Allure of the Ruger No1

[Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy]

Indeed. Luckily, @Huvius knew what he was doing! Picked this up from him when he had a brief onset of momentary insanity and decided to sell it.

 

[dchum]

My 450/400 NE and I connected on a South Texas nilgai this spring. 400g Swift A-frame hit him hard. Still loving my No.1! A joy to carry and hits with authority. I haven't found the recoil to be unpleasant even in the light gun.

View attachment 649651

Wow, incredible with the open sight.

Would love to hear about the hunt and what that 400gr a frame did to that nice bull

 

[Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy]

We'd seen this bull once before. He was huge but had funky horns. Guide wanted to pass but I was all in. He was noticeable larger in body than the others we'd seen. I wanted the biggest, baddest bull we could find. Didn't care about the horn measurements - just my preference.

We slipped up on him in a large pan using the tree line and wind to our advantage. Dropped sticks about a 100 yards away (about the limit of my comfort with open sights). He immediately sensed something was off. If you've ever had the pleasure of hunting them you'll know what I mean. They are incredibly wary and have a sixth sense tuned to the extreme. Don't think he ever saw us or winded us but that didn't stop him from leaning on that intuition.

Luckily, we were between him and his preferred exit. I took him while he was moving from left to right at about 90 yards. Right on the shoulder. He crumbled immediately and was anchored. The shot was a little high so I gave him a coup de grace in the boiler room when we walked up to end it more quickly. It wasn't needed but bullets are cheap and life is precious. In the hand I noticed all his scars from a life of fighting. One horn flipped back at an odd angle and both worn smooth from use. My best nilgai bull yet, very pleased.

 

[dchum]

We'd seen this bull once before. He was huge but had funky horns. Guide wanted to pass but I was all in. He was noticeable larger in body than the others we'd seen. I wanted the biggest, baddest bull we could find. Didn't care about the horn measurements - just my preference.

We slipped up on him in a large pan using the tree line and wind to our advantage. Dropped sticks about a 100 yards away (about the limit of my comfort with open sights). He immediately sensed something was off. If you've ever had the pleasure of hunting them you'll know what I mean. They are incredibly wary and have a sixth sense tuned to the extreme. Don't think he ever saw us or winded us but that didn't stop him from leaning on that intuition.

Luckily, we were between him and his preferred exit. I took him while he was moving from left to right at about 90 yards. Right on the shoulder. He crumbled immediately and was anchored. The shot was a little high so I gave him a coup de grace in the boiler room when we walked up to end it more quickly. It wasn't needed but bullets are cheap and life is precious. In the hand I noticed all his scars from a life of fighting. One horn flipped back at an odd angle and both worn smooth from use. My best nilgai bull yet, very pleased.

Thank you for that. A mature bull with iron sights is no easy task. Congratulations

Yes their sense is incredible. You will have the wind and great cover. They are walking away from you and randomly just turn around and look right at you… frustrating at time haha. They are awesome critters

I guided a wonky horn bull last week.
I never saw it until we walked up to him -but luckily the hunter was like you. The trophy is in the age and size of a monster bull.

 

[Huvius]

Indeed. Luckily, @Huvius knew what he was doing! Picked this up from him when he had a brief onset of momentary insanity and decided to sell it.

I have a Westley Richards model 97 in 450-400 but admit to looking at Rugers still.

 

[alby]

Abby, Who did the lettering and engraving

A gentleman in Australia did the work for me. He also did some border scroll engraving. Ill post some pictures. Next is a restock English style…

 

[alby]

@alby that is very nice work done on your No.1! What caliber? I noticed a 300 and 400 yard leaf. That's way beyond my "iron sights range."

.303. And yes those leaves are optimistic for my eyes too. The rifle loves the Woodleigh 174gn projies and is easy to shoot!

 

[Huvius]

I have a Westley Richards model 97 in 450-400 but admit to looking at Rugers still.

Here is one from 1976 in 45-70.
Has some really nice wood.

