If you were going acquire a single shot rifle for hunting game up through deer, would you prefer the Browning 1885 or Ruger #1? Don't allow available calibers to influence your decision. I will most likely rebarrel the platform to my choice of caliber anyway.

I have owned both Browning Hi-Wall and Lo-Wall and the Ruger No1, its hard not to consider calibres but I would go for the Browning

If you are looking for a project gun I believe it would be much easier to find a No.1 action than a Browning.
I own a B78 but rarely shoot it. I have several No.1's and shoot them more often but that is a caliber choice.
For me, I would pick the Browning as Ruger rifles are more often seen

quote:

Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:
If you were going acquire a single shot rifle for hunting game up through deer, would you prefer the Browning 1885 or Ruger #1? Don't allow available calibers to influence your decision. I will most likely rebarrel the platform to my choice of caliber anyway.

Brownings are excellent. However, I prefer the hammerless design, so I would go with a Ruger (unless you can afford a Dakota #10..........)

Using jacketed bullets I would buy a Browning 1885 Low Wall no question...For re-barreling
I would have it chambered for a 7X57R,7X57,or 7-08 in that order...or get one in .260 Rem. (which I did) and call it good...
Using cast boolits I would suggest either Hi-Wall or Ruger #1 in a .35 to .40 cal....which one would depend on what you like....Myself I like light for cal. rifles and both the High Wall and Ruger #1 are heavy in my book....You may like heavier rifles...
If I had an extra 12 grand lying around I would have Martini & Hagn build me a 7X57R on their small action...

It may come down to you choice of stock and sights. I prefer pistol grips and tang sights or receiver sights.
The #1 one is a pistol grip stock but the tang and receiver sight options are about non-existent. Even a scope has to be long behind the turret to work well.

The Highwall models are nearly all straight grips but you can use a Williams receiver sight on all of them. Some models have a tang and can use a tang sight. The Highwall is a little harder to load due to the high right wall but I much prefer the exposed hammer design anyway.

Good posts, all. Although I prefer a hammer design, the #1 is more affordable and readily available.
I have also heard lots of guys discuss how hard they had to work in order to get their #1's to shoot well. That may be a very subjective position they took also so I don't put too much stock into it.

My choice would be the Ruger #1, for several reasons which are availabilility,tuneability,
after market triggers,speed locks and hammers. There are quite a few options to position the scope for best correct eye relieve.

The #1 is a good deal for a custom or just a so so rifle. I also have a low wall Winchester nothing the matter with that fine rifle.

I think the Ruger is the best looking rifle of the two and its hammerless and probably has a better trigger. I would probably opt for the Ruger No. 1...I have always entertained the idea of a No. 1 in 25-35, an old favorite caliber of mine, but in that caliber the high wall might just be more appropreate..

I like them both. I have Rugers (#1,#3), Browning High Walls (B78), and Browning Low Walls (1885). BTW, all of my Brownings have pistol grips. If you want to, you can buy a Low Wall pistol grip buttstock from Brownells and fit it to your High Wall. On some models, there will be almost no fitting required. If you have a High Wall with a tang, then you'll have to inlet for it.

The Ruger wins in the simplicity category, the Browning wins in the balance and carryability category. I can comfortably carry a Browning all day with the forend in my left hand right at the balance point. The forend on the Ruger doesn't lend itself to that.

The Browning has the rear scope base on the receiver, which allows you to get the scope a little closer to your eye. The Ruger will require a long eye relief scope. (A LER scope is probably the best bet for the Browning too)

The Browning comes free floated, and shoots well that way. The Ruger usually requires some upward pressure on the barrel at the front of the forend. That means the Ruger can be temperamental when there are temperature and humidity changes.

So the short answer is: GET ONE OF EACH!

Oh, and if you want to have something really unique, you can build a dandy custom rifle on the Ruger #3.

You can turn this:



Into this:



You can use a #1 extractor on the #3.

Now what do you think I would say.
I always look at what after market stuff is available, such as Triggers, Speed Hammers etc., and whateven else there is that may make it bettter than a stock factory gun.
All I can say is buy AMERICAN.
SS

quote:

I have also heard lots of guys discuss how hard they had to work in order to get their #1's to shoot well. That may

I hear this alot, and really wonder about such things, because none of the Ruger No. 1's I've purchased, beginning in 1969, have required anything being done to them to make them shoot accurately. BUT, the two-screws trigger versions have all had pretty sorry trigger pulls to begin with.

The very first ones featured Douglas Premium-grade barrels. My first one was a 1B in 7mm Rem. Mag. It has never had a round of factory ammo fired in it, and the first batch of ammo I loaded for it had Remington 175-grain PSPCL bullets and used N205 powder. This rifle fired several different handloads into 1" groups @ 200 yards.




I also have a No. 3 in .30/40 that shoots nearly that well.

The only thing I had to do with my 25-06 (#1B) was to relieve the barrel channel on one side where it was tight against the barrel. I left the upward pressure at the front of the forend just like it was, but made sure there were no other pressure points, and that the contact was in the center, not off to one side.

