Ruger No. 1 in 7.62x39

Bullet Bob

Bullet Bob

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The gun world seems divided into those who like single-shots, and those who don't. Of those who do, it splinters into those who like Alexander Henry forends, and those who hate 'em. I personally just like guns, cheap, expensive, style, doesn't matter. I've shot several #1's, they've always been on my list, but I've quit buying guns (and evidently telling the truth). :p

I recently sold a few guns, including one those $75.00 Russian SKS's of 20-some years ago. But, I had a big box of Hornady steel cased 7.62x39 loaded with their bullets, and I couldn't let them go to waste, could I? I almost bought a CZ 527 in that caliber, but I already have one of those in .223, and wanted something different. Found this Lipsey's special from 2015, I think, and bought it. Just mounted an old Burris scope today, can't wait to shoot it. Half the people on the internet know (;)) that #1's don't shoot well, but the ones I've fired through the years have been fine. The trigger on this one is good, and I'm pretty much over concerns about how pretty wood is or isn't. If the grain is tight and straight, I'm a happy boy. Too bad I don't hunt anymore, this would be a perfect gun for the woods around here. The color of the wood is more accurately depicted by the first picture.

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I like the style just like yours and also the International. I think it would be nice to have one in 7MM Mauser but have it marked .275 Rigby which I think is the same cartridge. That would be a wink and nod to the British guns that inspired it.
 
Wyatt Burp said:
I like the style just like yours and also the International. I think it would be nice to have one in 7MM Mauser but have it marked .275 Rigby which I think is the same cartridge. That would be a wink and nod to the British guns that inspired it.
Click to expand...

My buddy just bought a No 1 chambered for the .275 Rigby and it's marked as such. I believe it to be a Lipsey's special run from 2015 or 2016. Yes, the 7x57 Mauser is the same as the .275 Rigby.
 
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Dr.Lou said:
My buddy just bought a No 1 chambered for the .275 Rigby and it's marked as such. I believe it to be a Lipsey's special run from 2015 or 2016. Yes, the 7x57 Mauser is the same as the .275 Rigby.
Click to expand...
That's wild! And I was only about 85% sure that they were in fact the same cartridge when I wrote that.
 
The Ruger #1 responds to forend work from a gunsmith experienced in tuning the #1. I too like single shots, having a New England Firearms single shot in .357 Magnum.

Your chambering is a matter of personal preference and how you plan to use the rifle. If I'm going for an odd cartridge, I'd be inclined to try the 6.5 Swede, 300 Savage, .358 Winchester or perhaps the 7mm Mauser which I had in a Ruger 77.
 
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Krogen said:
Very nice! I like your thinking. Myself, I love single-shots and the No.1 in particular. Now I'll shoot anything, but I get weak in the knees over single-shots. Look out, it's a slippery slope. :D
Click to expand...

Yep, bought a No 1 in 375 H&H and added:

400/450 NE
35 Whelen
9.3x74
a couple 45-70s et al
 
I fell in love with the Ruger #1 over 40 years ago. Purchased my first one in 1976 and added 2 more by 1985. #1 standard rifle in .25-06, #1-sporter in .30-06, #1 action customized as a 7mm Rem Mag with tapered octagon barrel and custom stock. Most of my hunting over the past 40 years has been done with a Ruger #1 single shot rifle, most commonly the short and light #1 Sporter in .30-06 for Colorado mule deer and elk.

Engineers have a word to describe the simplest and most effective solution to any problem, and that word is "elegant". The Ruger #1 rifle qualifies by any standard.

None of my Ruger #1 rifles have ever been fired with factory ammo; always with carefully worked-up hand loads.

Are there better rifles for bullseye shooting or long-range accuracy? There certainly are such rifles.

Are there any other rifles so simple and precise that fill just about any game hunting requirements? I don't think so.

Elegant and beautiful. How much better can you get?
 
I love your rifle Bullet Bob. I love the look of the classic falling block rifles. I have a #1 .45-70 and wish I had more. I love the idea of having one in a caliber like that with modest recoil, and still be a good medium game rifle. I agree with the others about having one in .275 Rigby, but..chambered in that legend, it better have outstanding lumber on it.!
 
For you gentlemn with .45-70's, do you shoot them? I thought about that caliber, but being old and feeble didn't go that route. I still think a single-shot with a big hole at the end of the barrel just looks right.

And for federali; there's nothing odd about the 6.5x55, the world's best cartridge. :D
 
Shooting the .45-70 is no big deal, and it's great to reload. Black powder or Pyrodex or the newer equivalents are a hoot. You can make it like a .45 BB gun with a few grains of Unique and a .457 round ball. The #1 is a Cadillac after owning the #3. Shooting the #3 with just warm handloads, that aren't even on the bottom of some Ruger only charts, can be brutal.
 
The very very rare Ruger #1 Snubby in 458 WinMag. :D
Swings nice and is still hefty.
Always wanted to put a 34" barrel on it but none of quality were available back in '80.
Did the crown and sight work and will make a laminated white stock and forearm someday.... with a carved Snow Dragon.
I need to live forever!!!

2v83bm8.jpg
 
That's a beautiful rifle! I know of one distributor that has three in stock. Unfortunately, I do t have a clear use for the rifle, and $800 was above my impulse buy threshold. Maybe one day Ruger will make me happy and make the same gun in RSI form. That would be irresistible, regardless of price.
 
Imissedagain said:
The very very rare Ruger #1 Snubby in 458 WinMag. :D
Swings nice and is still hefty.
Always wanted to put a 34" barrel on it but none of quality were available back in '80.
Did the crown and sight work and will make a laminated white stock and forearm someday.... with a carved Snow Dragon.
I need to live forever!!!

2v83bm8.jpg
Click to expand...

One never knows when you will jump a herd of Cape Buffaloes! Great Rifile!
 
Bullet Bob said:
I recently sold a few guns, including one those $75.00 Russian SKS's of 20-some years ago.
Click to expand...

In Kalifornistan those SKS are going $400 & up depending on make & condition. With our laws the SKS & the Mini-30 are about the only out-of-the-box .30 semiautos left that don't require detail strip to reload. :mad:

I have tonnage of x39... I'd LOVE to get ahold of a beauty like that #1 to play with! :D
 
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I love single shots.

A Remington made Egyptian Rolling Block rebarreled to 50-50 Carbine
A 1886 Spanish made Rolling Block in 43 Reformado
A 1903 Citadel Martini in 303 Brit.
A 1974 Shiloh Sharps 1874 30" in 45-70
A pre WW I Belgian Champlain in 7x57
A 1875 produced 1873 Carbine 45-70
A 2005 produced Winchester 1885 High Wall in 38-55
A pre 76 Ruger N0. 1 in 7x57 and last but not least
A early 2000's Ruger No. 1 in 218 Bee

Last time I fired the No. 1 in 7x57 (about 10 years ago) I used Norma 154 grain semi-spritzer. It is an duplicate of 275 Rigby. I shot it offhand @ 100, 3 shots 1.25" group.

I have a 4 shot group from the No.1 in 218 Bee using handloads, offhand @ 100 yards .55"

In about 1990 I had a No. Tropical in 375 H&H I absolutely loved that gun, but some idiot with more money than brains offered me a ridiculous amount of money for it. Stupid me. I accepted the offer!, The load I used was a Hornady 300 grain spritzer boat-tail at 2250 fps. It was beautiful to see what it did to ground hogs at 400 yards! I miss that rifle but don't have dad's farm to hunt on anymore!

Ivan
 
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