Need a Little Help w/Ruger #1 in 6mm Rem

[SmokinJoe]

Helping a friend get his "new to me" Ruger #1 up and running. It is a 6mm Rem and the only ammo he has been able to provide so far is Hornady Superformance w/95 SST which shoots about a 3 inch group at 100 yds. Also tried some handloads: 95 Nos BT w/N-160 and it wanted to shoot much better. If any of you have experience with this particular rifle, I would appreciate info on "go to" loads for deer, and any accuracy tricks that worked well for you. Thanks for any help, Joe

 

[SSL]

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/ruger-no-1-and-the-hicks-accurizer.3952983/

Lots of ideas here.

 

[cptjack]

have a m77 6mm tack driver H4350 95 OR 100 GRS​

 

[msinc]

Well, it's a 6mm Remington, so....the absolute first thing you do with that is find someone with a bore scope and check the throat. That caliber is pretty bad about burning throats, and it doesn't take a whole lotta rounds fired to do it.
The Hick's accurizer does what it is supposed to and it works....up to a point. If the gun wont shoot to start with adding a Hick's accurizer is not going to take it from 3" groups down to 1/2". It might take it from 1" down to 3/4".
The Ruger No.1 has always been one of those rifles that, even when new out of the box, either shoots or it don't. I have always heard this said over the years and when my brother-in-law and I both started shooting them we found it to be true. We each had one that was a tack driver and we each had two others that were not.
I know this is not what you want to hear, but I'd have a good look at that bore, clean it real good and if it still don't do any better than 3" my suggestion would be to get rid of it and move on. What I am trying to say is, the accuracy "trick" that worked best for me was to sell it and custom barrel a model 700.

 

[mongo chicago]

Why sell it and custom barrel a Rem. bolt? Just custom barrel the Ruger. I have 2 accurate Ruger #1s that I had barreled to 6 mm. One for 87 gr loads for mid range (400 yards) and one for 105 gr loads for long range (1000 yards). Both shoot sub m.o.a. at those distances. Making your own ammo to the rifle has always proven (for me) to be more accurate than any factory ammo. And I think that is the key. Even for a stock rifle.

 

[wkdickinson]

I bought my first No. 1 about 20 years ago in 30-06. It was a beautiful rifle and would shoot 3/4" groups at 100 yds. consistantly. What it wouldn't do was hold a consistant zero. Week to week the zero would often change by 3"or 4". I tried absolutely everything, I shimmer the forearm hanger, I tried shooting it without the forearm, I put shims between the barrel and the end of the forearm for more barrel pressure and countless load variations. Nothing worked! Ultimately, I sold the gun to a guy I knew hunted deer from a stand that only offered shots to about 30 yds. he loved it and had no idea there was anything wrong with it.

I have since had two more No. 1s, a "V" in 220 Swift and a "B" in 280 Rem. Both were/are "tack drivers" that never change zero.

 

[SSL]

Try some of the tricks described in the thread I suggested before worrying about new barrels yet. I have had over a dozen #1s in various calibers over the years and only had one that wouldn't shoot acceptably for caliber and use. That one actually had a chunk of rifling missing and was promptly replaced by Ruger. Can a good bolt gun shoot better? Yes and no. I have had bolt guns that just wouldn't group regardless of loads, bedding and etc., but I have a 22-250 #1B made when Ruger barrels were real iffy that can be trusted to place 5 52-grain Amax bullets into a sub-half inch group at 100 yards on demand.
Never rest the forearm on a rest that isn't positioned close to the receiver. Never shoot with a tight sling. Either of the above will guarantee wandering shots.

 

[AlNyhus]

Helping a friend get his "new to me" Ruger #1 up and running. It is a 6mm Rem and the only ammo he has been able to provide so far is Hornady Superformance w/95 SST which shoots about a 3 inch group at 100 yds. Also tried some handloads: 95 Nos BT w/N-160 and it wanted to shoot much better. If any of you have experience with this particular rifle, I would appreciate info on "go to" loads for deer, and any accuracy tricks that worked well for you. Thanks for any help, Joe

Hi Joe. If it's the sporter style #1 (like a 1S), the scope mount base can be a real source of accuracy issues. I've rehabbed several over the years by bedding the mount stress free.

Hope this finds you and yours healthy and happy, my friend. -Al

 

[SmokinJoe]

Actually the handloads I tried showed good potential in the 1/2 to 3/4" arena, so will load some more & try again. Having a friend make me a modified case tomorrow so I can figure appropriate seating depth, then will go from there. Really appreciate the info & suggestions.

 

[SmokinJoe]

Got back to the range yesterday and shot three 3-shot groups with bullet .020" off lands; got 3 fairly consistent groups around 1.25+/-. Next I am going to try a series of different seating depths from .020 off to .125 off to see if it likes any of them more than others. This will be a pretty gross test just to get an idea of what it might like. Actually not too far from where I think it will end up, just want round/triangular groups. Attached are pics of the three groups from yesterday plus one showing what it was doing with the Superformance 95 SST load. Any more suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[SmokinJoe]

Shot the seating depth test yesterday with pics attached. Started out with bullet about .006 off (which I thought would be best) and in six steps moved to .150 off (which I thought would be worst). Results were interesting. Got some loaded .006 into rifling and some more of the .125 off for next session. Will shoot three groups of three to see if the .125 off is for real. Not only were the group sizes & shapes interesting, but the POI was also interesting with the best groups impacting closest to the point of aim. I am guessing that this indicates that these loads are close to the dead spot in barrel harmonics, same as you would use a ladder test to find the optimal powder charge. Am I thinking right?
Sorry but iphone turned all these sideways & I didn't notice until too late. One more pic in next post.

 

[SmokinJoe]

Last picture

 

[bobbill]

The is a school of thought that favors long-leade chambering. I have not gone so far as to perform an actual comparison and likely will not, but the logic and results seem to indicate this idea has merit, to me. I get close to moa, am happy, regardless of rifle.