Could a Ruger #1 be rebarreled to .338-378 Wby? The main question is the action strong enough to handle the pressures of the Wby cartridge?

yes it is more than strong enough.
here you can read about one in a wby:
http://www.realguns.com/Commentary/comar33.htm

The action is strong, but the barrel tennon is not very big; only 1". I would consider that a limiting factor.

For the sake of clarification -

The Ruger chambered for the 358-378 RG as depicted in the article is used for handload development and wired for pressure measurement. After approximately 500 rounds within the recorded 60,000 PSI - 64,000 PSI range and several proof loads the chamber and action remain at original measurements with no signs of chamber wall distortion.

The gentleman who did the work on the Ruger - Dennis Olson Gunsmithing, Plains, Montana 406-826-3790 also offers the option of opening the Ruger receiver to permit increased barrel shank diameter. This increases material thickness by up to 50% for very high pressure applications.

The Ruger No. 1 is an inexpensive way to get to an accurate single shot for big rounds. If the donor gun is a .416 Rigby, 458 Lott or any of the large H&H belted cases, even the ejection clearance radius on the falling block can remain unaltered.

quote:

Could a Ruger #1 be rebarreled to .338-378 Wby? The main question is the action strong enough to handle the pressures of the Wby cartridge?

Why not? The Ruger No. 1 is strong enough to handle any round that is not too big around to fu=it in the action. I consider it stronger than a lot of bolt-actions!

quote:

Originally posted by Sourdough:
Could a Ruger #1 be rebarreled to .338-378 Wby? The main question is the action strong enough to handle the pressures of the Wby cartridge?

Yes it can be done.
I built a 338 Lapua Mag on a Ruger #1. I am very happy with how it turned out.
But it does take considerable work, as does rebarreling any Ruger #1.
The donar rifle was a 243 win. I had to remove some metal from the top of the block to get the rounds to feed and extract.
Replaced the extractor with a 416 Rigby extractor.

Joe it's about time you showed up over here. I'm glad you got the uhem... trigger situation on that #1 straightened out.

Regards,
Tom H.

Yes I did. I went back to factory pieces, with a little patience and some clean up file and stone work; most of it forward of the trigger assembly and learned a lesson about rushing projects in the process and buying packaged solutions.

I saw the beginning of the Ruger No. 1 thread and started thinking about some of the obsticles we encountered in the beginning of the project. I think if Lilja hadn't suggested Dennis for the job we'd still be debating the potential. He is a good guy who makes being a talened machinist and gunsmith look easy and his efforts made an excellent and economical shooter.

I don't see any problem with this conversion either. I would try to find a No. 1 in 416 Rigby as the case dimensions are very close to the 378 case. I built one several years ago in
50-140 3 1/4" Sharps and used loads to duplicate the 500 3" Nitroexpress...nver had a problem with it.

Congomike
I saw a No.1 in 50-140 3 1/4 Sharps for sale in a gunshop in Craig, Colorado last October. That wasn't your gun by any chance?
I sure had a hard time keeping my wallet in my pocket when I saw that!

It could have been. Mine kept the factory stock, had a London Guns 1 standing, 3 folding express sight, ramp front sight 28" straight taper barrel. The work was done by Siegrist (sp?) gun shop, back in MI I think. The gun had a mercury recoil reducer in it and was not at all unpleasent to shoot. But other toys beckoned and something had to go.