Ruger No. 1 "Kudu" - .300H&H

[tarbe]

It does seem to shoot the 180gr Nosler ok, even with the short throat.

Group is from 100 meters off the picnic bench.

 

[sestoppelman]

Phil

How is the throat on your Kudu?

Mine is short...as in I cannot even seat a Hornady Spire Point to the cannelure.

I might have to take it to get another 15 to 20 hundreths added to the freebore so I can get those bullets out a bit.


Tim

What weight are you talking about there? You might try other brands, the Hornady does have a bit of step where the ogive changes to the spire and of course the cannelure is just a crimp groove which is not at all necessary in a single shot.

 

[tarbe]

What weight are you talking about there? You might try other brands, the Hornady does have a bit of step where the ogive changes to the spire and of course the cannelure is just a crimp groove which is not at all necessary in a single shot.

I mention the cannelure only as a reference point. Of the thousands of rounds I have loaded for single shot rifles, I have never used a crimp!

Ballistic tips and partitions have to be seated deeply too.

 

[sestoppelman]

Sounds like you may indeed need a throat job. Will it not even allow normal max OAL?

 

[tarbe]

Sounds like you may indeed need a throat job. Will it not even allow normal max OAL?

SAAMI max OAL is 3.60". The 220gr Nosler Partition hits the lands at 3.57".

Of course, with the No 1, I want to take advantage of the lack of magazine length restrictions and seat the bullets out to increase effective case capacity (like I do with other No 1 rifles). I had hoped to seat the 220 Partition to about 3.75" OAL. This puts the base of the bullet about 0.1" below the base of the neck.

I also want this Kudo optimized with the heavier bullets, as I have a .308 if I am shooting stuff that the lighter bullets make sense for.

My intention is to use this Kudu on a 2015 PG hunt, with Eland as the largest animal...so no light bullets on this hunt! If I go copper and lead, 200gr would be the lightest. If I go Barnes TTSX, 180gr would be the lightest (and we all know how long the TTSX bullets are!).

Thanks for the feedback sir!


Tim

 

[sestoppelman]

Yes that is the beauty of the No.1, I have 2 now but have owned several others, great rifles. Ruger does have a very fine repair policy, if you wanted to send it back to get more throat. Or any competent smith could open it as well, maybe even for less if you didn't have to ship the thing to them. It really ought to accept any round at max OAL and a bit more really. Keep us posted.

 

[tarbe]

It really ought to accept any round at max OAL and a bit more really. Keep us posted.

This is my last hijack of this thread...I promise!

Corresponded with a local benchrest gunsmith today .

He is going to lengthen the throat to fit a dummy cartridge I have prepared with the 220gr Nosler Partition seated to 3.77". This will allow me to seat the heavy Partition a few thousandths off the lands and still keep the base of the bullet just barely below the base of the neck.

I will then be able to get true 300 magnum velocity with acceptable pressures. My goal is to find a good shooting load that will start the 220 off at about 2,750 fps mv. IMR 4831, H4831 and IMR 7828 will be my powders of choice, and if I can find some Reloader 22 and/or 25 I will try those too.

The work will cost me $60 and the smith is only 15 miles from my house.

The resulting impact velocities should give me good, wide wound channels while still proving plenty of penetration for the larger PG.

 

[sestoppelman]

PERFECT!!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

tarbe,

Sorry I've been at SCI this past week and had little time to spend here on AH. But my experience is the same as yours from what I can tell. 180gr Nosler Partitions had to be seated a bit deeper for the action to close properly.

 

[tarbe]

I chronographed some loads out of the long-throat Kudu today.

My hottest load with the 220gr Partition hit 2,814 feet per second. This is with a not-to-be-disclosed amount of IMR 7828 SSC (above book max due to the long throat).

Based on case expansion I could probably go a little higher if I wanted to...but I am thinking now I probably won't bother. I will tweak this load up and down a little to find a charge that will keep my 100 yard groups around an inch and then I will be happy.

Once the rifle and load are dialed-in, it is time to work on the nut behind the rifle!

Can't wait to take this baby to RSA. Nothing like taking a kudu with the kudu!

Tim

 

[sestoppelman]

At nearly 3900 ft/lbs of energy, you are nearing Weatherby territory! Good stuff!

 

[tarbe]

At nearly 3900 ft/lbs of energy, you are nearing Weatherby territory! Good stuff!

The old girl still has legs!

I hope I can manage to keep a couple of those heavy partitions inside an animal....maybe the Eland or Blue Wildebeest? I would dearly love to have a few to weigh/measure. The analytical side of me loves that stuff.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I chronographed some loads out of the long-throat Kudu today.

My hottest load with the 220gr Partition hit 2,814 feet per second. This is with a not-to-be-disclosed amount of IMR 7828 SSC (above book max due to the long throat).

Based on case expansion I could probably go a little higher if I wanted to...but I am thinking now I probably won't bother. I will tweak this load up and down a little to find a charge that will keep my 100 yard groups around an inch and then I will be happy.

Once the rifle and load are dialed-in, it is time to work on the nut behind the rifle!

Can't wait to take this baby to RSA. Nothing like taking a kudu with the kudu!

Tim

Holy smokes that's hot, what's the COAL for those loads?

 

[enysse]

Sounds like 300 H&H Ultra Mag....lol!

 

[tarbe]

Holy smokes that's hot, what's the COAL for those loads?

3.8 inches

 

[tarbe]

Here is a reference photo.

L to R: 22 LR, 300 H&H 220gr Partition for long-throated Kudu (3.8" OAL), 300 H&H with 180gr Hornady seated to lands of Kudu as produced by Ruger (3.58" OAL), 308 Win with 165gr Ballistic Tip.

The base of the 220gr Partition is just a gnat's eyelash below the bottom of the neck.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Took my younger boy to the range today for a little .22 and .410 shotgun fun. Looking up in my cabinet, I realized I still had some 165gr North Forks left from loading for Austin's .308 for our hunt this year. So why not give them a go in the Ruger. Staying with H4831, this was the best group. Really starting to love this gun. Will chrono next time I shoot these.

Sorry, I guess you'll have to turn your monitor 90 degrees counter clock wise to see this properly.

View attachment 22652

@PHOENIX PHIL
I would love one of lipseys No1s in 257 weatherby with its 28 inch barrel. Supposed to get the most out of the 257 and an 80grain ttsx at over 4,000fps is really honking.
Watched this on you tube.
Bob.