Question on Ruger Number One Receiver Stamping

[dunnyboy]

I have an early Ruger Number One rifle, 1H configuration in 375 H&H, serial number is an early 130 prefix from 1973-74 period. It has a factory stamping on the underside of the receiver block - Sturm Ruger & Co. Inc. Southport, Conn USA - on the right side opposite the serial number stamping that is on the left. Out of curiosity, I've always wondered what was the purpose of this stamping, as it appears to have been a rather short-lived production protocol. Must have been a rather brief experiment, as my rifles produced shortly before and shortly after this range do not have the same stamping, and to my knowledge nothing earlier or later have it either.

 

[El Numero Uno]

That is the marking for an Action Only. Have you lettered it? Since they had no barrel for the address, that was how they stamped the manufacturer.

 

[chet15]

Hey, that's a pretty neat gun there. Maybe Ruger decided to turn that action only into a complete gun before they ever shipped it. Will be interested to hear how that letter comes back from the factory. If 1-H .375 then you have a neat variation there.
Chet15

 

[dunnyboy]

Factory says the action shipped as action only in October 1974, was returned for service in March 1975 for barrel and wood services. Looks like someone may have had intentions of building a custom rifle, and then had second thoughts. Anyhow, it appears to be a factory "produced" rifle, through a somewhat unusual process. Like it better than ever now!

 

[El Numero Uno]

The John Amber "Silver Jubilee" Creedmore was made from an Action Only.
It is on the cover of the 1976 Gun Digest, with inside pictures showing the marking on the receiver.
I do not believe these "Action Only" were made for just anyone. I would nearly bet that it was sent out to someone of note(maybe John Amber), who decided not to use it. It is so special that I would try to get Records to tell who it went to or who sent it back.
Over the years, I have 4 or 5 of them; just not something that I could figure out what to do with at the time. Joe Clayton got the last 2 I had to make custom rifles with.

 

[picketpin]

Uno: I feal better, none of mine or that I have ever owned were marked, as actions.

With every Ruger catalog that did list them listing "BARRELED ACTIONS ONLY" I can well imagine that the action only thing was a definite FOB deal.

insteresting information.

Ross