Author Topic: Who has or has had Ruger #3 rifles and what calibers? (Read 15588 times)

Lone Star · « **Reply #30 on:** August 05, 2008, 09:03:40 AM »

The problem with the No. 1 wood is the lever. I have No. 1 wood on my rebarrelled No. 3 (born a .375), but the lever about precludes the use of the pistol grip with heavy recoiling loads - ouch. The lever really needs to be re-contoured to work right.

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BBF · « **Reply #31 on:** August 05, 2008, 10:39:00 AM »

Had one in 375 for the wife. She hated the thing from day one because of the goofy butt and lever which just about broke her finger.
I had a gunsmith make a new stock with a good pad and he reformed the lever as well. The carbine shoot the 235 gr Speer bullet pushed with RL-7 very well.

deltecs · « **Reply #32 on:** August 05, 2008, 12:15:41 PM »

Quote from: Lone Star on August 05, 2008, 09:03:40 AM

The problem with the No. 1 wood is the lever. I have gorgeous No. 1 wood on my rebarrelled No. 3 (born a .375), but the lever about precludes the use of the pistol grip with heavy recoiling loads - ouch. The lever really needs to be re-contoured to work right.

.

I use a Browning 78 with the same shaped lever and have no problems whatsoever. However, if it does effect someone, Ruger #I lever can be installed on the #3. This is not a factory installed part.

Lone Star · « **Reply #33 on:** August 05, 2008, 03:50:10 PM »

Yep, installing the No. 1 lever is not a direct replacement and requires some action modification. As is clearly seen in the photo, the No. 3 lever interferes with finger placement on the No. 1 grip, and with a heavily recoiling chambering it will hurt the firing hand as well as open the action.

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deltecs · « **Reply #34 on:** August 05, 2008, 04:21:14 PM »

Quote from: Lone Star on August 05, 2008, 03:50:10 PM

Yep, installing the No. 1 lever is not a direct replacement and requires some action modification. As is clearly seen in the photo, the No. 3 lever interferes with finger placement on the No. 1 grip, and with a heavily recoiling chambering it will hurt the firing hand as well as open the action.

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I was not attempting to place a number 3 lever on a #1 rifle as the post suggests. I was attempting to indicate that the #1 lever would fit on the #3 rifle without modifications.

22shooter · « **Reply #35 on:** August 12, 2008, 06:48:31 AM »

I have two Ruger No3s. The first is a .223 Rem. The second was a .22 hornet. It is now a .22 Khornet. Both are accurate and fun to shoot.

I once had two No 1s. One was a 200 aniversary model in 6mm Remington. I didn't shoot it very much so I sold it. The other one that I still have is a .270 Winchester. A great gun!

TRWalker · « **Reply #36 on:** August 14, 2008, 06:02:51 PM »

I recently found and bought one in .223. My set of the common six is now complete plus I have an extra one in 44 caliber. Anyone know how many 44's were made?

Swampman · « **Reply #37 on:** September 01, 2008, 01:34:55 AM »

I had one in .45-70. I wish I had one in .30-40 Krag. I prefer the #3 over any gun Ruger has ever made.

I believe the recoil pad/stock extenders made for the Ruger 10-22 & Mini-14 will fit the #3 and the you won't be boogering up the looks of the gun with a #1 stock.

Oldtimer · « **Reply #38 on:** September 01, 2008, 02:08:48 AM »

I have only two, but they were both made in 1976 and are rollmarked "Made in the 200th year of American Liberty." One is .30-40 Krag and any deer that ever got in its sights was DRT. The other is in .45-70 and has taken boar. The way I deal with recoil and the lever is to use the lever as a pistol grip. I used to buy cast bullets from a retired policeman who owned every mould that Lyman ever produced. He cast me some 190 grain bullets that looked like wadcutters with a small teat. Shooting them out of the 45-70 with a light load of 2400 is like eating popcorn, except you don't need any butter. At 50 yards or less, you don't need a spotting scope, either, to see where you hit the target.

Swampman · « **Reply #39 on:** September 01, 2008, 03:11:13 AM »

The Remington 405 grain factory load has no recoil to speak of.

