It was a slower trip than normal to the SSAA rifle range this morning. The weather is overcast with heavy mist and rain. A few of the regular stalwarts were there, but the cold wet weather seemed to have deterred the rest. There were only a few of us shooting, so it was a nice casual morning with cease fires whenever anybody required one.
I warmed up with my Ruger No 1 RSI in 7×57. After a few rounds of my current standard load I shot a 3 group of the 140 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips. As always, they shot well without any tuning of load or length. Then I ran through a 3 shot group of the 140 grain Nosler Partitions. The group was not nearly as good as the BTs, and will need some tuning effort. However, I would happily take those hunting for game within 100 metres.
Then I ran a 3 shot group of the 500 grain Nosler Partitions through my Ruger No 1 Tropical in 458 Winchester Magnum. Typically, it shot well, even allowing for the first shot which I pulled. My excuse for that is that I have become used to the crisp, light Kleppinger trigger in my 7×57. The standard trigger in the 458 Win Mag is fine, but not as light as the Kleppinger and with a tiny amount of creep. That first shot put me off a smidge as a result.
In fact, I would have to say that the Kleppinger is the crispest trigger I have ever used. It is totally devoid of creep and, as it should be, every shot is a surprise, so to speak. The gunsmith I bought it from had actually been to Germany and met with Herr Kleppinger, who is now getting quite elderly. I guess the day will come when he will no longer be making these excellent triggers and one wonders if that will be picked up by anybody else.
Where can one order this Kleppinger Ruger #1 trigger?
Thank You, Alan
Hi Alan
I bought my Kleppinger from a fellow who had been to Germany and met the aging Herr Kleppinger, who is in his eighties.
I have emailed my contact to see if he still has them, or failing that who else may be selling them. Will post with that when I know something.
I must say, having had other after market triggers on custom rifles, the Kleppinger trigger is the only one that is utterly creep free. There is not even a smidge of creep and every shot is a surprise. The trigger breaks like glass! Hope you can get one for your Ruger. Might be worth Googling further and checking out the Ruger forums. I am not up not up to speed with the latest on Kleppinger triggers.
cheers
Don
Hi Alan
The chap I bought my trigger from does not have any in stock at the moment. He is waiting on export / import approvals from various authorities.
He also corrected me as follows – “Hannes Kepplinger lives in Kufstein in Austria, not Germany, and is a long way off getting to 80+”
regards
Don