 

[alby]

A gentleman in Australia did the work for me. He also did some border scroll engraving. Ill post some pictures. Next is a restock English style…

 

[Arthur Morta]

An Interesting account of custom work to the No.1...

 

[Manwe]

I've only had one so I'm no expert, but the only broken heart it gave was when I sold it to fund a divorce. I do know bedding etc. can make a big difference in how they shoot and would not jump to bad barrel until you sorted things out bit. Mine was a #3 actually, .375 Winchester. I shot a 10 shot cast bullet group of 1" at 100 yards, and did not consider it a fluke. Jacketed shot even better. A steady diet of 325 grain bullets eventually caused, some stock issues, got those resolved about the time it had to go.
I look for another one but haven't found one in a caliber, or model, I like for the price I'd like to pay. Although I've got an eye one that's close. Caliber isn't my first choice, stock is the MPI synthetic replacement, and it's almost cheap enough to consider a new barrel. Point being I think if you were to apply your 50/50 rule your odds of finding one used that shoots is as good as a new one. People sell guns for a lot of reasons, I sold a good one . Don't rule out Pawn shops etc. I don't know the odds good ones vs bad ones, but suspect there are more good than bad. It depends what your accuracy standard is, but it's true the best ones won't run with the best bolt actions..

 

[ftrovato]

I think that most of us will agree. There is something special about hunting with a #1.

 

[Goopy]

New little brother joins the family!
.45/70, .450 Bushmaster and .375 H&H

 

[Huvius]

One thing I find interesting about the Ruger No.1 is the little changes or differences in details over time which I hadn't taken much notice of before.
For example, I like the fluted front sight ramp but my three No.1s have the flat sided style which I think is the style on the earlier rifles - when was that change made?
Also, there are at least three variations on the grip checkering.

I believe this is the early style:

This has a straighter rear line to a point:

The Boddington and some commemorative rifles (see ftrovato's above) have a zigzag or lightning bolt flair with the point cut short:

The Lyman Centennial rifles have the ligtning bolt but the checkering goes down to the grip cap with no point or angle.

 

[HWL]

I've only had one so I'm no expert, but the only broken heart it gave was when I sold it to fund a divorce.
Mine was a #3 actually, .375 Winchester.

My #3 in .375 Winchester.....

...not even for a divorce!

HWL

 

[ftrovato]

My #3 in .375 Winchester.....
View attachment 653840
...not even for a divorce!

HWL

Beautiful! I'd sleep in a refrigerator box before I sold that gun!

 

[Goopy]

One thing I find interesting about the Ruger No.1 is the little changes or differences in details over time which I hadn't taken much notice of before.
For example, I like the fluted front sight ramp but my three No.1s have the flat sided style which I think is the style on the earlier rifles - when was that change made?
Also, there are at least three variations on the grip checkering.

I believe this is the early style:
View attachment 653828

This has a straighter rear line to a point:
View attachment 653829


The Boddington and some commemorative rifles (see ftrovato's above) have a zigzag or lightning bolt flair with the point cut short:

View attachment 653830
The Lyman Centennial rifles have the ligtning bolt but the checkering goes down to the grip cap with no point or angle.

I love the subtle changes throughout the models and years also!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I love the lines just as they are, but I wouldn't mind exactly the same stock and fore end in duplicated exactly out of very high end wood. No cheek comb etc, just as it is.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I love the lines just as they are, but I wouldn't mind exactly the same stock and fore end in duplicated exactly out of very high end wood. No cheek comb etc, just as it is.

When I bought my plain 30-06 the shop also had this commemorative one with uprated wood in .308. They probably still have it. was tempted, but it had the shorter barrel, which is not as pleasing a form.

 

[VertigoBE]

Well, my Ruger N°1 in 270WIN is with the gunsmith, to "Anglicize" it a bit. When the results are in, I'll make sure to post a couple of pictures.

Bedding the barrel, shortening the fore-end, slimming down the buttstock, a better trigger potentially and then whatever he can come up with. This will make a very fine first rifle for my daughters when they grow up. (and in the mean time I'll be able to enjoy it too )