Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots .280 rem #1B

Been on the lookout for a B model in .25-06.
LGS got a varmint and I let it pass.
Figured a B for yote or mule deer better than a V.

Walked in today and there was a B on the rack.
Nice wood in buttstock, red pad.

Asked price.....its in .280 rem.
Got price and said OK.

Acted like I might rebarrel it.
Played it cool

4 digit w orig rings.
Knocked me kinda stupid for a while.

Now I gotta see about where to mule deer hunt in the n3xt couple yrs

Might try to find some Fed blue box and shoot it tomorrow.
Serial number says '67 (buddy looked it up).

Kinda wish I'd kept one of my '67 10/22s now. Dangit.

Possibly from the Douglas barrel era.

That's a beauty. They all seemed to have above average walnut back then and that buttock is better than the norm.

I couldnt pass that stock up. Its like that on other side too.
Worth a try.
Will give it a whirl w the old Lyman 6x on it.
Might pop a deer w it as is, just for kicks ( local this fall ).

Might go offset rings and modern scope eventually but keep the vert splits. Dont see them around much

Makes getting rid of my bland stocked RSI tolerable now.
Was a good shooter.
Hope this one tolerable

Got the old Lyman off, looks clean. Vert rings in good shape but one screw a bit boogered slot (upper short one).
The ancient oil was rancid smelling LOL (old gun itis).

Rings oiled and bagged.

Need some new torx ones and a scope by next weekend to start blastin'.

Dunno WTF to do with the old scope. Fine/reg crosshair. LOL put it on my AR and post that on another forum

Wow... That Bill Ruger sure had a good idea..

Never been a .280 fan but hope this makes me one LMAO.

Pains me to spend money, hell I don't shoot what I have enough.
But with spine issues, I figured a dream rifle, maybe a hunt out west.......was worthy.

Been under the weather this week, perked me up for a lil bit.

Put my old Bianchi Double Suede Cobra sling on it. Pops got me that around 77 or so.

I dunno how many .280's were built during the vert split ring yrs.

http://www.classicsportingarms.com/ruger-no-1-rarity-tables/

Looks like they made 75 of this type.
Hell I just thought it was an older rig w decent wood LOL
Pops had a 4 digit B in .3006 unfired he sold to a collector years ago.

Great snag , hard to find wood like that nowdays congrats 280’s a good one

A bud was all about 280 and 25-06 so because of him I had an open mind to the cartridge.
Was not joking in that I thought maybe if 280 sucked, ream to mag.
Knew it was an oldie and worth more than tag.
Might be more collectible than thought LOL

Bud hunts a diff county, see how many doe tags avail.
Like to sit on field edge and whop one out in the field.

Passed on a small 8 pt right under my tree on other side, yrs ago........had pops '66 minty .44 mag sporter.
Have not shot a deer off that farm yet.
Skipped it last few yrs, as I buck out close to home.

Not enough does at my spot though.

Classic rifle in a great caliber with fantastic wood, I think you hit the jackpot finding that. Keep us posted on how it shoots and it’s adventures in the upcoming season.

Im scope shopping online.
And need newer style rings.
Mo money LOL

Might shoot it next weekend.
Deer rifle......any factory load recommendations?

Was thinking something around 150 gr

If you're going to play the 280 game you'll want to handload.

Lucky mofo 😀

Ive been around the gun crap for a while, dad was a collector/dealer, so I'm not totally clueless.
However my luck is pretty crappy in all things.
This the 2nd score in about 40 yrs.
I was long overdue.

Kinda fugged myself finding a collectible one though.
The ol lady said w that kinda wood, she'd have shot me if I didn't buy it.
And she not a gun person really.

She watched me blast chucks w my old #1B .243 and 3 screw SBH when we were dating 30 yrs ago.
Was PISSED when I sold my RSI a couple yrs back..

As I am sure you know, those rings are worth a chunk of change. I have brass and dies that I would offer for a good deal. I am away from them for the next couple of months though.

Thanks but I already called a bud w .280 reloading stuff.
Think he was more stoked than me lol. If factory ammo works well he will be bummed.

Yes i figured the very split rings worth a bit.
Was guessing 200 or so LOL.....hadnt kept track
Shocked at todays prices.
Then shocked again that the .280 was rare ( 75 made in that config w no prefix )

More collectible than thought. Even without box or papers.

I know some of you all have way more pretty rifles and hunt em. Very cool, and I really enjoy the fencepost and other pics on the forum, but this is nicest chunk of wood Ive ever owned.

Likely the serial # is between 15XX and 19XX and most of the 1B's in 280 were made in September of 1967. The date stamp should be in the forearm channel. Notice the screw orientation if you take it off and put it back like it was Also, be careful with your screwdriver orientation and don't bugger the forearm. That is much better wood than most of them had!
Great find!

