Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Opinion question on the Ruger No. 1

What prompts you to get a Ruger No. 1, or what would prompt you to get one?

I’m not talking about the mystique of a single shot rifle in general, let’s assume that you like single shots in the first place. What I'm asking is, given the price of new No. 1’s what would prompt you to get a specific example? Or conversely, what stops you from getting a No. 1 in general or specifically?

For me, the configuration is important. I like the open sighted 1A and 1S with AH forend and barrel band swivel, they just look right to me, and I particularly like this new 24” 1A in .250 Savage since the 1S models are a bit barrel heavy and the 22” 1A models just seem a teensy bit off balance visually. Remember this is all just personal opinion, not trying to diss what someone else might really like.

Now the prices are pretty high these days and keep ratcheting up, but even those wouldn’t stop me. What stops me is the crap shoot on the wood - that's the deal breaker. At best you’re likely to get “okay” wood, one in a whole bunch might be really nice but even at these prices you’re just as likely to get a “baby crap brown” stock with zero personality.

Which leads me to a bit of a rant – volume dealers on gunbroker or any on line dealer who won’t show you the individual rifle, just the generic picture from Lipsey’s that in my cynical mind is likely the hand-picked finest stock in the entire run. Seriously, I’d have one of those 1A .250 Savages on the way or in my possession right now but I will not gamble $1350-$1400 on a wood lottery which such high odds of mediocrity.


So that said, I’ll repeat the original question – what is it that would prompt you to get or not get a Ruger No. 1 these days - chambering, configuration, wood, other...? Btw, to those who would stand superior to all and say with nose pointed skyward that they wouldn’t soil their hands on one, please take your empty virtue signaling up to the Hunter’s Campfire where it belongs. I’m only addressing this post to others who appreciate the No. 1.

Its the beauty and lines. I love the grey/pepper stainless and the blue/walnut. I personally like tinkering to make them tack drivers to makes them like my own kid. But the wood of today is not very desirable.
Its been years since I've seen one with nice wood. Mine are all bought used and older than 20yrs, except my 30-06 stainless/pepper/grey.

Aside from the obvious stuff you pointed out, I think that Ruger has offered cartridge choices and configurations that appeal both to users and, of course, collectors. Case in point is my last one, a fast-twist .243 able to handle almost all of the new long, pointy bullets available now. Other recent ones are tailor-made for hunters in the states that have recently changed their laws to allow certain cartridges in areas formerly limited to shotguns and MLs.

My .243 went down the road, a victim of my changing circumstances regarding places to hunt. Don't know if any others will come home with me, but I've learned to never say never about this stuff. I really prefer the Winchester/Browning rifles, so at the current price point, I'm much more likely to spend that kind of money on a fine example of the discontinued models with nice wood (and frankly, usually better workmanship). There are still used Rugers and a very few new ones at bargain prices, but I haven't seen any I want lately.

I’m with you, Jim, on the A and S configurations looking right in my eyes. I also like the M-94 feel that the forend has in my hands. And though the As are a bit light-forward, they are still fine-handling rifles. I also like the way the bigger S versions feel; their overall balance s probably better than the A versions but they are heftier as well. As “best-handling” No. 1s go however, I’d have to go with the 22” S versions. The 45-70 is my favorite followed closely by the 9.3x74R, the later bring just a bit heavier feeling. The As would follow closely in 3rd place. (I’ll bet an A in Hornet or Bee would be close to ideal also with a bit more weight in the barrel. )

As for wood, that has never been a big priority (perhaps because a really ‘killer’ piece of wood along with the M9422M wearing was stolen, probably for a boat gun, and wood has seemed less to me since.) I simply like the look of my rifles in the context of hair or fur. But I would certainly not crapshoot a rifle if wood was highly important to me.

I enjoy them. I like to shoot them. I enjoy hunting with them. There is nothing simple about them other than their reliable function in any conditions you throw at them.

I like the looks of the 1S and 1A particularly with the longer than usual barrels, like 24" on a 1A, 26" on a 1S. I like the RSI but it almost seems like there is a lot more gun behind the action than in front of it.

I like classic calibers. like 6.5x55, 7x57/.275, .450/400, 9.3x74R. but not .45-70, that belongs in a sharps or 1886. .30-30 belongs in a M94, etc.

if they come out with a 1S in 8x57, I'll pull my wallet out so fast I rip my pants....

I'm not as picky about wood.

I'm attracted to No1 becuz their pretty much the only game in town... those H&R or Henry are just too ugly, the Sharps are for BPCR, the K95 and other euro single shots are too expensive. If CZ/BRNO would bring back the EFFECT in euro calibers, such as those mentioned above, but priced like a No1, I'd have to get another safe....

