Ruger #1 Forend Bedding

[thehouseproduct]

Does anyone have any tips for bedding the forend? Did you bed the hanger or the rear where it touches the receiver too?

[Johnw...ski]

I have successfully built several single shot rifles and I have bedded the forearm on all of them for their full length. The main thing I watch for is where the forearm touches the receiver, I do not want any contact there and try to keep a space that is about the thickness of a sheet of paper. As far as the bedding of the forearm goes it really means nothing as long as there is even contact when the forearm is secured.

Good luck,

John

[stubshaft]

Are you going to put a wedge between the hanger and the barrel or a tensioning screw? This will have to be done BEFORE bedding the forend.

Like John said no contact between the forend and barrel either.

[thehouseproduct]

I haven't decided on the wedge or set screw. Are they recommended?

[375RUGER]

What kind of groups does your rifle shoot? nice clovers or strings? A setscrew with a bearing block will cure stringing. long time ago, 18 years, Ross Seyfried had a G&A article the about this mod. I can scan it and email it to you if you want. I've done it but it's not to be done with hand tools, a drill press minimum.
Easier is the Hicks Accurizer. Ed Brown has it.
Of course, if your rifle is a shooter then I wouldn't do anything.

Be generous with the release agent and don't get too much bedding compound in there either. If you do it will get inbetween the hanger and barrel and then you won't get it apart without having to chop your forearm.

[94Doug]

I had several articles about this same thing set aside for when I purchased my #1. Turns out the newer versions shoot much better out of the box than the old without these mods....so those magazines are floating around unused.

d

[stubshaft]

I haven't decided on the wedge or set screw. Are they recommended?


I've found them to be a welcome addition. It takes some experimenting to find out how much tension works for your gun. The set screw is easiest to adjust, but the wedge allowed me to move then pressure point anywhere between the barrel and the hanger.

When I bed my #1's I use a lot of modeling clay between the hanger bar and the barrel so no bedding compound can infiltrate that space. The key area is the base and sides of the hanger bar itself. Bedding anything else is fruitless.

This should give you some good ideas.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cts=1331080912406&sqi=2&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvarminthuntinginternational.com%2 Faccurizingnoruger.html&ei=ya5WT_XcMqTaiQLirom-Bw&usg=AFQjCNG0oVyr9CcpYjPERCLXz4WH3R3WkA&sig2=xNBLLMgWseuo91OtdU9spw

[thehouseproduct]

To be honest, I haven't shot it yet. I just wanted to get the gunsmithing type stuff out of the way before I got through too many 220gr Sierra Match Kings in a 300 Win Mag figuring out that I needed to bed or fix stuff.

If I bed the forend to the hanger and float the barrel, I could add the shim later which would only increase the distance between barrel and wood correct?

[stubshaft]

To be honest, I haven't shot it yet. I just wanted to get the gunsmithing type stuff out of the way before I got through too many 220gr Sierra Match Kings in a 300 Win Mag figuring out that I needed to bed or fix stuff.

If I bed the forend to the hanger and float the barrel, I could add the shim later which would only increase the distance between barrel and wood correct?

NO, it would also increase the gap between the barrel and hanger slightly. It may not affect accuracy, but because of the design it would increase the gap.

[375RUGER]

I'd shoot it first because you may not have to do anything to it. I have some with the mod and some without.
Think about the hanger as a cantilever beam. It is fixed at one end and is deflecting at the other due to loading/unloading. When the hammer is cocked the beam is loaded, when you pull the trigger you unload the beam and it deflects. When the beam deflects the forearm moves with it because they are fixed together. See where I'm going with this?
If you are going to bed and float you should put a wedge or screw to stabilize the hanger/forearm. Otherwise, IMO, you will be doing a lot of shooting to discover that you need to setscrew/wedge the hanger.
You will also remove a lot less wood to get the barrel floated if the hanger is stabilized.
I know you can bed the entire forearm to the barrel and get good results but I'm not so sure you can float the forearm and get decent results.

[nanuk]

.....I have bedded the forearm on all of them for their full length.....
As far as the bedding of the forearm goes it really means nothing as long as there is even contact when the forearm is secured.....

John


.....
Like John said no contact between the forend and barrel either.

perhaps I'm missing something here..... John says he beds the forearm full length ALONG the barrel??




