Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger #1 Special Run in 303 British.

It seems few #1 afictionados are as enlightened as the quoted poster. It makes me wonder why two or three posters seem to think that that can state their wishes and somehow, somewhere, some fairy godfather will grant them.

Nobody seems to realize that two or three or even ten folks is only a drop in the bucket! Hey Guys! It takes a minimum of 250 to get Ruger to make something. Some folks want 1-A's some want 1-S's, and some want 1-AH's. Not to mention the guys that want 22", 24", 26" barrels.

You can't even get 10 people to agree, let alone 250. Geez, Guys wake up and smell the coffee! People like 1B, and Akjeff, get what they want because they WILL it! They don't just sit around WISHING!

There are a few folks amoungst our nothern neighbors who would like a 1-A or a 1-S in .303. Most of which don't even care about the configuraton, they just want the CHAMBERING. There are even a few of us Yanks that would buy one, regardless of the configuration.

But MOST of the clamor is just that: CLAMOR! 90% of the clamor wouldn't buy one if they made it EXACTLY to their personal specs! Half of those wouldn't because their wives wouldn't let them. The other half, can't afford it, they just want to talk about it, and hope someone will listen to them. And of the 90% there is likely a fair number who only own 2 or 3 guns and have no idea when, if ever, they'll buy another... Let alone a $1000 limited edition!

I know I'm wasting my time writing this, but I sure wish more folks would be somewhat realistic!

GH

I agree. You can just look at the calibers that Ruger has discontinued in the last 2 years many of which are in the top 10 of calibers "Sold" and get an understanding of the lack of want or need in Ruger #1 configurations.

Doc

Doc

I never saw this post until today but was wondering the same thing over the weekend. How much more would it cost Marlin in production costs to offer other calibers. I was flipping thru a mag. and Wayne Van Zwoll did an article on low cost bolt guns(which got me to thinking). He stated that costs can be kept low if the # of calibers was low. I do not get it.
Lets just look at the long action which is available in 25/06,270, and 30/06. Lets say that by April 1st of each year (we the gun nuts that would be after "exotic" calibers) get a $50 non refundable order into Marlin and that $50 was on top of the price of the standard rifle. We could then order from along list of exotics based on what the standard action could easily accomodate such as 240 Weatherby,6.5/06,280rem,280AI,338/06.35 Whelan,9.3x62 etc.
If it where done this way the # of barrels required lump sum would most likely be in the thousands. Now if you are screwing 30/06 barrels on and you need to switch over and screw on 24o barrels and then ,280 barrels and so on, what is the big deal.
IMO the biggest cost would be shipping the individual rifles to the appropriate wholesalers that us gun nuts ordered thru. I bet they would sell more than a "few" 338/06 and 35 whelan based on what I read here at the campfire. I would be happy to pay an extra $50 to get a Marlin in 358 and one in 9.3x62 and 6.5/06. Remember each year you would get in the neighbor hood of 5000 orders (IMHO) which at $50 = $250,000 which should help cover extra manufacturing/shipping costs.

Just my thoughts on the topic. I think my idea is a good one for getting Marlin rifles into the hands of guys who already have a 25/06 ,270,30/06 and would like to reload and hunt with some exotic stuff. The market seems to be for entry level hunters,first time buyers or guys that have 3-270's and want to add another.

At the price of Marlin bolts a guy could get some exotics without breaking the bank.



I posted the above on a different forum but think the same sort of applies here. One way to find out how much 303 use there is in Canada is to find out how much ammo and reloading components
are being sold here. IMHO if Wholesale sports or someone else were to bring 250 303's into the country they would sell especially if they advertised about it and you could send $50-100 bucks in as a deposit.This would help them see how much interest there would be. Putting some money up front would probably eliminate 90% of the big talkers but would help the manufacturers get a feel for the amount of sales.I would get in line for one that is for sure,even if the special run had a premium of 50-100 bucks over a standard No.1. A 215 gr bullet would be nice to for us reloaders(remember being able to buy a 215 load from the old Imperial ammo company when I was young)
I am always finding 303 brass at our range so they are still in use here in Canada.303 has probably shot more animals here in Canada than any other round which leads me to believe that there would easily be a few hundred people interested here, with the key being to let people know it is going to happen(i.e. advertise).

