What new Ruger would you like to see in a limited special run?

[ThreeJacks]

I just spoke with Odonata and gave him the update from my call with Randy from Randy’s hunting center. Randy and Lipsey are the only ones that Ruger will make special runs for.

Randy says every model and caliber at the top of the AH list has already been made and is out there for sale.

so he’s not inclined to make a special run of something that’s been done.

If it was something that intrigued him, he would be interested but it would most likely cost you $3500.

By coincidence he has in stock a limited run of number 1 in 450 bushmaster all have very nice wood. He has them in stainless and blue.

While we talked, he went over and opened a random box and pulled this rifle out so he didn’t cherry pick the wood. He said they all have very nice wood $2400.
75 of them only.

If there’s an odd model or caliber, he usually can get his hands on it. He said he just bought a couple hundred Safari type rifles from an estate.

Randy's Hunting Center

Large selection of new and used firearms. Service and repair center, and authorized dealer. Let Randy's Hunting Center help you with your next firearm purchase.

www.randyshuntingcenter.com

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As far as I can find, Ruger never made the M77/Hawkeye .30-06 in anything but a 22" barrel. I would like to have the African in .30-06 with a 24" barrel.

Similar issue with the No. 1's, until some of the pre 2020 Lipsey exclusives were made in 24" barrels you were limited to a 22" or 26" barrel for some calibers. I have No.1A's with 24" barrels in 250 Savage and 275 Rigby (early version), as well as a No.1S in .30-06 (new to me, has not arrived yet). Those rifles are very well balanced.

It is also my understanding (from Lee Newton) that Ruger made very few No.1's in 404J. If you find one now they will probably cost $4000+. Last year Mr. Newton had a run of No.1's in 280 AI made with his initials in the serial number. I think they were 26" stainless barrels, no sights, beautiful walnut.

 

[leslie hetrick]

@spike.t
I tried herding a mob of cats with my Doberman.
What a stuff up, they went every where and a few disappeared.
I thought it was fun to try but the cat shelter didn't have much of a sense of humour about it.
Bob
I don't like cats.

well i,ve yet to have a cat piss on my leg or hump my leg. that says alot.

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

Here is the Wikipedia caliber list of Ruger No.1 calibers

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

Would anyone be interested in a Blackhawk Cattleman’s Carbine? Here is one done by Uberti. My vote would be 357 Mag, which comes with a extra 9mm cylinder for Ruger

 

[odonata]

Based on the early emails I exchanged with Randy's Hunting Center, there was a slim possibility that a well-organized group of like-minded people requesting a specific configuration in quantity could make a special run appear. I would have been surprised if a loosely-associated group of relatively anonymous forum dwellers would have successfully pulled this off. I think it would have been kind of neat, but I also think it was a long shot. It's hard to generate the required focus & commitment when there's this much individuality. But we discuss a wide range of topics around here so I was kind of curious what the response would be.

If you look back at the chart of submitted proposals from a couple of pages ago & see how many choices only had a single vote, it gives a pretty good indication of how difficult this particular task was going to be. We needed at least 50 people to agree on one specific rifle. Instead we got 50 people who suggested a singular chambering that they alone thought was a good choice.

Ever since Phil Shoemaker posted a thread about the special run of 416 Ruger Guide Guns that the Alaska Professional Hunters Association had made for that group's members back in 2023, I had always been curious about what it takes to make that kind of project a reality. Now I have a pretty good idea.

A big thanks to @Altitude sickness for making the call & chatting with Randy about the challenges.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Thanks for trying to wrangle the herd Odonata.

 

[BFaucett]

Thanks for trying to wrangle the herd Odonata.

Big +1 on that!!


That reminds me. . .

Cheers! Bob F.

