Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots really rare Rugers...

Not looking for another one.

Didn't ask if you were. It's merely part of the discussion.

There is a beautiful #1 on GB in 6.5 Rem mag for sale. only one I've ever seen.

I saw a #1 (1B as I recall) at a show, chambered in 300 H&H. I did a double-take and re-read the scroll mark. It was the H&H, not .300 Winnie. I really would have loved that one, but could not spend the pesos on it.

My only rare-ish factory #1s are a 7x57 AB and a 7mm-08 AH.

1B

"Out of curiosity, how common were the 1H in 404 Jeffery with factory removable brake..."

I have one as well. I do wonder as to it's rarity.

"at one time had a no. 1 in 357 mag marked CHP. should have kept it!"

I have one of those too. How rare?

Paul B.

Paul B,
With regard to the CHP No.1A's in .357 Magnum, there were 1820 of them made(page 36, Clayton Book). In the scheme of rare Ruger No.1's, that is a fairly high production number.
On the 1B in .300 H&H, there were reportedly 15 of them, with several being sold very recently on GB. Story was there were left over barrels from the Boddington Kudu rifles that were not allowed to be wasted.
Now two of you guys having a .404 Jeff with a muzzle brake is pretty unusual! While I have never owned a .404, I would guestimate the production at 100 or less. I am not aware of any of the regular production rifles having the brake, so makes me wonder if these two were Factory test rifles? I could imagine this(the brake) being done to facilitate the numerous rounds being test fired. You would think they would have had a Lead Sled!!
Last point, when someone asks a question that is in the Book, the Clayton Ruger No.1 book, that is, makes me think that they don't have a copy. I have been selling these 2nd Printing Softcovers here on this Forum off and on for the last 2 years at $33.50 shipped. For all you new Ruger No.1 fanciers, you should get a copy of this book!! Check out my Website for info or send me a PM.
Now for a really rare Ruger No.1, how about a non-prefix .280 with a 22" A weight barrel, Alex Henry forearm and sights, the front sight grooved for a hood. There were 5 made! A .264 WM 1B is about as rare. A .284 Win in the 1B, there were 6-8 of them.
Thanks,

Very well worth it and he ships fast.

I'm kind of curious now how rare one of my #1's might be. It's a 4-digit #1 in 30/06 with the creased pistol grip checkering in the back and wrap around checkering up front. What I think is really cool about it is the fact that the serial number is hand written inside the barrel channel of the forend wood. If memory serves, it's also hand written on the butt stock underneath the recoil pad. Plus a date of July something 1968 is stamped in the barrel channel of the forend. Perhaps the day it rolled of the line???

The stamped date is the date the stocks started into the finishing process(pages39-41). The serial #'s were written on the forearm and buttstock in order to keep them together, as they were individually hand fitted.
Now how rare is it? You did not tell us which configuration it is and there are 10 possibles here. Most likely it is a BB(later cataloged as a 1B). "BB" is etched on the right side of the forearm hanger(page 49). About as many BB's were made as the total of the other 9 configurations. Check out Rarity estimates on my Website and let us know which configuration you have.

El Numero Uno, Is it mentioned anywhere how many 1S's were made in 218 Bee?And how rare they are?

I think the .218 Bee is in the same class as the .357 Magnum in terms of rareness. For me personally, I see .218s more often than I see .357s.

According to the RENE, there was "reportedly 600 produced for distributor Sloan's South". Serial numbers range known: 132-92571 -> 133-97041

There is no doubt that the 1S in .218 Bee is not as rare as some believe. Maybe the entire production of 600 for Sloan's is the extent of production, but I tend to believe there were more than that made over a several year period. My own 1S Bee is in the 133-59XXX range. They are known with both red and black pads.
I feel it is a matter of demand and interest for this caliber/configuration that makes them relatively scarce, rather than number produced.

Mine is a red pad 132-941xx.When one come's up for sale they alway's say how rare they are,but I remember they were cataloged for quite a few years.

Hey Numero Uno...you guessed it. My #1 (which I call a #1 S26M) does have the BB etched in the hanger. I didn't even know that was there. All that cool stuff aside, what really gets me about the piece is that it's the tightest #1 I've ever seen - no jiggles or rattles anywhere. When that lever shuts, it shuts tight, smooth and silent. Second, it will shoot 150s, 165s, 180s and 200gr bullets all in very acceptable hunting groups. And I have particular recipies with 180's that are better than acceptable, and a couple 165gr loads that are just plain great. Thanks for the insight!

since ya'll are interested in rare #1's, if you want to listen, I'll tell you a little story-one of the first things I found out about #1's was that I could not buy an action from Ruger, they only sold them as barrelled actions-about five years later I made a garage sale, some old single-shot nuts son, was selling off his collection-I bought seven rifles and 5 single shot actions that day for $700.00!! One of the actions was a case hardened #1 new in the box-in researching it I found out that Bill Ruger was president of the S S Rifle Assoc. for a few years-during this time he put out 100 non-barreled single shot actions first come first served, in hopes the members would make them into schutzen rifles-on the bottom of the action it was marked ASSA in big letters 1 of 100- the number of this action was 96-how rare is that?????and how much is it worth?? the action was 50.00!

Cool story. Would love to see a photo!

Oldgunsmith,

I talked with a guy who inheritted a pile of Rugers from his Dad who was both a FOB --friend of Old Bill Ruger-- and a regional distributor for years. He has a number of custom Schutzen rifles based on #1 actions. Could well be lots of other true rarities there too.

1B

There were 100 of the ASSRA "Actions Only" made up, so that tells you how rare they are. I was not aware that the ASSRA actions were casehardened; I thought they may have been "in the white", but, I do not recall ever seeing one. They were only offered to ASSRA members, so many probably got made up into rifles. Not many show up still in the original box and not used. What were some of the other early No.1 rifles?
Actions Only were available, but not to the Public in a general way.
I just came across some paperwork that showed No.1 serial# 1780 as an "action only" being shipped by Ruger to Pete Brown(Sports Afield) in 1970. Wonder what ever happened to it?? Was it made up into a rifle or destroyed in testing?? I bought the Pete Brown Ruger Collection in 1991; it was not there at that time.