Ruger Number 1 is... Number One
23 Jul 2013
“Ruger in the United States is now marketing their excellent No 1 in a whole series of old English calibres. Furtinately the 303 is among them. So, approach your friendly arms shop to order one for you. I would not mind to own such a 303. Rather Ruger than…”
After receiving this comment from André Fouché Pot-Shot delved in the matter and found that the No. 1 single shot rifle, introduced in 1966, was one of Bill Ruger's pet projects. It was the first of the modern single shot rifles.
It sparked the single shot revival which has seen the likes of the Browning 1885, Dakota 10, Mossberg SSI-1, Remington Custom Shop No. 1 Rolling Block, and T/C Encore (not to mention the various Sharps and other replicas) emerge in the market place.
The No 1 uses a completely modern but classic looking Farquharson-style hammerless falling block action of great strength. The barrelled action is finished in a polished deep blue, and the satin finished walnut stock boasts hand checkering in a borderless pattern. The No. 1 is Ruger's premium rifle.
Like any single shot rifle, the absence of a long repeating action makes the Ruger No. 1 about four inches shorter than a bolt action rifle with the same length barrel. Or, to look at it another way, the No. 1 can have a barrel four inches longer than a bolt action rifle of approximately the same overall length. This maximises the ballistics of modern high intensity and magnum calibres, and is a considerable advantage for the long range shooter.
There are several variations of the No. 1. The four original models are the No. 1-A Light Sporter (22 inch barrel, Alexander Henry forearm), the 1-S Medium Sporter (26 inch barrel, Alexander Henry forearm), the 1-B Standard Rifle (26 inch barrel, semi-beavertail forearm), and the 1-V Varminter (24 inch heavy barrel, semi-beavertail forearm). Subsequent models include the 1-H Tropical Rifle (24 inch heavy barrel, Alexander Henry forearm, African calibres) and the 1-RSI International (20 inch barrel, Mannlicher-style forearm).
The latest variation is the K1 Stainless, which is similar to the above models but features a satin finished stainless steel barrelled action and a grey laminated wood stock with a black recoil pad.
All No. 1 rifles except the stainless models feature hand fitted, select American walnut stocks with a black recoil pad, a sculptured receiver, a sliding shotgun-type tang mounted safety, an ejector which can be set for extraction only, a quarter rib barrel with integral scope base (except the Varminter, which comes with target blocks), and Ruger scope rings. Like all Ruger rifles, the No. 1's hand cut checkering patterns are adequately executed, but on the skimpy side.
Available calibers, depending on model, include .204 Ruger, .218 Bee, .22 Hornet, .223 Remington, .22-250 Remington, .220 Swift, .243 Winchester, 6mm Remington, .257 Roberts, .25-06 Remington, .270 Winchester, .270 Weatherby Magnum, 7x57, .280 Remington, 7mm Remington Magnum, 7mm STW, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .300 Winchester Magnum, .300 Weatherby Magnum, .338 Winchester Magnum, .375 H&H Magnum, .405 Winchester, .416 Rigby, .416 Remington Magnum, .45-70 Government, .458 Winchester Magnum, and .458 Lott Magnum.
Here are the basic specifications for the Ruger No. 1-B, the Standard rifle:
•Metal finish - Blued
•Stock - Walnut
•Overall length - 42.25"
•Barrel length - 26"
•Approximate weight - 8.25 pounds
•2005 MSPR - $966
From the beginning, the Ruger M77 was intended as a modernised Mauser 98, though numerous changes were made. Bill Ruger wanted to use investment casting in place of a forged receiver. The Sullivan-designed bolt dispensed with the Mauser blade type ejector and instead used the simpler plunger style of ejector. A two-position tang safety and redesigned trigger system were also designed from scratch.
Perhaps the most novel feature of the M77 is the only one that has not been redesigned, the angled action screw. The front action screw of traditional bolt-action rifles draws the receiver directly down against the stock. The M77 uses an angled screw that draws the action down and to the rear, tightly bedding it against the stock.
