Regarding shooting the rifle without the forearm. Make sure that just only the tip of the hanger is on the sandbag, or whatever you're using for a rest. If too much of the hanger is on the bag, it will affect the hammer spring and cause erratic firing pin strikes. Also, be careful you don't lose the little round, I forget what Ruger calls it nut thingie that the forearm screw goes into. It's real easy to misplace.
I recently picked up what I laughly call a "Remger". it's a Ruger 31 action with a Remington 700 barrel in .223 screwed onto it, and a neat restocking job. Damn thing won't shoot worth shit, and I think the problem is in the forearm. It's the first Ruger I've had that I have not been able to make shoot. The one nice thing is, it's somebody's custom conversion so I don't have to worry about messing with ruger's backwards dumbass make no changes warrantee. I can mess with this one any way I want.
I noticed that you mentioned that several loads had three shot in tight groups with the other two opening up to larger groups. If those three shots are from the first three shots, I'd do my testing in three shot groups.
This is kind of a long shot, but if you can find some WMR powder, try 57.5 gr. in Winchester brass, WLR primer and the 150 gr. Sierra spitzer boattail bullet. I usually get .75" groups from three shots with that load. Velocity from my rifle is 2800 FPS. You'd probably do about 2900 FPS with your longer barrel. The big problem is finding some. Winchester discontinued it about three years ago. I got an early warning from a friend and was able to get a good supply. It does real good in my .300 Win. Mag. as well.
FWIW, I've heard Ruger's accuracy standard for a #1 is 2" at fifty yards. It's pretty easy for one to pass that standard.
Paul B.

This is what I want to do, take a pound of R22, a box or two of Hornady 130 IB's and some Federal Primers and new Winchester brass and get as close to 1/2 MOA as humanly possible. Having run some initial pressure tests the rifle will go to book max with no signs of excess pressure and very easy extraction. The bore cleans suprisingly easily and with out the usual copper colors! (I really am amazed at this.) I will chronograph this attempt and post the results of group size and velocities achieved. So please a little pointed input to steer me right. Thanks in advance.

Does your #1B have a "Hicks #1 accurizer"? It's a screw attached to the forearm hanger which controls barrel harmonics. I've never used one myself but I'm having one installed on a Ruger #3 which is in the process of being re-barreled to 6.5mm BRM. I hear it can do alot for shrinking groups on Ruger single shots.
Looking forward to some "range reports" on your .270 project.

Jon

Well, Ruger #1's can be a bit difficult to get to shoot groups that tight. I have 14 of the buggers and I can surely vouch for that. I also have what I call a "Remger", a Ruger #1 action that has been custom stocked (?) and had a .223 Rem. barrel by Remington placed on the gun. Damn thing shoots patterns, but I'll beat it yet.
I Have a #1A in .270 Win. that won't shoot 130 gr. bullets worth a damn, but 150 gr. Sierra Game Kings will do .75" when I do my part. Normally I won't shoot boat tail bullets because I don't like them, but when it's the only bullet the gun will shoot, what do you do?
I think what I would do in your case is experiment with different seating depths first. Most of my #1's have fairly long throats, and seating the bullets out helps.
While expecting to get 1/2 MOA mat be a bit of a dream, it can happen. My #1B in .300 Win. Mag. will do .375" with a selected handload.
Frankly, and I'm being perfectly honest here, unless you plan on shooting varmints with your rifle, you really don't need 1/2 MOA. Sure it would be nice, but I don't think most #1's can do it without a lot of expensive alterations. Most of my #1's are in the 1.25 to 1.50" class, and for deer and elk, that's more than good enough.
Someone suggested a Hick's accurizer and that may do the trick. I don't know. I thought about getting them for my rifles, but it would run me about $825 plus shipping for 15 of the things. Anyway, some of them don't need it.
There is also a gadget called the QUE that goes on the muzzle and works like the BOSS system that Browning uses. They used to have a web site, but it's been missing for some time now. A friend of mine has one on a #1B in .300 Win. mag. and it helped out considerably. His also works as a muzzle brake, but they made them without the braking feature as well. I'm wondering if Browning sued them out of business. Frankly, I thought it was a better system than the BOSS.
I do strongly suggest you not make any alterations on the gun to improve accuracy. Should you have problems and say have free floated the barrel, Ruger will replace the forearm and charge you for it. (Been there and done that.)
Try the different seating depths and maybe try a different powder before messing with the rifle. Might even try a different brand bullet.
Check the rib that the scope mounts on. If the rear of the rib is touching the receiver, that can cause inaccuracy. Try changing the pressure of the screw that holds the forearm in place. Sometimes backing off a hair will make a difference. Contrary to normal practice, hold the forearm with your hand when shooting from the bench. Also, if you have the tip of the forearm on the sandbag one time, then the forearm resting on it's center, that will make a difference, and not in a good way. Some people advocate resting the front of the action against the sandbags, which can foster good groups, but feels awkward as hell to me, but it's worth a try.
One final point. You don't have to be crazy to try and get tight groups from a #1, but it sure helps.
Paul B.