Oldtimer · « **Reply #40 on:** September 02, 2008, 01:53:25 AM »

The old BP loads are loaded to not damage weak 19th century relics that are still being fired. I have loaded lead 400 grain bullets to .45-55 levels. The .45-55 was the carbine load. I have shot through hogs with that load, so even light loaded ammo still works. In fact, for working in close, the light loads have an advantage.
I also have a Chief Crazy Horse in .38-55 and the factory loads for that rifle are like shooting an overgrown .22 magnum. Loaded up to 1800 f/s, the rifle has a healthy, but still controllable recoil.
I have shot Hornady 350's loaded to around 2,000 f/s out of my Number 3, and they are very accurate. I shot them off standing sticks, as they are not loads that you would want to try from the bench. Knowing how to take recoil makes a big difference. I don't have anything that needs this kind of power in the Piedmont of Virginia, but if we are ever invaded by elephants, boy, am I ready!

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #41 on:** September 05, 2008, 05:50:59 PM »

Ruger #3's:
7mm-08 (custom octagonal bbl)
.375 Win (custom 26" bbl and schuetzen stock)
Ruger #1's
.458WM (my favorite)
.375 H&H (ouch and ouch)
.223 (custom bbl)

Great machines!

Swampman · « **Reply #42 on:** September 11, 2011, 01:05:17 PM »

I found me another #3 in .45-70.

Steelbanger · « **Reply #43 on:** September 11, 2011, 01:44:57 PM »

Seems like a very long time since I owned any #3's. I had a 22 Hornet and a 375 Win. I will never forget my friends comment when he first fired the Hornet. After firing the rifle he opened the action and the case ejected from the chamber hitting him somewhere on his forehead. He looked at me and said that this was the first rifle he ever fired that ejected the cases faster than the bullet left the muzzle. I often remember that and still have to laugh. My son was only a youngster those days and he killed many chucks with that Hornet.

Major dislike with the 375 was the slippery plastic butt plate.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #44 on:** September 11, 2011, 06:34:12 PM »

Have one in .223Rem. Looking for one in 45-70.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #45 on:** September 11, 2011, 09:33:33 PM »

I have a #3 in the 375 Winchester and love it. I don't remember seeing any at guns shows around here for years, will be keeping an eye out for some from now on. DP

BBF · « **Reply #46 on:** September 12, 2011, 11:16:24 AM »

Doesn't the No 1 lever lock into the trigger guard? I don't recall the No 3 doing it.

mannyrock · « **Reply #47 on:** September 26, 2011, 09:35:24 AM »

Dear Guys,

I was surprised to see from the responses to this post just how many people owned the Ruger No. 3 in .22 Hornet. I was also surprised to see how many people parted with them.

For those who own, or owned, one, were these accurate out of the box with factory ammo? Or, were these only good with handloads.

No truth-streching please. :-) If they shot lousy, feel free to say so.

Thank,

Mannyrock

Swampman · « **Reply #48 on:** September 26, 2011, 12:05:38 PM »

My new #3 sure shoots.
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,240741.0.html

ham7777 · « **Reply #49 on:** September 27, 2011, 03:05:52 AM »

Had two #3 both 22 Hornets only shot one but it was a one holer with 2400 powder and 52gr. bullet. Like a dummy sold both

. One was even a 200yr. model

. Later Tom

Bigboar · « **Reply #50 on:** September 29, 2011, 06:14:12 AM »

I have a few; 1 is a 22 Hornet, I have 2 30/40 Krag,and 1 is a 45/70. I am having one of the 30-40 Krag's made into a switch barrel 257 X krag AI and 30-40 Krag AI. I just love them.

bigboar

Bigboar · « **Reply #51 on:** October 04, 2011, 06:30:48 AM »

Quote from: thornblom on February 14, 2008, 04:35:31 PM

Dear Mr. Harry O,

I have been looking for some Ruger #1 wood to put on my Ruger #3 .375 JDJ and can't find any. I tried gunbrokers.com, gunsamerica.com and ebay. No luck. Where were you able to find yours, how much did it cost, and how much fitting is envolved?

