wunbe
Buckeye
10-15 years ago when I was hot on Ruger single shot collecting, I came across a #3 style custom rifle that was putatively made as a "lunch bucket" rifle by Ruger workers. ( I later learned from Ruger that the original receiver was in .22 Hornet.)
It differed from the standard 1A profile in several key ways that shows the guys on the line then had some good ideas about how to do it right and the skills to accomplish it.
The custom stock had a straight english shotgun style butt section with pretty if not spectacular wood. This design did away with the clumsy fit on the original #3 for the shooting hand between the palm swell and the wavy receiver lever. It also did away with need to handle the #3 lever while puling the trigger which for me at least made for an unnatural, uncomfortable, hand position that gave some erratic trigger release results. The second design feature was the use of a schnabel foreend which gave the rifle even more of the classic look of a European stalking rifle. Both stock sections were designed with trim lines that both reduced the weight and much improved the balance and handling of the original. They then free floated and sealed the stock which gave it stability from humidity changes and associated changes in wood/metal contact that the original versions never had.
Then the guy/s who made it let their innovative juices go a bit far and chambered the rifle in 7mm BR. As a sometimes reloader, this bothered me, so after purchase I had it punched out to the more conventional 7mm 08.
It quickly became my favorite deer stalking Rugers -- so much so, that I used it as a model for another custom stalking rifle.
This one has an even nicer, hand selected, custom Michigan walnut stock. It is chambered in 6.5x55. The smith eliminated the rib in favor of 2 custom made mounts with Talley rings that are located to allow for more rearward adjustment of scopes than the rib permits. No more creeping the stock! And he made a chamber that was within SAAMI limits but ideal for lighter weight 140 gr modern commercial rounds as opposed to the heavier 60 gr military standard.
I can send picts to your email address if interested. PM me.
wunbe
.
It differed from the standard 1A profile in several key ways that shows the guys on the line then had some good ideas about how to do it right and the skills to accomplish it.
The custom stock had a straight english shotgun style butt section with pretty if not spectacular wood. This design did away with the clumsy fit on the original #3 for the shooting hand between the palm swell and the wavy receiver lever. It also did away with need to handle the #3 lever while puling the trigger which for me at least made for an unnatural, uncomfortable, hand position that gave some erratic trigger release results. The second design feature was the use of a schnabel foreend which gave the rifle even more of the classic look of a European stalking rifle. Both stock sections were designed with trim lines that both reduced the weight and much improved the balance and handling of the original. They then free floated and sealed the stock which gave it stability from humidity changes and associated changes in wood/metal contact that the original versions never had.
Then the guy/s who made it let their innovative juices go a bit far and chambered the rifle in 7mm BR. As a sometimes reloader, this bothered me, so after purchase I had it punched out to the more conventional 7mm 08.
It quickly became my favorite deer stalking Rugers -- so much so, that I used it as a model for another custom stalking rifle.
This one has an even nicer, hand selected, custom Michigan walnut stock. It is chambered in 6.5x55. The smith eliminated the rib in favor of 2 custom made mounts with Talley rings that are located to allow for more rearward adjustment of scopes than the rib permits. No more creeping the stock! And he made a chamber that was within SAAMI limits but ideal for lighter weight 140 gr modern commercial rounds as opposed to the heavier 60 gr military standard.
I can send picts to your email address if interested. PM me.
wunbe
.
