I shot the barrel loose on my Ruger #1 (.375RUM)!

Not a factory defect, but crappy work on the part of my gunsmith who rechambered it to .375RUM.

How serious is this problem to fix? What would be the correct fix? I need to know so I can be sure the next smith doesn't screw it up more.

So far I've had 2 #1's rechambered by 2 different smith's and both screwed up both rifles.

Maybe I'll find #3 to do better work for me.

Herb,

Hopefully the fix will consist of nothing more than retightening the barrel.

How long ago had it been rechambered? I would first take it back to the smith who did the work, that way if some other problem pops up in the future you don't have several people all denying any responsibility for the problem because someone else worked on it too.

The gun was rechambered 2 years ago by a smith who is now a 6 hour drive from me as I have since moved.

I've put about 250 rounds through it. Today I was mounting a new scope and while trying to rock the scope from side to side to check for looseness , I got this large amount of movement - the scope and the barrel moved. SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

My main concerns are that a gunsmith might, for a quick fix, might put the wrong loctite on it and I'll never get the barrel off again. Also I don't want a loose barrel when I go to Alaska with it.

So, besides using loctite, are there any other fixes?

[ 12-23-2002, 12:14: Message edited by: Herb D ]

Loctite have a number of different products, some would suite barrelfitting and some others would get the bloodpressure up thru the roof when you try to get the barrel out

All Loctite glues are possible to deal with though. Use a heat gun when you changing barrels and they should come loose just fine. It useally don�t take that much heat to loosen the bond. Mabye around 100 deg C.

There is nothing wrong with your gun, just tight the barrel back in and shoot the rifle. Check the cases though! The generous amount of headspace will ruin the cases in a hurry!

Good luck!

Stefan.

I've had this happen twice, both the result of Dremel-tool gunsmiths. Both rifles have since been rebarrelled or refitted by someone else! It seems others have learned about amateur smiths the hard way too. Geez!

Redial

Herb D---

Ruger rifles are tightened at the factory only once. The barrel is not seated, unseated, then seated again. That means ANY time a Number One barrel is dismounted it will be too loose when it's re-installed.

The ONLY fix is to cut the shank back by about .058 (thread pitch is .062) and retighten properly. That means the face of the barrel has to be also re-cut to clear the breech block, AND the extractor recess has to be re-milled, AND the chamber has to deepened to re-headspace it.

The barrel can't be just "re-tightened". The scope and sights will be leaning to the left.

I wouldn't trust locktite out of sight, much less to Alaska. The barrel depends on the shoulder to locate it straight and solid, not glue!!

LOCTITE???

If you don't have loctite, you can take a hammer and beat the hell out of the threads. That should tighten things up... JUST KIDDING!!


Loctite has it's place, and after all Remington and Browning uses it, but I don't think it's called for here. The correct fix is to set the barrel back like Belk suggested. In the long run you will be glad you did.

Malm

You did not shoot it loose. The fella who worked on it did not tighten it. I Bet he doesn't have the proper barrel & action wrenchs. When you get a "gunsmith" to torque it properly he will no doubt double check the head space.

Loctite ?? Give me a break ! If the barrel threads are machined for a tight fit and its torqued properly it will stay there.Best option,fit a new barrel.