Ruger No 1 pressure problem??
05-07-2005, 07:45 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA Sask CAN
Posts: 321
Ruger No 1 pressure problem??
I recently purchased a Ruger No 1 in 6mm Remington.
After I got it home I took it to the range with some FACTORY Winchester Super X loaded with 80 gr. bullets.
The accuracy was ok but had one problem.
A moderately flattened primer and pronounced offset ring all the way around the cartridge at its base. the ring is NOT perfectly uniform
either. The offset is more pronounced on one side of the cartridge.
There is no black smoke around the primer and the firing pin hole is not cratered or pierced.
Also this is my first No 1 Ruger so when a cartridge is chambered should you be able to see the top part of the rim on the case??
My GUT feeling is that this is an obvious sign that the rifle has been over loaded at some point in time damaging the chamber??
I contacted the person I purchased it from and he claims this is perfectly normal because this is a high pressure round and that his brass fired frome the rifle is in the same shape. To be fair to him he is claiming that the rifle was always like this as he purchased it from another individual. I The rifle dates back to 1972 so it could have had MANY owners over last 33 years.
I am going to take it too a gunsmith to have chamber measured and rifle checked out ASAP.
After I got it home I took it to the range with some FACTORY Winchester Super X loaded with 80 gr. bullets.
The accuracy was ok but had one problem.
A moderately flattened primer and pronounced offset ring all the way around the cartridge at its base. the ring is NOT perfectly uniform
either. The offset is more pronounced on one side of the cartridge.
There is no black smoke around the primer and the firing pin hole is not cratered or pierced.
Also this is my first No 1 Ruger so when a cartridge is chambered should you be able to see the top part of the rim on the case??
My GUT feeling is that this is an obvious sign that the rifle has been over loaded at some point in time damaging the chamber??
I contacted the person I purchased it from and he claims this is perfectly normal because this is a high pressure round and that his brass fired frome the rifle is in the same shape. To be fair to him he is claiming that the rifle was always like this as he purchased it from another individual. I The rifle dates back to 1972 so it could have had MANY owners over last 33 years.
I am going to take it too a gunsmith to have chamber measured and rifle checked out ASAP.
05-07-2005, 07:53 PM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471
RE: Ruger No 1 pressure problem??
Boy if it is a 1972 model you have a good one on your hands. The model year in question were pretty well custom built by Ruger and are a step up from current production. They came with Douglas Barrels right from the factory. I sold my 280 Ruger number otherwise I would check it and report back. I had a 6mm Remington and never had a problem like your describing. I would give Ruger Customer SErvice a call and tell them about it and if possible return the gun to them if they think something is wrong. They will make it right.
05-13-2005, 08:18 PM
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA Sask CAN
Posts: 321
RE: Ruger No 1 pressure problem??
Just mounted Simmons 6.5x20 44 Mag scope today.(premium optics)
Took it to the range. VERY cold and fairly windy so probably could have done better.
Winchester factory Super X 80gr.
3 groups under 1 inch at 100 Yards.(best one was .830)
2 groups at 200 yards were right around 2 inchs.
I know by benchrest standards this is not very good but it is a good start for me. This was never intended as a benchrest rifle but is going to be a varmint and occasional deer hunting rifle.
Handloads with premium bullets should shrink these groups which for a Ruger No. 1 will suit me just fine thanx.
Took it to the range. VERY cold and fairly windy so probably could have done better.
Winchester factory Super X 80gr.
3 groups under 1 inch at 100 Yards.(best one was .830)
2 groups at 200 yards were right around 2 inchs.
I know by benchrest standards this is not very good but it is a good start for me. This was never intended as a benchrest rifle but is going to be a varmint and occasional deer hunting rifle.
Handloads with premium bullets should shrink these groups which for a Ruger No. 1 will suit me just fine thanx.
05-13-2005, 10:57 PM
#5
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location:
Posts: 815
RE: Ruger No 1 pressure problem??
my 300 win is the same way, but the case isnt easily visable, you have to really look deep in there to see it. ...but yes, you can see a very small sliver of it. Your a lucky dog to get that 6mm, theyre few and far between.
05-14-2005, 07:17 PM
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA Sask CAN
Posts: 321
RE: Ruger No 1 pressure problem??
The chamber is NOT oblong.
The reason why the brass expands a little more on one side is either gravity or the falling block holding it tightly to the top of the chamber. With the chamber being a little oversized the shell casing sits on the bottom or pushed against the top orf the chamber. When it is fired it has more room to stretch up or down...not sure which way it is stretching...I will mark a case the next time I am at the range and see...
