Looking for more ideas for a Ruger No 3 rifle in 375 Flanged Magnum. What do you think is essential for a custom single shot big game hunting rifle?

Mike,
I took a Ruger #1 in 338 Win Mag with a Lone Wolf hand made composite stock for plains game a few years back. It worked great. I now also have a Ruger #1 in 375 H&H for the next trip. The only thing that is essential for a custom single shot big game rifle is that it be completly reliable and you can shoot accurately.

I've posted these pics before but this is one of my favorite customs so I don't mind doing it again. Ruger #1, 458Lott (rechambered factory Win mag barrel), maple stock, custom quarter rib, barrel band, etc.













And here's a 300 Win Mag that's about to become a 375 H&H with a few modifications to the sights and forend:

I like and build:

rimmed cartridge
rear barrel sight wide express vee, mounted forward close to forearm front
front barrel band ramp with QC insert & folding or removable hood
trap grip cap with spare front sight insert
barrel band front swivel base
rear swivel base mounted at least 3-4 inches in front of stock toe
QC/QD scope mounts
horn or ebony forend tip
point checkering pattern with mullered borders
restrained engraving
fitted non-synthetic hard case with all accessories

desirable but not essential, I frequently include these:
belly trap
tang peep
quarter rib
trap buttplate with removable leather add-on pad for summer use
spare scope & rings, pre-zeroed of course
collapsible cleaning rod under the trap buttplate
instead of the trap grip cap, a skeleton grip cap with genuine (scrimshawed) ivory or (carved or checkered) ebony insert.
in your case (375 Mag) a recoil pad of some sort, see above
instead of the trap buttplate, engraved heel-&-toe plates with checkered butt
fancy scalloping at the action's rear and/or front faces
fancy treatment for the forearm attachment
Regards, Joe

Joe, I like the way you think. I am probably more interested in case colors than engraving.

I really like the look of this Dakota on gunbroker

http://www.gunbroker.com/Aucti....aspx?Item=192790364

But I'm not ready to spend that much $ yet. I will likely do this in stages starting with the barrel.

Mike, I like that Dakota too.

There's a splendid Dakota pictured in Steve Hughes' book Custom Rifles in Black and White, it has a VERY pleasingly-reshaped lever. I don't like the factory Dakota levers, IMO whoever redid Steve's lever really improved the looks of the action.

Too bad that Dakota (IMO):
doesn't have a clue about proper sight placement
doesn't take more pains with enhancing their wood color & appearance
is WAAAAAY overpriced

Here are some pics of the components of my new 'Primitive' high wall.



This puppy will use pre-64 Win Super Grade swivels with bench-made front band mount. GM 1/2 octagon bbl with breech tulip, set trigger, traps in belly and grip cap, Winchester-logo recoil pad, ebony forend tip, wedge key forearm attachment, 1/4 rib with lever-QD rings, original lazy-S finger lever reshaped, black walnut for this American-retro classic, NECG band ramp front with vintage Lyman 103 tang peep, express vee open rear.

Haven't fully decided upon cheekpiece shape and checkering pattern yet, hope this will give you some ideas.
Regards, Joe

quote:

J.D.Steele: Too bad that Dakota (IMO):
doesn't have a clue about proper sight placement
doesn't take more pains with enhancing their wood color & appearance
is WAAAAAY overpriced

Checkering looks like hell too, at least around the grip.

Yes, I'm looking at photos of all the metal bits and wondering how far to go and still keep an understated style. I don't want an exact clone of a factory Ruger and I probably will not use a quarter rib.

For sights, I will either mount the rear sight farther forward than the Dakota or maybe even do a removable peep which would make a grip cap trap useful.

The forearm is also a question. I don't like the Ruger factory forends but I have not yet seen what I want.

How long is the forend in the 300
win mag pic? It looks a lot like the #1V forend.

Mike, the forend on the 2nd rifle was a standard 1-B, shortened to 12" (including the ebony tip), tapered, barrel channel inletted for fatter 375 barrel. Will rechecker to match the early-style grip pattern on the buttstock (which I prefer to the current style with the tail). Will also machine a new quarter rib similar to the one on the Lott but will cut dovetails for Talley or Warne Premier detachable rings. I'll also make a larger sling stud band and modifiy the front sight, as on the top rifle:

Those are absolute works of art Butch. what are the calibers? BTW welcome to accuratereloading.

Not in the same league as the above, bur here goes anyway. A 22LR low wall with the close-coupled double-set triggers and Ken Hurst engraving.

Here's another work in progress, a K-Hornet low wall, again with the rare CCDSTs.

Here's the K-Hornet trap grip cap with Ken Hurst engraving and spare firing pin.

Haven't decided upon an engraving pattern for the K-Hornet low wall yet.
Regards, Joe

I like the K-Hornet

I found this Hagn rifle that could make me happy...

Hagn