Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger No. 1 potential

Ive had four #1's. Three of them Pre '79. One an '85

The best one was my first, a '78 B in .243. Itd cloverleaf w handloads. Purchased used, as a known good shooter.

My '74 B in .22-250 was a dud, original owner sent it back to Ruger and had it rebarreled. 2nd owner shot it a lot (my dad). Its well worn and puts Norma factory stuff (in old wooden looking cardboard box) into .75 at 100. Not great but not horrible. Prefer half incher for chucks. Have the handload data for it.....supposedly cloverleafs. Not gonna use Sierras so will start from scratch. Dunno how the throat looks.

RSI from '95 was a .243 and it made a ragged hole at 75 yards w a 4x scope. Initially I forgot where I rough zeroed it so set a target up months later and shot 4 times and wondered WTH was going on, no holes. Nope, they were all together in the center of my Sharpie marker dot.
Yeah, shot one deer, and sold it. Blast was annoying. Proly shoulda kept it. Wood was beyond boring. An RSI in .35 rem woulda been sweet.

Had a '67 Pre B in .280 rem. It did just over an inch at 100 w Federal Premium (think 140gr). Used, not perfect, but still too nice to risk bashing about in the woods. Heavy too. And recoil was like any other #1B in that type of deer cartridge ('06 class), not horrible but not pleasant either. For as much as they weigh, a #1 w a red pad kinda sucks. I won't run another #1 w a red pad unless varmint cartridge.

Buddy had a .25-06 #1B, it was a PITA to get it to shoot tolerable. He of some knowledge and had enough money to play the game.
Said #1's for him in big bore or varmint did OK, the middle stuff was 50/50. This all back in 90s or before.

He and I had no experience w black pad #1s.

Not been impressed w #3s in .22 Hornet or .223.

NOTE: my groups for #1s were 3 or 4 shots w a little time to cool.
Hell I don't think Ive ever shot a #1 for group w 5 shots.
My 700s I did. They are ugly in comparison, but shoot better and aren't as picky.

Like said upstream by another.........ya shoot a #1 because they are cool and if so, good enough for the application.
Dedicated varmint rig????..........Id be lookin at a #1 rebarrel and tune up by Penrod.

Might get a B thats great, might not. Hefty roll of the dice IMHO. Find one w good wood and see what it does. If it sucks, then have it redone.
You gotta really love a #1 to risk that much time, effort and money.
I fight myself off and on, having a B .243 built. Nostalgia and reality clash in my wallet.