I've never owned one and I'm pretty sure I've never fired one either but I have always been attracted to the looks of the Ruger No.1 rifles. There's just something about the way they look, particularly the models with the barrel mounted sling attachment. Not sure if that's the Tropical or Sporter or both but I just love the look.

The full stocked model ain't bad lookin either but I kinda like the other style more. Putting a scope on them kinda ruins the look for me as well but with my aging eyes it's a look I'd probably learn to live with were I ever to acquire one.

Was just wondering if we had any owners and or fans here and if so perhaps your opinions, experiences and photos could be posted? I do know that recently Ruger started making this model in only one caliber per year. At least that's what I seem to recall. Maybe it was one caliber for each version per year but either way if you want a new one in say, 30.06 you can't just run out and order one unless that's the caliber for this year.

Was thinking if I had the opportunity I'd like to get one in 30.06, (one of my favorite calibers) as well as something with a little more bore like say, 45-70. While I like the looks of the Tropical models I doubt I could find a practical use for a .458 Winchester Magnum or one of the other big magnums.

Anyway, like I said, just wondering if anyone else has an interest in this particular firearm?

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BCCI Life Member #2068

I've never owned a #1 but a good friend of mine had one in .45-70. These are really nice rifles and you're hardly handicapped assuming you're a decent shot.

Compared to a repeater, the Number 1 is about six inches shorter than a repeater with a comparable length. If you like the rifle, go for it.

Ruger 1s could be more accurate than they usually are. I competent gunsmith who knows Rugers can improve accuracy with work on the fore-end hanger.

In 270.

I have one in 45-70 that I really like, except for the kick. I should have gotten one in a lesser caliber. I do like the simple design and the way it handles. It is a little over- kill on the little deer that I chase around.

I have owned a few over the years. I had an early 458 Tropical that had wood to die for. It was wonderfully accurate and have several cloverleaf groups at 100 yards using iron sights when my eyes were much younger. I admire all single shot guns but most are built real cheap, not a problem with the Number 1. It is a copy of the old British Furgenson actions. A problem I have with the 1's, for me anyway, is the scoping of the rifle. I am a little rough on my guns. I hunt in rough country in bad weather. I fall quite often and many of my rifles have went flying from my hands. The rear ring is so far forward that too much of the scope is unsupported and vulnerable to being bent and knocked out of alignment. I could easily hunt the remainder of my career using nothing but single shots.

I have several, my 375 H&H is a real joy, 300 Win Mag fun for long rang target practice, 30-06 for deer & antelope, 6mm Rem a real beater outside but shoots great, owned by another rancher and rode in his pickup for 15 years, and a 223 with custom barrel.

Had to tune them up for best accuracy, each is an individual but if you pay attention they will shoot very well. The single shots are kind of special, but what I was brought up with so came to understand them. Just do everything the same every time.

.45/70 for me, and I handload to keep the kick reasonable.

Thanks for the replies. On gunnails rifle it looks like it has the Alexander-Henry forearm. What exactly is the purpose of this design? I've always wondered if the groove element is intended to serve some purpose or is just there for the asthetics? Nice rifle by the way gunnails!

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BCCI Life Member #2068

They are my favorite rifle. At one time I collected them and had about all calibers except the Tropicals and .308. I'm down to just a few of my favorites now. They are built like a tank and peak accuracy is achieved by the pressure of the for end against the barrel. Gun smithing is not necessary, you can work it out by trial and error.

I like all mine. Hickok45 just put out a vid with a 375 No.1.

Guess it was just me! Had a 270 and a 375 in the configuration you describe. They were never very accurate. I believe that since I dumped mine...very many years ago..folks have learned to bed them so that they shoot well. I have to agree that they are beautiful.

Ed

My dad has a 270, and a good friend has a 22-250. Beautiful rifles, but I wouldn't want to carry either one around much. "Built like a tank" translates to heavy. I've thought about picking one up, but these day a good used one brings nearly a grand. Too many better ways to spend the money for me. But if I ever come across a nice one cheap...

I have both 45/70 and 458 Win Mag.
Got carried away at recent show and bought the 458.
Do NOT need the 458. It will be for sale.

