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Tell me about my new Ruger Number 1

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slicksleeve

slicksleeve

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Sep 1, 2009
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Fort Payne, Alabama
Hi all, I just bought a rifle I have always wanted. It is a Ruger Number 1. It has a 26 inch barrel, and is chambered for .308 Winchester. I bought it used, I think I got a good deal at $650. It has a Bell and Carlson stock added, i got the old wood that came off of it. Somebody really butchered it up. I may try to strip and refinish it come summer time. It has 30 mm rings, and no sights. I will need to buy 1 inch rings to accomadate my Leupold that will go on it. The serial number is 134-1631x. I left the last digit off, (internet you know). Can anybody tell me the approximate date of manufacture? From all my researching, it seems to be the Number 1B, standard. The Ruger website doesn't show them anymore. For anybody that owns or has owned one, what kind of ammo did it like? I am a handloader, but will need to tool up for the .308. Do they like light or heavy for caliber bullets? What powders do they like? If I were to have bought a new one, I always imagined getting something unique like say a .35 Whelen or 9.3mm, but I know the .308 will be a fine deer hunting round. Any help with my questions will be much appreciated.
 

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It looks like someone wanted a tactical single shot. (no offense intended there).


Throw on some wood and a decent 2-7x30 scope and I would say you could have a nice deer rifle there!
 
I hadn't thought of tactical. That's pretty funny. Maybe I'll call it that. I have a 1-4x Leupold VX-2, and a 4.5-14 Leupold Vari-X-3. I can't decide which should go on it, but I leaning toward the 4.5-14, because the VX-2 is mounted on another rifle.
 
slicksleeve said:
I hadn't thought of tactical. That's pretty funny. Maybe I'll call it that. I have a 1-4x Leupold VX-2, and a 4.5-14 Leupold Vari-X-3. I can't decide which should go on it, but I leaning toward the 4.5-14, because the VX-2 is mounted on another rifle.
Click to expand...
Oooh tough call there. I would say the latter scope because this gun can handle distances extremely well being a single shot. With a set of shooting sticks this rifle can shoot quite accurately...
 
Did you notice if the guy you bought it from has a scope scar on his eyebrow?

I bet you are going to need at least one Ruger Extended scope ring to get that 4.5-14 Leupold out of your eye.

Ruger #1's are difficult to scope due to the very short receiver.
Most scopes can't be mounted far enough forward without an extended ring, or rings.

rc
 
I own three Ruger No 1's and like them all. They are 45/70, 22 Hornet (scoped) and 38/357 mags. I'd like a .308, but I already own one. I love the look and feel of the No. 1. I think they are indeed a classic. If it were me, I'd mount a peep sight, but most guys like scopes.

None of my rifles are real tack drivers, but all shoot okay. The Hornet is almost an MOA rifle, but it isn't. They say you can mess with them and make them shoot better for the guys who want half inch groups. I haven't done it though.

Enjoy your rifle. Single shot shooting is fun - old timey shooting.
 
I would like to add a peep sight, but it doesn't have a front sight now, so adding one would be more than I care to do. As long as it shoots minute of deer, I can live with that.
 
Order a Brownell's catalogue. I think they are free. They'll show lots of front and peep sights. They aren't expensive. A gunsmith will mount them for you. That'll cost you $50or so, I'd guess.

Load your rifle to 2400 fps or there abouts and you'll be able to shoot comfortably at the range and get good at using those sights. You can even plink with low powered rounds. BTW: don't load down without first checking with a reloading manual. You can load down and make a hand granade. Yeah, seems strange that a low powered load can blow up your rifle, but that's how it works.

You can also buy cast bullets by bulk at a gunstore and shoot, and reload using them. That's fun, cheap and can be accurate shooting.

When you think about it, shooting cast bullets from a single shot rifle is kind of neat. Using a gas checked bullet you can load them to 2200 fps or so, maybe hotter.

