Ruger No.1, Eabco 97D, or TC Encore For single shot rifle ?

[Susquatch]

Yes, that is correct. They are all bolt.

Not sure why that matters to you. I have owned 2 Ruger #1s. Both were fine rifles but not in the same league as a Cooper bolt.

If I had to guess, I'd think you prefer the short action and therefore shorter rifle with rifles like the #1.

But I would counter that by guessing that a shorter barrel would accomplish the same end result and for bore sized brass like the 50 Alaskan, you wouldn't be giving up much velocity - if any.

Just my two cents.

 

[375rifleman]

No Susquatch that doesn't bother me I just thought that when someone says single shot it would be more like a No. 1 or a TC Encore. It just surprised me a little is all. I'm only going to be trying for 1500fps-2000fps (probably closer to 1750fps anyway). Something as big as a 750gr A-Max doesn't need much velocity anyway. However a 50 Alaskan with 750gr A-Max bullets is going to be 4.0"+ case length and not many bolt actions can support something that big. Not to mention that the 50 Alaskan has a big rim .610" .

 

[HARPERC]

Buy one of the big bore tropical, and have it re-bored. It could be done, and is within budget.

 

[Susquatch]

I see. I went back and re-read the entire thread so I could better understand your needs.

I probably have 10 different single shot rifles. The only ones that are reliably accurate are the bolts. For custom factory rifles, I like the Coopers and the Rem 40XB. For pure custom rifles I like the Defiance and Pierce.

As others have said, the #1s can be really fussy. Even if you manage to get one to shoot, it will go out of tune after 6 months or so. And frankly, you can forget about a trip to Alaska with it. The temp and humidity extremes will play havoc on it.

The bolts are all much more reliable and are easy to tune.

I've never seen a Ruger #1 at a benchrest competition, although I'll bet somebody has. Regardless, I could never recommend it.

On the other hand, you will see single shot bolts on almost every bench at the match......

One last comment on the Cooper. Earlier you expressed concern about cost. Coopers are expensive...... In fact, they are probably the most expensive factory rifle made. However, you also mentioned having a Ruger #1 custom built.

I guarantee you this. A Cooper will cost less than a custom built Ruger AND it will shoot better too. The smaller caliber Coopers are guaranteed to shoot 1/2". The bigger ones are guaranteed to shoot 1". However, all the Coopers I have seen or owned will consistently shoot half that or better.

Just my thoughts for whatever they are worth. Best of luck on your quest.

 

[Susquatch]

WOAH! That's a monster for sure! The 50 Alaskan that I am familiar with is WAY shorter than that! So where do I find details on your version?

 

[375rifleman]

Susquatch you're absolutely right the 50 Alaskan Case is rather short 2.10" however when you stick a 750gr A-Max in it (which is roughly 2.540" long for just the bullet) the overall cartridge length gets really long. That's why TC's and No. 1's are used so often with this setup

 

[Susquatch]

I went looking for your 50 Alaskan and couldn't find it. The best I could find that is commonly called a 50 Alaskan is a wildcat cartridge developed by Harold Johnson and Harold Fuller of the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska in the 1950s. Johnson based the cartridge on the .348 Winchester in order to create a rifle capable of handling the large bears in Alaska.

Frankly, I can't in good conscience recommend building or buying a bench rifle built on a 50 caliber of any case size. It simply won't be competitive no matter how much you spend on it.

I assumed you wanted it for dangerous game and accuracy was secondary. In that scenario I'd probably want a bolt repeater with no scope! For that purpose, it is the opposite. I can't imagine anything better than a huge 50 anything!

 

[375rifleman]

Actually I want to squeeze as much as accuracy as possible out of this cartridge. Even though it might not be much. But yes the primary use is for hunting everything from whitetail to grizzly. I'm a big proponent of making that first shot count so a second one won't be needed. Pulling a heavy .510 caliber bullet through most anything should do the trick.