Alex Henry Forend:
A groove at the forend tip, typical of this fine Scottish maker, (for tying a rifle into a vehicle-mounted rack?).
Adopted by the traditionalist Bill Ruger for his single shot Model No. 1.

Source for the above: Alex Henry Forend

Had the #1 Tropical 458. The Leopold 1.5 x 5 scope hit me right between the eyes, went back to iron sights! Got me into reloading as factory ammunition was quite expensive. Never met a tree it wouldn't shoot through and blew a steel sign post in half! 500 gr. FMJ
Was loads of fun to let new shooters to a 458 have a go! Beautiful rifle.
Wish I still had it.

Yep. Have a 257 Roberts with gorgeous wood from 1980. It's a tack driver too.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachm...1&d=1460676848http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachm...1&d=1460677906
This is my only Ruger #1, it's in .243 Win. Another nice little Ruger rifle, not as popular, or made anymore? Is the Ruger #3. It's a Plane Jane, straight grip stock version of the #1. I have one in .22 Hornet. Thought You might enjoy seeing both.
Chubbo

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My custom # 1 heavily modified in a 338 wildcat of my own design built in early 80's

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Len

I've got one in 223. Super accurate rifle and well made. Works great on Coyotes and smaller critters.
There's something about using a single shot rifle that dictates one to keep better concentration because you only have one chance. At least that's how I feel when I use it.

I love the No. 1!

Years ago, I had a No.3, in .45-70. I foolishly traded it away, even though it was a great little rifle.

So, for years I thought about replacing it. However, I don't enjoy shooting a .45-70 as much as I used to. A couple years ago, my LGS had this No. 1 in .270 Winchester, and I had to have it. I wanted something big enough to take an elk, but flat shooting, since coyotes are really the most likely target anymore. The scope is just a Leupold VX1, 3-9x40, nothing high end, but it works for me. This combo set me back a grand, but it's worth every penny.

I have the open sights zeroed at 50 yards, with 150 gr. SP's. I have the scope zeroed 2" high at at 100, with 100 gr. HP's. That load will stay just under an inch at 100. I have a nice selection of powders and projectiles for it, but haven't experimented nearly enough yet.

This is my single favorite rifle I own:

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There's a part of me that want's a RSI in 6.5x55 Swedish or 7x57 Mauser, even though I have precisely zero use for one. There's little more classic than a full stocked single shot in a European cartridge.

I had one I bought new in about '70 or '71. (Last NIB rifle I ever bought too!)

A real beauty as far as wood quality and metal finish.
It was the sporter, don't remember the Model#. 30-06 cal 'cause I already reloaded that.
I put a new Weaver scope on it in it's Ruger rings.
It had a nice trigger and all that but never was very accurate.
I ended up trading it off on something else unmemorable.

I still like single shots and have a few others. But never went back to a R#1 again.
I do admit I was tempted one time on one of the short run .357Mag cal #1's made as a commemorative for the CHP . Seemed like a neat rifle,,another 'should've bought it' I guess.

My Ruger #1 was in 7mm Magnum.
Never got it to shoot that well.
Sold it about 10 years ago.
Only Single Shot I have now is a Ruger #3 in 45/70 with the stock changed to a Ruger #1.
Original stock killed me.
Not too bad now....

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

Nice wood!!!(understatement of the week) Tell us more about your wildcat.

Like our beloved Hand Ejectors, the earlier the better.
Anyone have my old .222, #326?

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Good shooting.

I've had several over the years. Always liked the design but out of the box accuracy left a lot to be desired. I've found with Ruger rifles that when you find one that shoots well, hang on to it. Only one I have left is one of the "tropical" style in 45-70. Accuracy is good and I like the flexibility when hand loading for it. Can get close to 458 Win Mag numbers if I want to and loading it down a bit for deer and pigs is fine too. If I could find an RSI in 6.5X55 I'd buy it in a heart beat. If you can find one for a reasonable price I'd say go for it. Good luck.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

I had 3 in the middle 70's a 25-06 and a 270. the accuracy did not impress me, both moved on quickly.

I love the looks and always wanted to stumble across a 45-70 at a low price.

