Wayne

------------------
Praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition!

Maybe break open action will be more accurate but if you free float the #1 as pointed out here it will be just fine.

I did not go back and read the other threads but once again the 26" bbls are heavy guns and a .270 or 06 could be had in a 22" #1. The 7mm Mag is not a big step up from either of those and at under 200 yards I bet the 06 has more killing power than the others on any game.

I have a 1A in 06 and a 1A in .300 Win Mag. I carry the 06 far more as it weighs less. I don't know that the 7mm Mag is that much of a long range hammer.

Buy the #1.

Spend a little more money and get the
Ruger.

----------------------

------------------
Married man can be one of
two things -- he can be
right, or he can be happy!

However, if you just want a single shot in a single caliber, hands down the #1 is the way to go.

[This message has been edited by Don Martin29 (edited 12-27-2001).]

No guess work. No screwing with the fore end screw pressure. No need to pray to the Ruger gods that you got a good barrel.

------------------
J.W.
Hero of the Hapless
Master of the Obvious

Many early Ruger rifle bbls were defective. Some chambers were of poor quality and I even had one with the wrong twist.

But when Ruger started making their own bbls the quality became normal. Not to say that many of the old bbls were not OK and that there is not a bad new one around.

I would buy another Ruger #1 and look forward to a accurate rifle. My first one was a new 7mm Rem Mag that I got new in 1969. That rifle was good for 1.5 MOA but it stayed sighted in 100% all the time. That was worth way more than a group "in the .6's" like you read about.

I shot it so much and had so much fun with it that I wore the bbl out! Ruger no longer made the 7mm Mag in the 22" bbl like I had so I chose the 30-06 for a replacement bbl. The new bbl shoots into 1" at 100 yds hand held. I hold all of my hunting rifles on the forend with my hand and my wrist against the sand bag. The chamber is perfect and it shoots all loads that I have tried well.

The price of the new bbl a couple of years ago was only about $125.00! This is hard for even me to believe as thats a special bbl. That included all work except shipping.

I shoot my Ruger #1's a lot. I really enjoy them and am proud of them. My long range "hammer" is a 1A in .300 Win mag. It produces 1 MOA groups at full velocity, hand held. It stays sighted in which is a valuable attribute and I think due to the fact that all of my #1's are free floated and that there is a two piece stock.

Enjoy your #1. It's a modern classic.

I agree with Don on this point.

In fact that is my point.

IMHO
"Normal Ruger Quality" is a HAMMER FORGED barrel with a chamber that falls somewhere with in SAAMI specs. (And as Don points out, being mass produced there is no guarantee that there isn't a bad new one around)

This is O.K. for a factory barrel.
However, it is not even in the same league as a button rifled and air gauged shilen barrel that has a chamber cut to your specifications. (Guaranteed to shoot less than 1 MOA or your money back)

I will freely admit that I am not the end all Ruger #1 authority. But I have friends that own them and there have been plenty of articles written about them.

Based on the experiences of my friends and the articles I have read, I will say, "be prepared to mess with your Ruger #1 to get it to shoot good groups." Don mentioned that his #1's are free floated. Well....they don't come that way.
You need :
1. A competent gun smith to do the work or
2. need to be brave enough to tear into the project your self. (Remember, if you screw it up....It's yours)

Also, free floating is a good place to start to improve the accuracy of the #1 but it isn't a sure thing. (A hard lesson to learn after you have hacked material away from your new stock.....There is also a shimming method you might try first.)
I have friends that it didn't work for. What they needed was a specific amount of fore end pressure. (Which is not uncommon) In fact it is common enough that there are several products, such as the one found on the following link: http://www.answerrifles.com/accurizers.htm
Designed just to remedy this problem.

I know I sound like I'm bad mouthing the Ruger. I don't mean to, they are with out a doubt, beautiful guns. But they take extra time and money to end up with the product you want.
See also the following link:http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Forest/6059/rugerfaq.html

IMHO
I just think the Encore is an easier, cheaper, and guaranteed way to get where you want to go.
Plus, when you are ready to try another caliber, all you need to purchase is another $300 barrel Vs another $600 gun.

------------------
J.W.
Hero of the Hapless
Master of the Obvious

[This message has been edited by J.W. Blute (edited 01-04-2002).]

