Ruger No. 1s

[Redthies]

Anyone have much experience with Ruger No 1s? I’m interested in one in a deer suitable caliber such as .270, 7-08 or similar. I would love to hear any thoughts those experienced with them might have. I will add that if the Henry single shots had similar “classy” styling to them, I’d be interested in them too, but they are just too plain looking in my eyes.

[HenryFan]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I have two Henry single-shot rifles. I have two because I find them to be quite attractive due to both looks and function. As PJM said above, at a 1/3 or less than the Ruger No. 1, they are affordable to me where a Ruger No. 1 is not.

Also, over the years I have heard or read comments that not all Ruger No. 1 rifles shoot accurately without some work but I guess this might be said of any production rifle.

In any event, if you buy a Ruger No. 1 rifle, you will in all likelihood be pleased. Tell the forum your experience if you make the purchase.

[bandit1250]

I owned two Ruger No. 1 rifles. There were both chambered in calibers that are known for very good accuracy. 223 Rem and 220 Swift. Neither one was what I could call accurate. I got a little improvement by taking a little wood off the rear of the forearm where it touches the receiver. Not enough improvement to want to keep either one of them. Been enough years and didn't have them long enough but I think both were the heavier varmint barrel models. Would I buy another one? Not at the prices they bring and I could spend the money on something far more accurate than the Ruger No1's.

[Redthies]

Thanks guys. That’s what I wanted to know. They definitely are expensive, and if they are not known to be terribly accurate, I’ll keep those dollars in my pocket.

[HenryFan]

Redthies -

If you get a chance, hold and inspect a Henry single-shot rifle. You might change your mind.

[North Country Gal]

I've owned four No.1s in the past, one was a 1A in 44 mag, also a 1A in 357, another was a 1B in 223 and one was a 1B in 243. I now own a No.3 in 45-70. They ranged in vintage from early to fairly recent.

I've sometimes been asked about No. 1s from people who are thinking about a purchase. The advice I give goes like this.

The Ruger single shot actions are superb. They are designed for ease of operation. The hammer is internal and you have a tang safety, so you can carry one in the field like a double shotgun. They also have ejectors which you can adjust for strength or even remove if you prefer just an extractor. Trigger do have some minimal adjustment, but are usually pretty good and in that 2-3 pound hunting weight. If you want a true match trigger, though, it will take some mods.

Accuracy with Ruger single shots is really a lottery, so be warned. Ruger used barrels from a variety of sources over the years, so there is simply no way to predict based on configuration or chambering. You just won't know till you take one out and shoot. The 1B I had in 223 I had was a total bust, but the 1B I had in 243 was superb as in easy sub-MOA with anything I fed it. The rest were hunting grade accurate, as in inch and a half to two inches at 100 yards. My current No. 3 would be in this class.

Bill Ruger, for reasons we will never know, loved that angled forearm bolt for the action on all his centerfire guns. Guess he thought it would replace a hanger bar for the forearm on the single shots, but it doesn't. The bottom line is that you really have to play with torque on that bolt to get the best accuracy.

Learn your configurations. The 1A and 1S are definitely field carry guns. The 1B is the most common, but the 1B is heavy and big. The 1V even heavier. Great bench guns, but not so much for carry.

The good/bad news is the price. Used No.1s are appreciating in price and the sought after configurations and chambering can get very expensive, some now listing for over 2K. If you can find any No. 1 for under 1K, you better grab it, fast. No.3s were the budget/economy versions, but were produced in far fewer numbers over a shorter span of years in just a handful of chamberings, so they are much scarcer. Don't count on finding many of these.

My experience with other single shots like my Winchester/Miroku 1885s is that these have been MUCH more consistent in accuracy. You'll still spend about as much, but 1885s have a true hanger bar and forearm torque is a non-issue. Miroku QC, as always, is superb.

My break open single shot TCs have also been more consistent in accuracy and with a TC, if you get a dog, you just replace the barrel. No big deal. Since TC is no longer, now, prices are also climbing up for barrels and actions, sometimes to the point of being silly. Be sure to check going custom on a barrel because some sellers are asking custom prices for standard TC barrels.

No experience with the Henry, BUT the fact that it is still in production and is reasonably priced is a huge plus. Mike Bellm, a noted TC gunsmith, likes the Henry and recommends them.

