No. 1 action

[Shum8]

Long time lurker and learner here - but now I have a question..... I have a chance to buy a No. 1 action from a buddy of mine and I plan on building it out, but our problem is neither of knows where to value it. I know, it's worth whatever I'm willing to pay, but seriously - I want to offer a fair price. Brownells used to carry barreled actions in their catalog years ago, and IIRC, weren't much cheaper than a complete rifle. This action is just that - a complete action, but no furniture, no bbl, and no quarter rib. And while he was working thru his project efforts, it had the bluing removed and has been hand polished and while naked, is ready to be blued..... Any ideas on what that's worth???

Thanks

Rob

 

[wunbe]

Shum8,

No idea on today's market value. I have had 6 or 7 custom #1s and #3s made but that was mostly long ago. I then used to buy entire rifles, and then resell the original stocks and barrels with ribs to offset that cost. The hard used project rifles I bought ranged from $400- 500 then.

You are on the cusp of having a #1 made for you that is yards better than anything Old Bill ever turned out. IMO the biggest mistake you can make is to sink big $s into a "custom" that is a carbon copy of the flawed original. Go for a scope mounting system and foreend mounting approach that bypasses the flaws of the original design. Get a foreend and butt stock design that pleases your eye and fits you to a tee. And pick a caliber and profile that you have always wanted but the factory never offered. Splice in the adornments -- color case hardening, octagonal barrels etc -- your budget permits. Then find a smith who can demonstrate he has the skills to produce it for you. Kip Wood in Mt. Pleasant MI did my last one and I am still ecstatic over his work.

wunbe

 

[El Numero Uno]

The condition it is in, it has to be made into a custom rifle. I would say $400-$450 is fair.

 

[mongochicago]

IMHO I think that $400.00 or so is a fair price. Others may say more but I wouldn't go too much more seeing a nice used complete rifle can usually be found between $800.00 to $1200.00. Of course, I may be a little behind the times.

 

[RSIno1]

Then find a smith who can demonstrate he has the skills to produce it for you. Kip Wood in Mt. Pleasant MI did my last one and I am still ecstatic over his work.

Couple nice No1s in his video http://centralmichigangunsmithing.com/?page_id=48

 

[Shum8]

Thanks for the replies..... I think I'll see if he'll go 400..... Sounds fair to me. Sure beats payin close to a grand for stuff I don't need.

R

 

[chet15]

Ruger used to sell the action only at one time. I think those can be identified as they have the Southport address rollmarked on the bottom of the action on the one side of the lever hole.
As a collectible, those are pretty rare in my opinion as action only.
Chet15