257,

Thinking in terms of the Ruger #1-A... My dealer tells me that dealer price (last I knew...) of a Ruger #1 is $759 for blue, and $789 for SS. He charges me a token premium over his cost. Tha last K1-A that I bought cost me $939 (IIRC). Thus that is more than $100 over and above the regular cost of a #1.

Even so, I'm willing to pay it. But I am well into my 6th decade on this planet. Many others who are half my age, have a wife and family to support. They just don't have that kind of disposable income. My children are grown, I don't have car pmts, and there is little I want in the line of material possessions that I don't already have. (I don't have a wife, either... ) Thus it's easier for me to be a bit more frivolous with me $.

My point is, that many of these guys who would like to buy one just really can't afford a $1000 custom rifle. ( I know this, because I was once in their shoes... )

These guys aren't buying the regular priced #1's, let alone the ltd edition ones...

GH

Grasshopper..well under stood, I have wive,3kids single income etc. People who can't won't and those that can will. Quoting a previous poster " 250 gun order is needed at minimum for a special run to go ahead". If Ruger can do a special run and sell at the normal price great,all I am saying is "I" would gladly pay more for a firearm especially if I know that they are going to be rare. I am also saying that 250 at minimum could be sold in Canada alone and "collectors" alone in the U.S.would equal that easily and then we would still have the shooters/hunters in the U.S. that would want one. All in all I could see that a run of 1000 or so 303's would sell out in short order so I do not see why Ruger would be apprehensive of producing 303's or other addball/exotic calibers. Coming up with an idea and then asking for some money up front is a great idea IMO and would weed out the "big talkers" and give the companies out there profitable way of increasing sales.
I understand the shortage of cash for a lot of folks and am in the same boat. However there are ways for me to get a #1 303. 1)sell one rifle to buy another(common practice among gun nuts)
2)I need new skates for hockey,but could play with the old ones for a few more years and put the money towards a #1 instead(just an example of ways to make it happen)I could also fix my snowblower instead of "buying a new/newer one,heck i would even shovel the driveway for a winter to get a new #1.
3)do odd jobs for people to get some spare cash. I know several fellows that do this to get some "toy" money and it is how I was able to buy a quad a few years back ( spent my weekend roofing a wharehouse)
If it were done my way a fellow could make the down payment and then have at minimum several months to make it happen.
Again I fully understand where you are coming from,I am not trying to start a war of words. Regards 257

On another note we may be the last generation that will appreciate the "quality" guns of the past. The newer generation wants camo, synthetic and low prices.

The next 10 years many collectable guns will be on the market for sale...who will be left to appreciate the value, workmanship to want to buy them.

Doc

257,

Don't get me wrong, I don't disagree with you. And I think your philosophy makes a lot of sense.

That said, if a run of 250 would sell out in the snap of a finger, I'd think the manufacturer would know that. (And hopefully react to it...)

Personally, I think that getting production time for special runs is a problem. And the fact that Ruger has trimmed their caliber offerings considerable over the recent past. One would assume that the reason for discontinuation of some calibers would obviously be: SALES. I mean, high numbers of certain models and calibers in the warehouse, does not earn them money. As JEC has pointed out, the 24" #1-AB's didn't sell all that well. I am personally sad about that, because the AB is my personal favorite configuration. Ruger also made a run of AB's in .204 Ruger that didn't sell all that well, either. Because of that, I would assume, future production runs of the #1-AB model does not appear bright.

What I'd really like to see, is a single caliber special yearly run in classic calibers. And especially in rimmed chamberings. (ala Remington's Classic series) It would
be an instant collector and would give us all something to look forward to every year. Heck! they could even call it the #1-CL Limited Edittion Classic. Many of us wouldn't even care what chamberings they came it. I can think of 6 or 8 chamberings I'd buy without a 2nd thought. And I'm sure I'm not alone.

GH

Doc: +1, I believe you have a valid point!

