Ruger No1 & 3 custom BPCR's

[cam0063]

Out of curiosity, are there people out there or on this forum who have customised Ruger No1 &/or No3s into BPC Target Rifles ie: calibers like .28-30, .32-40, .38-55 and the various other .40 and .45cals etc? I have read several references to the Ruger Action being ideal for a customised BPCR, however I have not seen one [picture or in the flesh] or read articles on people using them. Curiosity has got the better of me

[John Traveler]

Cam003,

Your curiosity is well-founded!

The Ruger No 1/No 3 actions are ideal for the single-shot buff, and one would think they are perfect for a BPCR , BUT the action lacks a tang for mounting the vernier peep sight!  I've read of a custom gunsmith that makes tang adapters for it though.

I've seen ONE .38-55 custom re-barreled Number 1 in Canada, and it was truly A Thing of Beauty!  Tapered octagon barrel, rust blued finish, tang sight.

I've encounted a couple gunsmiths that at gun shows that do custom re-barreling for the Number 1, but when you factor in the price for a competition-quality barrel blank, milling the tapered octagon, fitting, chambering, bluing, etc, you are talking US$500 to $1000 above the price of the basic rifle.

As for the Number 3, Ruger stopped making them because they LOST money on each one sold!  The Number 3 of course was a no-frills carbine version of the Number 1.

I've been looking and looking for a good used Number 1/3 action for most of the last three years, and have yet to find one.

What's the picture like "Down Undah"?  What are the ffavored BPCR shooters use?

Curious John

[cam0063]

Hi John,

Thanks for your input. I think Lee Shaver will make tang sights suitable for the Ruger No1 or 3... The ruger is a great action and oneday I would like to build a BPCR on one. At present I am putting together the pieces I have ordered to build a Sharps 74 BPCR. However after a 4 month wait on the barrel and action, I am beginning to wonder if it will happen.

The BPCR scene here is no-where near as popular as it is Stateside! There is a couple of BP Clubs in my state which do shoot BPC, however they are mainly set up for muzzle loaders. There is a western action club, or was. Not sure if that is going well. Other than that, if you want to shoot BPCR, there is a big game rifle club, thatshoots everything except .22 rimfire and BP and smokeless as far as I know. Unfortunately I can count the No of guys shooting American single shot BPCRs on one hand, if that! The sport is very expensive here and if the rifle or accessory is imported from the U.S, it ends up too expensive for most, especially with our poor exchange rate. There are the Pedersoli Sharps and R/Blocks, but they are becomming very expensive too, so you rarely see one! As for favoured rifle, I would guess it would be the Martini henry in military trim...


My shooting is non competitive and just fun with friends here on my ranch or on their properties, a little hunting too. I don`t have the time to shoot at club events, working 6 days a week. Oneday maybe

cheers,

Cam...

ps: if there are any pics out there of customised Ruger single shot BPCR's, I would be interetsed to see them...

[John Traveler]

Harvey, West Autralia?  Where is that in relation to where the cinema "Quigley Down Under" was filmed?

I had the pleasure of visiting Melbourne and the area 3 hours NNE of there in May.  My first visit to Australia!

It was delightful to see where every variety of Eucalypses tree in their natural enviorns.  We in Southern California have plenty of eucalypese trees, but they are all transplanted from the turn of the 1900's.  The rumour is that the railroad industry planted them in hopes of developing a source of timbers for the expanding railines, but found the timber to be durable, but too dry and cracked easily.

What elese do you need for your BPCR project?  Maybe we can work out a barter system for stuff you need.  I have a Martini-Henry .450-577, and a .303 Martini-Enfield, and a few period M1873 Springfields and Rolling Blocks.

John

[cam0063]

Hi John,

Working trades/barter would be great. Only problem is our Govt with its new firearms laws introduced in 1996, make it near impossible for an individual to import firearms, actions and any part of an action, barrels which have been chambered, ammunition and many other items I am sure! I am building  singleshot BPCR and have had to search virtually all items needed locally, which really leaves you very, very limited.

I see you are a Martini owner! I had one myself. An original Sporting rifle, not a military rebuild. Built in the mid 1870s. Sold it earlier this year. The Martinis are fine old guns and quite common here...

My location is the Sth West Coast of Australia. The state is called Western Australia and from memory Quigley landed in the port of Fremantle, which is our States Main shipping Port. From the movie, I would say his landing in Fremantle was filmed on the East Coast of Australia as no-one I know could recognise the port in the movie as being here in the West. After his landing he must have headed north on the wagon, as the country 6-8 hours drive north of Fremantle and our state capital Perth begins to look similar to that... The homestead featured in the movie I couldn`t really tell where that was filmed. Possibly here in the west, but also more than likely in the Eastern States or South Australia. The town he visits on the Coast to re-stock and reload his ammo, I am sure was on the East Coast of Australia as I know of no-where here that resembles that town or is located so close to the sea with historical buildings and it looks like the the east coast. Though I am sure much of it was not filmed here where the story was centered, it is still a very good movie...  :-)

I have seen our Nations Eucalypt trees all over the world. They have virtually destroyed many Eco-Systems in Sth Africa, where they are in massive plantations. There is such variation in types, from soft woods, to hard and extremely dense species. If they failed as railroad timber in Cal, they must have the wrong varieties. As Railway Sleepers have been exported from here to the U.K and a few other countries for generations. I will having my stock made from Eucalypt, just for something different!

Thanks for your offer of assistance, keep in touch.

cheers,

Cam...

[John Traveler]

My Goodness!

That is a unique idea if I have ever heard one!  A riflestock made from Eucalypses???

My first reaction was if that was practical.  then it occured to me that there are varieties of eucalyses that i don't know anything about.

A friend once told me that some people are ultra-allergic to eucalyses wood, and that just touching it, or smelling the woodsmoke from it is enough to send them into severe allergic reactions.  It's a very oily wood, right?

I guess I've never examined a properly cured, seasoned piece of eucalyses.  let me know how that stock works out!

John

[cam0063]

Yep, there are many, many species of eucalypts! The timber is used for housing construction, feature timber in homes, very expensive furinture, right thru to firewood... I have not come across or heard of oily timber, but it doesn`t say it doesn`t exist. I have heard of people being allergic to Eucalytus oil, but never from the wood as the leaves contain the oil. I put a chainsaw thru Eucalypt timber almost daily and have never been able to smell Eucalypt in the timber, maybe I need nasal surgery! haha

There are several people out there shooting rifles made with Eucalypt stocks and I have never heard a complaint in durability. Every rifle I have has Walnut stocks and I am keen to break from the norm. The varieties available is endless! I have a few pieces of timber put away. Will let you know how I get on.