Hello.. I have a Ruger 3 in 223 cal. and would like to install a Ruger 1 stock... can anyone help me with the CORRECT Ruger 1 fore stock that would fit my carbine Ruger 3. What should I be looking for an A-1,B,S etc. Thanks Art

I don't curently have a #3 to compare however a 1A forend will be he closest fit.

Flyer

Thanks Flyer .. do all Ruger no.3 in 223 use the A channel forearm? thanks Art

You'll probably have to open up the barrel channel of an "A" fore-end.

No, you are going to be closer with a 1B forend.

I agree the B will be the closest

In my experience, the "B/S" fore-end tends to be a little too big for the #3 barrel profile. If that's not a problem, the B or S would be the quickest solution that doesn't require any relieving of wood.

Relieving 1A forend with a dowel and sandpaper won't take very long, go slow, check the fit often, and will give you a closer fit.
In my opinion a 1B forend is too bulky for a #3. Slimming one down would be far more work .

I have seen 2 #3 dressed up in #1 wood, no idea if they used 1A forends, however the wood to metal fit was very good.

flyer

I have a couple of "S" forends, a couple of "1a" forends, and a couple of #3s, I'll check it out tomorrow and let you know.

AJD

I checked on the 1S forearm. I had forgotten I had installed one, a 1S, on the #3 in 375win I had. The OTS fit is as good as it gets.

Good luck.

AJD

Good to know.
There is a rechambered #3 here for sale. Was .223, now .222 Rem mag, with No 1 wood, however seller is looking for $1600.00 .

To rich for me, even though New No 1 are now $1599.00.






Flyer

$1600 ? For a bubba'd chamber and a set of #1 wood? Yikes. And the stud in the Alex Henry forend is a sin aswell.

Well it's still for sale....... Not sure who rechambered it, so that's another unknown.

Flyer

The seller should have stuck with an English style buttstock.



...and another



Used the original forend and added an ebony tip. I think it worked ok.



DMc

Another example. I got the buttstock and forearm from DMc above (he's probably forgotten since it took me so long to get this done).
I shortened/reshaped the fore-end and added the tip

Who carved the butt stock?

I've got one I want to do.

Thanks,
AJD

That turned out great!!!! Thanks for sharing. What caliber?


DMc

If you take a rasp or belt sander to a #1 stock the pistol grip disappears quite easily, (without issue), but you'll need to re-checker.


DMc

Since no one has hijacked this thread yet, a couple more English stocks.






DMc

BTW Art,
Welcome to the "Fire".


DMc

Interesting, I was wondering about that as I wrote the question.

Thanks for the response.

AJD

Your a good man AJD and a great contributor here on the "Fire".


DMc

PS: Don't sand off the checkering if you intend to re-checker. I've talked to a couple of Checkerer's (SP) that say they can use the existing checkering to create a new look.

It's a 223 that someone had the front sight boss turned off and reblued.
I really like how it turned out. Thanks again DMc.

DMc, Thanks for the kind words.

A question to both of you:

After reconfiguring the stock, would you do it again or take the lever cut, weld, and blue?

Which do you think is "easier"?

I'm thinking I'll put a stainless barrel on mine and have it coated and could do the lever at the same time. Make sense?

Thanks,
AJD

Update: I'm being told by the GS of one of the major barrel manufacturers/rebarrelers that the lever on the #3 is cast and can't be welded. Said he doesn't think it will work.

I know I've previously seen photo's of them done that way.

AJD,

If you carefully take the pistol grip off of a #1 stock the lever will be just fine without further attention. I wouldn't weld at all, and additionally the chances of a mistake or finished bubba look increase 10 fold.


DMc

I agree. Leave the lever alone unless you're going to use an unaltered No. 1 stock.
And it's a lot easier to get back to factory original specs if you ever want to in the future.

Good advice, thanks Guys!

A while back I picked up a spare lever in anticipation of it becoming bubbiazed.

You never know how something like that will turn out, and then it's too late.

Don't forget to show us a pic!!!


DMc

Hi Folks..I been away for a few days..Just wanted to say thank you for all the info.
Art

These are all good and very feasible suggestions, and some good work by the posters. I have yet another possibility that you might possibly be interested in. I had a #3 in .45/70, and took the butt stock off, cut the butt for a black recoil pad, and sanded to fit the stock. This left a gap at the top where that silly plastic "carbine" type butt plate had curved over the top and been screwed in from the top. This gap was filled with some epoxy mixed with very fine walnut sawdust, and dyed black with black leather dye. I made sure it was built up above the level of the wood, and filed/sanded it back down. This was actually a pretty attractive measure with the stock, and gave it a bit of flair that it otherwise wouldn't have had. At least it caught my eye in a nice manner. I then sanded the grip are to a smaller and nicer feeling diameter and contour, and continued those contours back to the toe of the stock. I also moved the comb back about 1/2-3/4", which also made it feel better and made it a tad faster in handling.

Next I turned to the forend, and sawed it off where the diameter is cut down for the barrel band, and slimmmed it down considerably, until it looked like I thought it should. This of course eliminated the barrel band, too.

Then I simply cut off the barrel just behind the front sight, squared and recrowned it, and glass bedded the forend like I thought it ought to be done, both to the hanger and the receiver.

Voila! One righteous looking little carbine in a very nice caliber, and it also shot like a house afire - very close to MOA with JHP 300 grainers.

I let a friend talk me out of it, unfortunately, and it was stolen when he moved to Chicago. If you ever see one matching this description, get the numbers and run them through the local PD. There probably aren't many like that one around, though it's certain others have done similarly. One asset of keeping the straight grip, or straightening out the #1 wood, is the #3's lever. Some will likely not need to rebend it if #1 wood is installed, but it's very likely that those of us with larger fingers WILL need to have it rebent so they can get their big ol' piggies inside the curl, and NOT have it continually hurt their middle finger, just behind the curved #3 lever.

One more tidbit to consider: A buddy had his 1895 Browning single shot's lever modified by Lee Shaver, and it REALLY makes that rifle look significantly better, and is also a bit easier to use and not have recoil from heavy loads impinge on your middle finger behind the lever. This is an absolutely beautiful mod, and exquisitely done by Shaver, and it's not all that expensive, either, so you may want to consider having it cut and rewelded to a Schuetzen contour. Very nice touch that always brings comments wherever my buddy shows his gun off. Not one uncomplimentary comment has been heard since he did it. Just a FWIW, for your consideration.

Here is my #3 used-to-be 44 magnum reamed to 444 Marlin with #1 wood. As you can see it has a "B" fore end. I figured out how to shoot it well without converting the butt stock to straight stock configuration. The scope ring bases are target blocks. As you can see, the rings are equal height.




Dave