See if Ruger had asked up front,they may have seen that the #1AB in 204 was not going to sell as great as they thought. They would have seen a small niche market,filled it,and moved on.
This is what they would be doing if they went my way,filling small niche markets and making a profit doing so. No use guessing that they are going to sell 3000 of something and only end up selling 1000,but if they knew that they were only going to sell 1000 then that could and would be compensated for.
I to would like to see a classic in more rifles than just #1's however giving us a small list of exotic/oddball chamberings from which to order from would be nice.
My way of thinking started with the Marlin(or Stevens 200)short action in 358 win. which is what I would really want (see my original post above about the marlin XL7).I bet if they asked us through wholesalers to "order" such a caliber by "X" date with delivery within "X" time they would be shipping out a few hundred 358"s from the factory which coupled with the standard calibers would equal an increase in sales.I could also see a large # of 35 whelen's ,9.3x62,338/06,338 federal,280A.I. etc being ordered,with the final total being in the thousands.Such #'s should keep even the cheapest of accountants and CEO's happy and we the end user would be happy as well.

I would like to see Ruger offer one each of the current models in "classic calibers" every year, like Remington did (maybe they still do) even though many of the calibers were not classic at all.

Just do this based on input from those that would buy them or have an interest in buying a particular model and caliber. Put a survey up once a year and follow through with it.

It may take a year to take it from survey >>> production but worthwhile in my opinion.

1A in 308 for example.

That is a great idea, however final sales and the survey # might not be the same. If you do a "survey" and ask for a deposit the manufactures risk is minimal especially if he knows he needs "X" amount of orders to make a profit. They would be happy and we the gun nuts would be happy with our exotic calibers.
A Ruger #1 may be an expensive rifle and tough sell for this type of thing to happen,but my original thought on this subject came up on a post about "Marlin" bolt rifles. They are inexpensive rifles along with Stevens 200,savage,Weatherby Vanguard etc.and adding one to my collection would not break the bank. I would just love a Stevens 200 in 358 just to play at the range and reload for. Right now the only way is to buy one and then get a second barrel and put it on.
Any rifle made in 22/250 would be an easy one to chamber in 250 Savage(for example). If you are on the assembly line screwing 22/250 barrels to the action and the front office says the next 500 barrels you screw on are going to be 250Savage what cost is there to the rifle manufacturer. I could see the barrels maybe costing a few bucks more as you need a few hundred vs. a few thousand. But after that the only real cost would be shipping/tracking of the individual rifles to the end user.
Action work, the stock and final assembly would all be the same regardless of caliber.

I would like to add 1 or 2 of these inexpensive rifle to my collection however none of the current chamberings are of any interest to me. A list of oddball/exotics from which to order would definitely get my attention and disposable income. This would IMO cause an increase in sales for the manufacturer that does it this way and put more of his rifle out there making them happy. And us shooters would be happy having a cheap source of hard to find calibers(at least in inexpensive rifles). They would win,we would win ,ammo makers would win,reloading suppliers would win etc.

We have been told a run of 303 british in 1A blue / walnut is happening for us in Australia ,there is 1 month to order one . The order is tied in with the Canadian interest. I will be placing my order on Mon, we will get them within 12 mths we are told by the Aussie importer. Great news , Regards Ian

Uh, I just read most of the posts here, and I'm not too sure that
all the people involved in this thread are aware that Ruger is in fact going to do a standard production run of 1A's!
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/3853394/1
Cat

I hope you are right! We could sell a bunch in the states...

Ingwe

Wish you all well. Enjoy.

But I have no intention to buy a .303. The .30-06 is our US equivalant and it's a better performer, cheaper, ubiquitous in terms of factory ammo availability, and has a staggering array of reload options to boot.

And, I don't have one. Have never found one with the right wood at the right price. Always figured one would turn up but...

1B

Ingwe , We are placing orders now with our Aussie importer and putting down 10% deposits . It seems for real, I am ordering mine on Mon my next day off. I don't acually need a .303, I just bought a new 1A in 30.06, but I'll get one anyway. Any excuse for a new toy is worth it and besides I have an old 3x Leupold that needs a good rest on a nice rifle . Regards Ian

A 3X Leupy on a #1A in .303 would be skookum!

Ingwe

Our order is now closed and there 45 confirmed sales and our importer has tacked on another 25 for stock . All up 70 going to Australia , pretty good eh!!!!

My understanding is that Clay from Prophet River (Alberta, Ca)had 60 deposits, and intended to order an additional 25. I'm sure since Ruger has decided to make the 303 a regular production item that there will be decent availability in the States, at least for a while.

Makes sense. The .303 is to Canada what the .30-06 is to America. Incidentally, the .303 came first and the .30-40 Krag was based upon it.