Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Light Sporter vs. Standard Model Ruger No. 1?

Help! I have an itch for a Ruger No. I in .30-06. I�ve looked at both the Light Sporter model and Standard model, but I�m having a tough time deciding between those two models. They feel and seem almost like two different rifles. The Light Sporter has a 22-inch barrel and weighs about 7 pounds. The Standard model has a 26-inch barrel and weighs a much heftier 8 pounds. My purpose for this rifle will be strictly hunting � deer, antelope and occasionally elk.

What are YOUR thoughts on the HANDLING and SHOOTING characteristics of these specific Ruger No. 1 models? Light Sporter or Standard?

I�m concerned about such things as balance, carry-friendly-nature and, of course, field accuracy.

What does your experience suggest � Light Sporter model in 30-06 or Standard model in 30-06? Your observations and comments on the handling and shooting differences between these two Ruger No. 1 models would be very much appreciated.

I'm not much help as I only own one and just picked that up a few months back, 1a in 30-06. I've handled quite a few though and prefer how it feels compared to the standard weight ones.

My opinion? The former is a fine all purpose hunting rifle; the latter more of a bean field rifle; at least that's how they feel to me. My 1A will definitely lose more value over time due to its friendly nature - and I don't yet even know what it can really do on the bench. I just know it shoots well enough to hunt.

If you have been handling them bare in a store, remember that a scope and rings will add at least a pound. To me, the 1B is a sitting rifle while the 1A is the walking rifle.

Bruce

I've never owned one of the #1A Light Sporters but I do have a #1B in .270 so I can give you one side of the story. The 26" barrel really does make a difference. My .270 WInchester gets 130 grain bullets up to 3170fps with normal published loads. As for accuracy it will do 3/4" without trouble.

Last summer I did almost all of my groundhog hunting with this rifle and 110 grain V-Maxs. It is an awesome rifle for offhand shooting. It has a nice weight forward feel and it is heavy enough to settle down nicely.

As for weight, it's no featherweight. The rings, scope and sling push the weight of mine up to 9.7 lbs. It's so well balanced you will love it for shooting and the extra weight does minimize recoil. As for packing it around, I've carried it a lot of miles while hunting and I'm happy to do so. On the other hand, a #1A could go 1.5 lbs lighter with a compact scope and it would be 4" shorter. In the brush I'd rather have a #1A but for my own use the #1B works nicely.

The above is a good summary.

While I have heavy varmint rifles and some cannons like the 264WM and a 300 mag I much prefer a rifle like the smaller 1A for actual hunting where I walk and climb.

I have had a 1A since they first came out. Its a good gun.

I picked up a 1-A in .30-06 from a member over on the Kifaru forum. I hope to get out tomorrow and shoot for the first time. I have only loaded up 10 rounds with the 150 gr Partition. We will see how it goes. I haven't been able to get my hands on IMR4350 or R19 yet, so this time out is just to burn some IMR4320, just got the itch to fire a few. Anyway, compared to my 1AH in 25-06, if feels quite short and very handy. Though I am convinced that nothing seems to handle better than any No. 1. I hope to go to the Kifaru CO rendevous, and would bring the rifle for you to handle and shoot if you are still kicking around the idea of buying one. And if you don't want to wait that long, I'd be happy to take you out to Frontier Sportsman's Club to shoot.

Brent

Most of my 31 1s are at least B profile -- I also have maybe 6 0r 7 Hs, Ss and Vs and like them very much.

I do not use tree stands but still hunt and ambush from the ground. For that style hunting, the Bs work fine because the balance is perfect for me. I get far more tired carrying butt heavy guns that do not fall into a comfortable carry position. (I switch around between cradling the rifle in my left arm when covering ground and a modified "high port" when on game.) The Bs also swing into action smoothly and hold steady on target better for me than the lighter barreled #1s.

I do have rare #1s in 7mm -08 and 280 AI, and one in .35 Whelen; an AB in 7x57; and two even lighter custom #1s that I use more often in the field. (The latter two i 6.6x55 and 7mm BR have standard dimension 21" barrels and they point and hold target much better for me than the 1Aa.)

I also have the asthetic prejudice against the AH forearm which shapes my preferences.

1B

It would sure be nice if you and others with similar preferences would move your "un-prefered" AH forends along. It would save me from putting my 1-S on a mileage program in order to get the desired forends I need to improve my Bs.

I have a la in 7x57 and think it is the ideal balance of weight and power. I also have a l b in 30-06 and like the extra weight there.