I've had a number of them over the past 30 yrs and at present have four of them all are custom except one which is a 300wby. Two of them I use for varmits and both are tight neck 6ppc and 22br with set trigger and forend bedded the other is a 30-338 that K&P bulid up and had the forend bedded and trigger lighten. The 300wby had the trigger lighten and forend bedded. One of the old trick is place a rubber band cross ways at the tip of the forend and see how it shoots. I've ever know some to take the forend off and see how it shoots I did that on a 22hornet and 218 bee #1 then had the forend bedded on both those rifles and set installed. I even had a 22 on a #1 outfit back east use to convert them over years ago. I've never used the Hick's thing just since have a gunsmith that can bed one. Wish they would do one in 300wsm. Keep us posted

Well the components package arrived today and I've loaded up some rounds for tomorrow. Fortunately the range is right here at home. The overall length with slight contact is 3.404 inches and since I have already fired a few rounds to get a guesstimate as to starting load hope for some good starters. I should point out that nearly three hours with stones and crocus cloth have been invested in a little ligth smoothing up of a few basic parts and Ruger can keep their warranty if the trigger must be 7 LBS. It isn't any more. I've been doing this type of thing (profesionally and otherwise) for 30 years. General inspection of the rifle has me quite optimistic. The scope is a new 3.5 x 10 VX3, and needed the least amount of adjustment I have ever seen to zero. Maybe things ae correctly aligned.

Well, I have a Ruger 1v 220 swift and I found out that by placing a rubber faucet washer in the forearm hanger bar groove between the hanger bar and forearm it would free float the forearm all of the way back to the reciver. This helped to tighten up my groups to about MOA at 100 yards. This is shooting 50gr TNT's @ 3700 fps.

hope this helps ya out.

Well Paul B hit it right on the head with try different seating depths. Seems that even a little bit made a big difference. Fastest load R22 w F210M in Winchester virgin cases(58.5 grains) 3126 ft/sec at 15 feet, and was 1 7/8" for 5 rounds. Next up 57.5 also R22 w F210M and Win cases, was good for 3061 ft/sec's and 1 3/4" 5 shot group (3 in 1/2". Since the thought crossed my mine that maybe the barrel would whip differently with a faster powder... IMR 4350 and 54 and 55 grains was tried next. 54 yielded 2956 ft/sec's and 1 1/4" mostly horizontal with 4 in 5/8's" , 55 grs. was good for 3016 ft/sec's and 2 3/4 inches but was mostly vertical. For the next ten, and I was cleaning in between each 5 rounds, I decided to see if the 54 grain load would repeat it's relative accuracy. I tried +.005 and - .005 from the previous 3.404 COL. I also suspected the shorter round to shoot better WRONG! The longer round sent three into 3/8's and all five were 1 1/4" which was suprisingly inconsistant cnsidering the "tendancy to shoot." Next will be some 4831 and different and longer loadings and back to R22 when feeling the need for speed. Appreciate the input and will be looking at trying the 54 grain load sans the forearm, it might be really accurate!

Paul B, A further question might be: If the rifle shoots well without the forearm in place would free floating it on this rifle be the correct answer. Having time on my hands these days I have been playing with the idea of varying the pressure, and also to try some more intense R22 loads. In addition I have also lengthened the round to give what apprears to be .080 "contact" with the rifling, not enough to hold the bullet and really doesn't offer symetrical marking on the bullet??? This is in partial sized brass which should be better at centering the bullet to the bore. A few days and I will have more answers and even more questions. Such is the joy of shooting. Appreciate the input, as always.