Poole

Wood isn’t bad on my 45-70, just a bit hard to see in near twilight at 10 am on a deep sub-zero New Year’s Day!



9.3 is as plain as can be wood-wise, but nice wood is icing on rifles that are works of art in design and function.

+1

Given the current price, nothing could prompt me to buy one....

Ingwe, I agree completely. I have owned two #1s. My son still owns the second. At todays prices I cannot justify buying another. I love the lines and handling characteristics and consider them to be the most beautiful of all the single shots, but I will not buy another unless it is used and priced well below current market value.

I think the chambering and configuration is what interests me. I have owned several over the years and always thought the 30-30 would be perfect in the 1A. I missed the first run of 30-30's but hoping to snag one of the current ones if they ever come out.

Exactly...the last one I bought ( first one in 25 years...) was a used one from Whittakers...couldn't tell it was used and it was $400 under the then MSRP....which was considerably less than the NOW MSRP....

An old metalsmith friend of mine said everyone should a Ruger No. 1 in their gun safe. He admired the workmanship, which is interesting as reworking Mausers was his specialty. The one he had was a .218 Bee.

My current No.1 is a red pad .220 Swift that has some excellent lumber on it and it does shoot.

Mostly, I’ve bought them used. Certainly, I wouldn’t pay full fare unless I was holding the rifle in my hands and it had everything I wanted in the rifle. Buying unseen and hoping for fine wood, these days anyway, seems rather much like the odds in Vegas. Why?

I have two No1's, a 416 Rigby that I bought new 21 years ago, and a 500 Nitro Express that I had done up as a rebarrel job 16 years ago.

For me, it's two things:
1. The aesthetics of the classic British single shot at a price a regular guy can afford.
2. The chamberings in famous African cartridges.

My taste in guns is quite conservative. Stainless is about as wild as I get. No offense to those who like the laminate or composite stocks, but I think they're just plain ugly, especially the Ruger grey. If it's your thing, and it makes you happy, go for it. It just isn't me. I like nice wood.

To my eye, few things are as sexy as a Farquarson, Frasier or Alexander Henry single shot. The graceful simplicity of them is something I've always admired. They just exude style and elegance. I'll never afford one of those, but Bill Ruger gave us all the gift of that look and handling with the No1 rifle. I've always been enamored with Africa, the rifles and cartridges. The No1 combines the style of the British sporter in classics like 416 Rigby, 450/400, and 300 H&H that working class shooters can acquire. Most of the new rifles have Home Depot 2x4 looking wood, it's a shame. I would never buy one without seeing the actual rifle in question. Older guns typically have much better wood, but some of the new ones I've seen are quite nice. Crap shoot.

It's sad that the market is now dominated by black rifles, I guess newer shooters just don't appreciate fine guns like they used to. Life goes on.

It's sad that the market is now dominated by black rifles, I guess newer shooters just don't appreciate fine guns like they used to. Life goes on.

On the other hand, it means that some nice stuff like commercial Mausers can be had at pretty good prices. Singles seem to stay about the same, but a careful shopper can get lucky sometimes.

My Dad got interested in them in the 1970's, as did I - the idea of lovely rifle with AAA wood at a reasonable price was very appealing. I now have most of his #1's, and have bought a few others over the years.

With good barrels, they usually shoot as well or better than anything else out there. You have great flexibility in loading - you can load any bullet and load you want, without worrying about feeding, mag length, or cycling a semi-auto.
They are very compact and handy, even with a 26" barrel. The action is extremely strong, so in certain chamberings - like say the 7.62x39, the .38-55, or the .45-70, you can somewhat increase the loads above SAAMI specs.

The end result is they allow the potential to give the best first shot at an animal.

The chambering is what got me. I have wanted one of these for a while and finally brought one home today:

Very Nice!

I bought my first No. 1 in 1975 - a 45-70.

I committed to buy my most recent today - a 30-40 Krag.

I have had 2 45-70, 2 .375H&H, a .458 Win, .416 Rigby, 450-400 3", 300 H&H and now the 30-40.

As stated above, I buy them for the chamberings coupled with the nostalgic lines that generally look just right to me (especially in the 1A and 1H). I also like the way they handle. I guess 43 years of familiarity makes them like an old friend.

The second 375, the 458, the 416 and the 30-40 all have killer wood. The 300 H&H and 450-400 are both Boddington's with above average wood for the breed, but not as nice as the best standard rifles.

And I have never had a No 1 that wouldn't shoot well with a little load development....and none of them shot poorly with anything I put in them.

Yes, I wish the lock time was faster and the triggers crisper. But no rifle is perfect at this price point.

I need a 30-06 1s and a 416 rigby and ill be done. Have a 243 B, 45/70 S and 375 H&H H now. I love how they feel and all mine shoot better than i can.