Klilitarik,

The problem is that #1 Ss have the sling swivels on the barrel and a barrel channel cut for a standard rifle. Trading for a B foreend leaves you with two front swivel points and the guy you trade with would have to mount a swivel on the barrel and deal with some sizeable gaps in the barrel channel if used on a 1A. Might work for him on a B swap, but even then the wood often doesn't match in color and checkering styles can also vary.

I much prefer a classic schnabel treatement over the AH --- which looks like a botched circumcision ot me.

1B

Brent13,

Don't sell 4320 short. My limited experience has been that 53.0 gr. of IMR 4320 with a good 150 gr. bullet and W-W cases makes a very respectable and accurate hunting load for the '06.

forepaw

Forepaw,

I will take that advice and keep messing with 4320. I shot for the first time today with mixed results. Seems to be stringing vertical. The 25-06 did the same thing, and had to do some tweeking with the forend. Time to start tinkering.

Thanks,
Brent

Oh, I do like my #1B in .30-06! I suppose I got lucky, i never did anything other than putting a Leupold VX-2 3x9 on it. It shoots very well thank you. It is no problem carrying it where I hunt[mostly the Eastern Sierra's]. The #1B just seems to balance well and fits me to a tee. And by the way, it is VERY accurate! Timberline, I think you would really enjoy a Ruger #1B in .30-06!

Timberline,

In reading some of your other hunting posts which I have very much enjoyed, and given the amount of hiking/walking invloved....I'm thinking "LIGHT". Get the light sporter and probably "all up" you are still under 8lbs. With a reasonable scope, this is a well balanced rig.

CLB

I have owned quite a few No. 1's over the years, in chamberings from .22 Hornet to .450/.400, and have taken animals from ground squirrels to Cape buffalo with them.

I finally admitted to myself that a 1A in .30-06 would be about the ideal general big game rifle for my purposes, and traded in a Savage 99 on a brand-new 1A with decent buttstock wood at a local store a few weeks ago.

I mounted an old M8 Leupold 4x28 scope and took it to the range with some handloads for another rifle, with 180 Sierra GameKings and 58.0 grains of Ramshot Hunter. After a couple of shots to get close at 25 yards, the first 3-shot group at 100 yards measured over an inch. I adjusted the scope and the next two shots (I only had two rounds left) went into less than an inch, where they needed to be. Averge muzzle velocity was right at 2750 fps.

This has been my experience with OTB No. 1's in recent years. They shoot. The trigger pull was clean 4 pounds, by the way.

I haven't had any problem shooting game with a 1A, ever. Rifle weight varies with the chambering and the scope, but averages around 8 pounds scoped. This one weighs 7 pounds 13 ounces with the Leupold. It will do.

And the "Light Sporter" has a significantly more "classic" look IMO...To my tastes, it and the Medium Sporter are the best looking factory rifles available...
Ingwe

I have always favored the Ruger 1-S, I like the med wt. barrel at 26 inches for off hand shooting and yet the No 1 is still short oal, and I don't care about a sling other than to pack one on rare ocassions like dragging a deer out, thier handy for that.....I also must have the Alex Hendry forend on any No 1 I use to hunt with. The 1-S comes in some nice calibers also. I have owned them in 30-06, 300 Win Mag., 7 mag, 338 and ?????

Agree with MuleDeer on a good trigger. Like I mentioned earlier, I suppose I got lucky, as the trigger on my #1B breaks right at 4lb. The one thing I forgot to mention was I sent my factory supplied rings back to Ruger and asked for extension rings to bring the scope back about 3/4". There was NO charge for that!

I have a small collection of Ruger #1 rifles, with samples of A, B, S, H and V so far. Still looking for an RSI in 7x57 that some greedy soul thinks it was once owned by the King of England or some such.
Of course, beauty is is he eye of the beholder, but my thoughts run to the "S" model as the best looking of the bunch. I'm lucky enough to have two, both .300 Win. mags, both bought second hand. One is a 200th year model and I haven't shot it yet. The other is just a plain old #1S Medium sporter and is sub MOA with a stiff load of WMR powder and the 200 gr. Speer hot-core. The load is accurate in that rifle, a #1B .300 Win. mag. and in a 26" barreled Winchester m70 .300 Win.
I do have #1's ranging in caliber from .22 Hornet to .416 Rigby.
I like them all, to be honest about it, but I do think the "S" model is my favorite with a #1A in 7x57 a very close second place.

Paul B.