Hi,
I bought a #1-S befor a few years. It´s a nice rifle, chambered for the .480Ruger. The rifle was shipped as .475Linebaugh, but here, the proof house don´t know this round and proofed the rifle only for the .480Ruger. I wrote here about this in the past...
Now I have the idea, to rebarrel the rifle.
There´re a few point´s at my wishlist. 24" heavy varmint conture #7 stainless barrel, with target crown. The chambering would be the wonderfull .30-40 Krag (.30 US Army) with the original 1-10" twist. A pica-rail would do the scope mounting.
Nice idea, or not?
The only problem is, that here in Germany nearly no one have reamers and gauges for the Krag round. And for the #1 barrel thread you have an extra pay by Lothar Walter.

Martin

Short update.
Got the LW-barrel last week. It´s an nice, thick pice of steel.
Februar/March I will get the reamers, I hope.....


Martin

Should be a fun project, keep us posted and post some pictures.

I have a Ruger No 3 in .30-40 with No 1 wood. I mostly use it with an XS aperture sight and tall post XS front sight, but I have a 2.5X scope for it as well. For most hunting, it's all I need. I use nothing but 180 grain roundnosed bullets because I have a bucketfull of them.

Short udate #2:
I don´t get the reamers to this day.
I don´t know what can I do. I do want a .30-40 Krag rifle. And no other. I´m very sad...


Martin

Where are trying to get a reamer from?

I know a custom gunsmith here, with "contact" to PTG. He means, "it´s not a problem, to order the reamers and gages"...... This was befor 5 month´s. My "plan" was, to save a few buck with this deal. Ordered by Midway, I would have got the reamers in zwo weeks, but 50% expensiver.
I know, it´s my mistake. Gunsmiths......


Martin

So, got my rifle befor zwo weeks and testfired it last Saturday.
I´m very satisfied. Here´s the first group with my proof house tested reloaded ammo at 100m.

Pic´s about the rifle will follow.
The gunsmith did a great job in 6 weeks. The barrel installation was not easy.
My next "idea" is, to change the scope. Now it´s mounted a old Leupold 3-9x40. But I don´t need a variable scope, so my idea is to buy a Schmidt & Bender 10x42 classic with 30mm tube.
Next year....


Martin

Are you reloading yourself ? That Ruger will be stronger than the one bolt lug Krag .Better for hunting but you will use only for target ??
Looks like a good start , have fun !

Yes, I will use it only for target shooting. I don´t have a hunting licenze here in Germany. But I don´t miss this. I willconcentrate me on a few hobbies and begin not too much. I´m member of two gun clubs and of three rifle associations, shoot umpteen disciplines. That must be enough.
And I´m reloader, since I was a teenager.
I proofed the relaoded ammo, because I had no US propelant and no Vithavuori. But I use a lot of Rottweil powder and so I made a test load with Rottweil R904. Now, I mean it´s a little bit to slow. R903 would be better. Perhaps I will test a other "Kraut" in the future...

Martin

Here a promised picture of the Ruger #1. Yes, that with the scope mounts looks a bit strange, but was otherwise feasible with the eye relief. With a S&B scope the mounts would return before and behind the adjustment knobs.

But at the moment, I will test a few reloads and then I will think about an other scope.

Martin

So, after a a lot of testing, one "failed" competition (the scope mount was damaged in car.... ), now I mean, I have found the best load for my Krag target rifle.

This was the best group yesterday, 18mm (0,71") @100m. It´s a Hornady 168grs BTHP befor 42grs Rottweil R903. I mean, the faster propelants are better for the Krag. Befor I tested R904.
Here´s an other group. The 10 shots was with my .30-30 High Wall. But the red marked five hits was with my Krag loaded with a 150grs Hornady SP and 44grs R903. Would be a nice deer load....


Martin

Martin, you were not kidding about the diameter of your barrel! Glad you finally got your reamer and your smith was able to put together this lovely target rifle.