Ruger No1

[dfletcher]

My first No 1 bought many, many years back was a 1968 made one in 7mm Remington Magnum. I spent much of my time trying to get the darn thing to shoot well, swearing at it and hiding it in the back of the gun room. Wandering zero and +3" 100 yd groups were the norm. I finally gave up and sold it a few years back.

I have No1s in 375 H & H and 458 WinMag - not exactly target rifles, they shoot well for the fairly short distances and few shots I put through each. But I'd like to buy a No1 V for some target shooting of 100 to 300 yds.

I have a Winchester (Browning) 1885 in 7 WSM and it's accurate as heck, a consistent -1" at 100 yds shooter.

I very much like the No1 and its looks. I'd like to buy another, but I don't want to deal with quirky accuracy, fiddling around with forend pressure. Can I buy a No1 and be fairly certain it will shoot well out of the box?

Also, I'm assuming the No1s are still polished blue finished and not the "spray paint matte" of the Hawkeye - correct?

 

[mattsbox99]

They are polished, my 4 shoot well enough for me, the .25/06 and 6.5x55 are more accurate than my .257Bob and .303 Brit. I haven't fiddled with any of them other than handloading.

 

[dfletcher]

Thanks, already have and am partial to the 25.06, would lean toward it or the 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[OIF2]

My first No 1 bought many, many years back was a 1968 made one in 7mm Remington Magnum. I spent much of my time trying to get the darn thing to shoot well, swearing at it and hiding it in the back of the gun room. Wandering zero and +3" 100 yd groups were the norm. I finally gave up and sold it a few years back.

I have No1s in 375 H & H and 458 WinMag - not exactly target rifles, they shoot well for the fairly short distances and few shots I put through each. But I'd like to buy a No1 V for some target shooting of 100 to 300 yds.

I have a Winchester (Browning) 1885 in 7 WSM and it's accurate as heck, a consistent -1" at 100 yds shooter.

I very much like the No1 and its looks. I'd like to buy another, but I don't want to deal with quirky accuracy, fiddling around with forend pressure. Can I buy a No1 and be fairly certain it will shoot well out of the box?

Also, I'm assuming the No1s are still polished blue finished and not the "spray paint matte" of the Hawkeye - correct?

I hear you, Bro...I went thru the same thing, fiddling with loads for a .270 and a .30-06 1B. Very disheartening. I finally got the .30-06 to shoot, after major surgery on the forend. Both went away in trades. I now own 4 awesome No 1s and all are superbly accurate (to me). No bedding issues on the .25-06, .30-06 and 7mm Mauser. All are box-stock. The best of the four is the .223, with a 25" custom heavy barrel and a Canjar single-set trigger. It has a stunning stick of wood on it. The .25-06 I have is a limited edition 24" barreled gun, no sights, Alex Henry forend and circassian walnut. Great caliber in a No 1.

.223 No 1 custom, 25" blackened stainless heavy barrel, Canjar trigger and a Nikon scope.

Canjar single-set trigger.

One of the nicest pieces of factory wood I've seen.

 

[dfletcher]

^
Very nice. Changing out the trigger is something I'd be willing to do, I don't see that in the same way as fiddling about with accurizing.

 

[mattsbox99]

I kinda wish they had done a 28" barrel on the V for the 6.5 Creedmoor like they did on the VT.

I really haven't shot the Brit enough to say much about accuracy, the previous owner said it shot 1" groups at 100 yards. Being an A weight barrel it has more recoil than I care for.

 

[picketpin]

It MAY or May Not give you the accuracy level you want without tinkering. Frankly after owning 100 or so over the years and currently owning close to 50 there simply is no way to know before hand.

If it's shooting 3" and you send it back to Ruger for accuracy issues, they'll send it right back. It's a HUNTING rifle.

The single biggest issue seems to be barrel harmonics. Many, certainly not all, #1s will shoot at or near 1" groups once you find the load (Bullet, powder, primer etc) that YOUR #1 likes.

I have multiple duplicates and within those no two shoot the same load BEST. I have 5 in 257 Roberts. Among the family we have 11 in 257 Roberts "B" They range from the earliest ones made to the last ones made. Again out of those not a single one shoots the same "Accuracy" load BUT after years of tinkering we have found a load that all shoot sub 1 1/2" and many shoot sub MOA.

