Ruger No. 1 opinions

[cbaker]

I have an opportunity to purchase a used Ruger No. 1 in 25-06. I like the caliber and was wondering what people's opinions are on the gun. If the wood and metal are in 95%, what do you think the value is?

Thanks in advance?

 

[Varmint Hunter]

It depends on what you expect from the #1. Typically, the 2 piece stock set-up on the #1 is not inherently accurate. I've owned a few #1's, including the heavy barreled varmint model. None of the rifles were accurate enough to keep my interest.

For a moderate range biggame rifle, the #1 should be fine right out of the box. They are as heavy as most bolt rifles even though they are basically actionless.

On the bright side: Ruger #1's are appealing rifles that usually have pretty good wood. They have shorter overall lengths than a bolt rifle with any given length barrel. The falling block is a strong design. There are a few smiths that seem to have a good handle on what it takes to get a #1 to shoot well.

Just my 2 cents - VH

[ 06-28-2004: Message edited by: Varmint Hunter ]

 

[Guest]

I have a Ruger #1B in 25-06 that is a good shooter. It will put 5 shots into 1.5" or better with most loads and my best load is either 100gr Nosler BT's or Hornady 100gr SP's with H4831 at 3350fps, 3/4"-1" accuracy. Most of the ones I've seen for sale that are used and in excellent condition are in the low $500.
Hope this helps some,
Wayne

 

[Mysticplayer]

As a hunting rifle or as a very pretty affordable single shot, great choice. For a LR hunting or match type rifle, forget it.

There have been several in my area who have played extensively with the Rugers trying to make them work. Triggers are not light enough, vertical stringing too prevelant.

At best a 1/2MOA rifle. For that amount of money thrown at a Rem 700 or even a Savage, it would be a bug hole shooter.

I would buy a Ruger#1 simply because of its novelty and uniqueness in the firearms world.

Jerry

 

[Guest]

I agree with Jerry 100%. I really like my #1 but would limit it to a 500yd deer rifle.
Wayne

 

[Guest]

Cbaker....buy some thing else!

Buy a remington, win, or savage. A used ADL is around $350.

 

[DMCI]

Most of these opinions are entirely correct. I have yet to see a single shot rifle with what you would call precision accuracy.

However, having said that I own one and I like it a lot! They look really cool, and for a rook rifle or similar are easy to load and unload, and provide hunting accuracy without much problem.

Yes, I think they are really cool. My current Browning Hiwall is in .223 and has a Unertl target scope on it.

D.

[ 06-24-2004: Message edited by: DMCI ]

 

[cbaker]

Thanks for everyone's responses.

 

[1894]

Check out ol_sparks 300tomahawk
http://www.longrangehunting.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=001162

 

[Holmes]

I love the #1s, but not for LR work.

They do make a helluva nice 500 Nitro Express though

~Holmes

 

[lead foot]

Ruger #1s are real variable in accuracy. Some seem to do pretty well, others aren't fit to be fence posts. I've had 4-5 I guess.

The .25-06 was pretty bad. Standard #1B blued. At the end of a few months of intense load development work, I gave up on it. With considerable struggle I got it down around 2.5 MOA with varmint bullets, never could reliably go under 4 MOA or so with hunting bullets. In other words, it was competitive with a rusty .30-30 that hadn't been cleaned in a couple hundred years.

I suspect the heavy barrelled varminters will do quite a bit better. Had one in .220 Swift that I got down around MOA with a lot of fussing and it would have done better but there was a loose spot in the barrel, a spot where you could feel a bore brush or patch suddenly free-fall about 2 inches.

I had an early #1 V in .300 Winny Mag which was quite interesting 'cause it strung horribly (but repeatably) as the barrel heated. Keep it hot, too hot to touch, and it'd shoot under half MOA. Let it cool off, and it'd hit 8" lower.

My latest #1 was a stainless .375. It shot pretty well. Did the set screw under the forend hanger for barrel tension. With 260 grain ballistic tips it was a reliable .75 MOA rifle but with that #1 stock shape it was a brutal b*tch to shoot. One afternoon I let the toe of the stock get down in the crack by my collar bone. When the shot went off I felt something crunch ... not bone, tendon. I couldn't shoulder a rifle for a couple weeks without going into wiggle mode.

Anyways, #1s are interesting and fun ... and frustrating. IMHO the #1 H and #1 V are noticibly more accurate. Think that stiffer barrel helps a lot with all the twisting and squirming that happens when that forend barrel hanger mainspring mount etc unloads when the sear breaks.

I wouldn't buy one relying on it as a long range rifle but I wouldn't absolutely count it out, you might stumble across a good one. I wouldn't probably buy one until I had another good, reliable rifle in the safe in case the #1 turned out to be a problem.

 

[buckdeer]

brownells sells a forearm hanger system that will make your no. 1's shoot much better. it will need installed by a smith or good tinker

 

[lead foot]

I've done the forend hanger tension thing on the last two I had. It helped, but only enough to bring them to an accuracy level that's marginally ok for a bolt action.

After I did that, the heavy barrelled Swift dropped down to where it was pretty reliably going to shoot MOA groups and the .375 would shoot 3/4 MOA groups. Before that, softball sized groups were a challenge.

It works (at least, so far), but you're still playing catch-up.