I'm looking to have a number 1 sent off for some custom work including barrel replacement. A well worn #1a was suggested to me for the donor. Any places to look would be appreciated.

I was at a Cabela’s recently and looked at a worn 1A.
I think the price was around a $1000. I believe it sold. Are you looking to replace wood? What caliber are you wanting?
If you dont want to change wood you maybe money ahead to by a decent gun and add a barrel
I have a No1 B and a V I may sell but $1000 wont quite buy them

i always wanted to do a Ruger #1 with a Brux barrel and chamber 256 Newton but it would be kinda expensive and i will be turning 70 this year i don`t think anyone in my family would use a old time cartridge or wanna load for it by the time it was all done and i also got the brass ,dies ,and a scope on it . my cost would be over $3,000.00 . and this cartridge and everything would have a real low value in my estate. but i still might do it ?good luck with your build. Pete53

How do you get to the $3000 number?

Two ways of looking at that;

1: Too old to bother building something your estate won’t appreciate.

2: enough time left to achieve something you’ve been dreaming of and have some fun with it.

Personally, I like #2. It’s your money & your rifle. Make it happen. 70 ain’t time to quit.

MGunns,
If you could locate one of those “bad barrel” guns that won’t shoot, that’d be ideal. I blundered into a .243 of that era which won’t keep a 4” group at 100 but mine is gonna be my own project. Maybe a 50-70 gov’t.

I have my dads well worn .22-250.
Looks bad, shoots decent.
Im not gonna send anything back to Ruger for reblue, rebarrel or other.
Run it as is, sell or send to a builder for remake.
The latter isnt cheap.
See if I can score a used synth stock this yr. If so thatll push me into a build.

That's how my red pad .25-3000 1A (sort of) started out - as a pisspoor shooting 1B .25-06. Now it's a shooting SOB with its Douglas barrel. All original wood retained, forearm shortened because who wants 1B forearms on shorter barreled rifles?

I picked up a #1b in 7mm Mag from a CF member for what I considered a good price. Sent it off to Pacnor for a 6mm CM barrel. Fitted and finished a MPI stock set.



I have a 338 WM that I am considering converting to 7 PRC and a #3 in 223 that I am thinking to convert to 6 ARC. Those are projects for maybe later this year or next.

Nice rig. IIRC you may have done a fitting thread on that stock.
I may be too lazy to attempt such.

donor #1 $1000.00 + Brux barrel 500.00 + machinist 500.00 + reamer 250.00 / no go gauge and go gauge + dies 150.00 or more + 200 new cases $300.00 and now a scope a Nightforce $ 1500.00 i was wrong closer to $4,000.00 i use nothing but the best as i always have with my rifles i use , a 256 Newton is not a normal cartridge go price it out.

Thanks for the input Gentlemen. I'm considering the RJ Renner stalking rifle or the woodland stalker. This would be my dream rifle and once in a lifetime expense. In the woodland stalker, I was thinking 454/45 LC. I have a Ruger Carry Hawk 45 LC and would love to have the rifle matching. Honestly I'd probably just shoot 45's. Most hunting is Eastern whitetails under 100 yds anyway.

I would have to scope it however as my eyes are pitiful from what they used to be.

I'd appreciate your thoughts on this as it's my first dabble into a custom/semi custom project.

Thanks much.

Scott

RJRenner

PM to you

Thank you Sir. Pm replied.

Given the project you’re contemplating, I wonder if it would be better to just chamber it to .45 Colt with minimum dimensions...

You could horse .45 Colt up pretty close to .454 anytime you like & as you state your desire is mostly the Colt, maybe the Colt dimensioned chamber would give better results than the extra free bore of the .454.

I don’t know but that’s what I am thinking...

chamber the barrel to 460 S.W. then you can use 454 Casull or 45 long colt

Good on the face of it, but what about bullet jump when shooting a .45 Colt in that long chamber? Can't be great for accuracy.

If anyone is looking for a custom #1, Garry Reeder has two that look like a bargain in today's market.

Reeder Custom Guns For Sale

I've been thinking the same thing and was gonna talk to Mr Renner about it. I'm thinking the 45 will do all I need to at deer up to 100 yds.....

Damn you DryPowder! Laughing. I've been afraid I'll find a nice one, buy it and never do this conversion.

Some of those "bad barrel guns" might shoot okay, with just a fire lapping job. Actually I think most of the real stinkers have already been rebarreled over the past 40 years

Did Ruger ever offer #1 actions for sale by themselves?

Good question. I do remember them selling barreled actions early on.

You ever find an action? I have a worn (hunted in coastal AK) 1B action (.30-06 rechambered to .30 Gibbs) I could part with.

If interested, I can provide pictures.

Brownells catalogs way back had Ruger bbld actions listed.

I have had three custom guns built on the #1 action. Fortunately I did these before prices went crazy. The most I ever paid for a donor rifle was $800 and I was still able to recoup some money by selling the wood.

IIRC, Brownells sold just the #1 actions also. Dang, I wish I had squirrel-holed a few!

I’d suggest looking for an early serial number rifle with good wood. The early rifles had a factory adjustable trigger and the wood on some models are just outstanding.

I managed to pick up an early 4 digit serial number rifle in 243 that had fantastic wood. Using a second year of production Ruger No.1 might seem nuts to Ruger collectors, but if you figure on having buy that same quality wood and an adjustable trigger it made sense to me.

I had a 4 digit .280. wood was very nice

My dads beater B in .22-250 had so so stock, but it cracked and I havent fixed it yet. Swapped in a used buttstock, w better wood LOL

His had the old checkering pattern, think it a '74 model.
Old man had it, new....didnt shoot worth a crap, had Ruger rebarrel it ( on their dime ) and then sold it to my dad.

Pops killed a fair number of chucks w it. Has the 3 screw trigger. One side of receiver is white from use. Lever latch is worn. Still puts Norma factory at .75" at 100.

Dunno how much throat wear. My eyes suck. Need to have it checked out. Offered it for sale to some fam, w old varixiii 3.5-10x. no takers. Appears i may have even priced it on the low side.


The #3 barreled action ( w bubba scope base holes) sold to a bud. Dirt cheap. Just to get rid of it ....save me from sinking money into a #3 project. Sold the scope, used the #1 stock from it, sold the Canjar.....I had a " free" action.

Proly slap a FX3 12x on the old #1. Took it off the " for sale " list. It is available to one person, kid my dad took hunting a few times. If he wants it, sell at good price. If he doesnt, it can sit in back of my safe. Not a .22 -250 fan, prefer .243 in a B model