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

I know nothing about the quirks of Ruger No.1's, but I know that I want one. Not sure on chambering, maybe 25-06 or 6.5x55.

What dies it take to make them accurate? Voodoo? Nothing at all?


Let's hear it no.1 experts.


Thanks in advance.

In my experience with 8 different #1's consisting of A, AB, B, S and V models, the issue of poor accuracy is often over exaggerated. I have been able to find loads that have shot MOA pretty easily. On a couple of occasions, I have lucked into load combinations that have done 0.75 or 0.5 MOA.

Some era's are better than others...red pad era vs black pad era used to be a common delineation mark but some of the new runs also use red pads.

On some of my newer guns, I have found that bedding the front of the fore stock helped with consistency. Most of them have shot fine "as is" from the factory though.

Generally, the triggers are heavier than I like and it is easier to get triggers worked on or replaced with bolt guns than these rifles, but there are options out there.

Do you know what version of the rifle you have in mind? Alex Henry style (A), Standard (B), International (RSI), Varmint (V)...I ask because the two chamberings you mention are common to just a couple of configurations.

The .25-06 is most commonly seen in the standard and varmint configurations...but there are also some AB (light sporter barrel, standard fore stock, no sights) and AH (light sporter barrel, Alex Henry fore stock, no sights) around. The AB and AH are much less common though.

The 6.5x55 had a few runs in the A and RSI configurations. I believe Lipsey's ran both of these several years apart. Not a lot of either made if I remember correctly, but you can still catch them on Gunbroker or elsewhere pretty regularly.

There may be one or two configurations that I am not remembering that hopefully El Numero Uno or one of the other more well versed members can chime in on.

Thanks for the info. I'm honestly not tied to a specific model, but I do like the model with iron sights. A 303 brit might be cool too.

I’ve had a bunch of them, find the #1S with 26” barrel feels the best to me. I might feel warmer toward the #1A if the barrel was 24+”. I’ve had several, tried to like them, but all were butt heavy.

They are great actions, even to the point of the safety. It doesn’t just lock the trigger, a little bar actually prevents the hammer from falling with the safety on.

Bill Ruger’s crowning achievement.

you will really like hunting and shooting a #1 good luck with your choice ,Ruger #1 `s are just a super neat rifle.

My last one was one of the currently-available fast-twist .243 Varmint models. It shot okay, but not great. I bought it for stand-hunting and varmints on a nearby farm, but I lost access so let it go for something about 3 pounds lighter, and more accurate.

They are kinda compelling, but I'm learning restraint. At some point, I may pick up another, but I really prefer 1885s, and have two Low Walls to help keep my SS lust under control. The stainless .30/30s are the ones that present the greatest threat to my self-control; just about perfect for an old fat man.

I’ve had four of them. Two were 22ppc heavy barrel, one a 223 heavy barrel, and one 22 hornet sporter. After various so called enhancements to the forend hanger system, a couple of expensive trigger replacements, and other things, I gave up on them. Never got a thing close to a consistent 1” group.
Neat guns, but not accurate guns.
I know what you are thinking, but I have many a Rem 700s, Sakos, and Anschutz rifles that shoot half inch to 1” groups. If they don’t, they’re sold.

Bunch of bull. A No.1 is easily accurate enough for hunting use or recreational use. They are fantastic rifles and the myth that they're terribly inaccurate is in itself an inaccurate claim. For those who think they have to have incredible accuracy afield to take game or hunt thats just not true. In many field conditions and positions theres times when its impossible to extract that kind of accuracy.

The truth is nobody can shoot sub MOA accuracy with a rifle without some form of support so the claims for certain rifles are just bogus. The reality is people shoot at shooting ranges with seats and benches and maybe prone. Few bring rifles afield and practice in field conditions and in the terrain they hunt in. Most of this is because folks don't have access to areas to do so and because of this the measure of a sport hunting rifle is measured in how accurate it'll throw 3 shots downrange, which really is a shame and tells us nothing.

> let`s just keep it a secret Ruger #1 `s shoot well and are a great rifle maybe we can buy these # 1`s from them cheaper then ? GRIN

1) Free float the fore end from the barrel and bed it to the fore end hanger.

2) Buy a Jard trigger and install. (Trust me on this one.)