That one's a stunner.

Good for you!

Serial number is high 1800s

Very nice! I have a #1B in .280 Rem. here and the stock on it is nice, but nothing like that one. Congrats on a great find!

If you can send me the full SN bu PM I can get you a lot more detail on your Rifle.
Ruger1Society
Carl

PM sent

Once I learned what a "4-digit" serial number #1 was, my dream was to own one in .280 Remington. Congrats on your find! I learned about the configuration when I found a 1968 4-Digit chambered in 30/06. I wasn't in the market for a 30/06, but when I threw that rifle up to my shoulder it felt like it was custom-made for me. I struck a deal and it became mine! Part of me still yearns for a .280, but I soon figured out why the 30/06 is probably the most popular hunting round on the globe.

Not wanting to hijack the OP's thread but how do those of you that shoot single shot rifle regularly get that 2nd shot off as fast as possible? Do you have the 2nd round in your hand or what? Thanks Daniel

I make the first shot count and have never worried about a second. Even in my bolt guns I only put 1 spare in the magazine.

A single shot shooter on non dangerous game is not thinking about a second shot. Thinking about making the first shot good! and it usually is.
Think it has been over 40 years since I fired a second shot, It did not connect either!

I don't think I'm anything special by carrying a single-shot in the field. But to echo what others have said, my focus is not on my second shot - it's on my first shot. If I make it count, no worries. If I don't it's on-me, not my rifle. Like anything else though, you practice with your equipment. I found that when I work the lever of a #1 that I bring that rifle down by my waist, so keeping a couple extra shells in the coat pocket closest to my trigger hand is as quick as anything for me. And yes - I've had to reload a #1 (twice) while harvesting game. But (knock on wood), I have not lost a wounded animal while hunting with a #1.

Thanks for the answers about the 2nd shot but it is very difficult for me not to think about a 2nd shot when I have a sounder of hogs at 50-60 yds that may number as many as 50+. The LO wants EVERY ONE shot that can be shot and I want to oblige him. Daniel

i have hunted now for around 15 or 20 years with a Ruger #1 in my home state and out west ,gave my son a Ruger # 1 around 10 years ago . i had rebarreled 2 Ruger # 1`s to 257 Weatherby`s that`s all we used for deer and some other game, i never felt i needed more than 1 shot on any hunt, My Father always said : one and done ammo is not cheap , dad came from a time when most American`s had little money or anything else. when hunting son and i always have a gun ammo boot on back of stock with 6 loaded cartridges, that`s all we ever carry.my reason was bowhunting over many years with a attached quiver never held more than 6 arrows so i figured my rifle is more deadly than my bow why carry any more cartridges than 6 ? > your 280 Rem. in a Ruger #1 sure looks nice hope you enjoy that nice rifle ! Pete53

Most times a critter only needs one.
Doesnt matter IMHO if theres another one in the gun or not.

Sometimes things dont work out.
Bow or gun. Extra ammo is just smart.

I dont buy into the single shot elitist crap.
Never have.

This aint a flintlock. Its a modern rifle, and pretty easy/ fast to reload.

I grew up hunting w a Ruger #1. Theyre pretty
Theyre neat. They also happen to be single shots.

Big whoop dee doo.

Doesnt say diddly to me about marksmanship, woodsmanship or anything else......save a guy likes a pretty rifle.

You can either shoot, or you cant.
I can, so choice of gun is just for fun.

If I was doing pest control and was going to have many shot opps in a short period of time.....id run an AR.

Just a better tool for that job.

Wouldnt even consider a #1

Horses for courses, rifle version.

Dang. that looks nice. Leather scope covers too. My very first deer rifle was a 7mm Express.

Then a #1 .. or any other single shot .. is not the ideal choice of rifle. Its like fly rods or automobiles. Don't try to haul gravel in a Corvette, that's what dump trucks are for. Don't try to fish for kings or coho on a 0-weight, that's what 9-10 weights are for. And if you've got potentially 50-60 hogs to shoot, go with an AR. Pick the right hammer for the job.

Tom

I agree. It sounds like you need a semi-auto, lever or pump gun.

That, or 50 guys with singe shots.

Drink a few Mountain Dews and a #1 turns into a semi auto LOL

Well crap.

It was oiled up pretty good when I bought it. Suspected some tiny rust (or oil over run from stock maintenance) but the shop was poorly lit (so is my house).
Its worse than I thought, which kinda cranks up my OCD.

Prev owner bought it used, ran into him today. He never shot it, but the scope dings and wear/pitting say this gun was hunted with..

