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Ruger #1 RSI 7x57
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Hi all, I'm looking for opinions from others who have the #1 RSI. I bought this gun NIB from an individual. I looked up the sn and it's a 2008 model. No factory ammo shoots well in it, strings them all and point of impact changes radically. I sent it off to Carolina Precision Rifles to have it accurized. They returned it saying they weren't happy with the results but did a great trigger job and glass bedded the action. They said the only thing else they could do is (a) put a #1a forearm on it and (b) change the barrel. In my experimentation, I've done the following:

1. adjusted the forearm screw from tight to being so loose and extra 1/2 turn i could remove the forearm. No change in performance throughout the gambit.
2. I can remove the forearm and shoot with the hanger on the front rest and obtain a 3/4" group. So it tells me this is not a bad barrel.
3. I free-floated the barrel all the way to the receiver and even removed metal from the metal endcap so it doesn't touch the barrel.
4. I put a hicks accurizer in it and adjusted from barely touching the barrel to lots of pressure. While it would group about 3" at 100yds with the hicks applying mild pressure, the point of impact would change between shot groups.
I began hand-loading and found that 46.5gr of IMR4350 behind 139gr btsp hornady bullets would shoot about 1 1/8" groups but very inconsistently. I could shoot a 5 shot group by doing the following shoot 2 rounds, let the barrel cool, shoot 2 more rounds , cool and shoot the final round. THEN let the barrel cool again and shoot another 5 rounds using the method above and the next group would be stringing 3" and point of impact would be 2 inches above the 1 1/8" group.
5. I read in another forum where some found the quarter-rib is made of a different metal and heats at a different rate than the barrel and has been found to change POI. I had the rib removed and the gunsmith said, "there may be something to that because when I removed the front two mounting screws, the front of the rib jumped up almost 1/4" which indicated it was under spring tension". He went on to say "that's not good". I replaced the rib with a 1 piece base from Conetrol and using their rings too. And honestly hoped it would have made a real differnce but it didn't.

After all that I'm wondering what ya'lls experience is, do the 7x57 RSI's typically like a heavier bullet 150gr or above. I just don't know what else to do? Suggestions are welcomed.
 
Posts: 154 | Location: Atlanta | Registered: 24 December 2008Reply With Quote
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Ruger barrels in 7mm have a very spotty rep for accuracy. Back when the 7-08 first arrived in the 77, Ruger ended up rebarreling lots of them. My friend Caribou Bob's No 1 7x57 wouldn't shoot consistently. But about yours, who knows?
Regards, Joe


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Posts: 2756 | Location: deep South | Registered: 09 December 2008Reply With Quote
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quote:
do the 7x57 RSI's typically like a heavier bullet 150gr or above.

Yes.

If you expect true sub minute groups out of a RSI, good luck, It can be done but not every time. Wink

The RSI is very fussy.
 
Posts: 2650 | Location: Lakewood, CO | Registered: 15 February 2003Reply With Quote
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Mine likes 48 grains Reloader 19 with a 160 grain TSX, OAL 3.075", ....shoots half inch with no work done on it!!
Now, my .218Bee is another story!


A stranger is a friend we haven't met
 
Posts: 56 | Location: Yellowknife, NWT, Canada | Registered: 31 March 2010Reply With Quote
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Don’t get me wrong about the RSI. Because of the short barrel, and full-length stock, you may have to work on accuracy for a while. Harmonic nodes are pretty tight on these guys.

 
Posts: 2650 | Location: Lakewood, CO | Registered: 15 February 2003Reply With Quote
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Ok, try this:

Pay SUPER close attention to where the rifle balances on the shooting rest. ALWAYS position the balance at exactly the same point.

On my 7x57 Ruger #1a, that point is exactly where the forearm wood meets the action. I balance the rifle on my "Caldwell Rock Rest" at exactly the forward edge of the action.

I get GREAT and repeatable accuracy that way.

BUT! If I shift the rifle even 3" forward onto the wood, it changes point of impact. The difference between balancing on the action and balancing on the forward edge of the forestock is worth 4" of group size.

Good luck!


Regards,

Robert

******************************
H4350! It stays crunchy in milk longer!
 
Posts: 2321 | Location: Greater Nashville, TN | Registered: 23 June 2006Reply With Quote
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