I do suggest that you find a way to put iron sights on your rifle. If you want to mount a scope someday that's fine, but for just plain shooting fun, I'm an iron sight kinda guy.
 
That's the fun of it!

When Bill Ruger designed that No. 1 he was trying to make a classic single shot like some of the old English rifles. Farquarson? How do you spell that word anyway? I think Ruger did as he planned and we are lucky that he did, because we can buy some really neat single shots for not too much bling.

I shoot a lot of antiques. Loading a .308 No. 1 with lead bullets and shooting over peep sights is just how they did it in 1885, and your new rifle looks about like they did back then. So it's uber cool! I'd guess that you'll be able to get it to shoot about like an old 7mm Mauser. They are very confortable to shoot. You can use lead bullets or jacketed. I'd shoot lead, just for grins. Heck shoot a 220 grain lead bullet with a paper patch. How cool is that!
 
I have a Ruger 1B SS in .308. Mine likes the Federal Premium 168gr hpbt. Instead of offset rings you might consider bases like I have on mine. They allow you to put the scope where you like it. These are from Brownell's
(578-000-011) Ruger 1B Scope Base (Picatinny/Weaver mount). Hope
this helps. Send me a PM if you have any questions.

Ruger_1B_1.gif
Ruger_1B_2.gif
 
Looks like the B Model with a heavy barrel. I love the #1 but prefer the Tropical, Light Sporter, Medium Sporter and RSI (full stock) versions.


standard.jpg
 
Wow! Great collection of No'1s!

Tell us about shooting that 458. My No. 1 45/70 loaded hot is a real kicker. That 458 must really talk to you.
 
Allright, prepare to either laugh hard or puke, but you guys have got to see the condition of the original stock. DISCLAIMER: I did not do this. But I do plan to try to fix it with a grind to fit recoil pad, and liberal amounts of Tru-oil. It seems the original owner was somewhat of a hack, he must have sawed off the stock, then re-attached part of it to get his desired lenght of pull. He also put a piece of foam on it for a cheeckpiece, and secured it with brown duct tape. Yuck!
 

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As stated or eluded to above, the Number One is an excellent weapon.
The chambering you have is another excellent choice.

That said, and I have one in .375 H&H.

Some may wish to 'tighten up' groups. I personally have no problem with mines accuracy. However, there is a 'fix' to tune the the barrel's harmonics. Some people swear by it. Run a search on: "Hicks Accurizer for Ruger #1, #3 Barrel Harmonics". The listings I've seen runs about $60. I don't know if they work or are worth the price. My thought is if there was a great value to adjusting the barrel's harmonics, Ruger would offer it... Oh, that's right they do for the Mini-14.

Just food for thought.

OSOK
 
Another for the peep sights.
If you want a Farquharson (sp correct :) ) then go with the old fashioned sighting.
If you want a 308 to pull down deer at long range get a Rem 700 then scope it all you want.
Don't know about the harmonics...hmmm...I may have to look into that myself...
 
Harmonics? I suggest an old Manhatten Transfer album. Great harmonics.

Am I missing something?
 
"Germster,
Harmonics? I suggest an old Manhatten Transfer album. Great harmonics.
Am I missing something? "

Yes Manhattan Transfer is great stuff.

But the 'harmonics' we are talking about is the natural vibration of 'things'. In this case it is the vibration caused by the sudden and extreme energies created at the time a weapon is fired. That long tube wiggles and bounces about. Several points from the chamber to the crown have pressures pushing and pulling. This is what 'free-floating' the barrel is about.
On the bottom side of the barrel of a Ruger Number 1 is a bunch of hardware that is used in the operation of the falling block action. Several people, that are much smarter than I, have figured out ways to stabilize these barrel vibrations so the stress returns to the same, or near, a consistent level, from one shot to the next and next.

As we know, accuracy come from consistencies of all components, including stress on the barrel.

Hope this poor explanation helps a little.

Enjoy and be safe,

OSOK
 
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