Been wanting a Ruger falling block for a long time... your choice... #1 or #3 ???

BlueTrain said:
Also, having owned an H&R trapdoor reproduction .45-70, the recoil of a No. 1 in that caliber was positively mild.
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That might have something to do with the weight of a No. 1. I put my No.1 on a bathroom scale and it showed 9.5 pounds, though a .45-70 might be lighter because it has a bigger hole in the barrel.

Nothing tames recoil like a heavy gun. Compare the kick of a .44 magnum pistol to a .44 magnum carbine if you don't think so.
 
No, as it happens, the two rifles (the trapdoor being a carbine, however) weighed almost the same with only ounces of difference. Surprisingly, the trapdoor was longer by about three inches. The difference was entirely in the steel buttplate versus a rubber buttpad. The No. 1 was only marginally easier to manipulate dispite the trapdoor requiring two distinctly seperate motions both for removing the empty case and reloading with a fresh round--and that isn't counting actually handling the round itself when reloading. In loading you have to cock the hammer (to half-cock), chamber the round, close the breech and cock the hammer to full-cock before firing. After firing you cock the hammer again (to half-cock) and open the chamber. It is much simpler than it sounds, however. Operating the breech is a matter of flipping it open and snapping it shut, although I suspect the manual (which I don't remember anything of) didn't put it that way. The hammer is huge and could be operated with your elbow probably. In comparison, everything about the No. 1 almost seems dainty, which is probably the last word you would expect to be used about any .45-70.
 
I'm always ready to show off my custom Ruger #1...


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That thing'll put your eye out!

No but the stock did raise a big lump on my cheek. On the 3rd shot of a 5-shot string I got all hunkered down on the sand bags and kaboom, with the recoil, got my cheek pinched between the cheek piece and my hearing protectors. That group went to hell after that. :o

That's the good thing about Unertl. The rifle moves back and scope stays stationary for bit. Cool to watch in slo-mo.
 
awesome looking gun... love the Urnertl scopes... have 2 myself... one in 20X on my Remington rolling block with a fast twist 32-40 barrel, & one in 15 X on a custom 25-06
 
Kreyzhorse, 150 yds for the 45-70 ?? You really must be kidding. In the old days they shot 1000 yd matches and hunted at long range too. The factory 300 gr drop at 200 yds is only 4" IIRC. I hunt with the 300 and haven't had the opportunity to shoot that far but I wouldn't hesitate even at greater than 200 yds ! Of course with the Ruger you can soup it up really hot [on both ends] and on my 1885 Browning too.
 
"awesome looking gun... love the Urnertl scopes... have 2 myself... one in 20X on my Remington rolling block with a fast twist 32-40 barrel, & one in 15 X on a custom 25-06 "

Thanks, This is a 15x that I share between this 300 win mag and a 25-06 #1-V. Both rifles came with the 7.25" target blocks from the factory. One of the few scopes you can remove from the gun, and then replace it and not have to adjust.
 
A #3 with #1 wood, well that lever will pinch you kind of quick. That is what my #3 wears. It is a 375 Win. Shoots nice, but that lever will get you. A guy posting on Graybeards has one that he has modified the lever, more to the style of a martini short lever. The larger foreend though is very nice. Nice handy rifle to carry chasing deer in the swamps. But mine has only accounted for a sneaky coyote. I intend to rechamber it to 375JDJ. But I've been planning that for a while and still haven't done it.
 
I've found there no need to modify the #3 lever with a PG buttstock - IF one's willing to modify the wood a little.

The PG curve/shape just needs to be cut back/relaxed a little, away from the lever - sort of like a Prince of Wales shotgun shape.

.
 
Petah,
I have a Liberty #3 in 45-70, they came with a 22" barrel and weigh 6lb, I cut the but straight and put on a recoil pad to soften the recoil and a bit more LOP. I put a Lyman reciever sight on it, and MagNaPorted it too. No collecter value now!!! I wish I bought a 22 Hornet too. I paid $175.00 with my FFL in 76. I loaded up a box of maxed out 500gr Hornadys, fired 5 back in 76, still have the other 15 and load softer now!! Those #3's are a real nice stalking gun, short and light. I am keeping an eye out for 22 Hornet one, swa one on one of the forums for sale for 700.00, buddy has one and a 44 Mag too. I have been toying with putting a more like a #1 stock on it, I have seen where they bend the lever to open it up a bit for a pistol grip stock.
Bob
 
I'm always ready to show off my custom Ruger #1...
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I am envious, what a beautiful rifle.

