Hello,
I’ve just acquired a used Ruger No.1-A in 7x57 (a nice little rifle).

When I first inspected the rifle I noticed that there seemed to be a certain amount of ‘free-bore’ at the end of the chamber but when I had chance to check out exactly how much I was surprised at the length of it (I know the owner & know for a fact that the rifle is hardly used & the chamber is unaltered).

I had hoped that not being constrained by the length of a magazine I’d have a chance of seating the bullets to within 0.020†or so of the rifling but if the 3 bullet types I had to hand are anything to go by I’ll have to seat them more like 0.210†short.

I’d be interested to know from other owners of Ruger No.1’s if the free-bore is typical.

Regards
Russ

CIP Standards say 19.2 mm freebore. Old military calibers as 7x57 or 6,5x55 were constructed for long heavy round nose bullets - thus these half-mile freebores.

Fritz

quote:

Originally posted by Fritz Kraut:
CIP Standards say 19.2 mm freebore. Old military calibers as 7x57 or 6,5x55 were constructed for long heavy round nose bullets - thus these half-mile freebores.

Fritz

I agree Fritz - but one of the bullet styles I tried was a 173 grain round nose (an old Kynoch one) & it still resulted in jumping 0.200" even when seated as far out of the case as I'd consider practical.

I've heard that Ruger also put a long freebore on their .243 Win rifle's (& that cartridge was never designed with long RN bullets in mind).

Regards
Russell

Many a 7X57mm has a "long" throat. I think this is more due to the fact that the original military loads used long 175-grain roundnose bullets, and later chambers were made using the throating specs of the early loads. It is not a "freebore" per se, in the way that term applies to the Weatherby Magnums exactly, as it was not intended as a way to be able to use heavier powder charges safely, BUT the long throat does actually have that effect! For example, my 1A will safely achieve close to 3000 FPS MV with slow powder and 140-grain bullet, and I am convinced that the long throat of this rifle's chamber has something to do with this. In addition, I have a Model 1924 Venezuelan FN Mauser and a 1962 Mannlicher Schoenauer in 7X57mm also, and both of these also have a very long throat. All three use the same loads with no signs of excessive pressures. O/A length on my handloads for these rifles for 150 and 175-grain bullets is 3.10".

quote:

Originally posted by El Deguello:--- All three use the same loads with no signs of excessive pressures. O/A length on my handloads for these rifles for 150 and 175-grain bullets is 3.10".

Perhaps I should have added, that my Sauer drilling 6,5x57R has such a l-o-n-g freebore too. there is no problem at all with that: accurate and good velocities.

Fritz

Both my #1A 7x57 and my #1H .458 have very long throats; you can't seat any bullet I have tried so that it touches the rifling. The 7x57 is a poor shooter with anything tried, the .458 is amazingly accurate. The 1A is such a nice light handy package that I will never get rid of it but I have had serious thoughts about having it re-barreled.
C.G.B.

Cgbach. Have a competent gunsmith do a chamber cast on your #1 7x57. Some of them got out with some very screwed up chamber throats. My own #1 was one such rifle. I had a chamber cast done and the throat was slightly over two inches long, way out of specs. I notified Ruger of the problem and they said to send the rifle in. it took three or four months to get it back from them and now it is a tackdriver, and definitely one of my favorite rifles.
Paul B.

Paul B,
Thanks, I will have to check that out. I knew they screwed up some. I have an oal gage but I haven't tried it in the Ruger yet. Even if the bullet is out of the case I should be able to get some idea on the throat length.
C.G.B.

quote:

Originally posted by cgbach:
The 7x57 is a poor shooter with anything tried, .....C.G.B.

Gee, that's too bad. My 1A with the long throat, and an early M77 with the same long throating, both shoot very well....





Those black squares are 1" GI target pasters I use for aiming points......

I have read about this long free bore on several forums. Does anyone know what years this affected? I am buying a No1A 7x57 that was made in the early 80s. Beautiful rifle, but I hope this freebore thing does not become an issue. If it is a problem, how hard is it to get Ruger to make good?

Well, as was earlier stated, it is not a true freebore per se. The rifle is most likely throated to accept bullets up to 175 gr., which is, or was least was a standard loading for the 7x57. I think only federal still loads a 175 gr. bullet for the 7x57 and maybe a couple of foriegn outfits as well.
While the long throat may, or may not, affect accuracy, remember that Ruger's accuracy standard for the #1 is 2.0" at 50 yards. That's the long and the short of it. I agree that for what these rifles cost nowadays, they should shoot a hell of a lot better. However, most will do better than that and some a hell of a lot better.
If the one you get doesn't shoot a useable group, do a chamber cast to determine the length of the throat. If it is out of specs as mine was, Ruger will replace the barrel.
While I like rifles that shoot tiny groups, if a Ruger #1 will deliver consistant 1.5" or less, I'm happy. It is good enough for my style of hunting and is more than adequate out to 300 yards. Some of my #1s are sub MOA out of the box and some stay inside the limit I will accept. My 7x57, which I had to send back to ruger is now a better than average rifle in grouping ability.
Paul B.

I have a Ruger 77 in 7X57. Carefully assembled handloads with several different 140 grain bullets shoot pretty ordinary 1.5 inch groups. The Federal Classic factory ammo with the plain vanilla 175 grain RN bullets shoots about .75 inch groups.
My take is try several bullets weights with 4350. Don't dismiss the heavy bullets for this round.

Webley, my Ruger #1B is a 223 Rem and has a long throat. Most manuals list something like an oal for the 223 as 2.250 inches
This Ruger needs 2.40 to 2.45 to get to the lands. Also neck expansion is 0.010 where many other rifles have 0.005-0.006. Dosen't seem to hurt the accuracy any it will shoot 1/2 minute all day if I do my part.

Thanks to you all for the good information, comments & photos. It’s appreciated!

In my rifle at least - (made in 1979) I’m referring to real live ‘freebore’ – not a long throat for the 175 grain bullets.
Using commercial 175 grain bullets or old military 173/175 grain bullets – in every instance the bullets would still be at least 0.040â€+ short of the lands even when the base of the bullet was absolutely flush with mouth of a maximum length case.

I’ve seen some original German drawings for the 7x57 chamber & they showed a considerable freebore (far more than was required to chamber the bullet). Fritz mentions that the CIP specification requires 19mm of freebore (again more than is really required). But it doesn’t explain why Ruger went down that road when they didn’t need to (a friends Remington 700 in 7x57 has a shorter throat so that must comply with SAMMI spec’s).

The long 175’s look as if they have a huge length of bearing but in reality the curve of the ogive continues quite a way back down the bullet so they engage the lands later than expected.

I’ve now tried the rifle once with some 145 grain Speers – with very dismal results & also with some Norma 175 grain RN’s & Vit N150. These did better – like around 4†for 3 shot groups at 100 yards (‘better’ is a relative term) at a velocity of about 2400 fps. Well that’s its early days & I’ve got a lot of load combinations to play with (concentrating on the 175’s).

Regards
Russ