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International Hunting Net > Equipment Used to Hunt/Shoot > Equipment > My new rifle - Ruger #1 custom
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Topic: My new rifle - Ruger #1 custom (Read 657 times)
adamjp (+ 1 Hidden) and 0 Guests are viewing this topic.
adamjp
Varminter Online Gender: Location: Sthn NSW Posts: 357
My new rifle - Ruger #1 custom
« on: November 03, 2008, 10:01:10 PM »
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So I wanted a short handy rifle for hunting with, and had this Ruger #1 in 223 sitting around being completely ignored. Since I have had a thing for the Ruger #1 RSI since I handled one, that was the pattern I sought, but what calibre? I wanted something between 6mm and 7mm in calibre, light recoil but enough power for goats and fallow deer. It would be the next logical step up from my 6mm/223 (6x45), but a step down from my 30/06 (soon to be 300H&H). A light/medium rifle for Australian game. After a fair bit of research I decided on the new 6.5x47 Lapua cartridge. From what I could see, it would give me a 120gn Nosler BT at 2700fps, and would work very well in the short barrel I had in mind. Other contenders were the 243, 257Roberts and the 7x57/7-08. As there were 3 rifles to be built on this cartridge, (the Ruger, a large 'F Class' style rig and a friend has built a stalking rifle up on a Parker Hale Mauser action), the gunsmith ordered a reamer for his use. Keith Hills in Canberra now has the 6.5x47 Reamer in his collection, tight 'no turn' neck with a short throat so he can custom throat for the intended bullet. http://www.khgs.com.au/ I ordered a bunch of bits from Brownells in the states. Included in this package was the right size extractor, steel grip cap and butplate and some useful tools. Then, I spoke with Geoff Slee, Roger Vardy and some other sources and bought myself some nice wood. Not exhibition grade, but extra fancy english walnut with marble rather than fiddleback. It arrived as two blocks of raw walnut. (Apologies for the picture, but I can't get the colour correction right.) After a visit to Geoff Slee and my payment of his fee, it looked like this. Inletted and basic formed to shape, but so much work to do. I left the layout up to Geoff and am happy with the result. The two stock parts were cut from the single large block of wood. The intended 'forend' is still a block of walnut sitting in my shed - fuel for another project. After around 4 hours with a set of scrapers, a rasp and files the stock was smoothed out for fitting up. Another 8 hours, the scrapers again, a little prussian blue and a tiny amount of Dremel, the stock was fitted up to the action. The action then went back to Keith for the fitting of the new barrel. As Keith makes his living by building target rifles, my sporting rifles were never going to be a priority job - I have known that for the 20+ years I have used Keith as a gunsmith. I keep going back so you may assume I am happy with his work. BTW - I am so very thankful the barrel was bought when the AU$ was higher than now! After some smart machining work by Keith it fits perfectly and the stock Ruger rib went back on without any issues of alignment. Inletting the barrel took me 6-8 hours with a bedding tool on Friday and Saturday. Enlarging the nose cap for the slightly bigger barrel took an hour with the dremel this morning. I'm working on fitting the butplate to the stock right now. i've been at it since lunch and am around 2/3 the way through. Photos of the action and current state tomorrow morning. The barrel, nose cap and buttplate have an appointment for blueing on Wednesday morning. I'm off for the weekend hunting on Thursday afternoon. I've still got to prep the cases and load them. The clock is ticking.
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Vanguard22-250
AHNI Hunter Offline Gender: Location: Wallsend NSW Posts: 6277
AHNI MEMBER
Re: My new rifle - Ruger #1 custom
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2008, 10:03:28 PM »
Quote
Mate a 250sav would have been a nice build Could have had 250, 6mm/250 and 22-250 !
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kombi1976
Varminter Offline Location: Southern NSW Posts: 493
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2008, 12:46:32 AM »
Very nice, Adam. I'll be watching this closely. Out of interest where did you get the blanks?
