I am a moron

[marlinman93]

Surely he jests. Great flexibility to be had, from mild to wild with one gun, ie: a .22-250.

Would one drive his Ferrari at 140mph everywhere he went simply because it's capable of super speeds? Of course not.

I'd personally never waste any time trying to load and shoot cast bullets in my .22-250 either. Yes, you can drive a Ferrari slow, but why would you putt around town loading it up? Just get a VW bug and putt around in.
The .22-250 was designed as a wildcat varmint cartridge for long range hunting, and wasting powder and loading time to putt around seems like a poor use of time and components to me.

[jdgabbard]

I am a moron

Me too buddy....me too...

But in all seriousness, I've wanted a Ruger No 1 for a long time. It looks like you got a nice one!

[gnoahhh]

I'd personally never waste any time trying to load and shoot cast bullets in my .22-250 either. Yes, you can drive a Ferrari slow, but why would you putt around town loading it up? Just get a VW bug and putt around in.
The .22-250 was designed as a wildcat varmint cartridge for long range hunting, and wasting powder and loading time to putt around seems like a poor use of time and components to me.

I automatically think in terms of flexibility of a cartridge. Everything I own gets shot with a far higher percentage of reduced loads than with full tilt stuff - everything from Hornets to .30-06's (bigger guns than that have long since been disposed of). Point of fact, out of the probably 2-3000 rounds I've put through my Springfields over the last couple years, maybe 20 of those shots were with jacketed bullets at "normal" velocities, enough to sight-in for hunting. The rest were 100% sub-2000fps loads with cast bullets. A lot more fun (to me), easier on the shoulder (important as I start to age out), and cheaper (a serious consideration, for me at least).

I seriously don't need the sturm und drang of muzzle blast and recoil in my life anymore!

[marlinman93]

I automatically think in terms of flexibility of a cartridge. Everything I own gets shot with a far higher percentage of reduced loads than with full tilt stuff - everything from Hornets to .30-06's (bigger guns than that have long since been disposed of). Point of fact, out of the probably 2-3000 rounds I've put through my Springfields over the last couple years, maybe 20 of those shots were with jacketed bullets at "normal" velocities, enough to sight-in for hunting. The rest were 100% sub-2000fps loads with cast bullets. A lot more fun (to me), easier on the shoulder (important as I start to age out), and cheaper (a serious consideration, for me at least).

I seriously don't need the sturm und drang of muzzle blast and recoil in my life anymore!

I load my .22-250 down below maximum also, but still fast enough to take ground squirrels at 40 yds. I use my shorter range cartridges down to .22LR for closer work below 200 yds.
I like cartridges that are versatile also, and I've taken a good number of mule deer with my .22-250 also, but never with cast bullets and never reduced loads. Just too large a case capacity for me to want to try to make it work when I have a .22 Hornet, and a .22LR for closer shooting that work better and use less powder.

[GARD72977]

I cast for a lot of guns. I have no time or interest to add 22cal to the list

[marlinman93]

I only have one .22 mold, and it's a Brooks I got for my .22WCF barrel. Not a fan of casting those tiny bullets, so I don't shoot that Pope barrel much.

[gnoahhh]

I guess you wouldn't enjoy one of my favorite pastimes - breech seating .22 bullets in a .22LR chamber and pushing them with pre-primed empty .22LR cases filled with a pinch of Bullseye!

Casting/handling .22 bullets, to me, is no more problematic than casting larger stuff. I have over a dozen .22 molds. And what's not to like - 4 or 5 .22 bullets from the same amount of lead it takes to make one .32-40 bullet.

Diff'rent strokes and all that....!

[marlinman93]

I guess you wouldn't enjoy one of my favorite pastimes - breech seating .22 bullets in a .22LR chamber and pushing them with pre-primed empty .22LR cases filled with a pinch of Bullseye!

Casting/handling .22 bullets, to me, is no more problematic than casting larger stuff. I have over a dozen .22 molds. And what's not to like - 4 or 5 .22 bullets from the same amount of lead it takes to make one .32-40 bullet.

Diff'rent strokes and all that....!

I actually breech seat one of my Ballard #3 rifles that was sent to Stevens to be re-bored to .25 Stevens RF. It's the only way to shoot it a lot and not have to use those silly adapters. I use the lowest shot charges behind it, and made a tool to breech seat a little 55 grain .25 bullet. Just fun plinking, but don't shoot it too much.
If it was such a pristine Ballard with Stevens provenance, I'd probably reline it back to .22RF.

[gnoahhh]

I wouldn't mind seeing a bit of that rifle, Vall. What cartridge case do you use? A nail gun blank behind the breech seated bullet?

[marlinman93]

I wouldn't mind seeing a bit of that rifle, Vall. What cartridge case do you use? A nail gun blank behind the breech seated bullet?

Yes, a Ramset I think and I'd have to check the color, but it is the lightest charge they sell and fits my .25 chamber great! I Made a breech seater tool for my other Ballard rifles and just made a tiny rod with a fired case for the tool. I still have 6-7 boxes of Cannuck brand .25 Stevens, and occasionally shoot those too.

This is the Ballard #3. It has great color case and rust blue, and stocks are original and perfect. It's marked under the forearm on the barrel with .25 RF and Stevens reboring info. It also has a full length Stevens 368 long eye relief scope. Maybe purchased at the same time?

[GARD72977]

That's beautiful. I will trade you a Ruger No. 1 for it

[Ithaca Gunner]

Urggggg! Happens all the time to me... Wally-world, bought 2 cans of chili with hot dog slices and beans thinking it was chili sauce FOR hotdogs-coupla years ago I bought an unfired .577 British ''volunteer'' rifle made of surplus parts put together by Westley Richards in the 1870's. Didn't want to shoot it, couldn't get rid of it for nowhere near what I paid for it. Finally swapped it and $500. for a nice clean 1862 unfired Remington Contract rifle, (Zouave). I can't bring myself to shoot that either, but at least they're more popular than a put together British militia rifle, (and I kinda wanted one anyway).

Such is life...

[nseries]

Then I realize I bought the gun before the one I wanted.
Attachment 325805

GARD72977, I've done that several times in person at live auctions... Too busy talking to someone and not paying attention to what's being auctioned.

[marlinman93]

That's beautiful. I will trade you a Ruger No. 1 for it

Thanks. Not a fan of Ruger #1 rifles. I'm more into 140 year old rifles.

[GARD72977]

Thanks. Not a fan of Ruger #1 rifles. I'm more into 140 year old rifles.

Me too!

[Lance Boyle]

Could have been worse. You could have paid #1 prices for a #3.

Exactly! This is a win in my book unless the caliber is unwanted by you.

I looked at an alleged NIB No3 in .30-40 the other day as I mentioned liking .30-40. It had aftermarket sling swivels but the shop insisted it was NOS. Anyways if it was magically turned in to a No1 I would have kept looking at it. Wrong caliber for me in the No3. Different horses for different courses.

[popper]

Why would anyone getting a Ruger #1 think they were a moron? If only I could afford one.