I didn't do anything else and it's a shooter.

Just to give you an idea...A couple of years ago I took it to the range one cold and blustery day to check the point of impact at 300 yards from a cold barrel in typical winter deer hunting weather - I only fired two shots and put it away.

Those two shots went through one ragged hole at 300 yards...

I have had both and the Browning was a better quality rifle !!!! The ruger looks nice but the workmanship on it isnt good enough the breech block on mine was loose the browning action is tight and slick and everything was perfect about it ,buy both and then flog off the one you dont like

Grenadier,

Wow, I think you have made a wise decision given you past experiences. I have been shooting and hunting now for over fifty years and can honestly say that I’ve experienced three accidental discharges in my life ALL with firearms that had NO hammer.

My first firearm was a Remington Improved Model 6 rolling block .22LR, I learned to shoot and hunt with a hammer equipped single shot. I have 4 number ones, four low walls and eight high walls, both Winchester and Browning, I feel safe with either but am much more confident with a hammer on the gun.

So, I guess it is more what you are used to rather than the mechanics of the fire control. I favor a hammer, even on my semi-auto handguns, probably because I grew up pulling back a hammer to pop my prey. As to the original question I think that the Ruger should be the choice, if you are not “hammer trained†also, they are available and dirt cheap for what you get, just a super bargain when compared to the Browning and especially the original or reproduction Winchester.

--Marcos (elalto)

quote:

Originally posted by Elalto:
Grenadier,

Wow, I think you have made a wise decision given you past experiences. I have been shooting and hunting now for over fifty years and can honestly say that I’ve experienced three accidental discharges in my life ALL with firearms that had NO hammer.

My first firearm was a Remington Improved Model 6 rolling block .22LR, I learned to shoot and hunt with a hammer equipped single shot. I have 4 number ones, four low walls and eight high walls, both Winchester and Browning, I feel safe with either but am much more confident with a hammer on the gun.

So, I guess it is more what you are used to rather than the mechanics of the fire control. I favor a hammer, even on my semi-auto handguns, probably because I grew up pulling back a hammer to pop my prey. As to the original question I think that the Ruger should be the choice, if you are not “hammer trained†also, they are available and dirt cheap for what you get, just a super bargain when compared to the Browning and especially the original or reproduction Winchester.

--Marcos (elalto)

Interesting comments Elalto,

“Hammer trainedâ€, “they are available and dirt cheap for what you getâ€.

It’s unfortunate that Grenadier had his bad experience. That doesn’t necessarily make him a candidate for “hammer trainingâ€. I think he learned a lot from his experience.

As far as that over priced Browning, which has enough epoxy on the stock to add 1 ½ pounds to the weight of the rifle (exaggerated). The metal so polished that it looks like a “Pimp Gunâ€. I would choose the No 1.

I like the 1885 but not the Browning version of it.

Like I've always said, BUY AMERICAN

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE WICKLIFFE '76 FALLING BLOCK RIFLE ?

it has a hammer ..and .. a safety and is strong enough to easily handle your 45 - 120 or a 470 nitro

you can adjust the trigger for pull and overtravel plus adjust for it to extract or eject.

we now make them with optional top tang for mounting peep sights.

stock sets are offered in straight comb for use with peep or iron sights or monte carlo cheekpiece
for using a scope. i'll be glad to forward you info if you'd like.

tom ondrus 814 859 0008

ftondrus@hotmail.com

HMMMM. Browning or Ruger? Browning or Ruger? Well, I have 22 Ruger #1s in vaerious calibers and only one Browning, a B-78. Damn thing with a scope weighs close to ten pounds. The browning has a finish on the stock that can almost be used as a signaling mirror, that sadly is cracking along the grain lines of the quarter sawn stock. That makes for great water proofing. I will say one thing in the browning's favor. It is dead nuts accurate. Almost every load I've tried will do an inch or less. Some of my Rugers will beat it and some won't. No big deal. Just exactly how much accuracy does one need to kill a deer?
The one thing I dislike the most about the Browning though is trying to lower the hammer to the half cock position with a scope on the gun. I have fairly small hands and I find it a bitch to do it safely. You might want to take that into consideration. I find that the triggers on the Browning and Rugers to about equal. That is usable but not all that great. You can tinker on the older Rugers to some degree but from what I've heard, to get a better pull on the new guns requires a replacement trigger.
I'm in the process of saving up to have a Ruger #1B rebarreled to .35 Whelen. I'll keep the Ruger wood as it's pretty good looking, and I think I'll spring for that Keplinger set trigger. Back up iron sights of course. I might have the forearm reshaped to be more like the Alex Henry style and recheckered. Probably have a Pachmeyr Decelerator pad put on as well. I ahven't decided on a scope as yet. Plenty of time for that anyway.
The Browning? It'll sit in the safe and get out to the range for bench rest playing around. I use it for mostly cast bullet shooting now anyway. it does a fair job with those.
Paul B.