Cheers & God Bless
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2008, 07:32:28 PM »
Vanguard - The 250 Savage was considered and rejected early on. My father has a Featherweight in 257Rob and I like how it works, but the blast out of the 22in barrel is noticeable. Partly the reason for rejecting the 260Remington, blast and non-available cases unless you neck up or down. PM sent re the source of blanks. Anyway, promised photos of the metalwork in the white.... And the fit of the factory rib. No open sights as I just don't use them. The rib will support a Leupold FX-III 6x42 scope in the lowest rings I can get away with. The butt, almost finished the heavy wood removal. You can see the wood I must remove around the edges of the inletting for the steel buttplate. This is 90% complete and has taken me almost all day to get there. The steel buttplate now fits well and was the part of the build I was most concerned about.
landyvlad
Hunter Offline Gender: Location: Brisbane, Qld. Who'd live anywhere else ?! Posts: 4710
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2008, 10:28:37 PM »
Fantastic. I am confused though as to why so much of the stock work was up to you? Was that just your choice in order to save money ?
Facts (n) - the intelligent person's substitute for opinions.
When will you get it through your thick head... I don't give a fuck that you don't like Land Rovers !
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2008, 10:37:50 PM »
260rem brass is widely available, remington stock it as do Nosler Custom, failing that neck down 7mm/08 or neck up 243! 250sav should never be rejected, brass is easy to make too!
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2008, 07:07:59 AM »
The stock work that I am doing is my choice. Obviously Geoff could have done it quicker and better than myself, so could David Stendell at Kopje, or Roger Vardy, or anyone with more experience. I chose to do it to a) get the experience b) save serious amounts of $$$ c) the timeline is tight and it would not have been finished on time - they would all need the metalwork before they started the woodwork. I am happy with the level of fit that I have acheived with wood to metal. It is better than my factory Ruger #1s. I will be tuning it more next week, particularly around that buttplate. I won't be doing the checkering. I just don't trust myself to get it right - I have already spoken with David at Kopje (Cowra is only 3 hours up the road) and will be speaking further to see when he could fit me into his schedule.
Gatsby
AHNI Hunter Offline Gender: Location: Melbourne. Posts: 2164
AHNI member 102
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2008, 07:16:00 AM »
Nice Adam!
12 Gauge Fabarm Tribore S/S, 12 Gauge Beretta 682 Gold E sporter O/U, CZ Stainless Varmint .17 HMR, Brno .22, CZ .22 Mag, Sako .223, Sako 22.250, Sako Deluxe .270, T-3 .300 Win Mag, T-3 9.3x62, Sako .375 H+H, Marlin 45/70, CZ Safari .458 Lott and dropping!
Sierra
AHNI Hunter Offline Gender: Location: The Gulf of Carpentaria Posts: 5565
AHNi #36
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2008, 07:35:39 AM »
Looking very nice Adam!
Quote from: adamjp on November 05, 2008, 07:07:59 AM
...I won't be doing the checkering. I just don't trust myself to get it right - I have already spoken with David at Kopje (Cowra is only 3 hours up the road) and will be speaking further to see when he could fit me into his schedule.
I feel your pain. My old man gave me an antique (heirloom) set of chequering tools last time I visited him. I've been practicing on hardwood but it's another thing entirely to take to a precious project with them...
SMB444
Stalker Offline Gender: Location: NSW Posts: 1172
Fuck the crisis, rob a bank.....CEO
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2008, 05:46:39 PM »
I won't be doing the checkering. I just don't trust myself to get it right - I have already spoken with David at Kopje (Cowra is only 3 hours up the road) and will be speaking further to see when he could fit me into his schedule.
Top stuff. Looks like you've done it before. Have seen David Stendell's chequering before and he's very tallented. Looking for ward to seeing the finished job When's the next installment??
