Turning a Ruger #1 into a 50cal.
 

Okay I'm thinking of making a extended range muzzleloader out of a ruger #1. I need a little gunsmithing advice. The setup up on a #1 should make the ignition very simple. Of course removing the used nipple would be more time consuming.

My Questions are.

I shoot percussion muzzleloaders. Would a 209 primer stay together for easier extraction?

The barrel. Would I be better off Having a blank from scratch or buy a 50cal. barrel and screw in a nipple post?

Does a 45cal blackpowder cartridge and a 45cal muzzleloader have the same bore size? If so the cost would be alot less on the barrel making.

Thanks.

RE: Turning a Ruger #1 into a 50cal.
 

:D


In many cases, yes a .45 cal cf barrel would be suitable for conversion. Look for one in a .457 groove with .451 lands and a 1:20 or slightly longer twist. That would make a great .45 heavy conical BP barrel. You could probably ask Ruger which of their factory barrels might meet those criteria. I know they made some barrels for a .45LC at one time that might also work. As you can see from the pic, I've thought about that very mod. Cecil Epp has plans to do a Ruger No. 3 so you might touch base with him. Cecil and family are PRBULLET.com - he has already done some similar mods so might be able to give you some pointers. Seems a pretty decent feller.

RE: Turning a Ruger #1 into a 50cal.
 

Thanks for the reply underclocked. The right info I was looking for thanks again.

RE: Turning a Ruger #1 into a 50cal.
 

RE: Turning a Ruger #1 into a 50cal.
 

eldeguello, I should have said .458 vs .457 on the groove size but groove dimension is how CF barrels are measured. Land size on such a barrel would typically be .450-.451. A .457/8 cast boolet would be terribly difficult to load in a CF .458 barrel.

Size them for the lands and you would have a slip-fit boolet - easy to load and probably quite accurate with moderate charges.

and a ps: a call to Krieger/Criterion might locate JUST the right barrel for such a project.