7.82 WARBIRD, RUGER #1 STAINLESS

[Allen Vinyard]

For those of you who remember me and my "project" it FINALLY came back home. Over 18 months,,,,,don't ask. For those who don't know, I shipped a NIB Ruger #1 Stainless to "A gunsmith" and had a complete workover done on what is my first "custom" rifle. The trigger mechanism was replaced with the smiths design and it is sweet. Haven't measured it yet but if feels slightly lighter than all of my other rifles and they are at 2 pounds. The forearm hanger has been rebuilt and allows the 28 1/2 inch fluted Pac-Nor to
freefloat. The quarter rib was replaced with a rib of the smiths design and the 6.5x20 50 mm Leupold is mounted in Talley rings. I don't know(yet) the exact profile of the barrel but it is slighter heavier than the standard Ruger barrel. It weighs about 11 an a half pounds. Most of this info is a guess because I just flatout haven't had the time to mess with it much since it came back because of my job but I will know all about it before long. How does it shoot you might ask. Don't know yet, no time and no ammo. I ordered my brass and dies from Lazzeroni yesterday and it will be a few days before I get a chance to play. I hope it may all be here Friday and I can check it out this weekend. The published velocity on Lazzeroni's web site loading tables is over 3500 fps with a Nosler 180 grain Partition out of a 27 inch barrel. Hope I can reach that speed. Oh yea, no muzzle break. Might live to regret that but I think they are ugly so I didn't have one installed.
I've still been lurking around, reading and learning but since I had nothing to contribute, I didn't post. Hope some of you 'older' guys here remember me.
Allen

 

[mark300]

sir,
what twist rate is your barrel,and what bullet(s) do you prefer? i have been handloading the 7.82 warbird for almost 3 years and have a few loads which work in my rifles.. and yes, you probably will want a muzzle brake..

 

[Allen Vinyard]

mark300, I prefer the Nosler bullets, the 200 grain partition in particular but since I haven't loaded anything yet for this rifle I am open to all suggestions. I had a Ruger #1 in 300 Weatherby and the 200 was the only bullet it would shoot with the accuracy I wanted but that rifle was not modified in any way. I know the partition is not supposed to be an accuracy bullets but it worked for me. I really want to try the 168 grain Matchking because of all I have read about it here.
The twist is 'supposed' to be 1/11 but since the gunsmith didn't send me a spec sheet on the rifle I am not sure. I sent him an email requesting ALL information on my rifle so I hope to know for sure soon. We don't really want to get into the issues I have with the man who build the rifle. Let me know what works for you, I'm all ears.
Allen

 

[PrimeTime]

Allen-
I don't like muzzle brakes myself and have yet to own a rifle with one on it. Of course all I shoot is 6.5's and 7mm's. In your situation though, burning a barn load of powder in a rifle under 15 pounds, I'd hesitate to sit behind it and touch one off. You may want to reconsider the brake as the recoil should be pretty severe. It does sound like a nice hunting rifle with plenty of long range potential.

 

[Allen Vinyard]

Primetime, you hit it right on the the head. This rifle was conceived as a "hunting rifle" with long range potential. As far as recoil, I know this sucker is going to kick. This rifle is replacing the aforementioned 300 Weatherby that was stolen along with 16 other rifles and shotguns. The 300 was no slouch in the recoil department.... I was just being facetious. I use a bag with about 10 pounds of lead shot when I shoot from the bench. I made it and it fits nicely into my shoulder and does a great job of absorbing recoil.

 

[mark300]

Allen,
these are a few loads you can start with: 168 Sierra MK 102.0 H-1000
105.0 Ramshot Magnum (formerly Big Boy)
178 Hornady A-Max 104.0 Ramshot Magnum
200 Sierra MK 107.0 H-870 or WC872
98.5 H-1000
210 Berger VLD 97.0 H-1000
106.0 H-870
(the 210 Berger VLD is devestating on whitetails at long range)
220 Sierra MK 96.0 H-1000
106.0 H-870
These loads are starting* loads in my rifles and show no signs of high pressure. one is a sako trg-s and the other is a sleeved remington 700 with a 32" barrel. I tried RL25 per Lazzeroni's reloading table and it seemed to give higher pressures and less velocity in both my rifles, so I switched to the Hodgdon and Ramshot powders. I use Federal 215 primers only and seat the bullets to within .010 of the lands for hunting. In the sako, the 165 Nosler BT will shoot a cloverleaf at 200 yards. Use the same load as the 168 Sierra MK. I size my cases,trim for overall length, and anneal the necks. Some of my brass has been loaded 7-8 times. If I can give you anymore help please feel free to contact me,not that I know very much at all, just glad to pass along the info......