Ruger #1 303 British - now what powder? (Post #43)

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So now these have been out and about for a few years what's the general consensus as to accuracy?
When they first came out I remember reading guys experiencing not so great accuracy. Was that resolved with some bullet / load combo?

I guess I want to know what sort of accuracy is typical in this chambering in the #1?
 
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hey man,
ive not set it up to shoot groups too often, and at 100m the front Bead covers quite an area so its hard to pin point....

I tried .308 dia bullets for a while, for Plinking it was OK close range but pretty bad groups lol.

I've used a few factory offerings, found the best to be Remington corelokt 180gr and Highland 150gr (PPU) , again not much group shooting, mostly to set the sight up and confirm it hits where I aim..


I've seen a few Scoped models, another Aussie fella used to get Good groups with reloads, You should find the content Via Google..

ive loaded 150gr .311 sierras... they are alright.

cant really help on how accurate my 303 Brit #1 is though..... if I get ahold of heaps more ammo ill test it out on day....
 
my chambers sweet as, the bore may be over sized a bit an not a sweet 311 or 312, think some vary which is pretty weird hey..
 
I've been quite satisfied with mine. I load the Horn. 150 gr .312" SP over W748. I use Herter's brass. I get my best accuracy firing my shots in pairs and manage to keep them in an inch.
The Ruger #1 is gratifying to load for as there are no "generous" chambers or action flex due to rear locking lug to worry about in .303 Brit.
 
Thanks gentlemen - I have the opportunity to pick one up, thought I should ask if I'm setting myself up for disappointment or if they are good to go.
 
They are a great combination. The venerable 303 British, and the rock solid #1 Ruger action.
Mine has a .3138" groove diameter, so a bit on the generous side, but it shoots quite well.
Even the .311 Sierra Pro-Hunter is quite accurate [c. 1.2 moa] and the Hornady .312" 174 is a slight bit better.
I have some older Norma 180 grain Semi-spitzer Boattail bullets, and they are the big surprise, often
3 going into .6 - .7 moa. They mike at .3124" I also have some 200 grain bullets from Steve Redgewell that
are sized at .313"...they are a 1 moa proposition, and in my #1, I can drive them to about 2400.
I shot a good sized Black Bear a couple of years ago with this bullet...it exited, leaving a Twooney sized hole.
The lungs and the top of his heart were heavily damaged, so that bullet did it's job well. D.
 
I really like mine. I put a scope on it and it'll shoot 5 kinds of ammo into an acceptable group. Unscoped I shot my 32 Special more accurately.

Using Remington 180 grainers mine's taken 2 kinds of deer and a Grizzly, none have needed more than 1 shot.
 
Mine has a K-6 Weaver on it and so far I have only ran 150gr blue box Federal through it. It seems pretty consistent with 5 rounds shooting into 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" with a vertical inclination to the group which is not uncommon for a Ruger #1 no matter what the chambering. When time permits I hope to reload some of the Sierra and Hornady 150 grain bullets that I have scrounged up. Perhaps its just in my head but how nice it is to shoot a 30 caliber class rifle without getting thumped by recoil, granted its not in the magnum velocity catagory but who needs that to fill the deep freeze. David.
 
MiG25 said:
I really like mine. I put a scope on it and it'll shoot 5 kinds of ammo into an acceptable group.

Using Remington 180 grainers mine's taken 2 kinds of deer and a Grizzly, none have needed more than 1 shot.
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Hell yeah a Grizzly with the 303 brit? pics dude!!! sick!

I have shot Fallow deer with mine, 180gr Remingtons also. thru an thru as expected

WL
 
I think the 303 and it's American counterpart, the 30/40 Krag, are perfect choices for the Ruger with the 1A being the perfect platform. For some perverse reason, Ruger chose to make the 303 barrels a little oversized but they shoot well anyway. In the Number 1, there is no problem loading the 180 to 2600 fps if one wishes to do so but you'll want to keep these loads away from any Lee Enfields.
Rimmed cartridges just seem right in a single shot although the Ruger extraction system was designed around rimless cartridges.
 
Lots of grizzly shot with 30-40 Krag and .303 British,personally I'd choose a 215gr or 220gr bullet.An uncle of mine shot one with a .32 Special exciting I guess as on the last round the head was between his boots. His one and only grizzly ....Peace River country AB.Harold
 
Leeper said:
I think the 303 and it's American counterpart, the 30/40 Krag, are perfect choices for the Ruger with the 1A being the perfect platform. For some perverse reason, Ruger chose to make the 303 barrels a little oversized but they shoot well anyway. In the Number 1, there is no problem loading the 180 to 2600 fps if one wishes to do so but you'll want to keep these loads away from any Lee Enfields.
Rimmed cartridges just seem right in a single shot although the Ruger extraction system was designed around rimless cartridges.
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According to Textbook of Small Arms 1909, the dimensions were:

CLLE: 303" + 5 grooves 0.0065" deep which I think equals 0.316".

SMLE: 303" + 5 groove 0.0058 deep equaling 0.3146".

So if anything 0.313 is undersized.
 
To me, it doesn't matter what the 1909 textbook of small arms says. If available bullets measure .312 or less, that's a good size to make the barrels. As it is, the rifles shoot well anyway so it's of no consequence except to those who like to nit pick.
 
Leeper said:
To me, it doesn't matter what the 1909 textbook of small arms says. If available bullets measure .312 or less, that's a good size to make the barrels. As it is, the rifles shoot well anyway so it's of no consequence except to those who like to nit pick.
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Except that the guys who designed it called for barrels to be 303/3146, CIP calls for 303/314, and SAAMI (which Ruger is a member of) calls for 303/314.

I am in no way qualified to say what the barrels should be 110 years after the specs were drawn up.
 
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