3) If you cannot buy a speed hammer, get a gunsmith or buy some cobalt drill bits and make your own speed hammer, It's not the speed of the hammer that helps most, its that the heavy stock hammers sudden stop shakes the whole rifle at the wrong time (ignition).

After the first mod, my Swede was a consistent 1.5" er. After the other 2 mods, it consistently shoots under M.O.A. The pic was taken before the Jard trigger was installed.

My 42 year #1 shoots just fine. Like any rifle it shoots better with something it likes. This target was shot with Hunter powder when trying it because I needed IMR4350. Have not even got to max load yet because of Covid and now the fires here. Admittedly every rifle is different but I have never seen a #1 that couldn’t be worked with to get at least hunting accuracy.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you. I collect Ruger #1s and have quite a few that are good shooters. However, I have several that over a period of years have yet to find something that comes close to reasonable hunting accuracy. One is a 25-05 and two are 30-06, all in the "B" configuration. Another, an "A" in 7x57 was so bad that I have my gunsmith check it out. A chamber cast showed a throat in excess of two inches. That one went back to Ruger and came back with a new barrel.Some of the most accurate seem to be the ones with the smaller bores used in the "B" models, .22Hornet, 6MM REM. one 25-05, there's a story on that one and four .300 Win. Mags, a "B" and three "S" models Two do from .375" to .50" from the bench. FWIW, currently I have Ruger #1s running from .22 Hornet to .416 Rigby. I like the rifles and I like to hunt with them. I consider 1.50" or less to be good hunting accuracy.
Paul B.

Agree. He's making excuses to try to turn unacceptable into acceptable.

I'm not like some of ya'll here who have had a lot of #1s. I've had 5-6 maybe. Only 1 was a good shooter, good enough I didn't have to make excuses for it, and it didn't come that way out of the box, it required some gunsmith work. In the end, though, it was sweet ... a stainless / laminate #1H in .375 H&H that'd put 3 accubonds into 3/4ths of an inch reliably. The others were mostly 2.5 to 4 MOA rifles with one that was about a 12 MOA rifle .. which sucks for a heavy varmint config. Most of mine were in relatively high velocity cartridges. .220 Swift, .25-'06. Stop 'n' think .. what the hell good is a high velocity cartridge if it only gives you 2.5 MOA? Can't hit a squirrel beyond 75 yards, so what good is 4000 fps? Can't make a clean kill on a deer past 200, so what good is a 120 grain bullet over 3000 fps? If the rifle won't shoot better than that, there's no point in anything faster than a .22 Hornet or .30-30.

Tom

Haven’t seen anyone say the #1 isn’t accurate enough for recreation shooting. Basically any gun will work for that. Is it accurate enough for hunting, depends what you’re hunting and the length of the shot. If you like them, more power to you. I’ll pass.

I have a handful of No. 1s and all shoot well enough and a couple are exceptional. Several will group 2 together and string 1 vertically with 100 yard groups in the 1" to 1.5" range. Those probably need some forend bedding work as mentioned above. The 2 that really stand out are a 1H in 375 H&H and a 1S in 30-06, both with 24" barrels and haven't been touched out of the box. Here is a sample of the 375 H&H and the 30-06 is very similar. I have numerous 100 yard targets for both rifles that are very similar to this.

I've probably had 10 over the years, and currently have two.

Maybe I've just been really lucky, but all of mine would shoot. I never messed with the forend, never handloaded. Just bought Hornady or Federal Premium ammo and went shooting. I can't even remember having to try multiple types of ammo or bullet weights. More often than not I shoot Hornady ammo in most of my guns, and it has generally produced 1" groups in any of the No. 1s I've owned.

I will add that most (maybe all) of the No. 1s I've had were either very early guns (first few years of production), or recent guns (last 10 years production). I think a lot of the No. 1's reputation for questionable accuracy came from the guns produced from the mid-70s to the mid-80s. But before or after that you are likely to get a gun with a decent barrel that will shoot well.

SR

I have a #1V in .223 REM. It shoots 1/2” three shot groups easily. The only thing I had done was some trigger work.

I don’t reload and when I first had it I couldn’t find a load that would shoot even MOA. Then I went to a gun show and a guy was selling his own proprietary ammo. I complained to him about the accuracy of my rifle. He handed me a hundred rounds of ammo and said”try these”. Sub MOA immediately. I’ve never looked back. This is my non rim fire varmint rifle and it will do the deed. I’ve had this gun since 2002.

