Engraved No. 1A in .243 at the LGS

Can anyone tell me if this is a factory engraving or maybe Turnbull work? Or would you guess it was done by someone on their own after they bought a standard No. 1? Thanks



Wood is also a little more "walnut" than I'm used to seeing (more brown/less red) and the checkering is slightly different from my other No. 1's.

No idea about the engraving if it's not signed, but the wood is Ruger factory Circassian walnut with the checkering pattern they use for Circassian-stocked rifles. If the rifle is a 243, the wood is probably a replacement set.

I would think that if it were a factory job all the metal would match in color.

Huh? What metal doesn't match?

The receiver looks -- in the picture anyway -- to be on the way to a plum color that quiet a few factory Ruger #1s take on as they age. I own several. I've never seen barrels go plum only receivers.

wunbe

Can you share with us what the asking price is? I'd like someday to have a #1 engraved.

That's the Boddington style checkering. For what it's worth I have two with "C" walnut that have the standard checkering pattern The 264 Win Mag "BH" they shipped me in 2012 does as does a 7mm Rem Mag "S" from the early 80s I sent back about then for new wood due to bad cracking in the wrist and behind the tang from the previous owner. I simply requested NICE wood rather than a damned 2x4 or something to that effect.

I know that the 1967 catalog mentions engraving and a few years ago for a brief moment they offered it through the factory on a new #1 purchased through their short lived custom shop. But to be honest I have never run across one that I thought was FACTORY with the exception of the A and B etched 30-06 "A"s and of course the NRA, Rocky Mountain Elk etc that are made on contract and even then I think the embellishments are farmed out. The "etched ones were done in house.

Did the 26" "S" 45-70s that ended up being a Lipsey item have the Boddington or Standard checkering pattern, they were "C" walnut I believe.

Ross

Architorture23 said:

Can anyone tell me if this is a factory engraving or maybe Turnbull work? Or would you guess it was done by someone on their own after they bought a standard No. 1? Thanks

Wood is also a little more "walnut" than I'm used to seeing (more brown/less red) and the checkering is slightly different from my other No. 1's.

Click to expand...

To be factory engraving, you would need to contact Ruger to see if it was engraved. Might be worth the time on that. For a few years Ruger had the in-house engraving program and only brand new never shipped guns or parts (floor plates etc. for the M77) would be engraved by them. For the most part though, the engraving on your #1 was probably done outside the factory as most of the engraving work on the factory guns was very extensive, because the work was also priced exhorbitantly in my opinion, but for those wanting factory engraving that was the ticket...and all are RARE today!!
Chet15

I'm thinking it was after market engraving, as well. I can't find anything similar through extensive searching.

The gun sold before I could personally get to it. I wad alerted to it by a post on another forum. That person was walling on buying it but he ended up getting it anyways. The shop that sold it was a dealer in Atlanta that deals in high end guns only. Beretta, Merkel, Grulla, old Model 70's, collecotr grade Garands, etc. He said they were only asking $800 for it. If that's the case, I figure they know it wasn't factory original or rare.

The purchaser lives not to far from me and I'm going to keep in touch with him and try to arrange a meeting.

You will be welcomed to handle, or even shoot it. Ever go to Floyd Co SPORTSMAN's Club? (Rome, GA).
It's just a thought but this rifle would be nice with a 358 Win barrel on it. Nothing wrong with 243 but other rounds interest me more...

Hey Alan, didn't know you were over here, too. Never been there but shoot at Creekside some. Maybe we can get together before deer season.

Actually getting to a range is more difficult than I ever thought it would be these days. Guess if all I do is look at, fondle and 'point' a rifle then caliber doesn't matter! LOL

Ross, The Lipsey 1S-C came both ways, i was told. American black and Circassiam walnuts. Mine was Circassian.

My engraver friend, since deceased, said that the Ruger No. 1 receiver was the hardest steel that he ever put a graver to, and requested that we not bring more to him.

I also think the engraving shown is aftermarket.

jack

Late weighing in on this, but it is not Factory engraving. Some 1A's were shipped with Circassian wood and the Boddington checkering in last couple of years, but would need serial# range to have an opinion if this is one of these, or replacement wood on an earlier 1A.

Kinda looks like the engraving pattern on the level I engraving from the studio. Rob Bunting with Baron could tell you for sure. engraving is decent either way.

This rifle got into my hands and I made the mistake of sitting on the store's comfortable seat with it. It's not flashy figured wood, just a nice dark/light contrast and the checkering is a step above standard. 22" of barrel is my minimum desired, 24" even better, especially single shots with shorter OAL of whole rifle.
I normally am not that enamored with open sights but this rifle wears them well, if not the best for the chambering [a .243 Win deserves a scope].
I talk a lot about 358 Winchester being one of my very favorite rounds, and it is POSSIBLE this rifle may become one. A gunsmith friend is very good at milling the extractor relief in Ruger single shot barrel faces. I've always thought the Ruger #1A or B should be made in .250 Savage, another favorite of mine, but I'm already equipped with a Ruger 77 MII that shoots better than I can see even with a scope [Shilen barrel, not factory].
Just thinking out loud. IF this becomes a .358 Win project I will want these Ruger open sights on it as well, and probably a 24" barrel just to make it an odd ball between #1A and #1B guns. My 77MII has a 24" barrel and I've been happy with it even screwed onto the longer bolt action it's on. 24" on a #1A should be handy enough.

The engraving looks very nice from the pictures posted. As to whether factory or not, only the factory will know for sure, otherwise it is just pure speculation.

The 358 sounds like a treat. If reboring said oem barrel, I would take a looksee at the depth of the quarter rib holes to see how deep they are.

I suspect that a #2 Shilen will get into the AH forend(my guess on forend) pretty nicely, but not too sure if a #2 Shilen 358 is really available, due to bore size and muzzle outside dimensions, one would have to do some research I reckon.

The #3 Shilen would not cause too big an issue with the existing AH forend probably. A little more weight and the muzzle a bit further away is sometimes a good thing..........say over the existing 22".

Ruger has been put on GunBroker's auction site. Ruger customer service said it was shipped in July 2009 with Circassian wood, and also they sent it to Baron Technology for engraving. Winner of the auction will be immediately given serial number so as to be able to call Ruger customer service for confirmation, as I did.
Too nice a rifle for me, and having found a Lipsey stainless/walnut #1A in .250 Savage makes it easier to sell this .243! Thanks guys.

The engraving reminds me of engraving on my Lyman Centennial minus the game animals.

IIRC, there were also some "one ofs" Ruger engraved for VIPs...

wunbe

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