Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Sending a No 1 to Ruger

Just added another No 1b to my collection. This one is 7mm mag from 1982. It has been hunted and shows. Price was right, so I am very pleased with the purchase.

Metal is actually nice, and the bore cleaned up nicely. The crown looks a bit rough and would need fixed. Wood is in desperate need of refinishing. The stock was cut 1" short so it would be nice to get it replaced. The barrel channel was opened up a tad too much to free float the barrel. I do happen to have a replacement No 1 stock w/red pad on hand and actually have it installed on the rifle at the moment but that too would need refinished.

I am going to shoot it this weekend to see what it can do. I am considering two routes, 1. refinishing the stocks myself, and having a local gunsmith recrown it, or 2. send it to Ruger and have them refurbish it. looking at their website, they list fitting new stocks $50 and rebarreling $105. Labor prices are not included. This may be an inexpensive way to get it back to new condition providing the labor costs are not prohibitive.

Anyone send a No 1 back to Ruger for new wood recently? Barrel work? Any idea on a rough estimate on the cost I would be looking at? I have called Ruger before (different firearm) and as nice as they are, I was never able to get any type of estimate from them unless I was to send in the firearm.

Any other ideas for this rifle? I don't currently reload 7mm mag, but would not mind adding it to the lineup that I do load for.

I might be way off here, since I haven't sent anything back to Ruger in a long time, but I think those prices you quote are either, in fact, the labor charges (i.e not including the stock or barrel cost), or you have a price list from the '70s. Either way, I think you're going to find your final bill much higher than you think. Ruger has been charging pretty heavily for theitr replacement parts and labor in last decade or two.
If there is a recognized problem with the rifle that was Ruger's "fault", then they would probably correct it for free. Just my $.02.

Your right. I read it wrong at first. Those are labor charges.


I did contact Ruger and they provided a rough estimate of $400 to replace the wood.

$400 would be more palatable if they could give some assurance you weren't paying for pallet wood. When I called about this last year I was basically told you get what you get.

Appears that getting out the sandpaper and varnish is looking better and better.

And that will probably be the route I take. I do have a set of checkering tools and have practiced on scrap walnut before, so there is really no excuse for not doing it. If I screw it up, then I can send it off to Ruger.

If you bought that at Guns International, I was looking at that rifle too. The price was right!

No. Actually from a another 24HCF member.

My dads #1 B is rough. Looks like he beat groundhogs to death with it. Receiver is white from handling.

Stock is dinged and dented enough a refinish wont help.

Its old and been shot a lot. Proly could use a new tube.

Feel bad for it......but hey, he killed a lot of chucks with it so more than got his money's worth.

I thought it was in better shape

Will post pics of my dads beater later. Feel bad for the ol rifle. I should fix it up and surprise him w it.

I'd love to have a beater No1.

But then I'm odd, I've bought guns in the past on gun broker and been disappointed when they showed up because they were in much nicer condition than they looked in the photos. lol

Checked serial number, is a 74.
Think he got it in 76 or 77.
As I got mine in 78. But dunno what yr mine was made (used and long since gone).

I am still happy with this purchase as it presents an opportunity for a custom shooter.

This is the throat.





That trench goes around about 1/6 of the throat.

This is typical of the last third of the barrel.



I shot some factory Remington Core Lokt and it was grouping about 2" at 100 yards. My #1 in 338WM can shoot right at 1" with factory ammo.

I can send it to Ruger and have them bring it back to original condition, or send it off to a barrel maker (Pac-Nor for one) and have them rebarrel it to another caliber. I would be more than happy with it back in its former glory in 7mm mag. I also think it would be really cool in another caliber in a fast twist, 22, 6mm, or 6.5mm something. I am not in a hurry to do anything with it at the moment.

Trying to decide if i send pops rifle off for reblue and rebarrel or send a clean #3 for custom bbl.

Would Ruger slap a #1 bbl on a clean #3?

Redo #3 to .44 mag the idea.
Maybe send the #1 in for .243 in A config

Might send the #3 for .35 rem at Nonnemans or Penrod

Ruger will only rebarrel to the original caliber/configuration and they will not refurb a # 3's per their website. I have a nice #3 in 223 that I initially got for a custom job, but like it so much, decided to keep it as is.

Looks like custom it is then.

Scoony - about a year and a half ago I bought a 7mm Rem Mag #1S used. Very lightly used.

I worked up a favorite old load from components I had on hand, 160 gr Sierra SPBT and pretty much a max charge of RL-22. Wow! The 3050 fps mv was expected, but the accuracy was EXCELLENT. Made me smile. Keeping it a 7mm Rem Mag might work out real well for you. Used mine to take a mule deer and a pronghorn last fall.

Best of luck with your Ruger project!

I'd be looking at re-bores to keep it as close to original on the outside as possible. It takes a lot of time to look that beautiful.

I just got off the phone w Ruger. 4 to 6 weeks what the nice gal told me.

Maybe reblue/ rebarrel a #1.