Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots No 1 Rebarrel

I am about to send off a #1 action to be rebarreled. Going with 6mm CM. Debating on barrel length. Probably go with 24” but open to suggestions.

Also thinking about having a block attached to the bottom of the barrel so the forearm can be attached to that instead of the hanger. I am interested in hearing some thoughts on that. I have no idea on how other single shots have their forearms attached Not really sure if this is a worthwhile effort. I will not be using factory wood so existing holes are a non-issue. I remember reading about this in an old magazine article about #1 accuracy tips.

And I know someone will ask what this rifle will be used for and the best answer I can come up with is “Fun”. Longest range locally is a little over 300 yards, so I want to shoot accurately at least that far. It will also get used for whitetails here in KY. This has been a project that I have had in my head for a while and finally at the point where I am ready to send off an action.

When I had my action rebarreled I had a tuning screw installed in the hangar. Frank De Haas' book "The Single Shot's Gunsmithing Idea Book" goes in depth on his experiments with forend bedding. Mine has worked out well & I tighten it to light but firm pressure.

It’s actually called a Hicks Accurizer block. My smith installed one on my #1 Varmint. Bedded the forearm underneath the thing, then drilled a small hole so you can adjust it without removing the forearm. Adjustment starts out with the set screw just touching, then it’s 1/8 turn at a time till the groups tighten up. It works, downside is that it only works well with one load. After setting it for the primary, I go back to tried and true load tuning to get others to shoot well.

Well, either the Hicks, or as Pertnear showed, drill and tap the hanger. With the barrel removed, it should be an easy drill and tap job.

Just curious, what type of action wrench would be used to pull a barrel on a #1. Friend has a barrel vice that we use to switch barrels out on his Savage rifles, but neither of us have an action wrench. Not that I need one, just curious.

I have never used a Hicks but have drilled and tapped many Rugers . It is a simple fix and more often than not shrinks groups from 1.5" or more down to .5" or better. Two of
My current Rugers however are fully bedded, one with a wood stock and my F/0 match rifle has a CNC machined forend that is fully bedded to the barrel and cap screwed .
Anybody I know that has rebarreled a Ruger for me installs it in a lathe, the don't use a barrel vice .
Cat

Guess I should have explained better but thought the difference should be obvious.



The Hicks gives a much flatter bedding area that actually evens out the stock hanger area for better contact with the forearm kinda like bedding the front lug. Secondly the set screw is farther forward allowing less adjustment to achieve harmonic balance. Third it just plain looks cleaner.

Between the Hicks and drill and tap, which is better is probably debatable. Not trying to be argumentative, but I would have to see an actual test to believe one is better than the other. Not against the Hicks, but I think it would be cleaner looking to drill and tap. The forearm will be covering it anyways.


Cat, curious what size tap / setscrew are you using? Would a 6-32 be sufficient?

Does anyone offer Ruger #1 actions for sale?

No.

I have had five #1s.
Sold the first four cause they were inaccurate. Yes, slow learner. Three were varmint contour, one a sporter, all .22 centerfire. I tried all kind of forend schemes.
Bought a 218 Bee a year ago. Had Jim Kobe float the forearm by sanding out some wood near the forend tip and putting some bedding epoxy where the screw attaches to the hanger. There is no contact between the barrel and the forend. It is free floated.
The gun was a 1.5” at best shooter, now it’s sub 1”, 5 shots at 100 yards.

The one #1 I have owned, back in the 1980's, I suppose during the time of the suspect barrels, was a .338 wm. I free floated the forearm and it shot as well as I could shooting a 275 grain bullet at 2550. It was a real kicker and one had to focus. Shot Consistent point of impact every time and around an inch to 1.5" when I did my part. It killed everything I pointed it at. No vertical stringing which it did from the factory.

I have a #1 in 338wm also. I added a limbsaver pad which makes it less painful to shoot. Recoil of that is one reason I am looking at 6mm cm for this other one. If I ever get drawn for elk here in KY, that 338 will get used. It shoots Barnes TTSX factory loads just under an inch.

What is the advantage of 6 Creedmoor in a single shot? 243, 6mm Rem or 6mm 06 would be a better chioce IMHO.

I had considered the 6mm Remington, and possibly the AI version, but I can get 6mm cm brass from ADG which is local to me. Factory ammo is also easy to find locally. So I guess it really comes down to brass. I haven't mailed the action off yet. I am kind of waiting for my local gunsmith to finish up another project for me and discuss some options on this #1 action. He can do case color hardening and need to find out how that plays into the rebarrel sequence.

how did it go scoony? I'm wanting to do the same thing. they are like a sexy woman beautiful but just don't perform. you can get $2,000 in one pretty quick

Sorry I forgot to check this thread !
If my memory is correct we used a 8/48 , with small saddle for a wear plate so the screw did not bear on the barrel
Cat