[Redthies]

Thanks ‘Gal. That is a lot of good insight! I’d be using it for hunting, so 1-2” at 100 is not too bad. I found a .300 WM in a B (I think. Ad doesn’t say) for a great price, at $1,000 USD. That’s tempting for sure, but I don’t think I would like shooting the .300 very often. As I said in my first post, .270 would be my first choice. There is a .280 Rem chambered one for sale locally, but that’s not a caliber I’d want to own.

https://www.gunpost.ca/firearms/rifles/ ... 00-win-mag

[Redthies]

Redthies -

If you get a chance, hold and inspect a Henry single-shot rifle. You might change your mind.

I respect your enthusiasm for the Henry, but I just think they are ugly (much like the Homesteader) As you said, beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder! This would be a “want, not need” purchase, so it absolutely has to appeal to me aesthetically.

[North Country Gal]

Glad to help. One thing I should have added on the Rugers is that hey are very addictive, once you get one you like. That's one of the reasons they are so pricey, now. Lots of completion if you are buyer. For years I've lusted after a No. 1 International with the full stock. They are amazingly sweet balanced single shots, but a bit less common than other versions, plus you'll have a lot of company if you want to buy one.

Here's a breakdown on the No. 1 versions I found on the net. Note, the Alexander Henry forearm has a groove on the front. It's a copy of an English falling block single shot forearm. No one knows for sure what the groove is for, but speculation is that these English guns were secured in racks by tying them to the racks with leather straps, thus the groove.

"The four original models are the No. 1-A Light Sporter (22 inch barrel, Alexander Henry forearm), the 1-S Medium Sporter (26 inch barrel, Alexander Henry forearm), the 1-B Standard Rifle (26 inch barrel, semi-beavertail forearm), and the 1-V Varminter (24 inch heavy barrel, semi-beavertail forearm). Subsequent models include the 1-H Tropical Rifle (24 inch heavy barrel, Alexander Henry forearm, African calibers), and the 1-RSI International (20 inch barrel, Mannlicher-style forearm). "

[5shot]

I've had a number of Ruger #1's over the years but currently don't own any. The last to go was a beautiful #1B in .30/06. It was an early model from when Ruger was outsourcing their barrels and it was very accurate. It became mostly a safe queen and someone else wanted it more than I did. I also had a little #1AB in 7X57 with the finest piece of wood I've ever seen on a production rifle but accuracy was horrible. I had a heated discussion with Ruger customer service but foolishly told him I was a handloader. The fact that my M77 in 7X57 would shoot MOA with my handloads didn't sway him so it got sold.

I had an Interarms Mark X "Alaskan" in .375 H&H that was truly a 1" gun at 100 yards if you flinched just right. I ended up selling it and a few years later we stopped at the Cabelas in Mitchell S.D. while returning from a prairie dog trip and there sat a Ruger #1 in .375 H&H. I still had reloading dies and components for the caliber so I bought it. When I tried it out at the range it was difficult to chamber ammo and Remington brass wouldn't chamber at all. There was a couple boxes of Reminton factory ammo included with the purchase of the first .375.....they wouldn't chamber in the #1 either. Sizing the cases more wouldn't solve the problem so I measured the width of the belt on my Remington brass and it was a couple thousandths wider. Bingo...the chamber isn't cut to specs. A phone call to Ruger Cust. Svc resulted in this response...."We test our rifles with Federal ammunition". There were other words said which do not bear repeating.

There was also a Ruger #1V in .22/250 which shot very well for the first few shots but the POI walked right up the paper as the barrel warmed up. Not a good rifle to take on an active prairie dog town. For a few years I had a #1 in .45/70 that shot sort of OK with 300 gr. bullets but did it's best with 400 gr. bullets at warmer velocities. It's gone too.

To sum it up.....
1. Despite these decades old encounters the contacts I've had with Ruger customer service in recent years have been positive.
2. If you look at scoped #1's you'll notice they all have the scope mounted as far to rear as possible...and that's usually still not far enough. So you need a scope with long eye relief or extended mounts.
3. As North Country Gal pointed out, the bedding system on the #1 is very susceptible to barrel heat or any variation of hold or pressure on the forearm.
4. To my eye, the Ruger #1 is probably the most beautiful factory rifle ever.