Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger #1 Re-Barrel ??

Need suggestions on where (who ) to have a new Light sporter
re-barreled (caliber change ) done.
Does Ruger offer cuson shop services ?

Thanks, Rabbitdog

Any decent smith can do as long as you stick to the same headsize to avoid extractor issues. Given the huge variety of #1 calibers from 22 Hornet to 470 Nitro, I can't imagine what you would want.
A AH #1 in 257 or 7x57 is a pinweight already and, unlike a rebarreled rifle, will increase in value.

7x57 on top, 375 H&H on bottom.

I'm sure you mean a No. 1-A in 7x57 or 257 Bob, as there has only ever been one AH, the Lipseys 25-06...

Bigskyguy,

I have a factory 1AH in 7x57. IIRC, there may be a couple of others out there too.

intertthem,

You can change extractors for a song, so any caliber is possible in a rebarrel job. Many of my rebarreled and rebored #1 Bs bgean life as 22.250s ,.243s, or something else. One was A 218 1S, now a .35 Whelen 1S. My .300 H&H was a .30-06 1B. my .338 Federal was a .22 250 1B. Etc....

1B

I am a 358 Winchester nut. I have 6 rifles in 358 Win NOW. I've always wanted a Ruger No.1, light sproter in 358 win. I have a NIB Number 1, Light Sporter, in 35 Whelen. Although the Whelen is a great caliber, I would rather have 358 Win.
Thats why I want to find someone who will put a 358 Win barrel on it that is the same length(22") and contour. And I would like to keep the quarter rib.
Head sizes are the same for both 35 Whelen and 358 Win. so there should be no problems there. It would be a simple matter of reaming out the existing chamber if we were starting out with a 358 and going to a Whelen...BUT we're not going that direction.
I know alot of you are thinking "Why Bother ? or that I am crazy"
but WTH, It's what I want and what I can afford !
Thanks in advance for your advice.

Rabbitdog

Give these folks a call.

http://www.mcgowenbarrel.com/

Swifty

Rabbitdog

You might go over to castboolits.com

Ben has a 358 win that is a beauty.

Rabbit,

Pac-Nor has the contours of the #1 in their database. If I were you, I'd send them the bbl'd action and tell them what you want. I'd not have them blue it (If the rifle is question is blued...) And I'd not have them install the front sight or barrel band. Any competent gunsmith can do that. Barrel bands are available from Brownell's. And likely the banded front sight is available as well.

My #1-AH in 8x57 started life as a .270 but was rebarreled with a 7x57 factory barrel rebored and rechambered to 8x57. Likely you know what twist you want, but at any rate be sure to specify. And if you want special throating, be sure to include 2 or 3 dummy cartridges.

I had a #3 in .22 Hornet rebored to .356 Win. and it works fine with either .356 Win ammo or .358 ammo. (As I'm sure you are aware, the extractors are spring loaded...) My only mistake was I errantly specified 1~16" twist... At this late date, I found I would have MUCH preferred 1~12" or at the very least; 1~14". Oh well... Live and learn, so they say...

GH

No I don't, I mean AH as in Alexander Henry from which the fore end design was "borrowed".

As the 358 Winchester is less powerful and less flexible than the 35 Whelen, you desire to change is a mystery. It's only reason to exist is to fit actions the Whelen will not (Savage 99s Win 88s etc).
On the assumption that your smith can remove it, undamaged, I'd pay 50 bucks for it to rebore to 411 Hawk to put on a 1B 25-06 I have.

Regan Nonneman did mine, only I wanted a 24" barrel. .358 Winchester



Nonneman Custom Rifles

When you said light sporter, I suspect you are referring to the No.1A series, 22" or 24" light tapered barrel.

The ejector in the No.1 is a 10 dollar part, and is unique to case head size. Sometimes a new loose ejector will need fitting for left/right movement on the action crossstud stackups, but never have seen one that the hook/face needed touching.

One could suggest reboring, but two concerns come to mind in general, one is the bore diameter versus the outside dimensions, such at the muzzle. The other is the depth of the screws for the the two forward positions on the quarter rib. Sometimes these are fairly deep. The reboring facility will counsel on these items I am sure. The idea behind reboring are many, but keeps the outside cosmetics and is somewhat more economical than rebarreling in general.

