Hows the ruger #1 now?

B

Bake

New member
First, I've never owned one, or shot one.:o

Just before they came out all the gun writers, and all the gun rags were hypeing them like crazy.:rolleyes:

After they finally came out and the guys were starting to shoot and reload
for them, the word was "Yea, its a ruger". Back then that was not high praise. The groups were around 2 to 3 MOA, from a brench. The stocks never fit anyone.:mad:

The gun writers explaned the large groups were caused by the two piece stocks and no one can make a two piece stock shot less than 2" MOA;). Yes the lawyers made them use those triggers, and so on and so on. The stocks were design to fit most people (I never meet anyone to really liked any Ruger stocks).:p

I would like to play around with a paper patched 45/70, and was hopeing #1 as gotten better:cool:
 
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I would like to play around with a paper patched 45/70, and was hopeing #1 as gotten better
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There was some CBA shooters who used the Ruger #1 45-70's for single shot cast lead bullet matches. Their official publication, published semi-monthly, The Fouling Shot, lists details of the loads used and the results (scores, groups).
I have only owned one, a 30-06 that would shoot my loads in five-shot groups of a little over an inch, using bore-riding bullets (Saeco 301), and indexing.
 
I shoot one in 45-70 with modern ammo. It's a real thumper! 350 grain bullet at about 2200fps.

As far as this one goes, the stock fit and finish is superb, it should be, the thing was not cheap. It is not a sub MOA rifle that I know of, I never tried to specifically develop a super accurate load.
 
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I have a 6mm #1 purchased in 1982. The stock is fine, trigger is also good. If you free-float the forearm, you pick up a little accuracy. I've shot prairie dogs at 400-500 yards and it's accurate enough to hit them 100% of the time.

I also have a #1 custom in 30-338 with a Douglas premium grade, medium weight barrel. If you're elk hunting, 400 yard shots are not a problem.

I have no complaints with the triggers, although I have had both tweaked by a good gunsmith. The trigger is not Model 70 easy to tweak, but a good gunsmith can do it. You can also replace the Ruger trigger with a Kepplinger trigger.

If you want sub-MOA or 0.5 MOA - get a really good bolt action with a bedded action or a high-end AR style in .308.

The Ruger #1 is what it is and you either like them or you don't.
 
I collect Ruger #1 rifles. I have them ranging in caliber from .22 Hornet to .416 Rigby. Most are decent shooter, some fantastic and some not so good.
All mine are ones that were made with the contract Wilson barrels which explains part of the accuracy variance. Only one as so bad that I had to send it back to Ruger, a #1A in 7x57 Mauser. Took Ruger 7 months to get it back to me bit it is a very accurate rifle now.
My Ruger #1S in 45-70 is decently accurate with cast bullets and I don't bother paper patching. My favorite load shoots the Lyman #457122, a 330 gr. hollow point mold. My load runs right around 1700 FPS and groups are usuing in the 1.25" range. When I had it, my 1895 Marlin shot that same load ito 1.50 to 2.00" depending on how well I was shooting. It had a curved butt plate designed by a sadist and was very uncomfortable, especially off the bench.
I have not shot one of the black pad #1 rifles yet. it is my understanding that their barrels are made by Ruger, thus are substantially better. FWIW, if you get a #1 in 45-70, you might want to check out the length of the throat, especially if you want to shoot the longer/heavier bullets. My rifle will allow me to use the 500 gr. Lee gas check bullet properly seated and properly crimped in the crimp groove. I have heard that the throats are shorter on the black pad guns, so that may be worth checking out.
Paul B.
 
I'm a big fan of the Ruger #1...

The very early #1's were fitted with barrels made by Wilson & they varied quite a bit in quality. Some of the early rifles shot rather poor as you commented. A few years into production Ruger ramped up & started providing (making?) their own barrels and these all shot pretty good. Today it's hard to find a Ruger #1 that doesn't shoot good. I've owned several #1's and #3's (same action) & they all shot from good to superb!

One of my favorite rifles is a #1 in .45-70 with 4x Weaver that I have shot hundreds of cast bullets through. I'm pretty new at casting so I did a lot of experimenting. I've shot many 1" to 1.5" groups at 100 yds with cast bullets, enough so that when I get flyers I usually blame it on my bullets! I keep my cast loads well under 1600 fps to avoid leading & minimize recoil. My .45-70 definitely likes 405 gr slugs, even though I don't like to cast or shoot them. A lot of lead & a lot of recoil & a lot of arc! Interesting that you mention paper-patched bullets because I've considering the same thing for deer hunting. I'll probably start by buying them rather than set-up to cast them.

With jacketed bullets I get tight consistent 100 yd groups hover each side of 1". I used a 300 gr Rem JHP to shoot a mature doe last season, my first with a .45-70. I was pushing the slug pretty fast so I could assure myself of a dead-on hold out to 150 yds. The recoil is a bit, let's say harsh. The broadside hit deer ran a short distance & left the most profuse blood trail I've ever seen.

Ruger's thinking on the #1 stock was to appeal to left & right handed shooters with a center tang safety & no cheek piece.

FWIW...

...bug
 
My #1B 30 06 does. 1.25 in. gr pretty consistently.

My #3 223rem one inch groups.

My #3 45 70. 2-3 inch groups with 405 grain cast bullets. Problem is, the gun is so light the recoil is bad. With a tight cheek weld, I dislodged a tooth crown. I finally sold it and replaced it with Marlin SS Guide Gun, which ia a pleasure to shoot. Must be the stock design.
 
I have a 1b in 338 wm. I have fired about 40 groups, most have been 5 shot groups. 5 shot groups have ranged from 3 1/2" to 1". My best 3 shot group to date has been 3/4" with 200gr. Speer Deep Curls. It all depends on the load and how well I'm shooting. I have noticed that the very best groups often happen if I shoot them very slow to let the barrel stay cool.

What I like best about my #1 is that it simply beautiful.
 
1. It was designed and intended as a hunting rifle and not a match rifle. Don't expect match accuracy.

2. The most accurate rifles are bolt guns with massive one piece stocks. Anything other than this isn't intended to deliver match accuracy.

3. For most shooters the #1 will do.

4. To hear tell, some guys have #1s that shoot superbly. Mine do OK (2-3").

5. The fore end mounting can cause vertical stringing. This can be fixed.

One of my #1s (not sure which) shot this group. You can see the stringing. Still not an awful group.

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My 458 #1 did this. Pretty tight but still vertical.

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I've got a 1976 vintage #1 in 7mm rem mag that, after the forearm was floated, regularly puts 3 rounds into 1/2".

If a two-piece stock is at fault somebody should have told all those guys shooting Highwalls and Sharps at 1,000 yard for the last hundred years or so. My Sharps repro puts 5 cast bullets into one hole at 100 yards.....
 
The knock on Rugers has alway been their stocks. I had one of their O/U (20 ga.). I got lucky and was able to dump it...
 
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