Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Lets build a #1.....

THAT is the forend I am conceptualising, but with the sling stud in the wood - not on the barrel. I want to be able to put a Harris bipod on #3 as it is a light version of #2 in weight, recoil and blast.

With a few exceptions, this thread seems to be evovling as a sophmoric contest in listing our most exotic daydreams about fancy, unattainable, #1s rather than building practical custom #1s that shoot more accurately and generally perform better in the field than the factory products.

It would be more interesting for me to know how many custom #1s the previous posters on this "Let's Build" thread have actually built and used in the field and what lessons they learned in the process. Some comments would also be welcome redarding custom touches -- in barrel twists and rifling, bedding, triggers, stock profiles, recoil pads etc -- that they chose to acheve those ends.

A custom rifle after all is more than a Playboy pinup.

1B

1B,

It would be had to disagree with your assessment.

When I started this thread, it wasn't with the goal of everyone tossing out their conceptional custom #1 blue print ideas.

What I was "really interested in" ( and I poorly named and explained in the thread ) is... what direction would you like to see Ruger take with the #1? What factory issue #1 configuration(s) would make you take out your wallet?

My example would be the Lipsey Distributor Exclusive called the #1AH.... 24" light contour barrel without iron sights and the Alexander Henrey forearm. I also like a better option for scope mounting. Meaning ditch the rib in favor of a lighter, less obtrusive mounting system.
That's what "I" would buy in a heart beat.

I don't own a #1 and I'd like to cure that. But what I need isn't on the table.

The complaints I hear and read about the #1 are:
Heavy
Poor trigger
issues with mounting scopes close enough.

Ruger, can make a lighter rifle. They just need to know people want it.
We can tweak or replace the trigger, so it's not a real problem.
The scope mounting issue should have been looked into years ago.
You shouldn't need offset rings to mount properly and a cleaner option wouldn't be difficult to design.

The custom rifle picture I posted was for Adamjp. I knew he would be interested in the forearm concept. I am too and I have discussed modifying the Henrey forearm with a custom wood working friend in our area.

I feel there is a limit to the extent you will see the Ruger Facrory making any significant changes to the No.1 line.
Consider that in just the last year, there have been 2 chamberings in the 26" C weight barrel(a 1st for this length/weight); the .45/70 and the .475 Turnbull. You have already mentioned the .25-06 24" AH; the same barrel weight/length was also made in the beavertail forearm version. While new calibers are relatively easy, new configurations don't fit the production sequence very well.
I don't consider the A weight barreled rifles heavy.
I would like to have a 24" AHS in .280! However, I doubt there are enough No.1 buyers out there that support a production run like this. Folks would say," I would buy it if it were a 7x57, or 7mm-08, or .30-06, or .270, or .257 Roberts and on and on...
The 26" B weight barrels, may be heavy! They are going to be near 9 pounds with a scope.
I guess the rib and trying to get the scope back far enough is a problem for many. Remember this: This rifle was designed very near 50 years ago. Scopes then were generally smaller with greater eye relief. Obviously, as low rings were standard for a long time.
Triggers on all the more recent rifles that I have tried, last 5 years, are nearly as good as the first rifles- and all those I have ever tried were really good!
If you already don't own a No.1, then you probably won't ever find one that suits you. Unless you have one custom made from the action up.

ENU,

I think you are absolutely right about ruger intentions re the Number 1.

I have a 1A in 280 AI that was rechambered from a 7x57 for Mule Deer. I do not think many are willing these days to do that to their 7x57s... but it's technically doable. Talk about a potent little stalking rifle!

1B

#1 RSI stainless/walnut 358 WIN

I've always liked the lines of the #1S models. Problem is try to find one. I've found three, all in .300 Win. Mag. two I bought, the other was at cabela's in Phoenix and I guess they felt it was some kind of collector's item as they were asking $1,100 and it looked like it was in the war and lost.
I would like to take one of my #1B models, get an AH forend for it, put the sling stud on the barrel after rebarreling to .35 Whelen with a 1 in 12" twist. A rebore might work as well if those pins for the rib don't get in the way. Do a proper sealing job on the internal wood and I could hunt with that almost forever.
Paul B.