I love pussy cats. they make great targets
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2008, 10:57:53 PM »
No photos tonight, but the barrel, nose cap, grip cap and buttplate were blued today. The forend has been roughed down to something close to the size, and the butt is almost complete. I just finished sanding it with 800grit and am going to bed before I get tempted to do something radical like glue the grip cap on, or start oiling it. I gotta say, the wood looks farkin' amazing (to me anyway). Photos tomorrow. I have until lunch time to get the forend finished, nose cap inletted and fitted and the first coat of oil on. After midday, I finish reloading and packing my personal crap for the weekend (which I did some of when I wanted a break from woodwork). The rifle goes in the case, irrespective of condition. I suspect I will be taking sandpaper, oil and a file with me this weekend. And this is the first complete project I have done. My earlier attempts on a Fraser action in 22 K Hornet work, but are less than pretty - ahhh the impatience of youth. My advice - be prepared to buy some tools you probably don't have. And have patience - don't rush it 'cause you can completely screw it up with one stupid action.
« Reply #11 on: November 06, 2008, 02:23:46 PM »
Well, it's shootable, but there is so much work left to do on the stock to bring it up to my objective with this project. I'm happy enough to put it out in public, but the buttplate needs work, the nose cap needs work, there is a ding in the butt from late last night, and the barrel channel needs more work. It needs more oil on the wood (this is the first coat and is 2 hours old) and a fnial finish of cabinetmakers wax to shine it up a touch. The oil I am using is Organoil Outdoor Furniture oil. I have used Linseed, TruOil and used some of the walnut offcuts to test other oils. This one gave the best finish. I'll let you all see it how it is right now. For reference - that is a 20inch barrel.
Davo 7mm
Stalker Offline Gender: Location: Central West, NSW Posts: 857
« Reply #12 on: November 06, 2008, 02:33:50 PM »
the rifle looks great, what will you be hunting with it, cheers David
paz
Stalker Offline Gender: Location: Dubvegas, NSW. Posts: 941
Trainee Banger Brother!!
« Reply #13 on: November 06, 2008, 02:35:57 PM »
MMMMMM, verry nice. Paz
The single shot on fine and beautiful lines built by a master craftsman is indeed a gentleman's piece... Colonel Townsend Whelen
saladin
AHNI Stalker Offline Location: melbourne Posts: 1273
#94
« Reply #14 on: November 06, 2008, 02:41:32 PM »
brilliant so far. have you bothered to bed the forend hanger yet, or wait and see how it shoots?
« Reply #15 on: November 06, 2008, 03:09:04 PM »
Thats what I mean when I say - more work on the barrel channel. The whole barrel is currently bedded - on the wood. More work - but off hunting for now. For those in Dubbo - I'll be coming through there late tonight on my way to Coona. As to what - it is a new property which allegedly has pigs. I'll see.
« Reply #16 on: December 27, 2008, 04:55:28 PM »
Hey Adam How did the finished product end up???
robfnq
Hunter Offline Location: cairns Posts: 1651
« Reply #17 on: December 27, 2008, 05:24:22 PM »
Nice piece of wood. Came up well.
7 of 9
Varminter Offline Location: Central victoria Posts: 252
« Reply #18 on: December 27, 2008, 08:19:51 PM »
Quote from: robfnq on December 27, 2008, 05:24:22 PM
+1 Any kills yet?
Steviepops
Varminter Offline Gender: Location: Sydney Posts: 322
« Reply #19 on: December 27, 2008, 08:32:11 PM »
stunning!
500Nitro
Sponsor Hunter Offline Gender: Location: Victoria Posts: 11757
AHNI Member
« Reply #20 on: December 27, 2008, 08:34:49 PM »
adamjp Nice piece of wood. Who did the pancake ?
« Reply #21 on: December 28, 2008, 11:04:42 AM »
All, I'm away on holiday right now. I'll post some pictures up on how the project is coming. I've had to go do that horrid work thing and all the bloody christmas parties the wife booked me into, oh and being the best man at a wedding. I've had maybe 4 hours with the project since my last installment.
Who did the pancake?