I’ve bought two recently and the triggers seem much better. I have a .308 that shoots MOA,but so far only tried one load. My 6.5 Creedmore is too new to have been to the range yet. Still waiting for my scope to arrive.

I have owned several and I have one now.

Accuracy is all over, depending on which one. Some were so-so and some were good with 2 being VERY good

I had 2 different 270s. One with a 26" barrel and standard forend and one with a 22" and Alex Henry forend. The 26" rifle shot about 1-3/4" at 100 yards, but the 22" shot half MOA.
I had a 22" 243 which I gave to a dear friend. That gun shot just a bit over MOA.
I has a 30-06 that would shoot some 180 grain handloads (Noslers and IMR 4064 powder) to about 1-1/4" but was finicky and didn't like 150 or 165s, At least none of the loads I tried. with many loads it shot about 2.5"
I had a 7MM Rem mag and it was the worst. It only shot 4"-5" at 100 yards and I never got anything better, so I re-barreled it to 300 H&H and with the new barrel I got Sub MOA. I sold it to a friend who still hunts with it.
My 375H&H shot about 1-1/8" to 1-1/4" at 100.
My Current 9.3X74R is one of the best. With Horandy and Nosler 286 grain bullets I get about .800" at 100 yards and with the Speer 270 grain (which I don't like to hunt with because of the fact it breaks up so easily) it shoots a ragged hole.
Between the 9.3X74R and my shorter 270 I can't say which is best, but both are VERY good.

I know a man in Rawlins Wyo that has one in 30-30 Winchester and I was very impressed at his accuracy too. He is getting ragged hole groups too with it.

My first #1 was purchased in 1975, a "B" in 30-06. I still have it and am still, off and on trying to find something the will group tighter than 4". I bought my second one a year later, another "B" although the order was for the "S" model my dealer was sent the "B". When I complained my LGS called the distributor and was told that's ass there is take it or send it back. So I took it and it's a tack driver with the 200 gr. Speer Hot core or Nosler 200 gr. Rartition. Just the luck o the draw I guess.

A few years back I bought another "B" at a gun show that I got into rather cheaply as it looked like it was rode hard and put away wet. I wanted it to build a .35 Whelen. They say never shoot the donor. I'd never shot a 25-06 so bought a couple boxes of ammo and slapped a scope on it and WOW! It may look like hell but shoots like an angel. I later picked up another "B" in 25-06 that was purely minty and had beautiful wood. Of course, this one shoot all over hell and gone except where I want them to go. Again, just the luck of the draw.
Paul B.

Ruger #1S 300 H&H Mag

I've owned 1/2 a dozen #1s ranging from .223 Rem. to 375 H&H and they all shot well to outstanding without any tinkering, just my handloads. My current #1 will do about an inch at 100 yards with 5 different bullet weights. Sometimes it's a tad more than an inch, sometimes it's a tad less. Every other #1 I've owned has done better if not half that group size at 100. A former Ruger #1 RSI was very finicky with almost everything, but eventually I found what it liked and it would shoot clover leaves at times. Unless you are a competition shooter, I would not let accuracy concerns sway your decision to buy a #1.

Good discussion here.

When buying a No. 1... look used, or a new one just as good of a buy?

Does a stainless steel #1 have any issue with galling?

Not a Number One in this case but the 77 in the RSI configuration. It's a .308 Win. and I got it for the sum of $250 which included a decent scope, dies, shell holder, brass, bullets and a couple of boxes of factory ammo. I asked the guy why so cheap? he said it was the most inaccurate rifle he'd ever played with. He wasn't kidding.On a good day I might get a 4" group but most 5 to 6" was the norm. It took two years to find a load that was a consistent 1.5" day in and day out. Used that for a while and go the bright idea to relieve the fit on that metal muzzle cap. Groups now run a more consistent 1.25" which I consider an improvement. Funny thing is I ran into two mare 77 RSIs in .308; all ridiculously cheap because their owners couldn't make them shoot decent groups. I told them what I did but they couldn't be bothered so I bought them cheap. What worked on the first one worked with both of those as well. So far though they're a one load deal, a top load of W760 and the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core. Works in all three rifles. i haven't tried much with anything else mainly because nothing else worked in the fist one. Since I did the work on the muzzle cap though, I'm thinking of seeing whether or not other bullets might now work.

