Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger no 1 9.3x74r or ruger no 1 45/70 help me decide

I agree with the early red pad ones having the best wood.

But, most rules are there to be broken...

I think that's a true statement, generally speaking, exceptions notwithstanding.

DF

I have to say I think it is the roll of the dice.

I have had many red pads with so-so wood.

I have had some black pads with exceptional wood. (Larry, I don't think you could throw a cat in them, but never tried.)

I could post a couple black pads with nice wood, & some red pads with less than inspiring, but both would be skewed by my own selection bias.

Mitch

Yeah, I wouldn't put much credence in Larry's cat throwing antics...

Exceptions can become the rule...

I would think Ruger could get a premium for select wood, have two grades of guns. I paid a bit more for my rifle because of the fancy wood. Would do it again.

DF

My 9.3x74r

That's really a fine one, better than most 9.3's I see

What I like about my .45-70 is the figure is very consistent on both sides. It's on the left in both photos...





Now, that circassian wood, on the Cabelas .30-40, would not be out of place on a Purdey or a Holland & Holland

Very nice, both.

I guess that makes the point for nice wood on a black pad gun...

DF

Well I eye balled the two Rugers over this afternoon. The 9.3 is definately the prettier gun. I'm thinking I might give the new NECG ghost ring sight a try with it I've got a couple m8 4x28s lying around too.

Post a pic when you get it home...

Mildly jealous. What figure there is in mine is all on one side--the other side is just pretty much straight grain:

We'll mudhen, you could say that gun was "half azz" fancy...

DF

Plateau Hunter,

Nice stick of wood on that 9.3X74R for sure. I had one with just okay figure on one part of one side.

BUT!!! Do you have a cat? Have you given it the cat test?

Dirt Farmer,

I believe the reason Ruger has never made "Grade I, Grade II" on the No.1's is it keeps guys like me looking for the beautiful wood as a bonus.

Tex,

You have some beauties!!! That .45-70 GOVT. Medium Sporter is just one of them. But I know for a fact that you are a beautiful wood seeking whore just like me!!!!

Getting my new safe wresteled into place this evening. The gal who lives in our basement, a nursing student, asked me if I was prepairing for the Zombie Apocolypse?

I told her the 18 Ruger no.1's she was looking at in the ammo room would not be the proper medicine.

Then I showed her what was in the spare bedroom.



OK, I'm a nut job.
(Not Zombie food!!!)

Mitch

Zs84,

If you reload, and you say that the 9.3X74R is a looker, and available for close to equal price, I would go for the 9.3X74R in a heartbeat!!!

As always. Don't make me post this reminder.

Conquering photobucket is on my bucket list. The 9.3 is boxed up off the shelf waiting for my return. Like others this one has figure on one side of the stock. Little Crow sports has a nice looking one on gunbroker but the local shop would like to see it gone.

No, I'm referring to the first couple of years of the .220 Swift in the 1V specifically.

I decided it was time to update the photo...



There are two guns not shown, a .375 H&H, and a Liberty .243, that are salt wood guns and are being remediated at the moment.

L to R - .30-40 Cabelas, .25-06 1V, 1S .45-70, 1H .458, 1S .475 Turnbull, Liberty .270 1B, Liberty 1B .30-06, Liberty 1B .300 mag, 1V .22-250

I was looking for a 1-S 300 H&H at the time, and finding none
when I saw Plateau Hunter's pictures on another forum...
Flung a craving on me, and the 9.3's were available, so ordered one. Got one deer with it, then later on found a 300, so the 9.3 hasn't gotten as much attention lately.

No sh*t. My 9.3 stock has all the color and figure of a telephone pole. Ironic that the #1 that I would most like to have knockout wood on has the suckiest wood of all my #1s....

You clearly have a serious problem.