When or what was the cause for Ruger going to the Black recoil pad on some #1s . I purchased a #1 in 45-70 and it has a black rubber recoil pad.

Also what's with the LIPSEYS thing. Un-educated on this, If I go to Rugers website they come up as LIPSEYS . Maybe dealer only special order specs ? IDK?
The one I purchased appears unfired with sorta plain wood. Estate sale .

Does the brain trust here have any details they would care to share?

Black pad might indicate post-1990-91 production. Earlier guns had red pads. Look up the serial number on line for production dates. Ruger shifted from variable quality contract Wilson barrels to more consistent Ruger hammer forged barrels about then. Now, recoil pads can be changed....I have a '91 No. 1 which has a red pad instead of the expected black pad and the red pad screw holes look a bit enlarged. Some folks think the red pad guns are more collectible.

Moving out of my direct experience, I understand Lipsey's orders a sufficient quantity of a particular version of No. 1 rifles that Ruger makes a batch exclusively for Lipsey's. You could contact them and see if your 45-70 was from an arrangement like that.

Ruger red pads suck as recoil relief

I agree about recoil relief...except those No.1's made in 1977. Ruger used Pachmayr. Mine is still cushy after all those years! Terry

I dated the 45-70 off a No 1 website @ a year 2000.
My 7x57 RSI is a Red pad gun. Great shooter too. Didnt bother to get it out to date it though . Had it for a lot of years.

My little 1a in 7x57 is an early red pad model, like yours a good shooter. I found it at a gun show, for a real bargin price. Metal was good but the wood was horrible. Iooked like it had been road hard and put up wet. The finish was all cloudy and spots missing, so bad you could not see the grain underneath. A lot of careful scraping, and then careful sanding resulted in one of the prettiest #1 stocks I have, but it did take a lot of time and effort.