Just added another No 1b to my collection. This one is 7mm mag from 1982. It has been hunted and shows. Price was right, so I am very pleased with the purchase.
Metal is actually nice, and the bore cleaned up nicely. The crown looks a bit rough and would need fixed. Wood is in desperate need of refinishing. The stock was cut 1" short so it would be nice to get it replaced. The barrel channel was opened up a tad too much to free float the barrel. I do happen to have a replacement No 1 stock w/red pad on hand and actually have it installed on the rifle at the moment but that too would need refinished.
I am going to shoot it this weekend to see what it can do. I am considering two routes, 1. refinishing the stocks myself, and having a local gunsmith recrown it, or 2. send it to Ruger and have them refurbish it. looking at their website, they list fitting new stocks $50 and rebarreling $105. Labor prices are not included. This may be an inexpensive way to get it back to new condition providing the labor costs are not prohibitive.
Anyone send a No 1 back to Ruger for new wood recently? Barrel work? Any idea on a rough estimate on the cost I would be looking at? I have called Ruger before (different firearm) and as nice as they are, I was never able to get any type of estimate from them unless I was to send in the firearm.
Any other ideas for this rifle? I don't currently reload 7mm mag, but would not mind adding it to the lineup that I do load for.
