I am seriously considering re-barreling an early red pad 45-70 to either 30-06 or possibly 280...just to get the longer barrel and have the nice wood.
You could probably just swap the forearm on a 1B in .30-06 and save some headache (unless you want sights). I've seen a few forearms on GB and Ebay...and if you keep your eyes open you can pick up a 1B for less than $800. I bought mine last year for $675 (shipping pushed it to $705) on GB.
I bought a very nice 1S (22") .45/70 last year, and even with light loads it was just a bit more fun than I wanted to have for extended shooting. I have to think the geometry of that short barrel plays a role in the felt recoil. Don't think I'd go over a 7x57 in a 1A myself and would prefer the 1S even there.
I was in the Cabela's store in DE yesterday. Surprised to see 13 No. 1's lined up on a rack. One used 280 Rem. in good shape for $900. The other 12 new guns were all $1,050. 7x57, 280, 30/06, 7mm/08, 375 H&H, 416 Rigby and a 450/400. The 1A's seemed nice but the 1S in 30/06 was too heavy for my tastes. It's a shame because I was interested in one of these rifles but previously I never had a chance to handle one. As soon as I picked it up I knew it wasn't for me.
This rifle had a heavier barrel contour than the 1A's. I like the extra barrel length (24 vs 22 inch) over the 1A, but the extra weight was a deal breaker for me. By the time you added rings, scope, sling you would be in the 9 to 10 lb range for a field ready rifle. The wood on all the guns was rather plain.
The #1-S I have in a 7mm Mag feels like a much more ‘deliberate’ rifle to me than the #1-As I have. The latter, especially unscoped, feel lively and handy, quick to point and easy to carry like the old M-94 Winchester lever guns.
Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
That's a good way to describe it. I fell in love with a 1A 7x57 in the store due to quick, light handling characteristics. But when I put a scope on it the character changed altogether. Those 8 ounce scope mounts (really Ruger? Half a pound for scope mounts?) plus scope didn't wreck the handling but sure changed it from the light handling rifle in the store, and not toward the better.
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery. Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
The Ruger offset rings, which many prefer on #1's, do weigh close to a half pound per pair. I'll look tonight to see if I have any that are not on a rifle, and weigh them.
The Ruger offset rings, which many prefer on #1's, do weigh close to a half pound per pair. I'll look tonight to see if I have any that are not on a rifle, and weigh them.
Offset rings are not supplied as standard equipment with No. 1s, but standard rings are. And standard rings do not weigh anywhere close to 8 ounces for a pair.
Ruger lists the official SHIPPING WEIGHT of offset rings as 0.250 lbs. (i.e., 4 ounces with packaging, junk literature, etc.), but I suspect the ACTUAL WEIGHT to be less than that.
Dang, you beat me to it. I just got the wife's food scale and my torx wrenches out...looks like you saved me some work!
Dang though...half a pound for a pair of low rings...makes me wonder what the Leupold weigh.
I also remember seeing someone that had a the rib on their #1 machined to take Talley rings. Can't remember if it was a factory rib or a custom job though. That would open up some possibilities. Not sure it is worth the hassle and cost though.
I did weigh my 1A and 1B though.
With a Leupold M8 4x scope and low rings, my 1A 6.5 Swede weighs 8lbs, 3.1ozs...no sling.
With a cheap 2.5-10x44 scope and medium rings, my 1B .30-06 weighs 9lbs, 2.4ozs...no sling.
Just in case anyone needed that info or anything...
For a pair. I've attached weighing photos of a 4KHM ring -- 1052 grains or 2.4 ounces -- and a 5KHM ring -- 1190 grains or 2.7 ounces. 5.1 ounces for the pair. A pair of standard rings doesn't weigh anywhere near 8 ounces.