The main thing I watch for is where the forearm touches the receiver, I do not want any contact there and try to keep a space that is about the thickness of a sheet of paper.
John

[stubshaft]

Then John and I differ in our methods as the only thing that I want to contact the forearm is the hanger itself. NO, receiver contact and NO barrel contact, unless the hanger rocks to the point where the forearm contacts the barrel then and only then will I bed the barrel .

[Tatume]

Presently I own six Ruger No. 1 rifles in every model, including the RSI. All of them shoot extremely well, and no work has been done to the forends. It would be wise to shoot the gun, extensively, before modifying it.

[Lloyd Smale]

I agree. Last couple i had done were done with a screw and they shot there best after the screw was taken right out. Bad verticle stringing with both guns with any pressure on the screw at all. thing is i dont know why i even fooled with them. both were moa guns right out of the box with loads they liked.
Presently I own six Ruger No. 1 rifles in every model, including the RSI. All of them shoot extremely well, and no work has been done to the forends. It would be wise to shoot the gun, extensively, before modifying it.

[rbertalotto]

www.rvbprecision.com

In the firearm section

[nanuk]

Roy, can you tell me WHERE your firearms section is???

I must be blind.... I can't find it.

[rbertalotto]

Up at the top..........click on "Shooting"

Once this page opens, see down below..."Older Entries"


OR

Way up at the top...."Table of Contents"

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

SOP is and has been for a number of years, to bed to the under barrel hanger on the forend screw end, and two places back toward the action, then float the barrel.

No wood metal contact, and still strong and tight.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[CPL Lou]

Found it !

http://rvbprecision.com/shooting/accuracy-tips-for-the-ruger-1.html

Hope this helps.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I currently own three Ruger No1s and have owned them in the past. I have found that if they are accurate (which most are), great, leave them alone and if they are not accurate, sell them.

Some of my friends had trouble in the early days, but I haven't heard of any problems in the past 15yrs or so.

I know two guys, both experienced who were tearing their hair out trying to get their No1s to shoot and after a couple of attempts at bedding, etc, gave up and sold them. One guy used a well respected gunsmith and the othe guy has bedded many target and hunting rifles and he knows his oats.

No1s are a ***** beast and best not prodded, lol.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

On a hunting rifle, consistancy is top dog!!!!!!! Top even above group size!

Do not bed a #1, bed only the forend to the under barrel hanger etc. only to allow it to be stable and strong!

Float the barrel!

Yes, with a target rifle, it may shoot better with some kind/amount of barrel pressure, However ----------

With a target rifle/stock and in a match, you may get sighters to let you know where the conditions are placing your point of impact, "today" in "today's" conditions.

BUT ----------- with a hunting rifle there are no "sighters", no chance to change the sights/scope to match "today's" conditions, The first shot is the "money" shot, and consistancy of Point of impact is the key.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[myfriendis410]

I have a 1976 vintage No. 1 in 7mm r.m. that I floated/bedded. What I found very interesting was that the POI changed down by 10" at 100 yards. That was a LOT of upward bearing tension on the barrel from the forearm.

This gun would shoot around 1" with handloads, but groups shrank to 3/8" after bedding.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Myfriendis410,

Yep, it is normal to see a drop when a barrel is floated! SOP!

Years back was out with the oldest son on a rock chuck hunt and his heavy barrel 6mm which was a good shooter, was missing the critters.

Set down on a rimrock and took some sighters at a rock face about 100yds out and walla, hitt'in high.

The problem, he had attached a bi-pod to the rifle for the hunt.

That rifle quickly got floated and that was the last time some external force, heat, cold, wet, dry, change in rest, change in hand position, attachment of a bi-pod etc. etc. changed the point of impact on that rifle.

AS I said earlier, the first shot is the money shot at game and although a rifle may ?????? shoot better with barrel pressure, there is no time or oppertunity provided for "sighters" when your hunting.

Consistancy, knowing where that first shot IS going to land is the most important consideration.

I have not seen my groups to suffer by floating, and in fact have seen them cut about in half by action bedding/barrel floating, but if it had to be, would take a bit larger group to have consistant 1st shot placement.

CDOC

[nanuk]

I have also read where you need to make sure the quarter rib does not touch the receiver.

you need to have a bit of relief there also

[scrapcan]

I agree with these guys on shoot it a bit before you do anything. I have had 2 no.1 both the 1v. One in 22-250 the other in 25-06. both were good shooters. did all the stuff to the 22-250 and although I could call it mine, it really did not need all the work.

the one think that was best was when I took the auto ejection out of the mix and just had extractor to slide the cartridge out slowly. I hated it when it rocketed the shell off the safety.