I currently have two, A pre-"76 in 7x57 No.1A 22"barrle and a 13 year old No.1 S 26" barrel 218 Bee. Both have never been touched by an idiot with a screw driver! (One of the secrets to accuracy is the torque on the fore end screw.) I have several boxes of Norma's 154 grain semi-spritzer load, which is a copy of Rigby's 275 load. Very fast and kicks lots more than US made ammo! The Federal premium load shoots very well also, but is not quite up to Norma's quality!

I was at our club's range shooting the 218 No.1, one Saturday afternoon about 12 years ago. An old crotchety member was screwing up by the numbers with a beautiful Dakota in 280 Remington (maybe Ackley Improved). I was shooting 1/4" groups at a 100 yards, off a rest and with a 4-12x scope. He was shooting 6 or 7 inch groups offhand. We switch for a few minutes and he shot a perfect one hole group with my 218, and complained about my lousy trigger the whole time! I shot his Dakota in a 3/4 to 7/8 inch group offhand, And told him how wonderful his rifle was. I then shot my 218 offhand in a wonderful .455" group, so he got P.O.ed and left me by myself. I love a good No.1 story!

For most of the 80's and 90's, I had a No.1 T in 375 H&H, wonderful gun, great wood, shot fantastic. But, What do you shoot with one in Ohio? It dose a real number on ground hogs! I had 2 other Big Game (Elephant, Rhino, ect.) rifles, so when some guy wanted to part with more money than it was worth, I couldn't so no.

Ivan

I had one #1 about 25 yrs ago. It was the #1A in 30-06 with the Alex
Henry forearm and 22" barrel, the best looking #1 in my opinion. As
already mentioned they are heavy, hard to scope, not particularly
accurate and expensive. They are however, beautiful, the older ones
that is when they tended to have nicer wood. I kept it for a while and
traded it off at a gun show. I wish now that I had kept it and just
appreciated it for what it was. I have thought about getting another
one but the reality that two nice bolt action rifles can be had for the
price of a #1 has stopped me. I do have what may have been the
best rifle built on the #1 action in some ways, the #3, and in a rare
caliber to boot, the .44 magnum. I have taken several Whitetails with
it so far.

By the way. Cabela's bought out a warehouse full of them some where. There are half a dozen in every gun library I walk in. Most are of very recent manufacture and have plane wood, but there were some real nice ones at Wheeling, W.Va. a shot while back.

Ivan

I agree. As much as I like the No.1, I prefer the lever on the No.3 for hunting. It is easy to unlatch the No.1's lever inadvertently with a gloved hand, but there is no such problem with the No. 3. I am glad I have my No. 3's, because they very pricey these days themselves.

I have four #1s- 1-S in .300H&H (my absolute favorite!), 1-RSI in 7x57, 1-B in .257 Roberts, and a 1-H in 45/70. I also have a #3 in .22 Hornet. What I have found is different vintages shoot different or have different characteristics. The 1-B is an older one with beautiful wood, and a l-o-n-g throat. It shoots great but bullets have to be seated WAY out. Hornady 100 gr. SPs have to be seated so they are barely hanging in the case by their toenails. The rifle is also a bit heavy for the caliber. The 300 and the 45/70 (both of newer vintage with normal throats) are not picky at all and shoot about anything well. The little RSI will shoot dime sized groups for about 3 shots. Then if you don't let it cool down they start migrating in a line upwards. I had a 1-H in .375 H&H, but the felt recoil was worse than a Mauser .375 I have so I let go of the Ruger. I think the stock was designed as a compromise to use both irons and a scope and I could get my cheek down where it should have been with a scope. BTW, the recoil in the 45/70 is not bad. I also had at one time a #3 in 45/70 that was miserable to shoot and a scope killer as well.

I had a #3 in .22 Hornet and another in .45-70. The #3 were considerably lighter than the #1. My "someday when I indulge myself" gun is a #1 International in either 7X57 or .257 Roberts.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

Have had two, a .45-70 and a .270 Win. Gave the .270 to a landowner friend of mine that allowed me to hunt his place for 20+ years.

What was strange was the .45-70 would stack bullets atop one another all day with about any factory ammo at 100 yds.

The .270, was doing hand-sized groups with various loads until I did some shimming of the fore end hanger. That helped a lot, but it still didn't group like the .45-70.
Not what one would expect.