One of these days I might get lucky and find a #1 RSI to round off my collection. A 7x57 woulf be perfect.
Paul B.

I have a 1a Bicentennial in 6mm Rem. Forget about factory loads unless 2.5" @ 100 yards is ok.
Load development was very tricky. I was working upwards in 0.3 gr powder increments. I noticed a slight dip in group sizes. I went back and bracketed the best charge in 0.1gr increments. I found a very repeatable load that give good 1/2" 5 shot accuracy.
I do put a clocking mark on the head of each shell case, so it goes in the rifle consistantly.
The foreend of my #1 is resonant and groups open up when using a bipod. Therefore I use my backpack as a rest.
There are little details that must be attended to when taking a #1 to the field.
Just my $.02, VR,

My experience mirrors most here. After leaving a trail of #1's behind me in my shooting life I can't complain about accuracy one bit. My current two are prime examples. The 6.5x55 1A (a Lipsey's gun) consistently drops three into a sub-nickel sized group at 100 yards, 4th and 5th shots climb a tic into the 3/4" vicinity. I can easily live with that, especially since its POI doesn't change month-after-month. The custom .250-3000 1A with Douglas barrel was the red-headed stepchild of the whole bunch. Free floating the forearm to a fare-thee-well, bedding the hanger, and installing a set screw in the hanger to bear on the barrel (and tweaking the screw's pressure until satisfied- a trick John Barsness recommended to me) cured its recalcitrance.

Had a B and an RSI in .243.
Both shot well.
Have not shot the .280 oldie yet.
Maybe this weekend.

My Ruger No. 1 is absolute garbage.

I have four Ruger #1 rifles that I enjoy hunting with. As a right-handed person who shoots left-handed, I appreciate their ambidextrous design. The last deer I shot from a stand I hit exactly where I was aiming at 150 meters shooting off my "wrong" (right) shoulder. The deer was at an awkward angle off to my left with a branch in the way so shooting right was the better option. While I might not enter a target competition with one, for deer hunting, I have found my Ruger #1's to be more than adequate. The vast majority of my hunting is sub 200 meters because of the woods I'm in. I like their simplicity and the design of falling block single shots (including 1885's) appeals to me.

Ruger #1-A - 6.5x55 SE
Ruger RSI - 275 Rigby
Ruger #1-A - 303 British
Ruger #1-A - 9.3x74r

Not that I have seen.

Kind of in between on them.

1975 Ruger 1B in .25-06. It would consistently group 3 shots into 3/4" but also very consistently strung them from 7 o'clock to 1 o'clock. Subsequent shots in a string would continue that pattern up and right but further out. But those first three were close together.

1982ish No. 3 in .223. Absolute best it would do is 1 1/2" groups and only with Sierra 52 grain match hollow points. Every other bullet tried would scatter into 2-3".

Mid 2000's .375 1S. Very accurate, could be counted on to put three or four shots sub-MOA with a couple of different bullets. Beat the snot out of me so about 20 shots in a day was all I could stand.

Late-mid 2000's 1A in 7x57. Gorgeous wood, shot raggedy hole groups. I took the forend off one day and after putting it back on it never shot that well again no matter how much I played with screw tension.

2018 No. 1S in .30-06. Meh. It would put 3-4 shots into maybe 1.25" or 1.5" but never under that. First one I got with a loose lever that rattled.

2018 No. 1A in .250 Savage. Another one with a loose lever. But accurate enough, it will shade MOA.


My bottom line, you don't buy a Ruger No. 1 for the ultimate in accuracy but for the panache. That said, they generally have adequate accuracy for hunting. Their best period was after Ruger started making their own barrels in the 90's up to maybe 2016, give or take a couple years, that's around when Ruger quality control starting going downhill across the board.



I never pass up an opportunity to show this off , but here's one example of what a 1A can be made into. This is the .250 Savage, it runs about 6 pounds and change as shown. Love this little rifle, rattley lever and all.

You still looking?

How about an unmodified 1A in .275 Rigby (7x57)?

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.

