6x45 Improved - info needed

[mulepasture]

For what its worth, While there are some quirks to take into account when obtaining measurements from a chamber cast it seems to me that with the markings on the rifle you could assemble a few cartridge drawings/measurements from several sources and make the cast, measure and compare...or do the same with the assistance of a gunsmith that you are comfortable with.
Have used this to get to even on a couple of mystery chambers in the past and it gave me a baseline from which to safely proceed.

[Monster Man]

Originally Posted by Old Hawkeye

The shoulder angle may not be the only determining factor on exactly what you have. Length of neck and the diameter of the case body @ the shoulder (which affects case body taper) are also factors. Many of the wildcats varied even if the name was the same. It's best to do a chamber cast to determine what you have. I would make sure the rounds you have loaded are headspacing properly before I pulled the trigger.

Originally Posted by mulepasture

For what its worth, While there are some quirks to take into account when obtaining measurements from a chamber cast it seems to me that with the markings on the rifle you could assemble a few cartridge drawings/measurements from several sources and make the cast, measure and compare...or do the same with the assistance of a gunsmith that you are comfortable with.
Have used this to get to even on a couple of mystery chambers in the past and it gave me a baseline from which to safely proceed.

Great thoughts. I decided not to try to fire the rounds I cobbled together. I called Mark Penrod and he will do a chamber cast for me, and provide me all the necessary measurements. Before I take the rifle to Penrod, I am going to make another visit to the gunroom of my friend in hopes I can locate the dies he would have had for this rifle. If they are not to be found, I will use the chamber cast to send off to have some dies made (unless the chamber matches some on-the-shelf dies).

[mulepasture]

Originally Posted by Monster Man

Great thoughts. I decided not to try to fire the rounds I cobbled together. I called Mark Penrod and he will do a chamber cast for me, and provide me all the necessary measurements. Before I take the rifle to Penrod, I am going to make another visit to the gunroom of my friend in hopes I can locate the dies he would have had for this rifle. If they are not to be found, I will use the chamber cast to send off to have some dies made (unless the chamber matches some on-the-shelf dies).

Read up on chamber casts and the material used. The quirks I mentioned are based around the expansion after the cast...there are some accurate tables available that tell you in relation to time what the expansion rate is...nothing to freak out about but worth studying so that you are familiar as you study measurements immediately following the cast as well as those you may make hour(s) later.

[Monster Man]

Well, I made another trip (90 miles) to visit the gun room at the estate of my friend who owned the No 1A that he rebarreled to 6x45 Imp, and I could not find any dies, brass or loaded ammunition for the rifle. Charlie was meticulous about labeling his stuff, and I looked all through his gun room and reloading room, and came up with nothing. Perhaps they will turn up someday, but I cannot stand this unsolved mystery.

As soon as I can I will take the rifle to Mark Penrod to have him cast the chamber. I called him and he said he will remove the barrel to make the cast, and it will take about three weeks.

When I called Mark, I asked if he had any Ruger factory barrels. I thought I might want to just have him put one on to return the rifle to original specs. Mr. Penrod said he had plenty of them, but he would not fit one to a rifle! I can't remember his exact words, but I believe he said trues up the No 1 when he rebarrels them, and he can not use a factory barrel afterward. When I see him I will try to get a better grasp of this. Now I am a bit worried that he will not find the custom barrel on this No 1 worthy of his time.

Interestingly, Mr. Penrod told me that he could rebarrel a No 1 in two or three months, but that it sometimes takes him two years to get the barrel from the better barrel makers.

[william t. oviatt]

Would a re-chambering to 6mm x 222Rem Mag?
I know nothing about Ruger # Ones, but seems that would save the original barrel....
Bill

[Monster Man]

Originally Posted by william t. oviatt

Would a re-chambering to 6mm x 222Rem Mag?
I know nothing about Ruger # Ones, but seems that would save the original barrel....
Bill

The rifle was previously rebarrelled by the original owner; I bought it from his estate. The barrel is marked "6x45 Imp", but I will not know what the shoulder angle is until I get a chamber cast or fire a few rounds to measure the empty cases.

I want to work with this barrel, as it belonged to my friend, and he must have had something in mind for it when he had the custom barrel installed. I just have to figure it out. He was a prairie dog shooter, a deer hunter, and a competitive rifle shooter......highpower, F-Class, benchrest.....but this No 1A is not ideal for any of his disciplines.

When I get it back in action, I may take it to Pennsylvania in 2014 for the first week of buck season. This year I will be using his custom barreled, custom mannlicher stocked No 1 in 260 Rem.

[Chuck Miller]

I know Mark Penrod and that is sure an expensive way to get a chamber cast. Should be about 20.00 worth of cerrasafe and 15 minutes of your time, it's just not that hard. It's one of those things that once you've done it you wonder why you waited so long, just like using cream of wheat to fireform a case.

[Monster Man]

Originally Posted by Chuck Miller

I know Mark Penrod and that is sure an expensive way to get a chamber cast. Should be about 20.00 worth of cerrasafe and 15 minutes of your time, it's just not that hard. It's one of those things that once you've done it you wonder why you waited so long, just like using cream of wheat to fireform a case.

You know, I did not ask Mark what he would charge to make a cast of the chamber.

He had rebarrelled two of the other No 1's that I bought from my friend's estate, and did a little work for me several years ago as well. North Manchester is less than 90 miles from my house, and Mark is the only precision gunsmith I know for rifle work, and he is very familiar with the No 1. My rationale for having him do the work is that I know it will be done correctly, and he will be able to tell me if the 6x45 Imp barrel and chamber are good (and true).

It is not something I feel qualified to attempt, so to me, it is a necessary expense, given the situation. I just hope that after it is said and done, i can get a set of dies made so I can safely shoot the rifle.

[herpestes]

monsterman

pm sent