I've always been fascinated by the possibilites in making standard Ruger #1 factory offerings into something I want that is not usually on offer by the company. I know many others here -- GH, for one -- have the same wild hair. It might be interesting to list our actual holdings of such rifles -- rather than start another wish list -- if only to asee how widely tastes vary. (I just caught a an epic typo " testes vary"!)

My own interests lie mainly in deer hunting so I have very few mouse or elephant killing calibers in my general collection -- except for way too many .22LRs. So my short list of custom #1s also covers a limited range of calibers. It includes:

-- a 7mm BR #3 ('Lunch pail' gun assembled by Ruger plant workers. Straight english style, schnabled, stock on a 1A-type profile w/o the AH forearm or irons.

-- a 6.5 x55 Built along the same lines as above.

-- a 6.8 SPC II carbine with a synthetic stock and camo wrapping.

-- a .300 H&H rechamberd and rebored 1B (made before Ruger's recent rediscovery of the caliber.)

-- a .338-06 rechambered/rebored 1B

-- a .338 Federal rechambered/rebored 1B

-- a .35 Whelen rechambered/rebored from a 218 Bee S-style with no irons.

-- a .41 mag V type (The big hole cuts weight dramatically.)

-- a 9.3x62 rechambered/rebored 1B with a spectacular (if I say so myself) tiger maple stock.

I am itching to start the next one but I'll need a new part time job before that happens.

Looking forward to your inputs,
1B

I'm in the process(ordered reamer and barrel) of converting a Ruger #3 in 375 Win to 25-35.

Just another wild hair, but I'm very much looking forward to hunting with it.

I plan to post the details here when I have time.

No sense being a loony if you don't do something like this.

Steve

I used a No. 1-A in .338-06 for about ten years. It was a good elk rifle and seemed much handier than a 1-B would have been. It did have a 23-inch barrel, courtesy of whoever had it made (I bought it off of a used gun rack in Cody, WY). I traded it when I got my 1-H in 9.3x74R. Just seemed a bit redundant.

Steve,

Like 1B, I am also curious what turns others crank. And, if I may comment on your desire for a .25/35... : I can't imagine why anyone would want such an anemic carthridge in a #1... But; to each his own... I have a friend in Ak that says: "that's what makes this hobby so interesting... It doesn't have to make sense... If it made sense, it wouldn't be any fun..."

I, myself, have a few "special" #1's:

A 1-B in 6.5x64 Brenneke (rebored from .22/250..

A 1-AB in 8x57 Mauser rebored from a 7x57 w/sights removed.

A 1-A in .338 Fed. (rebored from a 1-A in .243 Win.)

A Custom #1 in 9.3x74R 25" taperered octagon bbl w/Schnabel foreend...

A #3 in Schuetzen configuration... Dbl set triggers & Oct bbl in .32/40)

A #3 in .356 Win. w/#1 wood. (Rebored .22 Hornet)

A #3 custom in .338/06 Ack Imp. w/#1 wood. 24" Shilen bbl

A #1 custom in .45/70... Factory 22" barrel w/sights removed.

A #1-A in 6.5x54 MS W/23 5/8" Pac-Nor barrel 1~8" twist (Near completion.)

1-B's in .257 Robts and .218 Bee w/barrels cut to 23 5/8" (Just because)

There's likely more, if I could just remember...

GH

id get in line for 7 BR or 7 x 47Lapua my ownself.


ML

I have:

#3 30-284

#3 6.5x55

Hmmm...A 1B in .338 Lapua?

The thought has crossed my mind believe me.

I've thought about making a 340 Weatherby out of an extra 338 Win Mag...

I have Mudhen's old 338-06...AND a 9.3x74R. I don't see any redundancy there.
I have a full on custom in 222 Rem, with a Douglas XX Premium barrel configured as a 1AH.

I am going to take a 6.5 Swede and turn it into a 256 Newton, or maybe something a little different...see "a new cartridge for a new build".

I also have a couple other duplicates that might be candidates for either re-bores or re-barrels...maybe a 454 Casull to go along with my Freedom Arms Model 83...?

A 32 Win Special would be pretty cool, as would a 356 Win.

Lots of ideas, just limited "fun tickets"!

Todd

What this thread needs is more PICTURES



JK Cloward 222 Rem on a #3 action.

Just wanted to say, I'm enjoying seeing these!

I USED to have a Ruger #1 in 22 long rifle.
Yes, USED to, I sold it. Dummy.

There is a nice one with a beautiful custom stock on Gun Broker right now.

GH, He said the 25-35 is a #3, not a #1. I think its a grand idea. Personally, I would prefer the Imp to the 25-35, but as someone recently said, "To each his own."

The #1 I'm currently working on is way out of the ordinary compared to the "typical" #1.

260 Rem
25'' McGowan fluted barrel
Recessed tang safety
MPI fiberglass stock (to be hydrodipped with a skull pattern)
1/2'' limbsaver grind to fit recoil pad
Wolff hammer spring
Jard trigger
All metal (except barrel) will be sprayed with (tungsten color) Cerakote

BR,

Your point is well taken... I was using the term "#1" universally to refer to a Ruger sgl shot action. As you likely know, the actions are the same. Only the levers are different. On my Fed-Ex digital scales, the #3 action weighs 2.3 lbs. The #1 action weighs in at 2.35 lbs. Thus one could presume the #3 based rifle would be lighter...

To me, a .25/35 would seem much better housed in 1885 Lo-Wall... Or even a small Martini...

Some years ago, I passed on a 6.5x58R Sauer. A german built sgl shot stalking rifle. And at the time, I even had the dies for it. Ballistically the 6.5x58R Sauer is might near identical to the .35/35 performance wise. I considered it too light to hunt deer with... (My own personal opinion...OMMV) BTW, I own a Texas Contender Carbine in .25/35...

No. 3-AH, .358 Winchester


I'm kicking around the idea of a #3 "light-carbine", 20" in 35 Rem cuz I love sticking the most explosive 110 & 125 grn hollow-point .357 jacketed bullets I can find into rifle ammo fired at rifle velocities hopefully without vaporizing them in mid-flight. (Year-round plinking around a little 6-acre duck & bass pond can be especially entertaining) This setup takes some of the worry out of ricochet problems too. My affliction goes all the way back to my teen years.

DMc,

Nice! What barrel legnth is that? Loks to be @ 24" to me.

Was it a rebored or an after market barrel?

Who did the work?

1B

24" Douglas barrel, Regan Nonneman of Nonneman Custom Rifles out of MO. installed the barrel, rib, barrel band, and front sight. "Karnis" here on the "Fire" did the stock work and Tim @ Classic Checkering finished it. All I did was come up with the action, wood, parts, and $'s.
DMc

OOOOOH, I likey bunchey!!

I was able to visit my smiths place today and get a couple of picts/the work is in progress shouldn't be long now.

Could you post a link or Item #? I couldn't find it.
Thx,
DMc

Unbelievable, This set up has a Brockman peep with talley rings, custom bases and it has no interest? This one will be hunted hopefully for generations to come.

Is that some of George Peterson's wood?
here's my latest custom which Ii love more every time Ii shoot it!
Cat