Purchased a Ruger NO. 3 carbine on this site in 22Hornet and converted to 45/70 with Douglas 23" CM barrel of much beefier style than the original No.3 carbines in this caliber and added NECG banded front sight, barrel band for swivel and installed Leupold 2.5 UltraLite scope with German Post reticle. Refinished the very basic walnut stocks, had them checkered to help in the appearance. Used leather lace up butt pad to absorb that punishing recoil and can say that the rifle shoots very well indeed and with stout loads and the pad, not uncomfortable to shoot at all. Shame Ruger does not offer the No.3 any longer for it is a unique single shot rifle. Don't know how to post photos, but if someone would volunteer to do that would post some for all's review. Thanks,

martin

I can post photos for you.

Is the barrel stainless and the action in the white??????Looks differnt,but not in a bad way,how about a full length picture???Thanks,OB

quote:

Shame Ruger does not offer the No.3 any longer for it is a unique single shot rifle.

For me, the good features of the No3 were price and caliber choice. Not enough to outweigh the bad features:

1 Bad painful curved steel butt plate
2. Military styling, not to my taste in a ss
3. Too light and short in 45/70

Proper weight for caliber 24inch bbls and good stocks/butt pads at No3 prices - that would be nice.

The No.3 has yet to blued, soon will take care of that, and as for the NO.3 in it's original form, no question the 45/70 was a killer in the recoil department. Fixed that with heavier and longer barrel, 23", and maintained the carbine wood/butt and added leather lace up recoil pad and it is actually pleasant to shoot now. Barrel has somewhat strange appearance now, but it was covered with web, plastic scratch protector after polishing and then lightly bead blasted which will leave a somewhat subdued pattern. Getting ready to send off for blueing and will post full length photo then.

MFD,
Looking forward to seeing pictures of your finished rifle.. Are you going to have a barrel mounted rear site or a peep site?
I have a #3 in 45-70 the a previous owner installed a Decelerator pad on, and though it looks like hell it isn't bad to shot if you don't firewall it..

I installed the NECG barrel band front sight and when finished blueing will use the NECG peep sight on the rear scope base. Currently set up w/ Leupold Ultra Lite 2.5 and w/ mild loads of 3031 and 405gr Rem. bulk bullets, keeping them in the X ring is no problem at 100yds.