Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

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Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

Postby pnw » Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:35 pm

I've owned a 450 AR for years, and understand the load limitations of the bolt...but what about the RR bolt? Seems it would be a lot stronger than an AR and withstand 55k+ pressure???

What has been your experience with loading hot for the RR? Would appreciate bullet, distance to lands, velocity, powder, etc.
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Re: Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

Postby LeaderOfThePack » Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:30 am

Ruger American is available also in 300wm which have maximum SAAMI pressure of 64 000 psi. So that's probably what action itself can easily stand. Our limit comes from brass and it's ability to keep pressure inside. That means that I will just look pressure marks in primer etc.
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Re: Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

Postby pnw » Sun Jan 20, 2019 7:23 pm

What velocities have you been able to safely achieve?
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Re: Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

Postby Tripplebeards » Sat Feb 02, 2019 10:43 pm

Ran mine up to max 460 S&W loads (40 grains of H110)with a powder coated, gas checked 300 grain bullet. No signs of casing pressures all the way to the top. My tightest group was with 35.5 grains of H110 with an average Muzzel velocity of 2070 fps. I shot a 1.5" group with 38 grains as well. Anything above 38 grains and the accuracy degraded. I can tell you once you get above 36.5 grains, even with the brake, the gun starts smacking you pretty hard. Kicks more than my 300 RUM above the 38 grain plus level. Check some my old posts on this forum with group sizes I posted. Ruger uses the same action on their 60,000 psi 300 WSM. The problem is the rest of the gun can't handle the recoil. I had two optics slide, one was wrecked, the scope rail keeps comming loose every dozen shots, the actions screws back out, the trigger housing holes hogged out from vibrations, and now the bolt release catch pin falls out because it's too loose. I acraglass bedded my picantinny rail last week and lock tited the base screws along with spraying 3M adhesive inside the scope rings. I also over torqued my warne rings to 35 in pounds this time since 25 in pounds doesn't work. I also tried leupold PRW rings with rosin...scope slid in 6 shots. Had one magazine brake and another drop out ever 3 to 4 shots. I just got mine back from Ruger the second time and was told by Ruger the gun wasn't made for target shooting...its a hunting rifle. What's that tell you? It can't hold up to repeated use and they probably figure the aver joe hunter is going to put 4 boxes of ammo through in their lifetime. Ruger basically told me a cheap,disposable, throw away gun in so many words. I'd tell you try a savage first. About ready to sell mine and buy a Remington short action rifle and have it rebarreled so I will be confident I will have an action that can handle the round and won't fall apart. The ruger is probably a great gun if you shoot nothing but sub sonics through it. I started a post called 450BM rattling apart a few days ago...might help.
Last edited by Tripplebeards on Sat Feb 02, 2019 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

Postby Hoot » Sat Feb 02, 2019 11:01 pm

Tripplebeards wrote:...snip...I can tell you once you get above 36.5 grains, even with the brake, the gun starts smacking you pretty hard....snip...


Newton's 3rd Law always wins. Moving a 300gr from a standtill to 2k fps is going to push back a lot more than moving a 200gr from a standstill to 2.5k, brake or no brake. FWIW, running 325gr bullets with a slower powder like 1680, results in more of a push, albeit hard, than a "smack". You just need more barrel length to realize the resultant velocity.

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Re: Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

Postby Tripplebeards » Sat Feb 02, 2019 11:08 pm

Here's my link with load results. The 2nd trip to the range I used air cooled clip on wheelweight alloy that dropped my hardness down about three points and got my group to 1.1" with the 35.5 grain load.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=15355


And my post from the second trip to the range.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=15379
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Re: Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

Postby Hoot » Sun Feb 03, 2019 5:51 am

I read your range reports here and over on castboolits when you posted them. You bullets coatings looked very high quality. I especially liked the color name "bacon grease"! :)

Those are great groups for cast boolits at 100 yds based on what I've seen my club members who are into that past time accomplishing, albeit in different calibers. I have so many irons in the fire already that I've never pursued casting my own.

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Re: Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

Postby Tripplebeards » Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:49 am

450 bushmaster's coated with Smokes clear and blue tumble coated using his air soft BBs...

Image

Image

Image

The blue wasn't cooperating the other day so I switched to the clear because it always goes on even and smooth with only a couple swirls and with the quicker clear PC grabbing onto my boolits causes less dings and scratches. I see one of my clears caught the edge when I seated it. I'll use that one for a fouler.
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Re: Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

Postby Tripplebeards » Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:58 am

Here's a good read on my optics sliding and rail loose.


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthr ... -need-help!
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Re: Loading for the Ruger Ranch Rifle

Postby pnw » Sun Feb 03, 2019 9:53 am

That thread is a good read...things I'll be watching for when my range reopens.

Also good points about recoil. I have a 5lb 14oz SBR in 450 and 20 rounds at the range is about all I care to experience...getting old isn't recommended!

Interestingly, there is a 1-4 Nikon Monarch on the SBR with a two-point one-piece mount and it has never been a problem. I used one thickness of double sided tape on the rings at the time the scope was first mounted.
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