I was recently at a gun shop and found a used Ruger #1 and fell in love with it. I had never seen one (other than pictures) and it was so sweet. It was in the cal. that I was looking for, 45/70, but very pricey. Have any of you folks had any experience with these guns and how are they? Anything with a fit and finish like it has got to be a good shooter. Thanks for the input.

Hi kabis: for me, the one word that defines the Ruger No1 is "passion". It is one of the few contemporary rifles that I find comparable to the pre64 Model 70s in terms of craftsmanship, handling characteristics and warmth. In "Ruger and His Rifles", Bill Ruger is quoted as saying that the No1 was his all time favorite model.

I have several No1s and they sometimes need a bit of tweeking for maximum accuracy; still, none of mine shoot more than 1" five shot groups at 100yds, including the 45-70. The advantage of the shorter overall length makes it a favorite choice for hunting, too, especially in brushy country or heavy timber.

So, what are you waiting for? Go buy it now, shoot with it awhile and let us know your evaluation.

I have two No.1's , a 375 H&H from '78 , and a 458 Lott from '81 ( rechambered 458 win mag ) ..
I have owned about a dozen down threu the years .. They are my favorites as well ..
So what are you calling " pricey " .. New here run around $600.00 ..
They're great fun , and if you handload , even more fun ..
Jack

The gun shop wanted, for the USED #1 $580 (no scope) and for a new one $740. The guy is saying that the new one is 10% over cost. Wal-Mart (I, know bad word ) list theres for $690 and with my wifes discount I can order one there for $620. I just have never spent that much money on a gun, I know that's not bad in this day and age. I guess I am living in the days of buying WW 1 03's for $60 and M1's for $200.
What kind of tweaking did you guys have to do to get them to shoot. Was it with the gun or the ammo?

A Ruger One at Wally World ?? OMG whats happening here !! All we got at Wally is a handful of M70's and Savages . And a couple brands of shotguns .. I bought one rifle from Wally to save a few bux , was a M70 7 mag , sorriest rifle I ever bought ..
I know different markets handle different prices , but 740 sounds steep .. JMO mind you .. I bought a used one a couple years ago for $520 in mint condition ..
The ones have an issue at times ( with the smaller calibers , usually .30 and under ) of vertical stringing .. I never had the problem myself .. The forearm screw is the usual culprit .. Can be bedded and solve the problem .. I dont think the 45/70 will have the problem ..
Well the 375 shoots most anything well , without much tweaking , 458 was no problem either ..

Jack

My sister introduced me to #1's 30 years ago. She got one because it was cheaper than a left handed bolt rifle. She has 3 now, .270, 7mm Mag, and 300 win mag. She took her bighorn sheep with the 7mm 5 or 6 years ago, one shot at 720 yards.

I love these rifles and agree with GroovyJack. In the 45-70 you should have no problems. Some of mine have required some tweaking, usually with the forearm screw. Although my .243 with the manlicher stock will shoot 5 shot groups at 100 yards that you can cover with your thumb. it did this since I got it and I haven't done a thing except shoot it.

IMHO one of the most beautiful rifles out there today.

You should check on the price. Around here a new one is going for $600 to $800 and you can get used ones for $350 to $500

Around here you do not see them. I have been to 3 pawn shops and 3 gun shops and only have only seen 2, one the 45/70 and a used 204 stainless that they wanted $640 for ( we don't have a lot of shops around here).

there is nothing wrong with wallmart guns.
they just carry the lower end cheaper guns in the gun rack.
you can order nicer guns from them in the cattalogue.

before I bought my marlin lever action 22 from wallmart. I called marlin arms, and asked if I should buy the 22 from wallmart , or at a gun store. they said it was up to me. the marlin 22 at wallmart was the exact same gun that any gun store would carry. there is no deffects in them or cheaper quality in the gun.

I have no problems getting guns from wallmart. and for the price, they are some times cheaper for the a good quality gun.

so do not be afraid of buying this gun from walmart. if you have any concerns. call the gun manufacture and talk to them. I am sure they will be happy talk to you.

Walmart purchased firearms cannot be taken back there if a problem develops. They will refer the customer directly to the manufacturer. Our gunstore always stands behind what we sell and we have the staff to answer questions and assist the customer, place special orders, mount and bore sight at no cost, etc. Depending on the buyer's priorities, this may or may not be worth the 4 to 6% price difference.

I would go to a local gun shop if we had one. The closest one is about 60 miles and the difference between their price ($740) and Wal-Marts ($620) is a lot more than 4 to 6%. Plus they charge to mount a scope even if you get the gun there.

I can not count how many I had! All of them shot great with handloads. I never use factory though so I do not know.

Go to www.gunbroker.com and do a search for reference.

ripper007 wrote:

there is nothing wrong with wallmart guns. they just carry the lower end cheaper guns in the gun rack. you can order nicer guns from them in the cattalogue. . . . . .

The entire field of retail sales of all products has undergone significant changes and this dynamic will continue in the foreseeable future. This affects firearm sales as well. There are pros and cons in the process.

Internet sales and big box stores capitalize on the demand for firearms and their attendant accessories. Big box stores are inventory driven to carry the higher volume items. Often the expertise of staff relative to the firearms or the process/legal aspects of purchase/transfer is marginal. Seldom to they carry used firearms and the return or repair policies are often limited or not offered.

Internet sales seldom offer any price advantage over local stores; in fact, items are often sold at higher than fair market prices through a bidding system. There are added proceedures for transfer and returns even if done in the allowable inspection period. Handling used guns and inspecting them is not feasible and when the firearm arrives, you take what you get. OTOH, the national data base of major auction internet sites is amazing and allows a lot of computer time in searching for and biding on items, both of which can be an enjoyable thing.

The small gunshops (I have worked retail gunshop sales for quite awhile) vary in service, inventory and ambiance. There are great ones on one end of the scale and some really shoddy outfits on the other end of the sale. That said, often (with notable exceptions) the smaller gunshops are more enthusiast oriented and have more experienced and knowledgable staff. Too, pricing on identical items can vary widely from store to store.

Our little store has been in business for 27 years, has a superb staff and priortizes service, special orders and reasonable prices. We have an array of used firearms that turns over every 15 to 30 days. We warranty all items sold, new or used; if there is a problem we take care of it. This appeals to some but not all buyers. Over 80% of our business is repeat business and sales are increasing year by year.

Its all about choices and today's buyer has more than ever before. That's a good thing.

I had a #1 B in 22 hornet, it would shoot all shots into a vertical string, no consistancy, sent back to Ruger and they said" thats the nature of the single shot rifle!
After I got it back it did shoot alittle better, I still was not happy though, so I sold it!