The resulting purchase: a #1B has only shot sub-minute of angle, symetric groups with both Hornady Light Mag and a couple of known-to-be-accurate '06 handloads. There has been no motivation to float the barrel, shim the fore-arm hardware or try the other "cures" suggested in the articles.

My Ruger #3, circa 1976, in .45/70 is another matter. The barrel band on this rifle is the enemy of accuracy. Loose or gone the rifle shoots fine. As tightened by the factory--12 GA Trap loads may produce better groups.

Steve

------------------
Every man dies, but not every man really lives!!

To free float a Ruger #1 takes 5 minutes. It would take me longer to find the faucet washer than to whittle it down to fit.

You just put the washer between the hanger and the stock and it spaces the stock away from the bbl.

I have one of the first #1's its S/N 3XXX.

It always shot well, it stays sighted in. Now 32 years later it shoots even better.

Sure some custom bbl might be better but it may not be better. For sure a Encore will always be an Encore.

My first deer hunting rifle was a jap war prize. It was a 6.5 Ariska. But then I found out that the japs had killed my uncle. Now I know that the japs can't own firearms and they work to keep me from owning firearms.

That's more than enough information for a lifetime.

quote:

---

Originally posted by 1_pointer:
Danno- That's what I've been told...the factory Encore rifle barrels aren't all that good. However, you can get custom barrels from Virgin Valley arms in Utah for $335 for up to 27"!!! They use Shilen barrels, but will use something else if you wish. Just some food for thought.

---

1_pointer,

Haven't been in the forum for a few days.
Yes, I'm acquainted with VVCG. They're
making me a Tactical 20. Got a little hog
wild with the order, so everything amounted
to a bill & a half more than that, yet I
like their MOA guarantee much more than T/C's
"satisfaction guarantee" -- who's satisfaction?

The 25/06 barrel may still be salvageable.
Hand lapping has smoothed it up considerably.
Even with washers to temporarilly "float"
the barrel, one side of the forearm still
grips the barrel, even after considerable
sanding. Sooner or later, I'll get it as it
should have been when manufactured.

For the way it is made, the chamber was
reamed between .003-.004" too deep, there-
fore the cartridges need to be fire-formed
as though I had a wildcat.

As for the trigger -- it had a very creepy
3# pull. Through a new spring job and honing
parts, I changed that to a very crisp 1 1/2#
pull.

I could include other facts, such as some
very unsatisfactory correspondence with T/C,
the barrel being returned with no explanation
whatsoever, and other aggravating experiences
with the barrel itself, but this should get
the point across. And I have corresponded
with many others who have had similar
experiences lately with Thompson. They built
their reputation off the Contenders and
the 209x50 -- both overall very good products. Now, the devil may care. If you
want it to shoot accurately, YOU finish it!!

I reiterate -- get the Ruger.

------------------
Married man can be one of
two things -- he can be
right, or he can be happy!

I have had quite a few Ruger falling blocks and like them.
They can benefit from bedding the forend. (Brownells make a doodad for this, along with clear directions. This takes care of the tendancy to string vertically that some of them have.)

The lock-time can be measured with a calender.
This can be addressed with a Wolfe spring(ZBrownells again. Or direct from Wolfe), and boring lightening a hole in the hammer.
You will wind up with a noticeably faster hammer-fall and heavier primer strikes.
(If you doubt me on this, read Frank DeHaas.)
When I could still do fine work, I used to chuck all the bogus adj. screws out of the trigger, fille the sear to the correct angle and depth and install the correct trigger sear return spring to get the trigger pull I wanted.
This method stays within a ounce + or -, depending on bone-dry and dirty, or clean and freshly lubed, year after year.
Which is a good thing as I can no longer see well enough up close or have steady enough hands for this work anymore. (Plenty of good smiths CAN do this for you.)

Ruger's chambers are most all "generous" and are deeply throated.
I don't like factory chambers, or "saami spec.s". I have my own min. "field reamers made and to hell with saami and the horse they rode in on.
Get a seperate throater and seat deep.
As the throat burns out you can even it up and seat your bullets out a bit further.

If you do some of the above, your Ruger falling block will beat the best to come out of T/C's doors in every respect:reliability, accurascy(I know some T/C's are very accurate, but your re-worked Ruger will be just as accurate), durability.