Lots of comments saying “hunting accuracy” or something similar. I don’t disagree.
I’ve owned five of them, a 1B in 22h, two 1V in 22 ppc, and a 1V in 223 and a 1B in 218 bee. The first four were 1.5” guns on a good day, and that’s after various forend pressure or floating schemes, custom triggers, load development, and other so called accuracy enhancements. I sold all of them.
The 218 bee has the forend floated and a Jard trigger. It’s a 1” gun with one specific load.
My Sako, Anschutz and Rem 700 rifles are far more accurate. But “hunting accuracy” can be achieved in a Ruger #1.

Love the look and feel of a #1.
Hate Ruger rings ....and how the quarter rib doesn't allow for more rearward position.
An offset ring at rear helps, aint exactly pretty.

Might get a good shooter, might not. May or may not respond to tweaks.

Thats why my current .243 chuck and yote rig is a Rem 700 in an HS stock. 700s are ugly but dang they shoot good, without much work.

Right or wrong, I think of a chuck rig as a .5" at 100. if it goes .75 at 100 then thats a yote rig.
Deer Id like 1" but am cool w sub 1.5".

Nowadays you can get 1" guarantees on many rifles. My Steyr did it, w cheap WW ammo (.30-06).
With lesser cost, more comfort and less felt recoil...........why roll the dice on a #1?

Oh yeah, they look wonderful

That said...............I'll keep a #1 around, just because.
Anything else is proly gonna be a plastic stocked repeater.

This .275 seems to do okay at 200 yards:

I have a #3 in 223 that will group right at an inch with some handloads. It really likes the factory Federal 50 grain red tip varmint loads.

Have a #1 in 338wm that will shoot factory Barnes ammo just under an inch consistently, but handloads are a crap shoot. Still haven’t figured that one out and too lazy or cheap to buy Barnes bullets. This may get rebarreled or sent down the road as I have really have no need for a 338wm. May be a good candidate for a 7 PRC project.

Have a #1 in 6mm CM. Was a 7mm mag, but had PacNor put a new barrel on it. It will consistently shoot 1/2” groups. This has a local gunsmith made speed hammer and Jard Trigger. I have not had the hanger drilled and tapped yet for a set screw, but considering it.

i have many Ruger #1 `s and have give`n my son,daughter,son-in-law and grandson all Ruger #1`s to hunt with. for the last 15 - 20 some years i have hunted deer with my Ruger #1 257 Weatherby mag. and it has always done its job. this custom Ruger #1 shoots 3 shot 100 yard groups 1/2 inch or less at 3700 FPS . never underestimate how well you can make or have in accuracy with a Ruger #1 plus this type of rifle sure has a great easy safety to use also.

TTT

well then how much ? what cartridge is it ?

I was out yesterday shooting the 6mm CM and noticed something that may actually be common with No 1’s. Using a front rest and rear bag. I had the front rest positioned around the rear half of the forearm. If I kept my left hand on the rear bag, I was shooing nice tight groups. If I held on the the rear of the forearm with the left hand, I was seeing a lot of vertical stringing. Both positions seemed stable to me.

Next trip to the range will include field positions with shooting sticks and backpacks to see how it shoots in those positions.

I’ve only messed around with a couple. I bought one in 22 hornet and it has shot extremely well with H110 and 40gr vmax or BT and now lil’gun and the same bullets. It usually shoots 5 shots into 5/8-3/4” and is one of my favorite pdog rifles. My cousin shot it and had to have one. We found him the same gun in 222 and it shoots 50gr blitz or TNT’s into really tiny groups but for some reason often flicks one out and “ruins” the group to about 1”. Both rifles are bone stock.

Seems a lot of your rifles are very accurate.

Reckon it’s something to do with attention to detail and shooting technique.

DF

Back in the early t mid 90's I worked part time in the LGS (mostly to support my firearms habit) and I had a saying, " 90% of the guns in this store shoot 100% better than the person pulling the trigger".

WTBS my RSI 7x57 has had all the stuff done to it and it's a decent shooter with one load. 50 gr. H414 and a 145 Speer GS. Hot load. Nickle cases and neck sized only. Chrono'ed 2850 the only time I've ever checked it.

My #1 medium sporter in 45-70, I don't know how it shoots yet. No time to mess with it right now.

TTT

Number 1s that have been plenty accurate for any hunting I care to do (as if I am an eyeball hunter)!

