Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger 1B Non-prefix S/N Value

I have a non prefix Ruger 1B in 6mm Rem. It has very nice wood, S/N is 8XXX and it�s in close to mint condition with the factory rings but no box or p/w. Mfg date is approx. 1970 and I've been told there were about 460 of these made prior to prefix numbering. I�m wondering what the gun might be worth. I don�t see any comps out there.

Thanks, Bill

Not one of the rarer non-prefix rifles, but if it's in near mint condition, and if the wood has any sort of figure, it should bring at least $1200. If the rings are the early vertically split type, add at least $200+.

Of course, the only way to really find out is to put it up for sale and see what happens.

Bill,

460 Non-pre-fix guns? total? or 6MM 26" rifles?
(Best guess is about 7500 total non pre-fix serial number rifles produced.)

I've owned about 20 over the years, have 3 now.

Seems if it has nice figure, very good condition, nice pictures that actually show condition of rifle, (not indoors, thrown on a white sheet so rifle looks black.)

$1200 to $1400 would be my guess. If you rifle had sights, you would be looking at substantially more.

From my experience the most common designations are in order:

26" beavertail no sights, .22-250 cal., then all the rest (Today's "B")
22" beavertail no sights (Today's "AB")
22" Alexander-Henry forearm, no sights (Today's "AH")

So pricing starts around $1200 for the first ones listed, depending on caliber of course.

Price goes up as you go down the list.

IMHO

Mitch

To clarify, I meant there were approx. 460 1B non prefix guns produced in 6mm Rem (26" barrel). I've owned a few #1's as well. Mostly in non-cataloged calibers.

The 460 number came from this site -


http://www.classicsportingarms.com/ruger-collecting/ruger-no-1-rarity-tables/

This .222 brought $1300 a few years ago, for comparison:

Thanks guys. The wood on mine is a little better than tex's .222. Don't think it's ever been in the woods.

The 460 number for 6mm's in the BB configuration came from my Website; it was my article and I stressed several places that it was an estimate only, based on 6% of the production of 7500 non prefix rifles . It was estimated based on info from the Clayton Ruger No.1 Book, a few assumptions and my experience from what I owned and had seen and had heard of. I also noted that I felt it to be accurate to +/- 1%, meaning that the range would be 5%-7%, giving a range of 412-506. I still think it is about as good a guess as can be made. X1proto posts on here regularly and he has recorded over 2000 serial#'s for non prefixed Ruger No.1's. Based on reported Caliber/Configurations, he then projects an estimated production. Maybe Carl will tell us his current projection of production of 6mm's in the BB configuration. These are the 2 best guesses you will ever get, as the Ruger doesn't really know. My article was recently published in Jerry Lee's Standard Catalog of Ruger Firearms. This new book is a worthwhile addition to your Ruger book library. Note that it is a compilation of previously published info; much of it from old Gun Digests. Is nice to have all this old stuff in one place.

Thanks for posting the info on your website. It's a great reference for collectors!

Crappy day for photos here but took a few with flash that came out OK -

Hello Bill,
You have a gorgeous example of the early Ruger Nunber 1 Rifle.
First of all , I seriously doubt that your Rifle was assembled and/or shipped in 1970 .
Ruger did not have any forearms with the 3 panel checkering pattern past 1968.
I disagree with the rarity charts in Clayton's book to some degree.
If indeed there were 420 6mm Rifles shipped in various configurations , compare that number to the nearly 4,000 22-250 Rifles out of somewhat less than 9,000 total Rifles shipped in the non-prefix variety.
So how rare is the 6mm? , I say quite !
BTW, The second caliber in numbers shipped which was one of Bill Ruger's favorites,the 308 Winchester
Perhaps now that you've posted pics of your Rifle, viewers will want reconsider the estimated value of it!
I would be interestd in the second digit of the serial number for my own compiation of charts.
I have owned 80XX in 375 Tropical, 83XX in 308 Win, 84XX in 243 Win and 86XX in 30-06 .
Do not believe any receiver was ever stamped 90XX
It never ceases to amaze me ,how the #1 collecting fraternity tries to downplay the true value of these very scarce & collectible pieces of history.
Less than 9,000 shipped, manufactured and discontinued 47 years ago !
Hell a #1 in a common caliber, not 10 years old sold for $900 last week ; Give me a break !
Now if your Rifle had Target Scope Blocks ??

Thanks! I had the gun for a long time and used to be a little more on top of values so I figured I'd ask. The estimates seemed a little low to me but I put it on GB a couple weeks ago and it sold in 3 days at my buy it now number of $1550. There were 31 people watching at that point and I had a dozen or so questions on it. It went to a collector in Florida. S/N is 8222

Bill,
yesterday I didn't wan't to pi$$ off any potenial buyers on here with an appraisal and not knowing it had already sold, but I would've suggested Auction on GB, and bet it would go to $24-$25 hundred.
I blew up your photos and your rating of "nearly mint" was spot on.
The availability of non-prefix rifles is dwindling with nearly all going into the hands of serious collectors.
I'll bet there are at least a dozen who wish they should have jumped on it.
I'll also bet another one as nice , wood and all will never be offered again in 6mm .
Agreed the S26M-BT is the most common configuration, but to have one like yours, in that caliber & condition, surface, is a rarity in itself .
Rich

My guess of $1200 to $1400, higher end with the nicer wood I would say was not that far off.

It was what I would say is still a "B" configuration, 26" BBL, Beavertail forearm, no sights.

Took 3 days for a Buy-it-now at $1550, and it did have fantastic wood!!

To be $2400-$2500 it would have to have had some other configuration than a standard "B". Sights?, AH forearm? something? more rare caliber?

IMHO.

Mitch

I don't think #1's have appreciated as much as say, S&W revolvers, but non-prefix examples sell well, especially nice ones.

After I bought my .475 Turnbull, I learned there were less than 100 made, and considered storing it unfired. But the box had vanished, and I finally took it shooting - and discovered it's superbly accurate. Fifty years from now some collector will cuss me and wonder why it was fired

Don't worry 'bout that, You prob' won't hear him

Mitch, You are certainly qualified to render an opinion, and indeed you weren't very far off.
If I were still collecting # 1 Rugers, and saw that one come up, It wouldn't have lasted 3 minutes !
Not all #1 collectors saw that listing, and are kicking themselves for not checking often enough.
IMO, more 7 Mags were sold than 6 MM's .
They were an earbuster in S22L rifles, worst muzzle blast I have experienced !
I still say the non-prefix rifles are not given the status & value they deserve .