The specs for SAAMI 6mm Remington is .470 my unfired factory ammo measures .466 and my fired brass expands to .474.
So it is a slightly oversized chamber with factory ammo that is undersized(according to SAAMI specs) therefore I get more expansion than I am supposed to.
If I can locate some brass that is actually .470 and neck size after first firing I should be fine....
The reason why the brass expands a little more on one side is either gravity or the falling block holding it tightly to the top of the chamber. With the chamber being a little oversized the shell casing sits on the bottom or pushed against the top orf the chamber. When it is fired it has more room to stretch up or down...not sure which way it is stretching...I will mark a case the next time I am at the range and see...
The specs for SAAMI 6mm Remington is .470 my unfired factory ammo measures .466 and my fired brass expands to .474.
So it is a slightly oversized chamber with factory ammo that is undersized(according to SAAMI specs) therefore I get more expansion than I am supposed to.
If I can locate some brass that is actually .470 and neck size after first firing I should be fine....
05-15-2005, 05:26 AM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location:
Posts: 549
RE: Ruger No 1 pressure problem??
Absolutey no way unless the gun is damaged or you have seriously overloaded your cartridge will they commonly show signs of pressure. They have almost a zero tolerance of any parts that will give enough to show ejection marks or blowed back primers. When the falling block comes up it sits right on the case head theres no where for the case to move. It is to this day the strongest action in the world. You can overload that gun to the point of serious barrel damage.
But if you got blown back primers then your load it too hot. If you have ejection marks on that rifle then you may need to see a gunsmith because they don't move enough to allow that to happen. In centerfire cartridge's the Ruger No 1 rifles is all I own.
But if you got blown back primers then your load it too hot. If you have ejection marks on that rifle then you may need to see a gunsmith because they don't move enough to allow that to happen. In centerfire cartridge's the Ruger No 1 rifles is all I own.
05-15-2005, 07:13 AM
#10
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA Sask CAN
Posts: 321
RE: Ruger No 1 pressure problem??
ORIGINAL: cherokee_outfitters
Absolutey no way unless the gun is damaged or you have seriously overloaded your cartridge will they commonly show signs of pressure. They have almost a zero tolerance of any parts that will give enough to show ejection marks or blowed back primers. When the falling block comes up it sits right on the case head theres no where for the case to move. It is to this day the strongest action in the world. You can overload that gun to the point of serious barrel damage.
But if you got blown back primers then your load it too hot. If you have ejection marks on that rifle then you may need to see a gunsmith because they don't move enough to allow that to happen. In centerfire cartridge's the Ruger No 1 rifles is all I own.
Absolutey no way unless the gun is damaged or you have seriously overloaded your cartridge will they commonly show signs of pressure. They have almost a zero tolerance of any parts that will give enough to show ejection marks or blowed back primers. When the falling block comes up it sits right on the case head theres no where for the case to move. It is to this day the strongest action in the world. You can overload that gun to the point of serious barrel damage.
But if you got blown back primers then your load it too hot. If you have ejection marks on that rifle then you may need to see a gunsmith because they don't move enough to allow that to happen. In centerfire cartridge's the Ruger No 1 rifles is all I own.
The fired case ejects easily with NO ejector marks.
The primers are slightly flattened but have now smoke whatsoever in the pocket or around the primer. The firing pin is NOT cratered or pierced either...
Like you said "this is one of the strongest actions" so if it was "overloaded" at some point enough to stretch the chamber, the rifle would still be in pieces.
This fact leads me to believe this rifle has ALWAYS been like this...slightly oversized chamber from the factory.
Like I said before...the SAAMI specs I have are .470 at the base of the cartridge. My factory ammo measures .466. My fired cases are measuring .474. If the factory brass was actually .470(like it should be) then I would not be having any problems.
I will take it to a gunsmith and have a chamber cast done to confirm slighty oversized chamber.
I am pretty sure my problem can be solved by getting some brass that is actually .470 at the base. Firing a reduced load to form the brass and than neck sized from there.
I can get some custom FL resizing dies from Hornady that will be at the the right spec for my chamber...so when I eventually have to resize the case body I do not squeeze it back too much.
Just as a matter of coincidence I measured some of my range brass I collected over the years and I did run across the odd case that had expaned the same amount at the base. (.008). Obvioulsy it was factory ammo as most who reload collect their brass not discard it...
