The Old Old Army Ruger

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Yes it's old. Made in 1972. I bought it for 78.00 wholesale new in the box from
Hodgdon. I was working in a Tool & Die shop and the boys always were working
on guns and could do anything. Well we put a 45-70 rifle barrel on it because of
the twist which is one in 22. That combo had the pistol record at the time and
still does, set in 1962. So I thought it should shoot. The groove dia. Is 465 so
we bored out the chambers to .465. I use a .465-466 round ball. At the time I
was young and strong and could take anything . Well the accuracy load was
40 grs. of Hodgdon FFF. The powder was actually made in Scotland by Curtis &
Harvey. It would shoot them all in the same hole at 25 yds. I feel bad about it
now, but it caused many a pistol shooter to give up pistol shooting. They did not
want to shoot against that gun. This was in the years from 1972-1976. Well in
1976 things changed D-I-V-O-R-C-E. Lost all the guns including this one. I just
gave up on shooting. Well in 1991 a old friend came to me and told me he knew
where the Ruger was and said he could get it if I wanted it. It was several states
away. I said how much, and was told 125.00 would get it . I said OK. A month
later I had it once again. I talked it over with my new bride and we decided then
and there to start shooting again. Won the pistol championship at the Nationals
at Friendship the following year with it. I'm too old now to shoot it well but,
there was a time . It's got heavy thru the years. One of my favorites.

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You keep saying you cant do it and your to old to shoot and evrything but i didnt notice that you had any problem working the action, holding the guns or even lifting them and you seen things on my guns i couldnt see.

Other then standing for a long period i dont see why you cant still shoot.

Or is it you just dont want to clean them any more? lol
 
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Phil

What do you think of having Dave Clements clyinder jobs,I understand after he bores them out they will hold an extra 7grs of powder.Do you think it would affect the accuracy.I'd like to increase the power on one of my ROA's but not lose accuracy.
 
I find it interesting that you achieved that kind of accuracy with such a heavy load. I have been conditioned to believe that smaller powder charges are more accurate than heavy powder charges, but apparently that is incorrect.

Have you found that those who win at Friendship tend to rely on heavier rather than lighter powder charges?

Congratulations on being reunited with a unique firearm. It's rare to get a second chance like that.
 
Wap41

I don't think you would be able to push the Ruger much past 30-35 grs and still
maintain good accuracy because of it's fast one in 16 twist barrel. So making
the chambers to hold more powder probably is not a good thing. Might be tho
if your going to shoot bullets in it.
 
J-Bar

Light charges do indeed win at Friendship. Wife is a 9 time champion and she
uses 14 grs in her 32. Most all there do shoot light charges. I know what several
shoot. I also know what was used to set the records there. I also know the guy
who won it last year used 20 grs Swiss in a 30 caliber. Now that is really fast. I
Asked him about it and he told me the wind doesen't bother him any at 50 yds.
I can believe it. He must be getting 1400 or more fps. I also know the 25 yd
record of a 100 & 9 X's shot in 1962 was shot with a 45 using 30 grs of DuPont
fFF powder. It had a1-22 twist barrel. It really depends on what YOU shoot the
best. Most all shoot 20 grs in their Rugers, and 15 grs in the 36's.
 
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