I am a rebarreler type, I change every No.1 to an aftermarket barrel from various big name suppliers. The current offerings I have been thru, so I like the world of wildcats for my chamberings. PacNor and Lilja come to mind for the No.1A or otherwise factory contours. Not everyone in the business offers custom contouring, but those that do have large data bases, if the contour is in the database already, usually free depending on their business model(pricing criterias) or if the contour desired is not in their database, usually a fee of 30-35 dollars last time I looked. The contouring is the biggest task for the gunsmith, as most do not much contouring anymore, lots of labor/time at the lathe.

If you have ever redone a Ruger No.1 with factory sights, it is a lot of work/time. The banded front sights and swivel bands come straight bored and have to be fitted to your barrel's taper for a hairline fit. The rib has four screws and two alignment studs, and all of this has to be at TDC. Just a little off of this alignment of the barrel hardware, it is very annoying. Usually the alignment of these parts is done off a surface or surfaces of the action, some of which do not agree with a test indicator all the time.

I would ask questions as to barrel blank vendor, quality, type of bluing, chamber dimensions etc. Barrel quality varies from very basic to the very finest tolerancing/smoothness, and the costs will vary as well. Surprisingly little difference between match and their finests in costs; somewhat dependent on you and persceived requirements.

The basic work is not beyond most gunsmiths capabilities that I know, but one has to keep their mind on their work and not accept a little off to make time.

I can understand the caliber selection, I have one in 17 Bumble Bee, so I do not worry about others comments on caliber/rifle types a lot...........

intertherm:

Of course, it's hard the read the inflection in the written word, but you come across as somewhat derogatory...

Alexander Henry (Scottish Gunsmith) died in 1894. Any patents he may have held on his fore-end design have long since expired. It would seem that it is fairly common practice for the firearms industry to "borrow" designs of expired patents. (Think John Browning's 1911)

Personally I much prefer the "Schnable" design forend, but I also prefer the AH (Alexander Henry) style Ruger foreend as opposed to the obese beavertail of the 1-B.

I do believe that Bill Ruger designed the AH fore-end on the #1 as a tribute to Alexander Henry. I would suppose because he admired him.

GH

"Borrowed" does not equal patent infringement, had I said "stolen" or pirated" that would be different.

"to use, appropriate, or introduce from another source or from a foreign source: to borrow an idea from the opposition; to borrow a word from French. "

"used" from a foreign source, (England).

I was only pointing out that among #1 aficionados, everyone know what a "AH" model is.

According to Hallowell & Co.: "Alex Henry Forend - A groove at the forend tip, typical of this fine Scottish maker, (for tying a rifle into a vehicle-mounted rack?). Adopted by the traditionalist Bill Ruger for his single shot Model No. 1."

Note "ADOPTED" not adapted or invented.

Interesting to note that the AH groove had a function whereas the schnable was/is only decorative. "Schnabel - Stock detail, typical of German and Austrian rifles, where the forend tip flares out to an enlarged knob".

Bill was not building a Euro replica but and English replica.

And, yes, Scotland was part of England. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_independence

Webster's definitions aside, those are two BEAUTIFUL #1s you've got Interthem! That 7x57 raised my pulse about 15bpm.

Ruger will only install a new barrel in the chambering that the gun originally left the factory with.

Thanks. Actually the 375 has gone away as I bought another one, a red pad RIGHT HERE with wood almost as nice as the 7x57. Its stock is in the process of a redo in the "English red" color to bring out the full figure.

Also bought this ex 30-06 B model that is now a 300 H&H AH model, again the wood was a major factor although it shoots well too, with a "mere" 6X leupie.

Just for a side note, no all Alex Henry rifles had the grooved forearm.

interthem,

Just curious. That rifle looks a lot like a #1S -- 26" long barrel, sling keeper on barrel. Did you rebarrel a 1AH in .300 H&H? If so, what is the cirumference measurement for the crown area of the barrel?

1B

Beautiful wood, I'm also a fan of Hollands Super 30.

Very nice.


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