Decelerator pad on general principles. I will relieve the wood at the end of the back of forend so that it just barely touches the receiver. May or may not put a 1/4 tsp. of bedding compound at the front of the forend.
I entrusted the rifle to the care of a talented young gunsmith with instruction to fix the trigger, install a recoil pad... I know, it's a light recoiling 7-08... and take a file to the forend. I think I am really going to like this rifle.
There is an outside chance that this rifle will accompany me to Newfoundland for moose this fall. Having knocked off a couple moose with synthetic stocked '06's, I can't see any reason why a 7-08 Number 1 with a decent bullet wouldn't seal the deal.
OK, next are my impressions of the 1S 30-06. But the hour is late and the two single malts are taking their toll. Time for bed. I'll tell you about the 30-06 tomorrow.
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