Allure of the Ruger No1

[Doug3006]

I need the community’s advice. I bought a Ruger #1 recently in 303 Britt. Its a new old stock gun. My plan was to upgrade it along the lines of what @redleg did with his stunning example. Here’s the problem. I took it to the range and it’s a shooter. One inch groups with economy Federal 150 grain cartridges. I’m afraid of upgrading it and losing accuracy. To case color harden the receiver they’d have to remove the barrel. Plus replacing the stock could change the harmonics. I’ve about decided to leave it as is. Is my concern warranted or not?

 

[Doug3006]

Here is my great No.1 in 7 mm Rem.Mag. It is complety reworked, front stock was fixed exactly with pressure point, the system is colour hardened by August Schilling in Zella Mehlis (Germany), who has done a really good job. The rifle is fitted with a Keppeler (Kusfstein- Austria) trigger that works fine and can also be used as a backpull hair trigger. The barrel has now a thread for an Hausken Silencer and is a little bit shorter (22 inches). With the long barrel and without silencer I made a successful longe range shot some times ago, but after that bells are ringing two days in my ears. Not longer. Now I can shoot without any ear protection - precision is great and the rifle is only a little bit longer. Thats no problem, when my ears were saved. The new Kahles Helia 2-10x50 is wonderful bright, the reticle is in every magnification exact small and I can make longe range shots without problems (Second Focal Plane). For me the 10 x magnification is big enough. The further Riflescope I used on the Ruger was a Swarovski 2-12x50 Habicht - a reliable and very good scope - but the reticle covered the target, too much (First Focal Plane), in long distance shootings.

I took the rifle to Namibia - where I hunted with it in the nice Khomas Highlands. My PH was Philip Hennings from Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris, who made a wonderful job. An Oryx, an warthog and an Impala was shot with my Ruger. I always used Barnes TX ammunition - 160 gr. - that works without problems.

There is only one thing, I dont like much when I use the Ruger. The loud metallic click when you open the system lever. Deer and bucks has fine ears and I help myself - I dont trust the safety, when I walk through the bush - and keep the lever a bit open (not completly) and the safety on.
Thats not the smartest way to get more safety - but it works better than any loud uploading which evicts the game.

The Ruger No.1 is - directly behind my original mauser 98 rifles - my favorite hunting rifle.

View attachment 425700View attachment 425701View attachment 425702View attachment 425707

Beautiful rifle!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I need the community’s advice. I bought a Ruger #1 recently in 303 Britt. Its a new old stock gun. My plan was to upgrade it along the lines of what @redleg did with his stunning example. Here’s the problem. I took it to the range and it’s a shooter. One inch groups with economy Federal 150 grain cartridges. I’m afraid of upgrading it and losing accuracy. To case color harden the receiver they’d have to remove the barrel. Plus replacing the stock could change the harmonics. I’ve about decided to leave it as is. Is my concern warranted or not?

@Doug3006
If'n it ain't broke don't fix it just enjoy it, less worries and cheaper.
Bob

 

[WAB]

I need the community’s advice. I bought a Ruger #1 recently in 303 Britt. Its a new old stock gun. My plan was to upgrade it along the lines of what @redleg did with his stunning example. Here’s the problem. I took it to the range and it’s a shooter. One inch groups with economy Federal 150 grain cartridges. I’m afraid of upgrading it and losing accuracy. To case color harden the receiver they’d have to remove the barrel. Plus replacing the stock could change the harmonics. I’ve about decided to leave it as is. Is my concern warranted or not?

I’m glad you asked this question. I have a No 1 in .275 that is shooting sub 1/2” groups with my pet reloads. I love the look of RJ Renner’s mods and he shaves a lot of weight of the No 1 with his modified ha her system. However, No 1’s are known to be finicky and I don’t want to lose the accuracy. Really looking for advice from those who have been down this road.

 

[mr mauser]

My gunsmith Mr.Schilling from Zella Mehlis removed the barrel before colour hardening of my Ruger No. 1 System. After that, the precision was exact the same than before. More important - I found out years ago after reading reports in US magazines about the sometimes changing precision of that rifle - is the install of a fixing point under the barrel. So the front stock is fixed strong and I was really surprised about the great precision of that little tuning.

 

[degoins]

If you want to customize it.....go for it. I've had several #1's and none were finicky, including one that was extensively customized.

 

[Puddle]

I have a tropical in 450/400. Starting out all I did was swap out the recoil pad for a 1" Decelerator (which I usually have to do on all my rifles to accommodate my mutant long arms).
Then, when my eyes started demanding an optic on the rifle, I used Ruger low rings, but always had to ever so slightly lighten my cheek weld to get my eye dead-on with the crosshair.
Finally, I added a thick leather cheek pad to the stock and that did the trick. I can close my eyes, bring the rifle up with a solid cheek weld, and on opening my eye the crosshair is bang-on.
Luv the rifle and cartridge. It's a joy to shoot.

 

[leslie hetrick]

you hear about how bad some of the ruger#1-#3,s shoot, well this stock #3 has shot like this from day one with nothing done to it and its not picky about loads. my favorite load in 50 grs imr 4198 and a 300 gr hornady bullet for 1900+ fps. three shots at 100 yards

 

[wlambert]

I wish I had not stumbled upon this post. I had forgotten how badly I want a No.1.

 

[IvW]

Top is 7x57, middle is 9.3x74, and bottom is 450/400

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That is a perfect threesome.....