Dave .32-20

------------------
Dave

------------------
Andr�

Is that Blazer receiver aluminum?

------------------
Andr�

[This message has been edited by Andr� Mertens (edited 03-17-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Andr� Mertens (edited 03-17-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Andr� Mertens (edited 03-17-2002).]

The Ruger is the best out there for me. I have Winchester High Walls, Remington Hepburns, Sauer Drilling and Stevens Favorites. I have had Ballards, top break rifles like the Blaser, rolling blocks and of course single shot bolts.

But the Ruger #1 could be a lot better. As a big game rifle the 22" configurations are way too heavy. A ligher barrel would be where to start. Also the butt stocks on the #1's cry out for a cheekpiece. The Blaser has a cheekpiece but the drop at the heel is going the wrong way or so it seems in the picture. Also on the 26" bbl #1's the butt stock is much thicker and this makes the comb too thick with the standard size scope mounts. The lock time on the #1's is way too slow. A lighter hammer and stronger spring is needed.

I don't know the price of the Blaser but I recall that it's very high.

There is the Browning SS's also but they are made in Japan.

------------------
Andr�

------------------
Mehul Kamdar

You picked up on my point about the Japanese and gun laws. The Japanese also sponsor anti-gun activities here in the USA directly.

Therefore I will not own or praise a Japanese made gun. Some of my friends own them. One is a M-52 Sporter and it's just what I would want. I tried to get a 52 sporter made from a 52 C years ago but I gave up on it as my gunsmith passed away.

The other friend has a nice OU made in Japan. I don't say anything to them as I want to keep my friends but I might make a subtle hint.

As for myself there is no way I will buy a Japanese made gun. This issue is very important to me and I take action.

quote:

---

Originally posted by J.W. Blute:
Don Wrote:
"But when Ruger started making their own bbls the quality became normal. Not to say that many of the old bbls were not OK and that there is not a bad new one around."

I agree with Don on this point.

In fact that is my point.

IMHO
"Normal Ruger Quality" is a HAMMER FORGED barrel with a chamber that falls somewhere with in SAAMI specs. (And as Don points out, being mass produced there is no guarantee that there isn't a bad new one around)

This is O.K. for a factory barrel.
However, it is not even in the same league as a button rifled and air gauged shilen barrel that has a chamber cut to your specifications. (Guaranteed to shoot less than 1 MOA or your money back)

I will freely admit that I am not the end all Ruger #1 authority. But I have friends that own them and there have been plenty of articles written about them.

Based on the experiences of my friends and the articles I have read, I will say, "be prepared to mess with your Ruger #1 to get it to shoot good groups." Don mentioned that his #1's are free floated. Well....they don't come that way.
You need :
1. A competent gun smith to do the work or
2. need to be brave enough to tear into the project your self. (Remember, if you screw it up....It's yours)

Also, free floating is a good place to start to improve the accuracy of the #1 but it isn't a sure thing. (A hard lesson to learn after you have hacked material away from your new stock.....There is also a shimming method you might try first.)
I have friends that it didn't work for. What they needed was a specific amount of fore end pressure. (Which is not uncommon) In fact it is common enough that there are several products, such as the one found on the following link: http://www.answerrifles.com/accurizers.htm
Designed just to remedy this problem.

I know I sound like I'm bad mouthing the Ruger. I don't mean to, they are with out a doubt, beautiful guns. But they take extra time and money to end up with the product you want.
See also the following link:http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Forest/6059/rugerfaq.html

IMHO
I just think the Encore is an easier, cheaper, and guaranteed way to get where you want to go.
Plus, when you are ready to try another caliber, all you need to purchase is another $300 barrel Vs another $600 gun.

---

Good post JW. If you could turn the clocks back 150 yrs and still had the #1 around, that's what the gunrunners woulld be selling to the natives.

I don't understand your comments. If it's a joke then OK we can move on and discuss single shot rifles.

Do Encore cartridges require FL sizing when using full loads? It seems that the caming ablity of that action is not as strong as a falling block.

[This message has been edited by Don Martin29 (edited 05-06-2002).]

[This message has been edited by outlawsix (edited 05-07-2002).]

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