 

[baxterb]

Maybe we could trip to get Hornady or Norma to do a special run of hard to get brass if we ponied up the dough first. I’d put in for: 318 WR, 404J, 350 Rigby, 450 Nitro. I mean brass is easier to make than guns, no? And especially when they have already made it. Dunno. Maybe I’m just getting tired of everything becoming unobtanium in the new normal.

 

[NDWoods]

Hmm

I really thought a Hawkeye African 404 Jeff would have made the minimum.

Big props and thanks to those who pushed for this to happen. It would have been cool!

 

[Cheesehead]

Hmm

I really thought a Hawkeye African 404 Jeff would have made the minimum.

Big props and thanks to those who pushed for this to happen. It would have been cool!

That’d be a great combo, if that would even work. I’m sure it would take some non-standard action work because I think the 404 is too long for the Hawkeye action

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

Anyone thought about reaching out to Lipseys?

 

[MontanaGrant]

@Altitude sickness $3500 apiece?

How does that work? I ask because the run of .450 bushmaster Africans he had made, he’s selling for $1500 apiece on gunbroker. I don’t see why another batch would run over double that ones cost.

And yes those calibers are “available” at incredibly inflated prices. I finally bit the bullet and bought a Lipseys Hawkeye .275 rigby, but at the equivalent of $2600.

Regardless thank you and @odonata for your efforts.

It’s amazing how many here don’t read the requirements…..”we want a .404 Hawkeye”……..even though there’s no physical way to fit it in the action……

 

[typilotguy]

A few days ago, @MontanaGrant started a thread about the Ruger African in 450 Bushmaster that was made exclusively for Randy's Hunting Center in Michigan. This thread eventually devolved into a discussion about what it would take to have a special limited run of rifles made for a group of people (like us!). So I sent RHC an email to ask that question and here is the response I got:

Darryl,

We work very closely with Ruger on exclusive rifles for our company. Generally they require between 75 and 100 firearms (same model and caliber), but we believe that they would run a minimum order of 50 rifles.

Please, let us know which model and caliber you are considering.

Best regards,

Randy’s Hunting Center

So there you have it. We need to specify a Ruger rifle model, a single caliber and 50+ of us would all agree that we would part with the money to make that happen. Is this possible? I don't know but my guess is it could be a challenge to come to a consensus. But I thought I would at least pose the question just because I was personally curious to see what your responses would be.

For the sake of this particular exercise, here's the "rules":

1. If you would buy a Ruger No. 1, specify the calibers you would be willing to purchase. You can get more detailed if you like about stainless, blued, RSI, barrel length, etc. But the main goal is just to see if there is at least one chambering that a significant number of people would purchase. Also keep in mind that at least 49 other people are going to need to agree with you. So while it might be tempting to list something esoteric, you might want to include something with commercially available ammunition on your wishlist as well.

2. If you would buy a Ruger Hawkeye African, specify the calibers you would be willing to purchase. Remember that Ruger magazines for the rifles they have been producing lately are 87mm / 3.4" so specifying the really large African calibers may not be practical. Since I'm a left-handed shooter, if that's what you want, mention that as well. I'm assuming the majority of responders will be right-handers but obviously I'm wondering if there's anyone out there like me.

To get the ball rolling, I'll go first. If this is going to be a special limited run, then I'm not really interested in getting a common chambering that is readily available in current rifles. But that's just my personal feeling:

Ruger No. 1 Tropical: 404 Jeffery

Ruger No. 1 RSI: 303 British

Ruger Hawkeye African (LH): 7x57 / 275 Rigby (my top choice by far!)

But I would also spend money to help my fellow southpaws by purchasing any of the following:

Ruger Hawkeye African (LH): 22 Hornet, 257 Roberts, 6.5x55, 7x64, 35 Whelen or 9.3x62

So here's your opportunity to put in a request for something missing & to see how that compares with the other forum members. If this thread produces a meaningful number of responses, I'll tally the totals in a later reply. Maybe start a followup thread with a poll if it appears there might be a doable choice. If the response is anemic, then that will satisfy my curiosity as to the feasibility of this endeavor as well.