If looking for flat out accuracy I think I would start with something that has an earned reputation as an inherently accurate cartridge. The 25-06 is a great hunting round, but MY experience is not that of a true target cartridge.

The 6.5 Creedmore might come closer to what you want. That said there aren't a lot of 6.5 Creedmore "V" out there and according to the people I've talked to at Ruger they haven't made one in "V" since before January 2012 and they are not on the production schedule before at least July 2013 and maybe they have simply been discontinued. (Though nobody at Ruger uses that word)

In terms of #1s that are actually setting the records it's awfully hard to improve on the 22PPC or 6mm PPC. The are fairly rare and spendy BUT most shoot awfully well with a bit of tinkering.

If I was going to buy one "V" and truly wanted accuracy I would plan on a new trigger, and installing a Moulds Speed/Target hammer and spring. Probably after that I'd start looking for the load my rifle likes/prefers. Other accuracy tips that actually work are on the #1 Site. Most of the realistic and PROVEN accuracy tips are available over there in the files section. A LOT of what you hear or smiths recommend is just...........BS.

As for ACTUAL accuracy. We have a postal shoot each year over there Those results are also in the files section.

It's the average of two five shot groups at 100 yards. We shoot in 4 categories broken out by bore diameter. These are the winning groups (2 averaged) by anything fired since 2005.

2005 .633
2006 .728
2007 .416
2008 .599
2009 .655
2010 .474
2011 .394
2012 .510

The smallest group has always been a .224 or .243 so far. Most recently the 22 and 6mm PPCs have held sway..

The winning scores/groups for 2012: .224 or under: .536 .243-308: .510 above 308 to .40: 1.495 above .40: 1.725

THAT is pretty realistic. This is some of the most serious and dedicated #1 owners/shooters in the country.

Yes, I have shot a groups as low as .313 for 5 shots at 100 yards with a custom #1 "V" in 257 Roberts BUT I'm real happy with around .500 and that will kill rock chucks and prairie dogs a long ways out there. It's also much more realistic of what you can expect when everything goes right. I'm perfectly happy with groups (5 shots) at or near MOA with any HUNTING cartridge

The BEST #1 will shoot as well as MOST bolt guns. The BEST bolt gun will always out shoot the best #1. It just depends on what you want out of rifle and what you choose to shoot.

There are LOTS of recommendations about how to make a #1 shoot by a LOT of guys that don't know what the ...................they are talking about. Also a lot of groups claimed that the owners have never bothered to actually submit for scoring. ;-)

Ross

 

[OIF2]

Great post, Ross. Insight and knowledge based on extensive experience. Thanks!
Bob

 

[filson]

in his post, picketpin refers to the " #1 site ". have searched the web and can't find the darned thing. any thoughts out there?
filson

 

[El Numero Uno]

Here's the link:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RUGER-1/
Lots of very knowledgeable folks about the singular subject of the Ruger No.1 rifle.

 

[OIF2]

Here's the link:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RUGER-1/
Lots of very knowledgeable folks about the singular subject of the Ruger No.1 rifle.

Hi Lee
I'm back, and heading out again in April...

I like that... "the singular subject of the Ruger No. 1 rifle".
Bob

 

[patrickjames]

I bought my first No.1 in the early 1970's and IMO the No.1's today are a lot better. I think the chances are good you will get one that accurate. The last 5 I bought will shoot right around a inch at 100 yards. I bought a .405,25/06,300 H&H,264 win. mag and a 7mm Rem. mag

 

[Buckeye Bill]

All of mine will give me an inch or just over at 100 yards. For hunting and plinking, that has always been good enough.

 

[filson]

thanks for the #1 link. signed up and looking forward to learning more about the model 1.

 

[dfletcher]

It MAY or May Not give you the accuracy level you want without tinkering. Frankly after owning 100 or so over the years and currently owning close to 50 there simply is no way to know before hand.

If it's shooting 3" and you send it back to Ruger for accuracy issues, they'll send it right back. It's a HUNTING rifle.

