Close to 35 years ago I found a used but mint condition Ruger #3 in 45-70. It was just one of those times when I wasn't really looking for one but it just appealed to me. The price was $300 and after a lot of thought I walked away. I have regretted it ever since, especially when every one I have seen since has been a LOT more than $300. I have always kept my eye open for one but until recently I have just not come across one I could justify buying.
It was on the rack in a small shop & I recognized the lever and muzzle even before picking it up. A No3 in 45-70. No sling swivels and not drilled & tapped either. The rear sight is a full buckhorn of some kind and the barrel markings are all gold color filled. It had some handling marks in the wood and the receiver has a plum color but the bore is excellent. The price was more than $300 but still very reasonable so my 35 year search was over.

Anyone know what year Ruger started to D&T for scope mounts and weather or not the rear sight could be factory ? (doubt it) along with the gold lettering?

I had one waaayyyy back when that cost me about $150. Either the barrel was bent or crooked in the receiver, but even with the rear sight hanging to one side by a thread, it shot far to one side. Lively little spud too. Went down the road naturally.

Picked up a #3 in 223 with the plans on rebarreling it in a larger caliber. I have actually fitted and shaped a new stock for it but it shoots so well I really can’t get around to ordering a new barrel. It is currently in its original wood and I am in no hurry to finish the new stock.

I had two #1 in 45-70.
First one kicked like a mule. Loaded with 300 gr hollow points, deadly on deer.
The second one had gold markings. It was a banquet gun or some special run. Don't remember for sure.
Sold it without shooting it on my dentists recommendation.
Both were factory drilled and tapped.

I have a #3 in 223 and really like it, but it does not fit and feel to me as good as the #1.

Great find though and good luck with it.

That's an early one. They only made them a couple of years before D&Ting them for scope mounts sometime around the mid-1970s.
The rear sight and fancy gold filling are someone's idea of customization.

I've never seen one that wasn't D&T from the factory. That's cool.

I've only owned one. It was a .45-70, Speer's manual had loads for Ruger single shots, and so I had to try. Way, way, way beyond abusive. Could be the source of some of the some of the nerve damage in my right shoulder ... certainly didn't improve things any. It was not a good shooter, not with any ammo. It went down the road.

If I saw one for a good price, I'd probably buy it, likely as a project. I don't see anything bigger than a .38-55 though. I have no need for 300-400 grain bullets from a 6 pound rifle, not at any speed. I remember ouch.

Tom

To get my #1s and #3s to shoot, I take out some wood and put some bedding at the fore end tip,
relieve any wood from the fore end that is touching the action and put a hard shim in between
the barrel and the hanger.

I bought a No. 3 in 30-40 Krag a couple of years ago but I haven't shot it yet.

Thanks, will keep this in mind, I haven't had a chance to shoot it much yet. As far as recoil, it's pretty clear when you touch one off but the "use in all gun" loads with 300gn bullets doesn't seem to bad. Chances are, especially with open sights it won't see a lot of range time but there are a few spots where I will likely hunt with it occasionally. Regardless, it's just one of those guns that really appeals to me.

So kind of curious what they are worth, I have a Ruger 1-v with a 24 inch barrel chambered in 22-250, beautiful gun.

I've had two Ruger #1's. A redpad B and a redpad RSI, both in .243 win.
The B was sub .5 moa...........with nothing other than shooting a handload (75gr Speer HP on top of some 4895).
The RSI only had a 4x on it, and cloverleafed at 75 yards. Factory 100gr

Today at a gunshow, saw a #3 in .45-70. Pretty clean, bit of figure in forend. Scope bases.
Had $695 on the tag.
Thought about offering 600 but not really into .45-70

Mine is a red bad and in mint condition with a leupold varix iii 6.5x20x40 on it. Have entertained selling it since I rarely shoot it. Just no clue would would be the right price to ask. Think the gun was manufactured in 93 which gives it a Ruger made barrel and not a Douglas

From what I've seen (maybe regional?) a V model won't sell as well as a B.
No groundhogs (anymore) might be part of the reason.

I'd check the Classifieds here to see what has been sold, and compare that to Gunbroker completed sales.

With chuck hunting elsewhere coming up, now might be the best time to sell.

Thanks Hookeye

Prices on the No1 and No3 are totally different. No3's go anywhere from around $500 to $900+. Asking price anyway, seems like there is someone willing to pay top $ for one that is in perfect condition. Not sure what your gun would bring, check out Gunbroker & you will see what asking price is. Check SOLD guns and you will see what they are selling for.

Prices on the No1 and No3 are totally different. No3's go anywhere from around $500 to $900+. Asking price anyway, seems like there is someone willing to pay top $ for one that is in perfect condition. Not sure what your gun would bring, check out Gunbroker & you will see what asking price is. Check SOLD guns and you will see what they are selling for.

I saw a #3 in .22 hornet yesterday for $1300+. I'd like one, perhaps, but not that much.

Beside was a decent-ish looking #1V in .22-250 .. $1200 if I remember right.

There's a #3 re-barreled to .25-35 calling to me, with its original .375 Winchester barrel there for picking too. Decisions, decisions. If I hadn't already spoke for a Winchester-Miroku Low Wall .22 LR from the same source it would be a no-brainer.

I have one in 30-40. When I scoped it could not get the windage on the paper let alone zeroed. Solved that with Burris Signature Zee rings with offset inserts. Have found these inserts useful on Sav 99's instead of shimming the base. It is a handy rifle in the woods but yes my No1 fitsme better.

Well, Gary passed on the 25-35 so I brought it home. Our friend also had a #1 in 38-55 that I would liked to have. But, I just dropped 10K on a new bunk house for my WV property, and a new JD for mowing. Had to rob Peter to pay Paul as it was. Just didn't have the available funds for more.

Has anyone mounted a peep sight (Skinner type) in place of the rear dovetail sight ? I would like something like this as my gun is not D&T and the open sights are not real clear anymore. Wondering if the Skinner sight works when mounted this far out?

I've used a peep mounted in the dovetail on a Browning Low Wall .44 and a TC Renegade. Better than open sight for me, but not real fast. I used the Williams WGOS with peep. The Skinner blade helps with the sight picture,

Jim,

You might try one of these to see if they work for you, cheaper than a Skinner. I have no connection other than having tried one, it was an improvement for me, though not a huge one. YMMV of course.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ruger-10-22-or-96-Rear-Aperture-1-8-Peep-Sight-Blade-New-Also-Fits-Lyman/202366339079?hash=item2f1df94807:g:Zf0AAOSw4GFbRV6T&redirect=mobile

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I may just see how the full buckhorn works if used similar to a peep?

Once upon a time I owned a #3 in .375 Win. Very accurate was a maximum load under a 220 grain bullet. With the curved butt plate and no recoil pad it kicked like a mule! Because of the way the butt plate was inlet into the top of the stock and the curve in the butt it was not practical to install a good recoil pad so it went down the road. I often thought that rifle in a small caliber would be a great one to tote around in the woods. I never tried to find one, however.

Jim

I owned one of those early #3s in 45-70 that was not drilled & tapped. IIRC they didn't drill & tap the first 500 of them.
Mine did not shoot to the sights , come to find out the rear sight from the factory was too low , they were known for that. That's probably why yours has the buckhorn. The original rear sight would be a folding leaf.


Mike

More than 40 yrs. ago I traded a S&W M/18 for a #3 in .22 Hornet, it was a sweet little rifle, wish I still had it. A #3 chambered in .25-35 would be an interesting rifle too.