Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots New to me Ruger #3 in 30/40

A while ago I was looking for a #1 that was in a "peep sighted, woods walking" cartridge and all I was finding was #1Bs in belted magnums. Don't get me wrong, I'm quite fond of my #1B in .270 as a pole line gun, but it doesn't exactly fit what I was looking for. Then, I stumbled onto an ad for #3 in 30/40 Krag. Interesting cartridge, fairly compact and handy. Sold! Paid way too much for it, but isn't that always the case?

Black bear season opened up here a few days ago and I quickly found out that in the thick, dark woods, especially at dusk, a scope would be a better choice. Luckily, I had just got this old K3 back from a service and I think it fits the little rifle pretty good.



I didn't shoot it for groups (I rarely care much on a hunting rifle, let alone a single shot) but it launches a Hornady 220gr at 2175FPS, which I'm quite confident is going to work for anything I'm going to encounter in Ontario.

I have the proper Ruger bases for it and a NECG peep sight, but ran into alignment issues when trying to mount the scope, so I'm "slumming it" with the Weavers until either I get a bear or after the season and have a chance to dig into it more.

It didn't take me long to realize why so many people have either modified or cut and rewelded the lever though...

Cory

hard rifle to find, how is the recoil?

It's a little stout off the bench, but a long way from unbearable. A little apples to oranges, but I found it more comfortable shooting 190gr bullets out of a Winchester 94.

Cory

your rifle has nice wood for a #3

Would love one of those to keep my Krag company!

Evnin, had one in 223 & traded it away, dang it. Tried to buy one in 17 mk 4 but price was way out there & he wouldn't come down any. GWP. 🐾👣🐾👣🇨🇦

a K3 is perfect for that rifle. If you start hating that rifle, I can help you out.

I had one those for awhile some years back. I found that the recoil would cause the lever to bruise my middle finger if I shot more than a few full power rounds.

That looks more like K1.5 cover than K3 cover.

I've cut a couple lanes...it's 1x of magnification for every 10 yards right?

Cory

I just mentioned these rifles in another thread.

Looks great. Congratulations!

My #3 is a Bicentennial 22 Hornet and I thought long and hard about a 30/40, especially to use cast bullets but never came across one.

I have one in 223 and deer hunt with it. I have a FX-II 4x mounted which seems perfect for a woods gun

Had a chance at a #3 in 30-40 "made in the 200th year of American library" for $900 at Scheels, or a 1918 M1903 Springfield in '06 for half that at a LGS. I'm not set up for 30-40, but have plenty of '06. The Springfield followed me home. Someone else snagged the #3.

My No.3 30-40 had an issue adjusting windage on the scope. Solved that with Burris Signature Zee rings with offset inserts.

I've had two of these; one I used for thirty years mostly with cast bullets. Very accurate and held zero better than any of the #1s I've had. Heavy "Ruger Only" loads as published by Hodgdon some years back were equivalent to .308 loads and produced significant recoil in the light #3.

Envious....

I had a chance to pick one up 20-ish years ago. it was kind of rough, looked like it might have spent too much time on the floorboard of someone's truck. It had a very cheap 4-12X scope on it. The price was out of line for the condition of the gun and quality of the optics. I didn't mind walking away from it at the time but I do wish I had one.

Did all No. 3s have hardwood stocks?

I believe that they all would have had walnut stocks.

The #3 was made to be an inexpensive utility gun, like a meat hunter or fur trapper would use. Most of the #3 stocks are straight grain walnut.

The #1s are more more expensive models with fancier stocks. Many #1 have Turkish walnut stocks.

99% of stocks for either gun are wood. I happen to own a set of after market simulated fancy wood, synthetic stocks for a #1. I thought the set unusual, so as a Ruger collector bought them at a show, cheap, for a duplicator pattern.