 

[Susquatch]

Ok, I see that. Case plus bullet = long. But no so long as to rule out a bolt. Especially not a single shot bolt.

I don't think loaded case length has any bearing on bolt vs break action. Bolt actions are not the limiting factor. The magazine is. Its easy to stuff a long bullet into a bolt chamber and then eject the short spent case. But don't try and stuff that monster into a magazine!

I think that the main reason you see so many break-action rifles is because of the cost factor.

That said, the VAST majority of benchrest target rifles are bolt action single shots based on custom actions.

 

[Susquatch]

I'm also guessing we both like accurate rifles no matter what their primary purpose. I think it was colonel Townsend who said "Only accurate rifles are interesting".

I am the same as you. If I cannot be sure of a clean one-shot kill, I don't pull the trigger.

But those are targets that don't want to kill me. I am not so sure about the dangerous game scenario. In that case, I don't have the luxury of choosing to take my one shot or not, so I definitely want to be able to put a few more in her - just in case! And I want a bullet proof bolt to make sure it cycles!

 

[375rifleman]

Yeah Susquatch, I never thought of it that way, as all of my rifles have either been bolt action reapeaters, magazinze fed pump actions, magazine fed semiautomatics, or single shots. Say that the overall cartridge length is around 4.5" would I have to completely remove the bolt to load the cartridge or could it actually be single fed in a single shot rifle like one of the Cooper Rifles ?

375rifleman

 

[HARPERC]

.....I don't think loaded case length has any bearing on bolt vs break action. Bolt actions are not the limiting factor. The magazine is. Its easy to stuff a long bullet into a bolt chamber and then eject the short spent case. But don't try and stuff that monster into a magazine!.......

Which bolt action(s) do you feel would accommodate the .348 rim?

Lots here single loading.

It's a quirk project, but we all have them. The biggest barrier expressed so far is budget.

 

[Susquatch]

I don't think the 4.5" length will be a problem loading the cartridge. I do think HarperC has zeroed in on the biggest technical issue - the case rim size. All of the better bolts have recessed bolt noses. It will be hard to find a bolt with the right rim recess size. I'm sure there are many smith's around who will modify a bolt nose but I'm not one of them. I don't like that work so I don't do it.

That said, your biggest non-technical issue is cost. My guts tell me that your lowest cost opportunity is a custom factory Cooper - IF THEY WILL DO IT. Give them a call and get a quote and make sure you tell them you want it to handle the big Hornady as that will also dictate an extremely long throat and a fast twist.

As I said earlier, I really don't like the idea of a single shot for dangerous game. It's one thing to CHOOSE your one-shot clean kill on a deer, it's quite another to have something coming after you that does not present you with that one-shot opportunity. You have to take the shot you get or die. In that scenario, take WHAT YOU GET and then put another one or three in it even if it means the barrel is inside its mouth when you pull the trigger for the last shot of your life.....

I think we all love our pet projects, and yours is a doozie. But it's gunna cost you a LOT MORE than the cost of a TC or a #1. They might well be the cheapest starting point, but after the smoke clears they will both be really big bucks with a poor end result. My advice is to start saving the extra coin now and use the time to plan out your project in as much detail as possible with a completely open mind about the alternatives.

Some cost related things to think about include:
Custom Reamer
A Throat Reamer for the long leade
Custom Reloading Dies
Custom Barrel
Custom Extractor and/or Custom Bolt
Base Rifle or Base Action
Final weight
Gun Smithing

A few other random thoughts. There are repeater 50 BMG rifles out there. They should be able to easily handle your 50 Alaskan. I bet there are a few Custom Actions out there that will handle your 50 Alaskan too. Any one of them will out shoot your 50 Alaskan and outshoot you too!

Best of luck to you! Have fun eh!

 

[375rifleman]

It looks as though my best option would be a TC Encore, especially as there are many people that work in them instead of trying a one off fully custom setup. If I were to go the TC Route. I was wondering if anyone has made a folding stock system similar to this on YouTube out of a factory recoil reducing stock?

375rifleman