I'd love a No.1 in .22LR. This would complete the range of my modest collection (.22/250,.257 Roberts, 7mmRMag, .338 WMag. and .450/.400 N.E.-3"). I know that financially it couldn't compete with many of the other quality .22LR offerings but I really think there are enough No.1 loonies like myself that would jump at one.

PJGunner,

By pure chance, I backed into almost the identical .35 Whelen 1S you are talking about.

I bought a 1H that the previous owner had converted from a 45-70 -- because it had a bulged barrel -- into a .22 Hornet in the same heavy H profile. The work was done EA Brown and included a Hicks accurizer.

I had the .22 Hornet punched out to .35 Whelen with a 1 in 12 twist, So, now it has a slightly heavier and shorter barrel than the 1S but still looks and carries very much like it. In fact. I prefer the shorter barrel for the Whelen over the 26" barrels standard in the 1S line.

It is presicely the rifle that IMO Ruger should have offered instead of the K1A in .35 Whelen.

Regards,
1B

That's a great idea for a whole different thread. What've you got?

Whoops. You told us while I was typing.

tjm10025,

I also have custom #1s with the following touches--

-- a 6.5 x55 #3 with a modified 1A profile but standard weight barrel that has a chamber and twist set up to optimize use of 120-140 modern bullets instead of the traditional 160gr RNs.

-- a 6.8 SPC II ltwt carbine #1 with a 1 in 11 twist 20" barrel to allow for safe use of hotter tactical rounds.

-- a #1 in a modified 1A profile in 257 Roberts AI -- still in the making.

-- a #1A in 280 AI (courtesy of Mule Deer) that gives me a lighter stalking rifle with all the lethality and flat shooting capability of my 1B .280.

-- a bull barrel 41 mag 1V Type for use in areas near encroaching burbs where pistol rounds will not carry as far as the common center fires.

1B

1B, what length of barrel are you going with on the 1A 280AI?

Surely not a 22in standard 1A barrel?

Yep,it was rechambered from a standard 1A by a smith in Montana. Ithas the original 7x57 barrel and twist. Mule Deer wrote an article about it in Rifle some years back. All the performance details are there.

1B

OOPS.. MD's article was in Handloader Feb 2008 -- not Rifle magazine as I previously stated. Just stmbled across a signed copy he threw in. Nice guy.

Anyway, some of the highligts of his experience with that 22" barrel were that it managed over 300 fps with safe 150 gr handloads and over 3100 fps with commercial 140 gr Noslers. It does not give away much to the muzzle surgery.

1B

1B -- Sophomoric? Exotic? I resemble that remark.

Blacaktail -- OMG what a rifle.

For my #1 I'll take 1B's 6.5 x 55. But I want it made of titanium, standard weight tube and lightened stock.

My "Dream #1" would be in the 24" 1-S configuration, half round/half octagon barrel, chambered to 8x68S, color case hardened receiver, rust blued barrel, knock-out European walnut. Of course if I could afford that, I'd probably be able to afford a fine English Farquharson or at least a Dakota 10...

K1A in 9.3X74R with 1:13/14 twist..
1-S stainless/walnut in .405 Win..

I own an AH in 25-06 & a custom 1A I nabbed in Germany a few years back. I'd like another AH in 7X64 Brenneke & 6mm Remington.

The AH should be a factory offering in all .30 and under calibers. IMO.

AND, someone needs to come up with an after-market scope base that will move the rear ring to the top of the receiver ring - "OR" Ruger could recognize that a sightless AH will always be scoped and that their current base could be improved on....

Ruger has given us and continues to offer to us some really good option in the 77 series. But, IMO, has somewhat stalled in the #1 arena and not really listened to their audience.

Ill have to post some pics of my No 1 '06. It has German claw mounts (Einhack Montage) instead of factory. Too bad the rear sight was taken off to make that work. The Fixed 6 Kahles will have to do until I return to the mainland and have a good 'smith mount a custom rear site