I dunno whether to hunt it myself or dump it to help fund a custom #1.

Pics 1 and 2 are tolerable to me

Here are the disturbing ones.
Thought them lesser when purchased (poor light and bad eyes).

Hunting gun, so doesn't matter, hell it's 50 yrs old and used.
But damn I wish it was cleaner LOL
But that proly why it was priced the way it was, as a well used B model.

Congratulations! Great looking gun! I wouldn’t have been able to walk away from that one either

Didn’t see the last pics before my previous post but those don’t look all that bad to me. If you do decide to send it down the road, please let me know

Im just spinning like a top.

Theres another #1, an old B that will eventually be coming my way, in .22-250 and I have zero use for that cartridge.

Idea is to have that one built into .35 rem. But even then, id rather go stainless.

All i do is work and sleep. More rifles just means more stuff not being used

Well I guess I have two choices..........send it to Ruger for a bit of cleanup/reblue and a new grip cap
(or other place for same)

or sell it as is.

Gonna sit on the fence for a little bit.

Gunshow this weekend, one dealer is up on this stuff. He hits my number and it's gone.
Now to figure a number LOL

He often has new ones. Burns my azz no stainless .35 rem ever made.

Am I just not seeing some horrific damage?

Its not horrific, but its got pits on the tang.
Could send back to Ruger for reblue and bet they could get 50% of that out.
Itd be tolerable then.

Grip caps can be changed and are cheap.
Like pretty rifles but am a hunter, not collector.
Stainless and plastic work better for me.

Thought I'd like a pretty #1 though..........but then the pitting on the tang just knocks the shine off (to me).
Reflective in price I paid, so not a bad deal..........since it was priced as a well used 1B.

But I wish it was a little better. Picky I know.

My middle kid can shoot decent, but isn't a hunter or shooter.
She said kill stuff with it LOL

My youngest said send it in for refinish.

Kids.

The receiver I would rub down with a chore boy with some FLITZ polish on it. The grip cap I would put masking tape over the wood and use 400 grit wet or dry sand paper on a sanding block to remove most of the roughness. On the pits after the polish I would put some Oxypho from Brownells on it.

It can be a crap shoot sending the rifle back to Ruger.

Looks pretty good to me, I'd hunt with it and not look back. Life is short, use it, wear it out and enjoy it. This is what life is about.

Yep. They may 1. Do what you want 2, Do the reblue but replace that nice wood with current 2x4, 3. Say they can't do anything and keep it, offering you one of their current rifles in exchange (or PARTIAL exchange). All of the above have happened before.

Being a No.1 loonie, I'd keep that rifle at home. The damage is not bad at all; I've got one or two that are worse. It's a rare gun in that caliber, so any changes to it will negate that instantly. Just my jaundiced view.

Yeah it aint that bad.
Could maybe send to reputable place for touch up.
Pulled it out of the safe, all oiled up.
Damn it is pretty.

Have not found an M8 8X AO to stick on it yet.
That happens and it will probably stay LOL

Very nice rifle.

I've owned a later 1A in 280 as well my go to rifle for years was a Ruger MKII stainless in 280.

Both shot very well with Hornady 139 gr ft over max loads of either IMR or H 4831.

F

Yup. Was thinkin 140s.
Got a fair amount of 4350 left but can always get other.

IMR will definitely work as well

Nice stick of wood!

I once had one of these factory chambered in "7mm Express". Not this pretty. Any idea how scarce that would have been?

Thanks. I dug it out of the safe and the marks are becoming more tolerable LOL
Because that wood is so nice.
Still hunting for a scope.
If it shoots, keep, if it disappoints, away she goes.
I don't need it..........but bought it just because of the wood (and I like #1s).

Saw on a FB forum a 1B w peep on quarter rib and a front sight added.
That was pretty frickin cool looking IMHO.
Might have to buy another one just to mess with that.

Well I wanted to run an offset ring at the back, the scope overhang when using reg rings kinda bothers me (looks).
Medium offset ring won't allow turret body on newer Leupold/Redfield scope to move back.
Bundled up I might not be able to run the scope at 9X LOL

Kinda dislike (understatement) the horizontal Ruger rings, since the tops go past center. Scratchin scopes aint my thing.

So I thought what the hell, use the vertical rings, they are machined to center.
The screws are pretty well boogered on em though (tops).

Can rob some from a reg Ruger scope ring.
Need longer for the bottom......only one boogered there.

Read someplace that Single Six frame screws are the right length/pitch.
Looks like the "Bottom" frame screw is what I need.
Ordered one.

Pops proly has them, but I can order stuff from across the country and get it before he could find it at his place LOL

Cleaned up the boogered screw enough to maybe go shootin this weekend.