Sincerely,
Dave (Bubba) Thornblom

Give Treebone carving a look.

bigboar

http://www.treebonecarving.com/

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #52 on:** October 04, 2011, 10:35:52 AM »

Quote from: mcwoodduck on February 10, 2008, 11:46:38 AM

I had a No 3 in 45-70. When I last saw it at my friends house it looked the same as it did when it left the factory.
I would like to get another one. But in another caliber. Pref. a small to medium bore. 7X57 to 35 Rem.

The 45-70 came home with me a few weeks ago. Sold it back to me.
Neat little rifle. Still wish I could find one in 30-40K when I have $.

mannyrock · « **Reply #53 on:** October 05, 2011, 05:31:22 AM »

Okay boys,

It appears that nobody is willing to "fess up" about the accuracy (or not) of their .22 Hornets with factory ammo. That seems like a bad sign.

Though lots of folks say, "I had one," or "I love mine," or, "I wish I hadn't sold mine," nobody is saying, "Yea, mine consistently shot (or shoots) 1.5 inch groups with factory ammo right out of the box."

Sometimes folks (including me) look fondly into the past at the rifles we owned, and remember them for being far better than they were. (Kinda like those cheerleader girls when we were in high school.)

Mannyrock

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #54 on:** October 08, 2011, 02:13:59 PM »

Manny, have you seen any of those cute cheerleaders now?

Makes me think, what the h#$%^& happened?? DP

Florida Jim · « **Reply #55 on:** January 28, 2012, 04:30:01 AM »

Quote from: mannyrock on October 05, 2011, 05:31:22 AM

Okay boys,

It appears that nobody is willing to "fess up" about the accuracy (or not) of their .22 Hornets with factory ammo. That seems like a bad sign.

Though lots of folks say, "I had one," or "I love mine," or, "I wish I hadn't sold mine," nobody is saying, "Yea, mine consistently shot (or shoots) 1.5 inch groups with factory ammo right out of the box."

Sometimes folks (including me) look fondly into the past at the rifles we owned, and remember them for being far better than they were. (Kinda like those cheerleader girls when we were in high school.)

Mannyrock

I've never sot factory loads in mine.
With about 10 grs of H110, and a 40gr hornady "V-max", it shoots 1/2" all day long.

Jim

rbursek · « **Reply #56 on:** January 31, 2012, 10:01:30 AM »

Liberty 45-70, I wish I had a Hornet. Just went to the gun cabinet, 1976 Ruger catalog is in thier, $165.00 MSR, I think I paid 125.00 with my FFL.

Dalgo · « **Reply #57 on:** January 31, 2012, 07:09:09 PM »

I had a #3 in .22 Hornet. Verrry accurate. I picked it up at a neat little gun shop in NE PA. He had two. One of them was a .223. I picked the Hornet. Shot only factory. Problem I had was I fitted Weaver bases, and Leupold rings and put a Leupy Deluxe compact 3X9 Adjustable Objective on it. I could never get the eye relief I needed. too uncomfortable. I had visions of doing it up like an article I had read/seen by Jon Sundra many years ago on one he customized, putting no. 1 stocks on it, bending the lever, and a .454 Casull barrel. What a beautiful gun! Anyway, the long and the short is, I saw a laminated Ruger compact in .223 so I traded for it. Shot some chucks w/it, then traded for an Anschutz .223. Only thing I've shot w/it so far is a turkey.... at 225 yds. So, so I miss the #3? You bet! Seemed like a good idea at the time, and I do love my Anschutz. But I would still like to have my #3 back. I'd fiddle w/the eye relief issue, getting the right scope for it. Probably leave the caliber/barrel alone, and change the stock to a no.1, and get the lever bent (looks cool). Now, I'm faced w/getting a custom Hornet barrel for my TC Encore. Who knows where my #3 ended up.

Dalgo · « **Reply #58 on:** January 31, 2012, 07:10:59 PM »

Oh, did I mention mine was a Liberty Model. Not that it matters. Very accurate, and missed!

mike@nds · « **Reply #59 on:** February 28, 2012, 10:27:00 AM »

I have a No.3 in 22 Hornet, it will group into a dime @ 100 with Winchester 45gr HP.

It does shoot it's best with the barrel band removed FYI.