The single biggest issue seems to be barrel harmonics. Many, certainly not all, #1s will shoot at or near 1" groups once you find the load (Bullet, powder, primer etc) that YOUR #1 likes.

I have multiple duplicates and within those no two shoot the same load BEST. I have 5 in 257 Roberts. Among the family we have 11 in 257 Roberts "B" They range from the earliest ones made to the last ones made. Again out of those not a single one shoots the same "Accuracy" load BUT after years of tinkering we have found a load that all shoot sub 1 1/2" and many shoot sub MOA.

If looking for flat out accuracy I think I would start with something that has an earned reputation as an inherently accurate cartridge. The 25-06 is a great hunting round, but MY experience is not that of a true target cartridge.

The 6.5 Creedmore might come closer to what you want. That said there aren't a lot of 6.5 Creedmore "V" out there and according to the people I've talked to at Ruger they haven't made one in "V" since before January 2012 and they are not on the production schedule before at least July 2013 and maybe they have simply been discontinued. (Though nobody at Ruger uses that word)

In terms of #1s that are actually setting the records it's awfully hard to improve on the 22PPC or 6mm PPC. The are fairly rare and spendy BUT most shoot awfully well with a bit of tinkering.

If I was going to buy one "V" and truly wanted accuracy I would plan on a new trigger, and installing a Moulds Speed/Target hammer and spring. Probably after that I'd start looking for the load my rifle likes/prefers. Other accuracy tips that actually work are on the #1 Site. Most of the realistic and PROVEN accuracy tips are available over there in the files section. A LOT of what you hear or smiths recommend is just...........BS.

As for ACTUAL accuracy. We have a postal shoot each year over there Those results are also in the files section.

It's the average of two five shot groups at 100 yards. We shoot in 4 categories broken out by bore diameter. These are the winning groups (2 averaged) by anything fired since 2005.

2005 .633
2006 .728
2007 .416
2008 .599
2009 .655
2010 .474
2011 .394
2012 .510

The smallest group has always been a .224 or .243 so far. Most recently the 22 and 6mm PPCs have held sway..

The winning scores/groups for 2012: .224 or under: .536 .243-308: .510 above 308 to .40: 1.495 above .40: 1.725

THAT is pretty realistic. This is some of the most serious and dedicated #1 owners/shooters in the country.

Yes, I have shot a groups as low as .313 for 5 shots at 100 yards with a custom #1 "V" in 257 Roberts BUT I'm real happy with around .500 and that will kill rock chucks and prairie dogs a long ways out there. It's also much more realistic of what you can expect when everything goes right. I'm perfectly happy with groups (5 shots) at or near MOA with any HUNTING cartridge

The BEST #1 will shoot as well as MOST bolt guns. The BEST bolt gun will always out shoot the best #1. It just depends on what you want out of rifle and what you choose to shoot.

There are LOTS of recommendations about how to make a #1 shoot by a LOT of guys that don't know what the ...................they are talking about. Also a lot of groups claimed that the owners have never bothered to actually submit for scoring. ;-)

Ross

Thanks for the detailed information. I'll be putting some of it to use. I just bought a "LNIB" No1 V in 220 Swift - so much for buying a caliber that lends itself to excellent accuracy. The gun came with rings and a Nikon Monarch 6 to 18X and was $1K - seems like a decent deal, I don't believe it's been shot.

How difficult is it to switch out the issue hammer for the Mould's? In general I can disassemble and reassemble any gun, I've never really given the No1 a try.

I'd also be interested in an aftermarket trigger. It looks like the Moyers is no longer available, I'm not inclined to go with the Kepplinger due to cost.

I believe the No1 in 220 Swift uses a 1 - 14" twist and the heaviest bullets to use should be about 62 grains. Supposedly the Swift likes the 55 to 60 grain stuff, I'll work on loads and see how it shooots out of the box.

 

[dakota1911]

I have a few, and have been buying them from the 1970s. The best have been in 30-06, one of my favorite cals. Below is a No. 1 International in the middle of a couple of my 10-22s. I did not have a scope on it at the time. It gives a little less than an inch group at 100 yards with hunting loads.