just picked up a ruger #1A stainless rifle in 357 mag appears to be unfired .i've never seen one in stainless chambered in 357 mag .i know that ruger made a limited run [approx. 2000] of blued #1s in 357 mag 1500 had the left side of receiver engraved with the calif hwy patrol logo and 500 that were not marked but no mention of any stainless ones made a friend that collect's #1s had never seen one and none of his books show one anyone seen one or know anything about them?
stainless ruger#1 357 mag
- Thread starter carlsflh
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gewehrfreund
Buckeye
In my opinion, this is one of the unmarked overrrun blued rifles that has had the finish removed. The giveaways are the still blued grip cap (all Ruger stainless No. Ones had stainless grip caps and swivel studs), and the tiny pits in the metal suggesting sand blasting. Getting a letter from Ruger based on the serial number should solve the mystery. Also, applying some cold blue to an area under the fore-end should also reveal the truth either way.
Hard to imagine Ruger doing a stainless 357 back in the early 1980s, but I suppose stranger things have happened. The first stainless No. One I am familiar with or reported is the first Lipsey special issue in 7.62x39 done in 2004 (one of which I am lucky enough to have).
Hard to imagine Ruger doing a stainless 357 back in the early 1980s, but I suppose stranger things have happened. The first stainless No. One I am familiar with or reported is the first Lipsey special issue in 7.62x39 done in 2004 (one of which I am lucky enough to have).
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i,ve worked with metal my whole life [I'm 66] it's defiantly stainless steel comparing it to several stainless ruger revolvers they all look the same also i did just did the scratch test with cold blue and no change . both sling swivels are stainless . there is no pitting just a poor pic with my cell phone.my gunsmith said he seams to remember that ruger possibly made a very small run of a handgun/rifle combo [securty six/#!] also for the chp and said it might be from one of those . seral number said it was made in 82 just like the blued chp were .the number is about 100 higher than a blued one i saw on gunbroker.my friend who collects#!s said the same thing about the when they started building them in stainless ,he looked it over really good and also said it was stainless .
RSIno1
Hunter
Got a magnet? NONE of these were made for the CHP. They were contracted for as a fundraiser for the CHP Association the labor union for CHP officers. I've seen the original ad brochure that was sent out and don't remember any mention of a combo.
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Most likely a very limited rare rifle in Stainless. I have come to the conclusion that no one knows (except the Ruger records department) how many different variations/calibers/rare No. 1 rifles are out there, the employees could order any combination they wished from parts already existing, there were many dozens of guns built by R&D that never made it to production but exist both inside and outside the factory….
I have seen a few No.1 rifles that don't exist!!!!
Cool rifle, great find…..
I have seen a few No.1 rifles that don't exist!!!!
Cool rifle, great find…..
RSIno1
Hunter
The first cataloged SS No1 were in 2000 - My 1V was made in 2001.
NO. 1 Stainless Standard Rifle: 26" Med ($820)
.25-06, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm STW, .300 Wby Mag @ 8 lbs. Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ
NO. 1 Stainless Varminter: 24" Hvy ($820)
.22-250 @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-V-BBZ
Attachments
yes i know that were made for the fund raiser . just easier to call them chp guns .a magnet doesn't prove anything as all 5 of my stainless rugers are magnetic i believe ruger used a 400 series stainless which is magnetic to build their guns .
chet15
Hawkeye
Submit the serial number on Ruger's serial number lookup page and let us know what that says as far as model number and when it was shipped.
My guess is that it will come out as Ruger model 1359, the blue 1A in .357 Mag.
stainless rifles didn't show up until after 133-70000. Is your serial number a lot earlier than that?
Chet15
My guess is that it will come out as Ruger model 1359, the blue 1A in .357 Mag.
stainless rifles didn't show up until after 133-70000. Is your serial number a lot earlier than that?
Chet15
gewehrfreund
Buckeye
OK, but you'd still need some documentation from Ruger to be sure , or at least to convince me and other skeptical Ruger single shot aficionados.
Got any item ID numbers we can look at? Also, stocks can be switched around very easily from one rifle to another, so not very definitive.
True, but not with walnut stocks. I should have stated that in my response.
exactly!
This happened all the time. Usually, is was due to the way Ruger stored and assembled rifles. They did not pay much attention to producing things in serial number order. They just grabbed a receiver out of the bin and made whatever the flavor of the day was. I once had a rifle that if you went by when the receiver was made, seemed to have sat around the warehouse for 7-8 years, and it was on an RSI from before this variation was introduced. An unlikely scenario
Y e s to a few #1s on gunbroker I'm going to send for the letter
gewehrfreund
Buckeye
Thanks for the item numbers. The first one (204 1V) could have had the stocks switched, or maybe RUger ran out of SS stock parts (I don't recall if this one was originally made with walnut stocks or laminated)? The second one (1S 9.3x74) is a blued gun all the way. And the third is a custom gun, so all bets are off; that one would need a letter from Ruger based on the serial number as well.
Thanks I'm just puzzled by what this #1 really is both my friend and I have backgrounds with metals he was a t ool and die maker and I m a welder and fabricator and to both of us it looks like stainless steel I tried the scratch test with cold blue and no change someone suggested that it might be hard chromed .I think I'm going to take to my gunsmith today and have him look at it he specializes in custom ruger hand guns and #1s .I bought it to shoot not to resell or as a investment so I really don't care if it's a rare ss model or a refinished blue one . I just would like to know what it is
rugerjunkie
Buckeye
Nickel plated guns are often mistaken as stainless. That's my guess without seeing better pictures.
gewehrfreund
Buckeye
Just for giggles and FWIW, I took a picture of my K1A 7.62x39. To me, it looks a lot different than your rifle, with a much smoother metal finish. At any rate, have fun with the 357. I keep thinking I should sell mine (357 overrun), and then I don't since I'm the original owner and they're just so neat.
