Yeah Bill, I guess those #1s will shoot!

I was test loads at 100 yards in my #1 last week and shot this group, third group of the day. 68 grains of H1000 pushing a cheap Rem. 150 corelock. Sorry about the focus.

My trigger is about 3 1/2 pounds and breaks clean. It's a great hunting trigger.

Lately I have been on a super heavy Ruger#1 kick. I bought one a month ago in 458 and now I own 4 of them (204 Ruger, 25-06, 270 and 458 mag)! Man oh man they are classy guns.



How has accuracy been with yours?

I have a 1-V in .223 which shoots way under 1 moa if I do my part. I have done no modifications.
Pete

I just rechambered a 458 Win Mag to 458 Lott for an internet customer and he says that it is nice and accurate and since I installed a Limbsaver Recoil Pad on it, it is almost pleasant to shoot he says.

www.cliffsgunsmithing.com

-Spencer

Hey Pop, I feel your pain my friend. I bought one 20 years ago (.375 now rebarreled to .338x74K) & now have another (7mmRemmag rechambered to 7mmDakota). I really like the way the #1S looks, they just don't make them in enough calibers. I thought one in .300h&h would be very classie. Maybe get a .300Winmag turn the bbl. in an inch or so & rechamber?

Fred. It would be easier and less expensive to rechamber one in 30-06 to .300 H&H.

As to questions about accuracy, they vary. My #1V in .223 Rem. drives tacks as does my #1B in .300 Win. Mag. The two #1B's in 30-06 are as different at apples and oranges. One will do 1.25" at 100 yards the other, well the first shot is always 6" high out of the group. it was my first one bought in 1973 and I've been fighting with it ever since.
I've got 14 of these rifles in either A,B or H. I'd like to add an RSI and an S to the collection. One of these days, I'll find one to convert to a .35 Whelen the way I want a #1 to be.
I think most will give reasonable hunting accuracy out of the box. You don't need half minute accuracy for a Whitetail deer or a moose. JMHO.
Paul B.

Yup I love 'em!

You are right of course Paul, but I like the #1S so I would then have to bbl. band front & swivel & an AH forend. A back burner idea. I'm having too much fun w/ the .338x74K right now. Mine will shoot under 1MOA w/ many diff. loads. It has been tuned though, so I expect that. The 7mm Dakota though was only rechambered & it has never broken 1.5MOA w/ any loads I have put through it. My best loads go right about 3/4MOA. The #1 in any flavor makes a fine stalking or stand rifle.

Fred. IIRC, when the first #1S model came out in around 1968, it was supposed to be chambered in 30-06 as one of the calibers for the gun. The big problem would be finding one. In all the years collecting #1's, I've seen exactly one rifle in the !s series, a .338 mag. and the guy wanted $200 over what a new one would cost for a somewhat beat up rilfe. (Don't think he really wanted to sell it.) I'n thinking it would not be too difficult to take the forarm from a "B" and make it into an "S" as the forearm on the "S" is smaller. barrel bands aren't that hard to come by. Maybe about $100 to $150 to rechecker the forearm and you'd have what you want.
Hell, Ruger doesn't make the #1 in .35 Whelen in any form, and even if they did, I wouldn't buy it as long as they insist on that damnably slow 1 in 16" twist. I have a Whelen in the Ruger 77 and it will not stabilize either the 275 gr. Hornady nor my 280 gr. cast bullet. (Lyman #3589)
I have my own idea as to what would make a nice looking Ruger #1; a 26" barrel with the forearm having a schnabel rather than the Henry style. it would be a bit slimmer than the Henry and a bit more graceful looking to my thoughts.
Look at the forend of a current Winchester M70 Featherweight for a general idea of what I'm thinking of.
There's a fellow in Prescott Arizona who rebores barrels. IIRC, he charges $360 to do one. My gunsmith, the Harry Lawson shop in Tucson wants $400 to rebarrel a #1. Not cheap, but he's done a couple of rifles for me already and the work is well worth the money. The 7x57 they did for me does .75" with Winchester factory ammo, and an M70 Featherweight in the same cartridge does .375" with selected handloads. So far, nothing has shot over an inch with that rifle except Winchester 150 gr. power points from bulk stock. I have three 7x57 rifles and one .280 Remingtin and that bullet don't shoot worth shit in any of them. Not even accurate enough for plinking.
Paul B.

I have a 1-V in 22PPC which was a run of factory rifles as listed in Ruger's 1993 Catalogue. In place of the usual factory 26" barrel this one was issued with 23".
Mounted with a 25x Lyman 'All American' I have shot a small of .210 but usually averages .35. The worst group I can recall was using Remington 50gn SP's (hunting bullet) which recorded .64"
I have 10 x No1's in chambers from 22PPC to 45/120x3.25" Sharps

Wow! I thought I had a lot of No. 1's until I read this thread! I've only owned five of them and a No.3!

I guess I've been fortunate. I bought my first one, a 7 Rem. mag., in 1969, and the others over the years since. I've had examples from every "era" the No. 1 has gonne through, and have yet to get an inaccurate one. By "inaccurate", I mean one which can't be made to shoot 1" or less with the right handload. And, I haven't had to fool with the forend setup on any of them to get them to do it, either. Must be just dumb luck! But I really like them, and am contemplating the purchase of another one soon. Either another 1H in .375 H&H, or in .416 Rigby.....

I agree they don't make them in enogh calibers! I'd like to see one in .22 LR. This would be very easy for Ruger to do, and since there is a Model 77 in .22, why not a No.1??

Wallace! That''s a pretty No. 1 in .45/120 you've got there!!

Thanx

I have had good luck with my 1A staying sighted in. Over the years it's been a choice for opening day due to that reliablity.

Mine is of 1969 vintage and had sloppy headspace along with a 1-10 twist barrel in 7mm RM. The barrel wore and would not stabilize long bullets plus I was tired of making brass from 300 WM's so now it's a 30-06.

Before it would shoot about 1.25 MOA and now it's a one MOA rifle.