Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger No. 3 - .44 Magnum

I saw a No. 3 in .45-70 at an auction last year. I went for $575 if I'm not mistaken. Then the usual 10% Buyers premium plus 6% sales tax. Of course there was the customary $15 fee for background check too. So in the end some sorry sucker shelled out $682 dollars for that No.3 that wasn't exactly pristine. For that kind of money I would wuold just step it up to a NIB #1.

Jericho, I bet that .25-20 was one I had a Texas gunsmith reline from a .45-70 that had a ringed bore. Did it have a "schnabel" forend with no barrel band? I let it go to get an original Win Lowall .25-20....it was a very fun little gun!

Congrats on the 30-40 Steve! I think you'll love it. How do you plan to use it?

30-40 Krag and a .375 Winchester

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I've only seen 2 .44's. One last October for $699, pristine
condition. (Kick me hard for not buying it.) Seen lots of
.45-70's and .223's. I guess I'd even consider trading my
Ruger M77 Mannlicher .308 for one if it was in 98% condition.
I guess there's always another gun show to go to even tho I
am DEFINITELY done buying firearms. I even have a Redfield
Bearcat 2 3/4X on hold for the yet to be acquired Ruger No.3!

I just happened into a Number 3 in .30-40 also. (See post in Ask the Gunwriters) I haven't shot it yet and .30-40 cases are hard to come by. Will probably end up forming some from 303 British.

DMc

I plan to use it for deer and hogs. Will be spending some time at both the reloading and shooting bench to work up a decent load.

I don't plan to hot-rod it. 180gr round nose bullets at 2450 or less will be fine with me.

Steve

Found one (#3) that was a frame and parts in a round Oatmeal box at a local gun shop. It had a sawed off forearm and some hacked up aftermarket wood. Bought it for a few bucks and it now is a nice 6.5X55. Looks much like a #1A. Fits me and shoots fine. Keeper!

I'm looking for another box of parts. If they are assembled it would constitute an OK situation for me. Would like to make another #3 build.

Jim

Contender, that Redfield is the perfect scope for the #3; I have one on a .30-40. Clear, light, short, simple and tough, and only cost me $50 very slightly used. What's not to love?

Hey Steve, whose 180 grain bullets are you using? Cast or Jacketed?

I would be interested in what type off accuracy folks have been getting with their Number 3's. A friend had one years ago in .22 Hornet and it was abut an inch to an inch and a quarter rifle as I recall. Also, have they shot better with the barrel band or without? His hornet did its best without the band. Just wondering as I begin getting stuff together for my new to me .30-40.

DMc,

I use all jacketed bullets. Hornady, or Sierra or Speer.

Steve

Saw a before after poster at a gunsmith: Rusted 30-40 made into a pristine 30-30.

BMT

I wonder how the gunsmith made that conversion since the case diameter of the 30-40 is larger than the 30-30??? .452 vs .422 Must have been a re-barrel?

I often thought of buying an older # 3 and convert it over to say 30-30. It be a great little brush caliber for upstate NY where most shots are under 75 yards anyways. I currently own 5 # 1s' ( 270, 45-70, 7 mag, 300 winmag , 338 winmag ) In vary calibers and love them.I even own a beautiful Browning 1885 in 243 winchester that is beautiful.Too pretty really to hunt with.....Im still waiting for that first scratch. The only thing I dont care for are the triggers on them. You can pull them apart if your confident enough and work the action down and sear so it breaks cleanly at 2 lbs......but I wouldnt go any lighter than that. Especially if you wear gloves while hunting.Ive been hunting with singleshots for years and I dont feel that im in any disadvantage for not having a fast followup shot.I have never........NEVER needed a second shot. !!!! Its all in the first shot..MAKE IT COUNT !!!

Mike,

Don't listen to the sounds coming into your right ear.

I have had internal struggles with guns that screamed "buy me", and ignored their advice.

I have regretted every single one.

hardly rare:

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/cid=0/k=30-40/t=P/ksubmit=y/Products/All/search=30-40

They only made about 200 .44 Magnum #3s and many were converted to .444. They are pretty rare.

The response was to the guy looking for 30-40 cases.

Why anyone would want a #3 in 44 Magnum when they could have a 45-70 is beyond me (except a collector).

It weighs no less, is ballistically inferior and a 45-70 can easily be loaded down to produce revolver cartridge performance if that is your goal.

Own one in 30-40, nice gun and had a 45-70 that was shot with everything from 500 gr cast and 70 gr of 2F to popgun loads with round balls and TrailBoss.

Let's just say the 45-70 is a bit more flexible.