Ruger #1 45-70 Blue or Stainless

[Artful]

.375 big bore is about where I stop with Number 3's and recoil.

I'd also say stainless if available, I have a few stainless guns and when I lived in Oregon loved the almost carefree in wet weather approach.

[cajun shooter]

As has been posted the Ruger has a very short chamber and throat. If you want to shoot the heavier slugs then you need to go with a PEDERSOLI but it well cost twice as much.

[Gunlaker]

As has been posted the Ruger has a very short chamber and throat. If you want to shoot the heavier slugs then you need to go with a PEDERSOLI but it well cost twice as much.

It's pretty cheap for a gunsmith to deepen the throat on the ruger. Interestingly, when mine was new it would chamber a 530gr Postell bullet just fine, but it would not chamber a Speer 400gr when seated to 2.54". After cleaning up the throat it'll chamber that round and shoot it accurately.
Chris.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Gunlaker is correct, it is not a long or very costly project to get that #1 throat lenghted up a bit.

Take the rounds along you plan to use and the GS can cut the throat to match up to that length.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Gunlaker]

I just looked through my files. When I bought the Ruger #1 I did a test of bullets at "standard" OAL (i.e. what is listed in my reloading manuals).

Here are the rounds that did chamber:

350gr hornady RN
405gr Remington
525gr Postell (Bullet Barn)

Here are the rounds that did not chamber:

350gr Speer
350gr hornady FP
400gr Speer
400gr Barnes Original
405gr cast gas checked (Bullet Barn)
500gr Hdy FMJ

They all chamber fine after the throat was "adjusted".

Chris.

[.458]

I wonder if Ruger changed their throat dimensions somewhere along the line. I have a #1 in 45-70 and I've been shooting the Speer 350g Flat Nose (2478) for years. I bought it new probably 12 years ago after literally wearing out a Marlin 1895SS. At 2050 feet-per-second it kicks a bit too much for the scope I had on it, a Leupold M7-3X so I found a peep sight that mounts on the Ruger rib without drilling anything. It's not a tack driver but at 100 yards I can keep um in a 4 to 5 inch circle. I wouldn't trade that one off unless I could trade it for the same thing in stainless.

[.458]

I wonder if Ruger changed their throat dimensions somewhere along the line. I have a #1 in 45-70 and I've been shooting the Speer 350g Flat Nose (2478) for years. I bought it new probably 12 years ago after literally wearing out a Marlin 1895SS. At 2050 feet-per-second it kicks a bit too much for the scope I had on it, a Leupold M7-3X so I found a peep sight that mounts on the Ruger rib without drilling anything. It's not a tack driver but at 100 yards I can keep um in a 4 to 5 inch circle. I wouldn't trade that one off unless I could trade it for the same thing in stainless.

[the other DWS]

when It comes to SS rifle I'm a bit of a traditionalist. I like blue (or color case) and walnut on'em. but I like a really good trigger pull as well. I'm not convinced yet how well a stainless to stainless tuned and polished action will wear. IF I were to develop a Ruger SS in 45-70 for a hunting gun it'd have a blued or colorcased action. the internals would be carbon steel properly tuned and polished then Metalifed to keep'em from wearing out. If I were to be using a R#1/3 --3 preferably--as a hunting rifle in wet (nw USA/coastal Alaska) conditions I might consider a SS action/barrel (w/proper twist--see below) synthetic stock/ BUT I'd be using carbon metalifed steel internals in it.

FWIW I have a highly customized Stainless 44M Redhawk snubbie, with a very highly tuned DAO action--carbon parts Metalifed that has held tune for over 20 years--and at least a thousand shots per year A matching 357 w/ss internals has had to be reworked every few years due to wear. And I shoot it a LOT less than the 44.

factory stocks are a one-size for everyone. a properly fitted butt is CRITICAL on a heavy recoiling rifle. shorten it lengthen it, add a recoli pad and a strap-on cheek piece--whatever it takes to make it fit---or get an inletted blank and work it to fit your needs.

regarding shooting those 500+ gr. Postal style bullets. Its more than just aa matter of proper throat and chamber. They are especially designed for long range target----REAL long range, like 800 yds plus--use. I'm not sure why one would want them for hunting unless hunting large African game and I believe there are better more effective heavy cast bullets for hunting.
IN addition it takes a fast twist barrel to stabilize them for accurate shooting. they are very twist rate and velocity sensitive. before investing in a Postal style mould check your twist. many/most factory 45-70s are the 20/1 twist for the lighter 45-70 gvmnt bullet/load. If you want to shoot the long heavy ones with any precision you will probably need a 18/1 barrel.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Well .458

I thought about that peep sight, but shooting the #1 with iron sights was very painfull!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pain went away as soon as I got my head position up where it should be with a scope.

Leupold 2X7 in my case.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Gunlaker]

I wonder if Ruger changed their throat dimensions somewhere along the line. I have a #1 in 45-70 and I've been shooting the Speer 350g Flat Nose (2478) for years. I bought it new probably 12 years ago after literally wearing out a Marlin 1895SS. At 2050 feet-per-second it kicks a bit too much for the scope I had on it, a Leupold M7-3X so I found a peep sight that mounts on the Ruger rib without drilling anything. It's not a tack driver but at 100 yards I can keep um in a 4 to 5 inch circle. I wouldn't trade that one off unless I could trade it for the same thing in stainless.

I believe that they did change the throat somewhere along the line. One of my reloading manuals makes mention of it. I think I bought mine about 2 or 2 1/2 years ago.

Chris.