I’m also a southpaw, and I LOVE the idea of a 7mm Mauser/.275 Rigby or a 6.5 Swede. Between the two, I’d opt for the 7mm, but either would be SWEET. I know it’s a long shot, but if you could get this worked out, I’d buy a lefty in either of those calibers, but would be open to others as well.

 

[318AE]

That’d be a great combo, if that would even work. I’m sure it would take some non-standard action work because I think the 404 is too long for the Hawkeye action

Yep. It’s most like Ruger came out with those short little 375 Ruger and 416 Ruger cartridges because the real 375 and 416 wouldn’t fit in their Hawkeye action and they lost their shorts on the RSM back in the day. Doing action work on a cast receiver must be fun.

 

[odonata]

Anyone thought about reaching out to Lipseys?

The vibe I get from Lipsey’s website is they cater more towards the middlemen / dealers instead of individuals. Maybe I’m wrong. As a store that dealt directly with hunters, RHC felt like a more accessible business which is why I approached them.

I’m also a southpaw, and I LOVE the idea of a 7mm Mauser/.275 Rigby or a 6.5 Swede. Between the two, I’d opt for the 7mm, but either would be SWEET. I know it’s a long shot, but if you could get this worked out, I’d buy a lefty in either of those calibers, but would be open to others as well.

I’m with you which is why I tested the waters by starting the thread. Basically I’d buy any left-handed African if they’d make one in something other than 375 Ruger. But to be honest, I think it would be easier to take a left-handed 77 and simply add an ebony fore end, barrel band & iron sights & just roll my own “African” at this point. I enjoyed upsizing my Ruger 7mm Rem Mag into a 458 Win Mag. It was a fun project.

The big problem with being a minority southpaw is obtaining critical mass: we’re too scattered & too few to wield much influence collectively. I love my Ruger No. 1 in 6.5x55 & I’ve killed more deer shooting 140gr Partitions out of it than any of my other rifles. But when I considered getting a bolt action Swede recently, I got a quote for a LH Sako 90 Bavarian as the more doable option.

 

[EBaker]

I'd like a run of short barrel 41 mag vaqueros, but I know the interest isn't there. Another run of 357 maximum Blackhawks would be great, too. Maybe even in the bisley hunter. I'd like to get another to put a scope on and, with the extra long top strap for the cartridge, you'd have to drill and tap it to mount one on the old 357 maximums.

 

[Altitude sickness]

MontanaGrant, I don’t see the latest run on Gunbroker for $1500. Can you post that ad please.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1124115987

 

[odonata]

MontanaGrant, I don’t see the latest run on Gunbroker for $1500. Can you post that ad please.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1124115987

If only the bolt handle was on the "correct" side I'd have me a great straight-wall Arkansas rifle! They've listed a batch of 8 African rifles. It will be interesting to see how long they last:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1129726068

Randy's Hunting Center sure is fond of the 450 Bushmaster. Plenty of options to choose from:

https://www.gunbroker.com/all/search?includesellers=60229&ch-caliber=.450%20Bushmaster

 

[Altitude sickness]

I guess I should have clarified that the $2400 was for the current limited quantity Number 1.

And the $3500 he threw out was if a group like AH was commissioning 100 rifles.
And factoring in that after it’s approved it has to get in production line and everything is planned 12 to 24 months in advance. So it wouldn’t happen for two years minimum. So he added a little to the price factoring in two more years of inflation.

I’ve seen some pretty good groups produced from those 77s in .450

That Hawkeye set up like an African rifle in .450 is a pretty formidable platform for everything below buffalo.

 

[MontanaGrant]

I knew it would be a long ways out. And I understand an extra commission for the extra specialty order but still seems excessive.

Those 8 will last awhile. They started with 16 awhile ago. I’m guessing he got 50 and stashed away half of his run for the future.