doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Ruger No. 1

I have been contemplating building an accurate single shot in a .244/.257/.264 caliber. I do think a Ruger no.1 is a handsome, well built rifle, but have heard that some of them have accuracy issues.

What are the exact issues? If I am building custom, can these issues be addressed?

When I was a kid I thot the Hauck was the coolest rifle in the world. He's long dead and the #1 is the very image of the Hauck and I always wondered if ........? The Hauck was patented but if the patent holder is deceased and there is no assignee I can see Ruger going for it. Anyway......... I got one of the super zoot #1's in 45/70 for my brother. He may not be as demanding as you but he has no probs with accuracy. I suspect that like all the single shots the forearm bedding would be critical. Other than that what could go wrong? It's been my understanding the the #1 has a fine rep for accuracy but I've been misinformed on other things. I'd look to the hot setup on forearm bedding before I dis'd it.
just a thot
Charlie

I have had two for some 30 years, a 1H in .45-70 and a 1V in 7mm Rem. Mag. The 1V is one of the most accurate out-of-the-box rifles I've ever owned. Never had to mess with the forearm/hanger on it. That said, many can be helped in that area. Easy to do, and you're not breaking any new ground trying to figure out what to do.

I've never worried about trying to coax the last bit of accuracy out of the .45-70. I load it for power, and it's used for short range work. I've loaded and shot it (offhand) with 500 gr. RN at velocities within 300 fps of the .458 Win. Mag. If you can handle the recoil, it's fun.

SRH

I can't imagine any accuracy issues with a rifle built on the Ruger action. All them I've owned have shot well save for one with a custom barrel that turned out to have a seriously loose spot in the bore. Another barrel took care of that. As for a comparison with the Hauck action, I think all the advantage goes to the Ruger. Internally they're nothing alike, and the Hauck is so large and heavy that it's not possible to make a graceful looking rifle with it. And, they sound like a Sherman tank when they're opened and closed.

Take a look at Reto Buehler's website. He builds single shots on Hagn and Ruger actions. Beautiful guns and I'm sure they shoot well.

I've had good luck with decent accuracy in the few #1 Rugers I've owned. Those I know who have built them for competitive shooting have all gone to the heaviest barrel contour they could fit with the hanger and told me the heavy barrel usually fixes any issues the hanger might cause.
I tried doing the DeHaas fix on one that tended to string shots a little as it got heated up. I D&T the hanger for a setscrew and locknut, and tried various amounts of pressure to see if it would decrease the issue of groups opening up as the barrel heated up. But I never got a definitive decrease in group size that would tell me it worked. I still think the heavy barrel is the best for obtaining higher accuracy for competitive shooting. For casual shooting, or hunting, they're fine as is.

Thank you for the comments...

I always thought that the Ruger No. 1 was patterned off a Farquharson action - the heart of many a beautiful Brit rifle.

A Ruger No.1 would, I thought, make a nice sporting rifle for antelope, Arizona whitetails, and coyotes.

I have a nice one in .243
Plenty accurate
As I get older, the smaller recoil is much appreciated
Mike

p.s. On the other hand, these are way too heavy for field use

Because this is the "Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles" list here on doublegun.com, maybe I can ask if you have considered a Steve Earle Wesson action (long range or midrange actions) or one of his Fraser actions, or even a Winchester singleshot action.

Every time someone wants to build a custom rifle, I always want to second guess their ideas and plans. So, I probably shouldn't throw these out there - but I did. Just another set of possibilities.

Brent

This is not cast in concrete yet. I spoke to a couple builders this AM and have considered the following actions:

Ruger No. 1

Hagn

Faquahrson

Browning

Dakota mod. 10

Winchester high wall

I like them all, but I like both the looks and the availability of the Ruger most. I am thinking 26" Krieger barrel in 6 mm Remington with a medium heavy sporter profile.

Gary Goudy, who would stock this for me, says that he eliminates the forend accuracy problem when he stocks the gun. He also has a Ruger action that he will sell to me. I have a couple English blanks to choose from.

I have two custom and 2 factory. I bedded the forearm tight to action, barrel and hanger on 1, barrel mounted forend mount on the other with modified hanger- now just houses hammer spring- no problems with accuracy in any of them. Maybe someone can explain again why the action mounted hanger is prone to accuracy problems. I believe with proper bedding if restocking they can be made to shoot quite well- mine do.

Since you now mentioned the planned use, I can't help but wonder why not buy a factory Ruger #1 as is, and use it? The older guns are often beautifully stocked, and in calibers like a .243 would make a perfect gun for the game you listed.
If you simply want a custom, the Ruger is a fine choice, but an expensive start, since finding one to get the action from wont be cheap. Cheaper than most new actions, but probably around $1,000 for a gun that you'll only use the action.
If you go this route I'd suggest buying a nice one, so maybe you can sell stocks and barrel, and recoup some cost.

What singleshot action could he get for less? Not many that I can think of and many fewer that are suitable for a .243ish caliber.

Forty years after selling my first Ruger No1 in 270 because because it wouldn't shoot very straight I bought another bog standard one last year secondhand in 6mm PPC and the first time I went to shoot it off a bench I thought the safety was on.
It wasn't but not used to such a heavy trigger. Suffice to say even with this heavy trigger or maybe because of it making me concentrate more it does shoot into one inch.
Is there anything a gunsmith can do to lighten the trigger without buying special parts?

A decent 'smith should be able to do the job with a stone.

Well, I found a Ruger no.1 barreled action in 45-70 for $500 (from friend). The barrel is a match grade by Bob West. I ordered a 26" Brux .257 Roberts barrel and contact John McLaughlin of Helena MT to do the metal work - barreling the action with scope mounts, barrel band sling swivel, and special forend pillar mount. Gun should be ready for the stocker by end of Summer.


ANyone need a precision 45-70 barrel?

Nero,
When Heym made Heym Rugers(HR20?), they retrofitted Canjar single set triggers. Just a thought to fix your problem.
Mike

I put a Canjar trigger on my pre=war Mauser over forty years ago. but they are now long out of business.
I live in NZ and for an individual to get anything to do with a firearm thanks to the UN is almost impossible, All the hassles and cost of export licenses, no problem this end, still have to get an import licence but from memory doesn't cost anything.

Glad you got your No. 1 action. I'd consider asking the metalsmith if you're going to end up with a pretty heavy rifle to lug around after the game you mentioned. There's still a chance here to just finish the 45-70, and order a Hagn mini action and set it up in 6.5 Grendel. With all you will end up putting in to it, the price difference will be small, but the potential may be interesting. Just fun supposing, best of luck with it.

Good ideas, Craig. I am going with a barrel profile that will end up at about 2-1/2 lbs. The Ruger action is not all tht heavy, so I expect to have the rifle weigh in at about 7-1/2 lbs without the scope. I did contemplate a 6.5 caliber chambering, but paln on ordering a Montana Rifle Co. bolt gun in 6.5 X .284 once this project gets underway. So the .257 will be my 'light gun'. I expect to use mainly 95 grain to 110 grain bullets in the .257 and ordered the barrel with 9-1/2" twist. I will expect this gun to be capable of 3/4" 5 shot groups.

I have a very nice light weight English walnut blank and will ask Gary to make a slim stock with no cheek piece.