If it shoots well without the forearm, free floating the barrel may help, maybe. My #1A in .270 was bought secon hand and was already free floated. I had to place a piece of plastic from an ols credit card under the tip of the forearm to really make it shoot well.
I guess the easiest way to put it is this; Ruger #1 rifles can be a challenge to make shoot well, and an excercise in learning patience. Of course, patience is a virtue, and I have no virtues.
My "Remger" that "customized" #1 with the Remington barrel falls into that arena. Whoever built the rifle had the barrel tightly bedded with glass. It shot lousy groups. I took the forearm off and it still shot lousy groups. I free floated the forearm anyway as there was some improvemnt with it off, but no help there. Tried the rubber washer trick; no change. Not worse but not better. I'm beginning to think the problem is in the barrel, but I have a few more ideas to play with. I'm going to try and make a bedding block and eliminate the forearm being fastened to the hanger. I'll probably have my gunsmith do that job as I don't have the equipment to do it myself.
I also have a #1B in 6mm Rem. that shoots patterns. I couldn't get it to shoot for beans. Most of my #1 rifles have been bought second hand as there's no way I can afford to buy them at current prices, and even the used ones are rapidly getting more expensive. Anyway, agter going totally insane trying to make it shoot, I examined the barrel carefully, especially around the crown. Whoever had the rifle before me had cleaned it from the muzzle and the wear on the rifling is quite noticable. I bought the rifle to be converted to .35 Whelen anyway, so no great loss. It's just that when I get another #1, I shoot it some first. It's the fourth one I've bought for conversion to the Whelen, and it's a poor enough shooter due to the barrel wear that It will go to Prescott AZ to be rebored to my favorite medium bore round, the .35 Whelen.
One thing I do try to convince people to not do, and that is make any alterations on a Ruger firearm. If you free float your forearm and should have to send the gun back to Ruger, you'll have to buy a new forearm. I know that sucks, but that's Ruger's policy. I've been through it on a Ruger 77 that I bought used and the previous owner free floated the barrel. To fix a broken extractor, I need a new stock? give me a break. I had them send the gun back and I fixed it myself with a Mauser extractor. Worked just fine.
Paul B.

This rifle was purchased sed, though it doesn't show any use by my brother in law. I discovered that the forearm has already been relieved somewhat along the barrel sides and in the bottom center of the tip. There is however a major amount of upward pressure on the barrel still. In the short term I am going to try and vary the pressure by adjusting the tension on the attachment screw and of course trying the rifle sans the forearm. The worst shooting #1 I everhad was a 6 Rem as well, patterns and only with 30 minutes between shots would it shoot 3 MOA. Ruined me for them for 20 years. The best shooting was a .357 Mag converted to 357 Maximum and then .358 Win. The 358 Win was incredible... Should not hae parted with that one. For most practical hunting the rifle would do acceptably, but I feel that if 4 will find the same spot, so will 5, 6, etc... May shoot tomorrow and will report whatever progress or lack of it occurs. Thanks again.

Well if you're following this saga there is light at the end of the tunnel. Typical of Ruger 1's, the forearm is the culprit. By removing the upward pressure by losing the attachment screw till the forarm was actually loose to the touch, groups shrunk by 2/3's! Full power R22 @ nearly 60 grains and 3240 ft/sec shot an honest inch for 5 shots. Just under at 58 grains of IMR 4831 was 3185 ft/sec's. Shortening the overall length to 3.420 COL seemed to help consistancy as well. These are all with the Hornady 130 Interbonds of course. Ain't life grand? Edit portion: 14/7/04 shot rifle again with R22/60? and 130 IB's accuracy hed and also shot IMR 4831 58+ w/130IB. Accuracy at 1 MOA either load. I had made a spacer before relieving the fore end presure point to verify once again that that area is the culprit, IT IS. This barrel just dosn't like that much pressure on it. I really should shoot it without the forearm attached before free floating it fully, perhaps next week. I also want to shoot some water jugs to hopefully recover a bullet with this much initial velocity. If nothing else it will water a portion of the lawn. Thanks for bearing with me, and thanks for the experienced input.

The Ruger one story never ends, and the search for accuracy is at times tying one's patience. (Paul) I have spent many hours working and reworking the parts, and cleaning the barrel especially with the JB compound as the nasty copper color which I originally thought would not be an issue is. I clean ever five rounds to give each load an even chance. I shoot 5 shot groups for consistancy sake. Todays results were the best yet, and they also were with the first five shots. The load was the same and the seating depth was all that was varied, in .010 increments. First 4 rounds went into .30 and # 5 stretched it to about .6+ still awesome performance by my standards. Overall the rifle still averaged about 1 MOA. Is it time to quit? The IMR 4831 also seems slightly more accurate in this rifle, while giving up a small amount of velocity (40 ft/sec's.)

308Sako,
I did a post titled "Bingo" in this section on Single Shot Rifles. It is my saga about getting my Number 1 in 22 Hornet to shoot. I finally had the hanger drilled and tapped for a fine pitch screw to eliminate (conquer) barrel harmonices that really screwed up accuracy in that rifle initially. It worked..
Don