Hornet #1B (Jacketed and cast loads)
243 #1B
270 #1A probably the most abused, but least fussy
7X57 #1A fussy with most, but shoots 139 GMX very well.
9.3 x 74R #1S 286 Hornady especially
45-70 #1S tackdrives 300s...pounds tacks with 500 Hornadys

A 218 #1B has never been as great as I'd like, though head shots on bunnies @75 yds haven't been a struggle.

And a 7mm Rem Mag #1S while not a highly consistent grouper, can't be blamed for missing the meat bundles it is intended for.

I had a newer International in .257 Rbts that I couldn't get to shoot for love or money. It now lives in a new home of a guy that wanted a challenge.

I've had two others that shot well.

Dale, you got it right, some say the early (4 digit serial ) shot pretty well, but they are not bench shooters, neat guns, probably bought at least 8 or 9 never had one shoot better than 1.5, which is alright for a lot of folks, Ken

I had a 4 digit #1 in .243. It probably had the Douglas barrel as an early gun, was accurate enough. I traded it.

DF

I'm not surprised. Ruger #1s can be quite finicky on they way the forearm is positioned at the bench. One method that seems to work is have the front bag up against the receiver. A bit awkward but it does work.
PJ

Only accurate rifle are interesting and kept. Never owned a #1 that met that criteria.

Obviously did not know how to handload.

i have never had factory ammo shoot as well as my ammo that i reload for my rifles including my Ruger #1`s . i have a lot of trust in my Ruger #1`s that i hunt with these Ruger #1`s never jam , never freeze up ,have a great safety and are very accurate . this year i let my 10 year old grandson try a bolt action ,AR-15 and a Ruger #1 , i let Alex decide what rifle he wanted to use he told me he preferred my Ruger #1 220 Swift with a grin . this kid`s got some taste and it also had a Nightforce scope on this Ruger #1 . so if you don`t like your Ruger #1 how much ? what cartridge ?

My only No.1 is a .308 1B which easily hangs right around an inch with good loads. All I have ever done to it is relieve the forend pressure on the front of the receiver with sand paper wrapped around a 12 gauge shell. That settled it right down. The trigger is a slight bit heavier than I would find ideal, but it’s okay, it’s a hunting rifle. The hammer fall is noticeable, but it’s okay, it’s a hunting rifle. I have no doubt accuracy could be improved with a better trigger and lighter hammer. Hell, a little load development and more effort shooting off the bench would improve it but, after all, it’s just a hunting rifle.

I have skimmed this thread, and so far I haven't seen anybody mention the quality of barrels used on No. 1's over the years. (Have owned No. 1s from the earliest to the latest.)

The first models used Douglas barrels, and tended to shoot very well.

Then Ruger started using cheaper barrels, and some were pretty good, and some were awful. Plus, for some reason many of those had extremely long chamber throats, far longer than SAAMI--which generally didn't help.

In the early 1990s Ruger started hammer-forging their own barrels, which immediately improved accuracy not only in No. 1s, but other Ruger rifles. I have yet to encounter one of those that didn't shoot well, and some VERY well--often right out of the box.

I have owned 3. All 45-70. Each shot a solid 1 1/2" group using my standard load of 53 gr of Re7 and a 300 jhp
I would start with a real good cleaning. Remove all copper fouling. Invest in a good product and don't be afraid to do it several times.

yep Mule Deer your right about the different barrels over many years good and poor barrels ,the ones i hunt with all have custom barrels . but oh how i still like these great American made single shots to own and hunt with . thanks for posting the barrel facts , Pete53

I bought a used one over the weekend . 1982 model 1B in that inadequate 30-06. Took it to the range today and man does it shoot well. I hope I don't need another one anytime soon

Like i said before, my dads .22-250 B which dates to '74 shoots decent, but it was sent back by prev owner who bought it new and it shot like crap. Ruger rebarreled it.

Starting to wonder if a lot of this is the Indian and not the gun.

AGREED ,at my 100 yard range with cement bench and good to excellent rifle rests and bags ,some people just can`t shoot very well and always have me sight their rifles in for them . i have seen some real poor shooters that i have tried to help ,sometimes that don`t even help , ladies and most youth are much easier to teach how to shoot better. yes i think most Ruger #1`s people claim don`t shoot > YES its the indian most of the time .

