Ruger No. 1

[30-06 lover]

What do all of you think of this rifle? I am thinking of getting one, but don't know anyone that owns one. For all you No. 1 owners, can you please give me your opinions of the firearm. Are they of good quality? Are they accurate? Are they hard of difficult to clean? Any info and opinins would be a great help. Thanks!!!


Sorry forgot to ask...how does the T/C Encore compare with the No. 1? DWould you get the T/C or the ruger?

 

[LHB1]

Ruger No. 1's are GREAT!!! I used a pair in 6mm Rem and .25/06 to hunt for years. Took several deer with both. Big mistake was letting myself be talked out of them. (They got a little heavy as I got older.) Once killed two 8 point bucks in about 30 seconds with 3 shots from 6mm Rem Ruger No. 1. They are very fast to reload because of the automatic ejector. Just keep your fresh ammo where you can grab a new round quickly and you are ready to go.
For cleaning, simply drop lever which also drops breechblock and clean from chamber end. Easier than bolt action rifle to clean.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[BruceB]

It's one of the great firearms of the day. Styled much like the old Farquarsons of Victorian England, and designed by Bill Ruger as a super-strong action with that nostalgic appeal, #1 rifles are simply wonderful.

With calibers available from .22 Hornet (in a few rifles, on occasion) up to the real African stomper rounds, and in numerous models to suit anyone who'll ever contemplate buying a single-shot rifle, they can be everything to anyone.

They're beautiful, in the bargain.

The T/C rifles may be OK, but they've never appealed to me, and can't begin to compare with the #1's appearance and that bank-vault solidity of the falling-block action. Interchangeable barrels obviously appeal to some, but I'd rather buy another rifle instead. It's a matter of what's important to the individual, and my choice goes to the classic and lovely Ruger over any other single-shot (and that includes the Dakota, at four or five times the price).

 

[CB900F]

30-06 lover;

All of the above applies. They are very nice guns indeed. However, there are quirks you should know about. The triggers are typical Ruger, second rate. The forearm tension can make them shoot patterns rather than groups. The fixes are well known & not terribly expensive, given a smith who knows the guns & is straight with you.

The trigger thing applies pretty much across the board. How big a thing it is to you depends more on yourself than any other factor. They aren't horrible triggers, they just aren't real good triggers. Moyers and Kepplinger make aftermarket triggers for the #1's. The Moyers will run in the mid fifties & the Kepplinger's only about $200.00 more than that. There are smiths who prefer to work the stock unit than try to make the Moyers unit suitable. The Ruger trigger design has more pins & links than the typical bolt gun trigger & it's a noticable difference to most folks.

The forearm work is absolutely straightforward & usually cures the problem without any further ado.

They are a sweet gun particularly because without all the excess action metal, the barrel can be longer, but the overall length of the gun is shorter. Therefore, you get the handling benefits of a carbine & the velocities of a rifle.

900F

 

[critter]

GREAT gun in all respects. Remember that you can get a long barrel and it won't make a long gun because of the very compact action.

Mine is in the good ole 45-70. A real game thumper indeed! It takes deer and hogs cleanly without blowing them into pieces.

 

[El Tejon]

Excellent advice, CB. May want to crown the barrel on a Ruger as well.

'06, a solid firearm. Clean it up and you have an excellent weapon. What do you have in mind for it--varmits, deer, pigs?

 

[stevelyn]

I have a #1 RSI with the Mannlicher stock in .30-06. It's a 20" barreled carbine and is about as perfect of a truck, boat, snowmachine and bush gun there is.

 

[rangerruck]

ruger no 1, though i am not a fan of ruger , especially in the accuracy dept, the number 1 is both a fine piece of hardware, and beauty to boot. i would love one of these in 6mm remmy. I could notpick between a t.c and this.

 

[lev83]

These are fantastic rifles that never fail to draw attention when at deer camp or the range. Accuracy can be problematic on some but as previously stated fixes are wide known and not terribly expensive. My rifle shoots as sell as I do. With careful reloading I can shoot between 1.25 and .85 and the variances are due to my inconsistencies. Cleaning is easier than any other gun I own. I would suggest spending a few extra dollars on the moyers trigger you will be glad you did. Below is a picture of my No. 1 A-B variant chambered for 270 Win.

 

[270Win]

I've wanted a No. 1 in .375 H&H for a long, long time. But No. 1s in general, and the tropical ones in particular, almost NEVER come up for sale anywhere near me. Not at the gun shows either. Just have to be patient...

 

[BruceB]

There are no less than four Ruger Tropical #1 rifles in .375 H&H on Gunsamerica right now. All are under $800, some under $700. There's also a custom #1 in .375, asking price over $3000, if that fits one's budget and taste.

I've bought a fair number of firearms from sellers there, without any problems at all. Pay attention to the seller's feedback, and if it's good it should be an easy (and safe) transaction.

I have a #1H (Tropical) in .416 Rigby, and it is definitely one of my favorites.

 

[Essex County]

It's a wonderful rifle,,,

but after owning three new ones I found the frustrating. Bedding and trigger issues on all. Getting too old to try a fourth.....Essex

 

[Skoghund]

Have got the RSI in .243. Nice little rifle. Have changed the trigger to a Moyers. Much nicer to shoot now. My best rifle is a Heym/Ruger built on a No 1 action in .308.

 

[.38 Special]

CB900F says it right. They can be tricky in the accuracy department, but many are fine out of the box. The ones that aren't usually need the forend/bedding/spring hanger trick, which is pretty widely known these days. You'll hear tell of crummy barrels, but since Ruger switched to making them in-house a number of years ago, quality -- and consistency -- has improved to a very high standard.

The triggers aren't great, but they're not horrible either. A good 'smith can make them very useable. I think the set trigger offered through Brownell's might be just the ticket for the #1.

 

[SwampWolf]

As .38 Special noted, some No. 1's are fine out of the box. I bought a new Varmint model chambered in .220 Swift about ten years ago and, without any tinkering, this rifle is the most accurate rifle I've ever shot in over fifty years of shooting. And that's with factory (it likes Hornady best) ammunition.

 

[rangerruck]

there is a tropical for sale ,maybe even in 375 h.h at Tomball pawn /loan. tomball tx.