Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger # 3 44 mag.

How rare are ruger # 3 in 44 mag? Saw one in the box at a show today 850.00, 1st that I have seen! John

In my experience, the .44 Mag is the the rarest of the 6 catalogued calibers of the No. 3. From memory, I think they are .45-70, .22 Hornet, .30-40 Krag, .375 winchester, .223 and .44 Mag. If memory has failed me, I'm sure we will all learn of it! Would not even start to guess how many were made, but given that this is the first one you've seen is a good indication of scarcity.
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Saddlering,

Unfortunately, even tho' Ruger discontinued the #3 for lack of sales, They are starting to command higher prices than #1's.

Also, I think they are getting scarcer, because folks have been stripping them for the actions for some time. I, myself, have stripped 4 or 5. And in fact, have only two #3's left in original configuration. I have wanted a #3 for some time in .44 Mag. But it's unlikely I'll ever find one for a reasonable price.

I agree with El Numero Uno on their scarcity.

G.H.

On the Ruger Forum someone had posted that the No3 in 44mag was only produced in the hundreds.. 6 or 800 if I remember correctly.
I have one in 375Win....

You are correct on the Catalog calibers. there is one more non-catalog caliber. I was at the ATA Grand American back in the 1980's at Vandalia OH at the Ruger booth. I mentioned to one of the factory Reps that I now had all 6 of the calibers made in the Ruger No 3. He told me that I didn't have all the calibers made. He said there were "three No 3's made in 30-06." Later I heard that a collector had acquired one of the No 3's in 30-06. When I contacted him he would not supply the SN to verify it.

X1PROTO,
Thanks for the confirmation on the catalogued calibers. I have also heard of the .30-06's and am sure that info is correct. I would not be surprised if there were not more chamberings out there in the No. 3 that only a very few were made!
ENU

That is the only non-catalog caliber that I ever heard about in the Ruger No 3. Now for the Ruger No 1 there are several short runs that never made it to the public.

Here's the list of what Ruger clain were the chamberings in single shots. Its too bad they don't break it down in terms of #1/#3:

.204 Ruger, .218 Bee, .22 Hornet, .223 Rem., .22PPC, .222 Rem., .22-250 Rem., .220 Swift, 6mmPPC, 6mm Rem., .243 Win., .257 Roberts, .25-06 Rem., .264, .270 Weatherby, .270 Win., .275 Rigby, .280 Rem., .284 Rem., 6.5 Rem., 7mm Rem. Mag., 7mm STW, 7x57mm, 7mm-08 Rem., 7.62x39mm, .30-06 Sprg., .30-.30, .30-40 Krag, .300 H&H, .300 Weatherby, .300 Win. Mag., .308 Win., .338 Win. Mag., .35 Whelen, .357 Mag., .375 H&H, .375 Win., .38-55 Win., .404 Jeffrey, .405 Win., .416 Rem., .416 Rigby, .44 Rem Mag., .45-70 Govt., .450/400 Nitro Express, .458 Lott, .458 Win. Mag., 9.3x74R

my dad bought a #3 in a 44 mag for about $300, it is really mint and has #1 wood on it, don't know if that was a factory option or not, but sure is purdy....

I passed on one in Texas a few years ago, don't know who made it, would have bought it had it been 357 or 357 max. Believe someone added the barrel, no markings on the one I saw.

There were a few number ones in 222 Remington when production
first started. I have never seen one.

The only one of these calibers that jumps out at me as to "What was it?" from the Ruger Website caliber is the .30-30 listing! I do not have any information or knowledge as to whether it was in a No. 1 or a No.3- or if it was both? It could even be an error in Ruger's listing.
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Tom Ruger had 4 No 1S made in the 30-30 caliber. It was made as a presentation rifle for the Cours Schutzenfest in 1987. One was sold to a guy in Maine who immediately sold it at a Gun Show in Texas. There is still one owned by a factory employee. I talked to him on my Factory Tour in 2004. That accounts for three of the four. The other one is out there somewhere. Whenever a specific rifle is built for a special occasion they always produce a couple extra.

X1Proto,

Regarding #3 in .30-06, I briefly owned a used one in the mid 80's, very plain wood, even for a #3. No sights that I remember and I think a 22" barrel.

It was so different and we could not verify that it was factory produced, however barrel did have factory marks.

Sold it to a friend of mine who had it restocked with Custom #1 wood, believe he has since sold it.

Now I'll have to find out what happened to it.


Tim,

Flyer01

From your description it sounds like it could have been built up with a factory No 1 22 in barrel which was the "A" weight with no sights. If it had a Quarter Rib that would identify it. It was probably an after market custom model. I have not seen one of the factory original models but a collector on the East coast had one. He wouldn't share any information about it. The factory Rep who told me about them was a very reliable gentleman.

X1PROTO,
Thanks for the info on the .30-30's, figured if anyone knew that it would be you.
ENU

I've got a #3 .44mag about picked up, but what does anyone think about shooting Garrett 310 or 330 hammerhead .44mag ammo in it. On the Garrett site they stated that the 310 and 330 are to long to shoot in a lever action. This #3 is close to NIB condition, but if I shoot it I'll have to have sling swivals and maybe scope mounts installed, so it will be a working rifle and not some collector rifle collecting dust.

I recently acquired a 1983 Ruger 3 in 44 mag, any idea what this gun is worth? It is flawless with the exception of a very small
gun safe ding on the left side of the stock.

Thomas -

For what it's worth, Garrett may be warning about feed mechanisms that balk at cartridges longer than normal. I have a Ruger .44 carbine that requires slightly less than SAAMI length. And, of course, the Ruger #3 doesn't have a magazine and feed mechanism...

The chamber length in the Ruger #3 is something else. If it will chamber the 310's or 330's, then it will probably work, provided the correct load data for these bullets is followed.

Uncle Joe it's probably worth less than the $475 Ronnie Gore was asking?