Hi All,
I just picked up my Ruger #3 from the gunsmith.
It has been re-barrelled and chambered in .357 Maximum with a 22" Lothar Walther barrel.
The scope mount and rings are from S&K. The Scope is Leupold VX-II 4x33.
The factory fore end was shortened at the step where the barrel band was and rounded slightly.
The next part of the project is to sand back the wood and re-finish with Tru-Oil.
Last edited by CamoWhamo; 01-20-2019 at 02:35 AM.
Good Day Sir
That sounds like s good project for these warmer months. Should make a dandy Roo Rifle.
"Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.
Very nice. It should make for a fun and useful rifle. I have a TC Contender carbine with a 357 Max barrel; I need to shoot that a lot more next year.
Those S&K bases and rings are first class; I have a set on a No. 1 270 Win.
Very nice rifle. You're going to have a lot of fun with it, developing loads and hunting. I have two and they are both very accurate and deadly on medium sized game. Probably one of my favorite caliber choices.
Attachment 232656Attachment 232657
You are going to love that caliber. It is one of the most versatile around. I also have a T/C carbine in that caliber and have used it for close in deer (173 gr SWC-PB @ 1350 fps), close in black bear hunting (160 gr SWC-GC @ 1850 fps), and plinking (155 gr. RN-PB @ 1150 fps) for many years. It shoots 357 Mag loads well and have heard but not tried 38 Sp. loads as well).
i have a henry single shot in .357mag for target/steel use only and have been contemplating reaming out to .357max, wondering how it would work out at steel plate distances well beyond 100 yards and out to 400 yards. sounds like the added powder charge would increase velocity with 160 grain hi-teks, but wondering what that'd do for consistent accuracy?
Nice, VERY nice! Good looking rifle & interesting caliber. Can't wait to hear how it shoots. I have a Ruger #1, #2 & #3. They are my favorite rifles. I like the way your scope mount fits the custom barrel. This is always a point of contention on a Ruger SS re-barrel. You choices are Ruger barrel blocks or the Ruger bridge base, both of which require the new barrel to match the original contour. The S&K mount looks like a great solution!
Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.
I wonder if JES could rebore a number 3?
Founder of the Single Shot section.
A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have.
8 in the 10 ring, then I get a PING. Love my Garand.
Accuracy on any .357 rifle, mag or max, has a lot to do with the bullet and barrel twist. As good as the .357max is, it's not a 400 yard gun. With the right bullet and load it will shoot 2.0" at 200 yards and I've seen guys shoot them out to 300 yards, but there aren't many bullets that shoot well at that distance. It's dropping like a rock when it gets out that far also. I've played with some pointed bullets and the BC is there, but the case capacity isn't. I'ver personally been thinking about getting another MGM bbl, or a Bullberry, with a 1:14 to play around with some heavier bullets for hunting. Better penetration without excessive expansion. However, the law of physics comes in to play and velocity starts to drop off and case capacity is soon used up.Originally Posted by rfd
How is the eye relief with that 4x Leupold? I have a #3 in 375 Win that is a great CB shooter, but I can’t quite find a scope/mount combination that provides proper eye relief for the scope. I’ve started to consider a “scout” scope for the 6” eye relief, and just try to move the scope as far forward as I can.
Nice rifle! I have 2 357 max rifles but neither are that nice. I really like this caliber in a rifle. I never had a chance to try the Hornady SSP bullets but that used to be the thing for a max rifle I am told.
Last edited by CIC; 12-24-2018 at 10:13 PM.
Nice rifle, I like No3s but have never found one when I had the craving and money at the same time. On the scope, I have found the Burris Compacts to have a workable eye relief and mount well in the low Ruger rings. That is on No1s, asuming the No3 to be the same. My 4570 No1 wears a Burris Compact 4x and fits very well.
“You don’t practice until you get it right. You practice until you can’t get it wrong.” Jason Elam, All-Pro kicker, Denver Broncos
Eye Relief with the FX-2 4x33 is almost just enough. Ideally i would've liked a little bit more, but it's usable as is.
I also have an FX-3 6x42 and that scope has the ideal eye relief, but it spoilt the look and balance of the rifle IMO and 6x doesn't match the caliber.
Lothar Walther barrel should be very accurrate. Can't wait for range report.
My Ruger #1 that I sent JES for reboring .
12 day turnaround.
Twist is 1 - 15. 3 groove rifling.
Rebored from a .222 Rem to 357 Max by JES.
The bore in this rifle is smooth , bright, and free of any tight spots with a tight patch.
It is a super accurate rifle !
Last edited by Ben; 12-25-2018 at 10:31 AM.
the level of consistently accurate grouping i'd be after isn't that small. the henry s/s .357mag has a 1:16 twist and has worked reasonably well with an acme 160gr rn hi-tek @ 100 and 200 yds on a 10" steel plate. though i haven't tried the .357mag on it yet, the 400yd plate is 16" and a hit on it anywhere would still be a hit
If it were simply a "fun" project, I'm sure you could hit the steel plate pretty regularly. I guess I wasn't thinking about it that way. I was thinking more along the lines of killing deer sized game at that distance. I've got some steel plates and I think I'm going to hang them out there and see what the hit percentage is. I've never tried it, but I've got some loads developed that would probably hit the plate most of the time even though the KE is probably getting down pretty low out there. Heck, I shot silhouette for many years and didn't eat any of themthe level of consistently accurate grouping i'd be after isn't that small. the henry s/s .357mag has a 1:16 twist and has worked reasonably well with an acme 160gr rn hi-tek @ 100 and 200 yds on a 10" steel plate. though i haven't tried the .357mag on it yet, the 400yd plate is 16" and a hit on it anywhere would still be a hit
My Ruger #1 that I sent JES for reboring .
12 day turnaround.
Twist is 1 - 15. 3 groove rifling.
Rebored from a .222 Rem to 357 Max by JES.
The bore in this rifle is smooth , bright, and free of any tight spots with a tight patch.
It is a super accurate rifle !
I wonder if this would work on a .223 #3. Would 357 Max clean up the chamber?
Founder of the Single Shot section.
A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have.
8 in the 10 ring, then I get a PING. Love my Garand.
CamoWhamo, You have a rifle I would love to have, The 357 Max is a favorite of mine also.
I have a Martini Cadet , a Davenport falling block, and a handi rifle in the Maximum.
The only advice I would like to give you is don't sand back the finish when you refinish the wood.
Use a chemical stripper and mostly steel wool as sandpaper removes too much and it really shows when a stock has been over sanded.
You have in my mind the perfect rifle.
Jedman
"Ruger #2", I had to look that one up. Apparently a #3 restocked with #1 wood.
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