Ruger No. 1 45-70 I'm feeling the itch

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Bandit67

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I'm going to look at a Ruger No. 1 in .45 -70 from a large estate collection. It is supposed to be in 95% condition with a Leupold 1x4 scope.
Never had a falling block rifle before so what should I look for when inspecting the rifle?
I think the price is good and I've always wanted a No. 1 in .45-70.
Oh Yeah. They also have a Marlin 39A that I want. I'm hoping to end up with both.
 
check the wood for cracks and the bore, a bad bore is a no no for me unless you plan to rebarrel. my ruger # 1 in 45-70 and my other 45-70,s, a 300 gr FN hornady at 1900 fps is sure death to deer-bear.
 

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One buddy had. A Trapdoor made in the 1890’s; I have a GBL; another buddy had a No. 1.

the guy with the trapdoor loaded mild to wild using the manual for each firearm. We went from buffalo killer to elephant killer with two shots each...

That was also the day we shot a book at 86yards (that was how much room we had in Tim’s yard) with my Blackhawk 45 colt and Walts .44RM that he Frankensteined together from an old parts and new cylinder.
Great Day!

One moved the other move Home.

if it tickles you, get it.

I loved shooting one that day.

Greg
 
check the wood for cracks and the bore, a bad bore is a no no for me unless you plan to rebarrel. my ruger # 1 in 45-70 and my other 45-70,s, a 300 gr FN hornady at 1900 fps is sure death to deer-bear.
How’s recoil on that No. 1 in 45-70? I’ve been thinking of adding a couple more No. 1s to the pile and that’s one on my list.
 
it kicks, but nothing i worry about. i had 12 ruger #1-3#,s , but i,m down to five right now. my favorite 45-70 is a ruger # 3 in 45-70.
 

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My dad has a No 1 in 30-06. Recoil is there but not so bad. My 45-70 the Marlin 1895 can smack you pretty good in the cheek with stout loads. So do keep in mind that the load you use mild to heavy like anything else effects the recoil. Lite loads are no issue. You don't need stout to keep most things. And of course there are other variables like distance to consider. Ruger does make a fine rifle.
 
The thing about 45-70 is you can buy the HSM Cowboy loads fairly cheap and it shoots wonderful (and is adequate for deer and hog), quality brass and 405 grain hard cast. Or load your on all the way down to around 850 FPS with Trail Boss and a gentle shoulder push or if you want to go hunting elephants you could load for that, punishing on both ends.
 
A Ruger #1 in .45/70 is always worth having it you can get it for any where near a reasonable price. Especially if it's one of the early models with creased grip. Handloading with cast bullets is a must and there is a really good selection of bullet styles available, like this variety of lightweight plinkers up to heavyweights for serious hunting.. DSC_0074.JPG DSC_0096.JPG
 
Really love my Ruger one-shooters. My 45-70 is a No. 3 Carbine with plainer wood, but I like the simpler triggerguard/lever. I was a bit apprehensive getting a lightweight 45-70, but with 300 grain bullets handloaded over Trailboss the gun is quite pleasant to shoot.

As to what to look for, check for stock looseness and cracks behind the tang. Restocking a No. 1 from a semi-inletted blank is a chore, custom restocking is expensive and factory replacement stocks aren't available (to my present knowledge). I bought a second-hand factory laminated stock for my rebarrelled No. 1 in 32-40 -- it hasn't been hand fitted and is a bit gappy in places, but 32-40 recoil is so light that I've put that chore on the back-burner.

Also check scope alignment and look for missing screws and buggered screw heads on the rib or scope fittings -- not as big a deal as replacements are available from Ruger. Bore condition shouldn't be a problem in 45-70, but inspect the muzzle crown. Make sure the safety works properly, check ejection with an empty case (this is easily adjustable).

RigerSingleshots.jpg
 
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I've had a couple of No 1's in 45/70 a little light if you plan on full tilt loads. The old red recoil pads were pretty much useless. The ones I had would take any weight bullet without having to seat them deep into the case.
 
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