I have a Ruger #1 in 30-06, bought it in the 80's.

Now I wish I had bought the thing in something with more horsepower, such as a Win Mag, 375 H&H, or 416 Rigby. Or even 45/70. Somehow a single shot in 30-06 is just not enough rifle.

The #1 has a rubber but pad, the #3's I saw were hard metal. I would prefer rubber.

The action is very well designed. Very safe, no issues with gas escape into your eyes or gas escape causing the action to open.

I have heard on rolling blocks, a pierced primer will push the hammer back and roll the breech block open. Don't want that.

The only issues I have had is that my rifle strings vertically. About 2 “ perfectly straight up and down groups at 100 yards. You could draw a vertical line that would touch all the shots. I have tried the tension screw and that did nothing. Played with bedding the fore end, and that did nothing.

What the heck, it shoots well enough with cast bullets and is fun to play with.
 
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There's more but these are the shooters.

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Since added another #1A in 7x57. The #3 is a handy fun little carbine while the #1 is fantastic rifle. Pick your poison and what it's needed for and go! :)


The #3 is a .45-70.

#1's here are in: .22-250 (1V), 7x57 (1A), 30-06 (1A), .300 H&H (1S) x2, .45-70 (1S), .405 Win (1S)
 
Slamfire,

"The only issues I have had is that my rifle strings vertically. About 2 “ perfectly straight up and down groups at 100 yards. You could draw a vertical line that would touch all the shots. I have tried the tension screw and that did nothing. Played with bedding the fore end, and that did nothing."

The win mag in the picture has the forend glass bedded, however the identical rifle in 25-06 has the forend floated. With the heavy barrels I don't think it matters. Vibrations and harmonics are pretty much non-existant. I always associated a vertical shot string with velocity variations but I'm sure there are other reasons. What kind of front rest are you using?
 
I hunted for years here in Co with a Ruger #1 in 7mag till I wore the barrel out and had new barrel put on. I got that rifle in the early 70's back then always issues with the forend I just put rubber pad up front.

I need to learn how to post picture

I got a #1 1V in 220Swift used that in Calif as one of my varmint rifles I kept the same barrel contour and it had new barrel put on in 22BR they bedded/floated the forend pretty nice shooting rifle.

When ruger came out with the # 1 in 22/6PPC I got one kept the same barrel contour had a Hart put on chamber for the tight neck 6PPC forend bedded/floated. I put Kepplinger set triggers in the 6ppc and 22Br.

I wished I'd kept them I got the 22 Hornet/218 Bee in #1's both were good shooters.

I carried that 7mag #1 so long got bluing wore edges/lever and rifle had the safety that stop the ejected case so had that changed. After looking at DeeDubya rifle got me thinking about some better work for one of those #1.
 
[I always associated a vertical shot string with velocity variations but I'm sure there are other reasons. What kind of front rest are you using?]

FWIW, in shooting about 25 different 31 & 33 rifles of many different chamberings & models/variations over the years, I've never experienced any vertical stringing off the bench while sighting-in.

(I only benchrest while zeroing, since I only use my SS guns for hunting)

When benching, however, while I have front/rear rests/sandbags, I am particularly sure that NO part of any rifle with a two-piece stock ever actually touches anything else during firing, other than a part of my body, beit hands, shoulder, etc.

I always insulate the forend from "front rest bounce" via holding the forend tightly in the off hand with the back of the hand on the rest ILO the forend or barrel on the rest.

Ditto the rear - the butt is always nested solidly against the shoulder while being pulled straight back with the trigger hand (leaving the trigger finger free for let-off), ensuring the toe of the stock is clear of the rest and/or benchtop.

YMMV, of course.

.
 
The win mag in the picture has the forend glass bedded, however the identical rifle in 25-06 has the forend floated. With the heavy barrels I don't think it matters. Vibrations and harmonics are pretty much non-existant. I always associated a vertical shot string with velocity variations but I'm sure there are other reasons. What kind of front rest are you using?
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My best groups were fired prone with a sling. I have not shot that rifle in a long time that way. The stringing was on a bench with a rest. I shot the thing without the fore end, with the foreend, I added pressure with the forend, added the tension screw on the hanger, and gave up.

Now I shoot it offhand with cast bullets.
 
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