 

[Rare Breed]

I know this subject has been aired many times, but after a trip to the range yesterday with my Ruger No1 tropical 375, i have even more respect for this fine little rifle. Topped with the Leica DG 1-6.3 we all had turns putting close holes in target with comfortable ease. Over the past few years I have saved every image of Ruger No1's on quarry and contrary to what you may think from the armchair comments, this rifle in its various calibres has taken plenty of respectable game. I have yet to collect photos of a grizzly, lion, leopard and a croc, so please if anyone has, or better still if they have taken these trophies themselves, please post. A few years ago a father and son ( I forget their names) hunted Zimbabwe with a brace of 375 No 1's and took elephant, buffalo and hippo.
As to all the arguments about second shot speed, yet again at the range yesterday I witnessed folks having trouble with bolt actions (this time not picking up rounds from the magazine), and I alas had problems with my flanged 375 double action opening with well within spec loading (the gun smith is trying to figure it out). Put a round in the Ruger No1 and you are in business every single time, so tick the reliability box boldly.View attachment 353476

Kevin my only concern is the single shot component of the gun if a DG charges

 

[leslie hetrick]

the PH should be able to take care of the problem at hand if he had a 35 whelen.

 

[meigsbucks]

you hear about how bad some of the ruger#1-#3,s shoot, well this stock #3 has shot like this from day one with nothing done to it and its not picky about loads. my favorite load in 50 grs imr 4198 and a 300 gr hornady bullet for 1900+ fps. three shots at 100 yards

View attachment 425880View attachment 425881View attachment 425882

 

[mr mauser]

I think I found a solution against the loud open click of the No.1-sytem.
Only reducing the the spring force doesnt work against the click-noise and gives you much weaker ejector work.
So I took off the front stock an glued a piece of hard rubber at the side of the barrel under the spring transmitter/holder. That works against the close-click,. The function is not impaired and there is only a little still click - thats ok. The open click is still the same, but that is not the problem.

On the photo (left) you can see also view the metal contact pressure ring between barrel and front stockholding device to give best precision without changing the contact pressure between barrel and device. Also you can see the red point in the lever hole on the hammer backside, which shows you outside, if the the hammer is cocked or not. I use red brake colour, which is very durable. I think this little red point makes the gun handling a little bit more safe in action.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I

the PH should be able to take care of the problem at hand if he had a 35 whelen.

shot my buff with mine Rare Breed and I don't even recall reloading it, but it happened pretty quickly anyway. As Leslie says, your PH is there in case, but you should't need him any more than a bolt shooter might. For sure a double has the edge over a No1 for quick second shot, but other than that it is a bit academic imo. I will use my double in the future exclusively, but that isn't because I lost confidence in the No1, it is just because I want to use the double. My No1 as you know is sold to my buddy so he can take his buff.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

the PH should be able to take care of the problem at hand if he had a 35 whelen.

@leslie hetrick
Couldn't have said it better mate.
Bob

 

[Petey J]

Kevin my only concern is the single shot component of the gun if a DG charges

I completely get that concern. However, a good friend of mine used a No. 1 for elk hunting. He had a cartridge holder on the butt stock,but only put a shell in every other slot. He swore he could draw from those cartridges and reload as fast or faster than and bolt action. I never saw him in action, but have no reason to question it.

I am nowhere near that proficient, yet. But intend to be by the time I take my No. 1 in .30-06 on a plains game safari. And if it goes well and I'm comfortable, I may be looking for a DG caliber.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Kevin my only concern is the single shot component of the gun if a DG charges

You'd be surprised at how fast a #1 can be reloaded and fired. They make bands that wrap around the action and hold extra rounds. . The concept is proven in PRS and 3 Gun competitive shooting.

the PH should be able to take care of the problem at hand if he had a 35 whelen.

Yeah, if he just starts boasting about its potential and muzzle velocity, I should think the animal will turn and run the other direction on two legs while covering its ears.

I think I found a solution against the loud open click of the No.1-sytem.
Only reducing the the spring force doesnt work against the click-noise and gives you much weaker ejector work.
So I took off the front stock an glued a piece of hard rubber at the side of the barrel under the spring transmitter/holder. That works against the close-click,. The function is not impaired and there is only a little still click - thats ok. The open click is still the same, but that is not the problem.

On the photo (left) you can see also view the metal contact pressure ring between barrel and front stockholding device to give best precision without changing the contact pressure between barrel and device. Also you can see the red point in the lever hole on the hammer backside, which shows you outside, if the the hammer is cocked or not. I use red brake colour, which is very durable. I think this little red point makes the gun handling a little bit more safe in action.

The click is the ejector functioning. To fully eliminate it you must turn it down into the extraction only range. I should have been more clear I suppose. I cannot recall if you can cause an increase in extraction force by rapidly cycling the lever open. Both of my rifles are set to eject and not scheduled for a disassembly anytime soon.

If you can see anything in the hammer slot, it is cocked. It doesn't need a red dot for this to be indicated. If anything that would make someone unfamiliar with the rifle feel less safe around it.

 

[PaulT]

Yeah, if he just starts boasting about its potential and muzzle velocity, I should think the animal will turn and run the other direction on two legs while covering its ears.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

I just recently acquired my first Ruger No.1, in .30-06.
She’s actually a Ruger No. 1S, with the Alexander Henry forend. She has the Ruger rings, but a lackluster 2-7x32 Vortex scope in them. I’m definitely getting a new scope for it.


Hawk