I have a Ruger #1B that came with the 26" barrel. I love that rifle and it is a real shooter. With IMR4350 (57.4 grs) and 165 gr. Partitions or Accubonds, I am getting 2940 fps at the muzzle.
There are some newer powders out there that would probably push that to 3000 fps, but with it shooting 1/2" groups at 100 yards I'm not messing with it! I used this same load in a 22" Remington 700 but didn't have a chronograph back then so I don't know what the difference between these two rifles was as far as fps goes.
I don't think a 26" tube would be overboard, and as stated if you decided it's too long, it's a simple fix to have a gunsmith cut it down. Go for it!
Never owned one, but I've always thought a no. 1B would be cool to have in the collection. Too bad Ruger discontinued them. Still don't understand that one.