The stock was roughed out by Geoff Slee as mentioned previously. I have pared down the butt around the plate so the wood/metal fit is better. I've started reducing the forend, but that will take some lots more file work before it is finished. I have inletted and bedded the forend to the hanger, only a couple of heart in mouth moments when the Devcon would not let go of the mainspring. A little more pressure and it came off. Now the foreend is bedded such that a rubber band can fit between the barrel and the wood at the muzzle end. I have to now fit up the muzzle cap propoerly. For the sake of it, I finish sanded the wood from the cheekpiece back with 400, 800, 1500 and 2000 before I went back in with the organoil (clear). The butt now glows and is less dark than the above photos. Next week I will finish off all that I can do...the nose cap will be fitted up, the grip cap fitted, the forend slimmed down and the butt devcon bedded to the action. After this the whole lot will be sanded up to 2000 grit and then oiled, and oiled, and rubbed, and oiled. Photos towards the end of next week.
Any kills yet?
Yes. No photos though. As for the cartridge, the 6.5x47 with a 120gn Nosler BT rocks. I'm getting 2800fps with 2208 and have not even started load work yet. The really interesting thing is the weight of this wood. My friend built a 6.5x47 on a Parker Hale Mauser action at the same time. He left his barrel at 24" but exactly the same profile. He has one of my 1-4 Leupold scopes in Tasco bridge mounts and the factory stock (suitably hacked to get the barrel in). His bloody Mauser weighs less than my Ruger despite the metal being noticeably heavier. That is why I am slimming down the forend. The butt will be hollowed out a little too.
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Deano
AHNI Hunter Offline Gender: Location: West Oz Posts: 3284
« Reply #22 on: December 28, 2008, 01:27:06 PM »
Van, isnt it about time you got off your 2 gun bandwagon? First it was the piss weak 22-250, now the bloody 250. Where are your kill pics mate? Adam has created a work of art, and all you can say is "bler bler the 250 is better" Nice work Adam, very nice work.
I just realized most of my friends live in this box on my table... best place for em really.
GWH
Hunter Offline Gender: Location: Waiouru, NZ (Aussie abroad) Posts: 1919
« Reply #23 on: December 28, 2008, 01:40:59 PM »
Nice rifle adam and an intersting cartridge choice
Hunt Hard, Shoot Straight. "I speak of Africa and golden joys; the joy of wandering through lonely lands; the joy of hunting the mighty and terrible lords of the wilderness, the cunning, the wary and the grim" Theodore Roosevelt, Khartoum, 1910
Tezza
Shooter Offline Gender: Location: Melbourne Posts: 144
« Reply #24 on: December 28, 2008, 01:54:47 PM »
Well done Adam, you've done a brilliant job on the woodwork, she's a beauty. Look forward to seeing the photos of what she looks like when your finished with her.
Chris Bluey Pritchard
Varminter Offline Gender: Location: Brisbane Posts: 227
« Reply #25 on: December 28, 2008, 07:27:04 PM »
Adam, Looks great and can't wait to see it completed. Great choice on cal as well.Will be building one on an AI stock when action arrives.Best of luck hunting with it. Bluey
« Reply #26 on: January 15, 2009, 01:12:54 PM »
Coming along nicely. Can't wait for the final pics. Love the RSI look also. Will buy one one day....
Archfile
Hunter Offline Gender: Location: Gippsland - Victoria, Australia Posts: 2121
« Reply #27 on: January 15, 2009, 01:19:18 PM »
one of these in 308 or 280AI rem would be a beautiful thing.. if only i had more money :-P
I like to shoot little furry animals at long range for fun. Not really into deer that much other than to eat.
Wiz
Hunter Offline Gender: Location: Arnhem Land Posts: 3187
« Reply #28 on: January 15, 2009, 01:26:26 PM »
Awesome looking rig. I could only wish to have your obvious talent with timber
Quote from: dan on November 02, 2008, 02:47:34 PM
I can also tell shit from clay. It is an important ability when posts such as yours are appearing
« Reply #29 on: January 15, 2009, 07:16:49 PM »
Quote from: Archfile on January 15, 2009, 01:19:18 PM
Yeah mate... and we could wait another 12 months..... sigh
rienoh
Varminter Offline Gender: Location: FNQ Posts: 161
« Reply #30 on: January 15, 2009, 08:31:00 PM »
Looks great mate
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