[Potsy]

I bought a newer model (black pad) #1 a couple of years back. Walnut & Blued.
It does have a short throat and I trimmed about .1" off Starline Brass to shoot Ranch Dog 350's out of it.
With 55 grn. 3031 it does kick and my biggest grip it the load is VERY compressed (to the point it's a minor pain to get boolits seated) so I'll probably back off a couple grains next go round.
Having said that, the only group I've bothered shooting with it put 3 in an inch at 50 yards with iron sights.
I just put a Leupold M8 2.5 Compact on it and am looking forward to working with it more.
And yes, I'll probably get a Pachmayer pad put on it.
As far as stainless or blued, I scratched the barrel pretty good (don't know how) on my stainless Browning .25-06 this week. Annoyed, but not in mourning like I would have been with either of my blued #1's.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Potsy,

I gave up on 3031 because of the compresion.

The compression was so bad it was deforming the boolit nose quite badly.

And it didn't show me anything the 4198 didn't equal or better, while RL7 gave better velocity with possibly a touch better groups.

Want to try H322 come Spring.

If groups don't become a bit smaller, may need to try a different boolit other then the 355gr LBT/WFN.

That boolit is a flatout devistator, starting out at about 2290fps!

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Potsy]

Coot,
When I run out of 3031 I'm gonna try something else. Went with 3031 mostly because that's what Elmer used, but I'm sure theres new and better out there though. Thus far, metering qualities (non-existant) and compression (yes, I know I COULD back off the throttle) have been my only issues. Been thinking about RamShot, but I haven't researched any data.

[Lloyd Smale]

my thoughts exactly. I dont dislike stainless guns ive got quite a few stainless handguns and bolt actions. But #1s and leverguns should be blued and walnut in my opinion

I personally like a Ruger No 1 to look like a classic rifle so blue with walnut stocks is my cup of tea. For a purly hunting rifle I will go with a laminated stock and a dull stainless bolt action. I buy single shots for nostalgia and fun not to hunt with though I have and done so successfully.

[Trapaddict]

I have owned a blued #1 topped with a Leupold Vari-X III 1.5 -5 for about 13 years now. Sorry I didn't buy one sooner. Ruger's have a reputation for stringing. I did not see that with mine. Attached is a target fired at the first range session with the gun back in 1998. The first shot in the upper right is out of the cold clean barrel. The lower left is actually two bullets. Winchester cases and a bunch of IMR3031. Never looked for another load. Shoots the same groups with Sierra or Barnes bullets of the same weight. As far as excessive recoil, that is the trade off for a light hunting rifle. No different than the guy that shoots a 300 WSM in a Remington Model 7. There is always a trade off. To be honest, I ususally don't even feel it when I touch off a round on game. Alliant RX7 was a lot less than pleasant to shoot when compared to 3031 with the same weight bullet and printed a full 8 inches higher at 100 yards! You can get a 300 grainer moving in the 2400 FPS range if you have the stones to do it. It ain't any fun! Keep you bullets at around 2000 FPS and the rifle is not a chore to shoot.

Jeff

[Tatume]

There have been several comments about the recoil of the Ruger #1 in 45-70. One solution is to buy a #1H in 458 Win Mag. They don't offer this chambering any more, but used ones are out there. Mine weighs 9.5 pounds without a scope, and handles recoil rather nicely with 400 gr cast bullets at about 1700 - 2000 fps. If you ever need full power, switch to 500 gr jacketed bullets and run them at 2150 fps. In the words of Paul Mathews (paraphrased), the 458 Win Mag #1H is the best 45-70 ever made.

[Shooter6br]

I like stainless steel guns I am too anal with blue wearing off

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

I really like Stainless and synthetic, and have greatly enjoyed my hunting rifles so equiped!

However, a #1 is different.

I can handle the Stainless, but don't like that stock. I'm sure they can make a much better looking laminated stock then the one currently used!

If RUGER would put on a much slimmer forend, something like the Alexander Henry forend WITHOUT the ugly grove and make the forend & Butt with a synthetic, it would be much better.

The synthetic stock on their Hawkeye, has a very nice feel to it, not huge and bulky, nice feel/texture.

Then give me one in 45/70 that is as light and handy as my current #1s, then we'd have something.

Keep em coming!

CDOC

[the other DWS]

A decent restocking of a #1#3 works wonders on recoil control. Proper bedding of the forend does the same on most of them that have accuracy problems (assuming decent loads and a reasonably skilled shooter) Personally I have never cared for the factory #3 stock. That quasi-military looking thing might work for the 22h or 223 chamberings, but in the heavy calibres it might violate the Geneva conventions as instruments of torture--and I'm not overly recoil-sensitive. Mine have modified #1 butts and reworked #1 varmint forends

Anyone playing with Ruger singleshots should get their hands on a copy of the Ruger chapter in the late Frank deHasse's book "Mr. Singleshot's Gunsmithing Ideas Book" he takes you step by careful step through the forend tuning process. there have also been several articles in various magazines over the years also giving some similar info, but Frank put it all in one spot.

FWIW I think it is Brownells that offers a "Hicks" barrel tuning device that fits into the forend/mainspring hanger/barrel gaps that allows one to "tune" the barrel harmonics. They are not permitted in ASSRA competition so I have not personal experience with them---though they have been discussed at some length in ASSRA circles. However I suspect that they will work better with slimmer barrels than with larger diameter stiffer barrels.
Here is a link to the mfg info
http://www.eabco.com/Hickspkg.pdf

[Swampman]

I love the #3 stock. It's a shame to booger them up and ruin their value. Mine have shot perfectly without any tuning at all.