[thehouseproduct]

So I'm the measure twice cut once type. I want to post some pictures to double check. For the first pic, I want to tape the green areas and dremel the center slightly and put my devcon there. Correct?
http://www.thehousebmx.com/arfcom/Tape%20Foreend.jpg
Next I want to be extra sure to fill in the slot in the middle of the hanger with wax or clay right?
http://www.thehousebmx.com/arfcom/Fill%20in%20Here.jpg
Lastly, I wantto tape or wax the following areas on the hanger, right?
http://www.thehousebmx.com/arfcom/Tape%20Hanger.jpg
I know these are basic questions but the only way to learn to do this stuff is try it. I bedded a bolt action with acceptable results.

[thehouseproduct]

Anyone? :-)

[rbertalotto]

Correct!

You are only bedding between the hanger and the stock to ad a bit of space between the barrel and forarm.

You will also need to bed between the forarm and the receiver as this relationship changes as the forearm is bedded.

The Ruger 1V, with the two piece scope mounts do not suffer from the one piece mount issue of the other Ruger #1 rifles.

The rear of the one piece mount can not touch the receiver. Remove it and file some off the rear of the mount. And while its out, you might want to elongate the front screw hole so the barrel can expand and contract under the scope mount and not effect the scope position. Many times the rifle is shooting accuratly but the scope is moving with expansion and contraction and throwing off you POI.

BTW, a simple method to test these rifles for forarm issues is to shoot them without a forarm. Just rest the hanger on your rest while firing.

Some folks claim that a bit of up pressure with a set screw from the hander to the barrel improves these rifles. I've owned over 20 Ruger #1 rifles (currently have 6 in the safe) and only on two occassions have I seen this to be marginally effective. And I've tried it on a bunch of them by drilling and tapping or using a tapered wedge to test the theory.

In the article I wrote (www.rvbprecision.com) I mention the HICKS adapter. Although I never found the time to install this device on one of my rifles, lots of folks have reported to me of great improvements.

The fact of the matter is, Ruger has no idea how to make a rifle barrell. It is very hit or miss with them Of the 20 Ruger #1 I've owned only a couple were relatively accurate. I finally gave up on all versions but the #1V. I have a #1V in 220 Swift that is a tack driver with just a bit of forarm work. All the others are fine for Prairie Dogs, but would never be competitive in an Egg Shoot (eggs at 200 and 300 yds). I know of dozens of Ruger #1 rifles that were rebarreled with a quality aftermarket barrel and are now tack drivers. It's ALWAYS the 3Bs.......Barrels - Bullets - Bedding...........And the Ruger #1 is challengeed by two of the three.

I have been running my Egg Shoots for 17 years. In the hundreds of matches I conducted I only know of one 200 yard match that was won by a Ruger 77. In the factory class, the Savage rifles dominate big time. Now there is a company that knows how to mass produce a barrel!

[Clark]

I have 3 Ruger #1s:
223 #1V is 0.5 moa
270 1.0 moa
7mmRM 1.0 moa

I got all three used.
The trick to get accuracy was to clean the Copper out.
If the previous owners had known how much accuracy was underneath that Copper, they never would have sold them.

[thehouseproduct]

Is this normal? My hanger is nowhere near contact with the barrel. And I can't push hard enough to make it touch.
http://img.tapatalk.com/446d429c-a506-8ab4.jpg

[JDL]

Not suppose to contact barrel.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

That is why if you glass bed to the under barrel hanger at the point where the screw attaches the forend wood, and then bed two places, one on each side back towards the action, you can sucessfully bed AND float the forend.

CDOC

[thehouseproduct]

That is why if you glass bed to the under barrel hanger at the point where the screw attaches the forend wood, and then bed two places, one on each side back towards the action, you can sucessfully bed AND float the forend.

CDOC
Any chance of quick pics of where you bed on the sides?

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Thehouseproduct,

If you send me a PM with your personal "E" address, I can send some images.

If those don't show what you need, I have the lenses and equipment to take others.

Have never figured out how to post to the forums but have sent lots of images by "E" or where that didn't work I have send CDs.

Kind of like my under bench receiver system for mounting reloading tools, I sent the images to someone by CD and they posted the info.

I need a 4 year old to help me with pooter stuff.

CDOC