Sort of an update to a thread I started over on Shooters a while back.

For about two years I've been getting some really good groups in my #1 using 405 grain plain based Lee FN/Fed 215 primers/duplex load of 3.0 grains IMR 4198 underneath 48.0 grains of WC-860. This load has produced tight groups at 50 yards and can wear out the downrange gong at my range (Inland F&G) 200 meters away.

Having put a scope on the rifle a few months back to see what the rifle could REALLY do, I had an oppurtunity today to chronograph the loads and to give them a 100 yard test drive with the scope on board.

HIJO LA!! 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" groups at 100 yards, and I wish the scope was a bit higher magnification than 1x-4x......the rifle's potential may be getting limited by my aging eyesight.

The interesting part--the loads showed REMARKABLE shot-to-shot velocity consistency. Average was about 1260 FPS, with extreme spread from 1249 to 1278. Small wonder the load shoots well.

The other good news came from the SAECO 405 grain spitzer loaned by Idabull. Its work with the duplex load of 3.0/IMR 4198 and 48.0/WC-860 didn't do real well. My initial idea was that the twist rate in the Ruger (1-20" or therabouts) wasn't quick enough to stabilize these significantly longer castings. WRONG!! 55.0 grains of slow lot WC-852 (full case) produced an average of about 1450 FPS and the same sort of consistent velocity--1438 to 1474 FPS. The groups ran 1-1/2" to 2", significantly better than the slower powder duplex load produced.

Holy buffalo gun, Deputy Al! All this accuracy without scaling, orienting, separating cavities, 36X scope, etc? You're going to be making a whole passel of bench rest folks nervous. You must have an early No.1 with a real Ruger barrel, better hang on to that one. Regards, curmudgeon

Curmudgeon et al--

Oh, yeah--it's a keeper, all right. The rifle is about 6 years old, so it's barrel is of that vintage. It has the ABRUPT "Government ballseat" that can create problems for the longer target boolit seating. If I was going to be doing a lot of long range target work, it might be worthwhile to have it reamed to a gentler leade profile.......but since it's primarily a hunting rifle, I'm leaving well enough alone. The scope is coming off today and is getting replaced with the NEGC aperture sight that fits onto the rear scope ring mount.