I'll share what i have learned about these rifles. I can"t stand to have a pretty rifle that will not shoot well, so i put a lot of work into the two i have. First about Ruger barrels. I have some 77's that will shoot & some that will not. I found that it is best to float everything well off the barrel & glassbed the forend & attach it to the forend hanger. Then tap a 6-32 set screw in the forend hanger & tighten it from 1/2 to 1 turn against the barrel. Take off the rib on the barrel & relieve it so it will not cause stress as the barrel heats up & not touching the receiver. I never got one of mine off as it was so tight. My first was a 1-B in 280 Rem, made in 1996, vert good barrel. It shoots those cheap Remington 150gr. bullets into about 1/2-3/4 groups @ 100 with %57.0gr.Rel.22 or58.0grAA3100 about 2900FPS.Nice load. My second #1 is a 1-S in 218 Bee,also made in 1996. Twist is 1-14. I mostly worked with cheap Win. 46gr.Hp. bullets in it. N-200, 16.0 gr.-2800FPS, about 3/4" groups. Hornady 50 gr.SX, H- 4227,14.0 gr. CCi400,2800 Fps, groups around 1/2". These loads are safe for me, use at your own discretion. It was very good for me to finally get these rifles shooting as good as they looked. Thanks for listening.

My #1's range in caliber from 250 Savage to 450/400 NE. All of them shoot very well even the big ones in 375, 405, 35 Whelan and the 450/400. Seeing as there are no buffalo or elephant in Michigan I load this down following MD's formula of reduced loads with H4895 and it makes for a dandy deer rifle.
I have a passion for tweaking them just a little bit as I like nice wood.
A 7MM-08
300 Savage [/url]

Somewhere in the magic box is a tweaked out #1 in 300 H&H. I need practice posting pics so as not to duplicate so I'll give this another try when I find the 300 H&H pics

Fairly old thread with some good info. I asked the same question a month ago. Been pretty happy with my rifle, but it has an aftermarket barrel. It seems to be a pretty consistent shooter. Some of these guys talking about the "Indian": I try to do my part. The reason I asked the same question as the OP is because I've always heard varying reports on accuracy with these #1's. I've actually seen poor shooting ones at the range, but can't say if it were the rifle, the ammo or the Indian behind the butt. Well, most were white guys. Maybe they just couldn't shoot for chidt?? Wouldn't be the first time, nor the 100th time that I've seen that.

I just traded for a Ruger #1 here on the Fire. It could get three shots out of five on the paper pretty regularly at 100 yards. Sometimes the first three shots were close to 2” apart, the next two were off the paper. I sent it into Ruger.
They sent it back and proudly showed that they got three shots 7/8” apart width wise. They didn’t show the elevation distances. Oh yeh, this was at 50 yards. The rifle was a bull barrel 6mm.

What a fine varmint rifle Ruger built. Good for prairie dogs clear to 30 or maybe 40 yards. But be prepared to miss 2 out of 5.

I asked Ruger why they sent that rifle back with the poor group and no explanation. No answer.

That sucks Bugger. Reports like this is why I drug my feet for so long before buying one myself. Sorry to hear yours shoots so poorly.. And Ruger didn't even want to fix it? Off the top of my head, it seems like there is about a 60/40 split on whether it will shoot well or not. If we started a survey on the subject, it may be slightly more positive, but it could be interesting.

in 1972 I bought a 1A in 30/06. Groups ran about 4 inches; all vertical. I relieved the forearm then bedded it to give about five pounds of pressure at the tip. Accuracy improved to around an inch and a quarter. Another guy wanted the 1A and traded me an unfired 1B with real nice wood for it, with a little boot. The 6mm was a great shooter. I even shot it at a BR match once and averaged about .670 for five-five-shot groups. I eventually burned it out and re-barreled it to 45x2 7/8. It was also an exceptional shooter. I started lightening the hammers on them in 1977, but doubt that I was the first. I have always felt the forearm fit to be the critical thing. Also, Number Ones reward a consistent hold and penalize sloppy technique. One of my favoured hunting rifles today is built on a Number One. It shoots just fine. I modified the lever to raise the breech block about 15 thou (the primer strike was that much low), and to eliminate the slop in the lever. Caliber is 303 Epps, but in a 30 caliber Douglas barrel. GD