Oh, and I waited too long to get a No. 3. Really hate they discontinued it. Heard it cut into No. 1's sales.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

Reading this thread made me go online and check the prices of the Ruger Number 1. . .WOW! Back in the late 1980's I picked up the Tropical in 375 H&H at a gun show for $350. About the same time I ordered a new one in 458 Winchester Magnum for a tad over $400. . .still have them both and both are like new. So, now we're looking at around $1400 each. Don't tell me it's inflation because I made a lot money in the 1980's and buying these guns was not a financial problem for me. Buying them today at today's prices? I really don't think so; and, I'm a lot wealthier now than I was then.

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Dr. B

[QUOTE=Homie;139045541]Nice wood!!!(understatement of the week) Tell us more about your wildcat.

I always had an interest in the 338-378 due to its down range retained energy and flat trajectory. I started communicating with Elmer Keith about this cartridge and he actually recommended a 340 Weatherby. He felt the cost and work of making the 338 378 and the expense of a magnum Mauser action due to the length of the cartridge made the Weatherby, a slower cartridge a more sensible choice.
But I was determined to squeeze 3,000 fps from a 250 grain bullet and was so impressed by the high ballistic co-efficiency of the Sierra bullet that I decided to design my own cartridge and use a Ruger #1 as the platform.
Knowing a rimmed case was more reliable with a falling block type extractor I chose to rework an RCBS 45 basic case. I blew the case out and shortened it to attain the powder volume I felt I needed, I tried to come close the case volume of the 338 378.
My case and reamer design is attached. It exceeded my expectations in fact I was afraid I would end up with only Weatherby performance! The cartridge reached over 3,200 fps before showing sign of excessive pressure. I then worked down to 3,000 fps and used a Nosler partition as I am not impressed with Sierra bullet construction for large game. The rifle shoots a tight 3 shot clover leaf at 100 yard!
Over the years it has accompanied me on many African hunts and major culling operations and I could not be more pleased with its performance. While in realty I rarely shoot at game at over 300 yards I did take a number of impala at 500 plus yards the retained energy was amazing it knocked them down like they were standing at the end of the muzzle.
It’s a lot of fun taking game with a cartridge of your own design which is unlike any other 338, a couple of friends are now using my wildcat in their numbers 1s.

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Len

I have 5, two 1B's in 22-250 and .243, two identically set up Lipseys' stainless/walnut 6.5x55 1A's, and a 1S in .375 Ruger. I think they are terrific!

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That was another one of my complaints about my #1. With
the simple lever of the #3 I am holding it closed with a
firing grip and there's no way it can unlatch inadvertently. I
check GB for #3s occasionally but they have gotten very
pricey these days. I would like to find a reasonably priced
#3 in 30-40 Krag, a practical caliber and they are not scarce
but one hasn't come along yet. I always thought that Ruger
missed the boat by not offering the #3 in 30-30. Seems like
a natural pairing to me and they probably wouldn't have
been able to keep up with the demand. The #3 surely was
a low profit gun compared to the #1 and maybe it did hurt
#1 sales. I suppose having all receiver production commited
to filling back orders for the #3 would have been a costly
mistake for Ruger.

I put #1 wood on my #3' 30-40s, in the stronger action you could load them very hot and they shot beautifully after tuning them up. Became my favorite hunting rifle.

I have had 5 Ruger #1's.

#1A in 270 - I paid $289 for it back in 1979
#1A in 7 x 57
#1B in 270
#1B in 22-250
#1S in 45-70

nice rifles but I think that they became over priced quite a few years ago when Ruger had over a $1,000 for the suggested price. they all shot very well

I had one in 308 Win with a breath taking stock but it was never that accurate so I ended up selling it. I bought a Savage Model 14 in 308 and it was much more accurate than the Ruger #1.

Count me as a fan

There are 2 missing from this pic... a 22 Hornet and a 6mmPPC that are buried in the safe (rarely fired)

I've owned them in 220 Swift, 243 Win and in 300 Wby Mag and they're definitely nice, interesting firearms but I've always ended up selling them as they've never held my interest that long. Always reaching for another, more practical rifle to use.