.22 ruger # 1

[horseman308]

I'm going to ask a dumb question (feel like I should already know this, but whatever). If I wanted a Ruger # 1 in .22 LR, I assume that I'd have to have it custom made.  I know some people bore out a smaller chamber to a larger one, and you can't do that.  Can you get just a #1 action and have a custom .22 LR barrel put on, or is there more to it than that?  Or is that portion of the chamber part of the action?  Just curious.  Thanks for any ideas.

[John Traveler1]

The chamber of a rifle barrel is part of the barrel itself.  A very few obscure gun designs make the chamber a separate part, but all modern designs use the integral barrel chamber.

Converting a Ruger Number One to .22 LR rimfire presents much more of a problem than simply rebarreling.  The extractor must be replaced.  The breechblock must be converted from centerfire to rimfire.  In the Ruger design, the breechblock/firing pin is a "sealed" unit.  The breechblock is welded shut at the factory to give the shooter the greatest safety against firing pin blowout.  I can see a talented gunsmith speciallizing in this conversion, but I can bet that it is not a cheap one!

[Drifter Mike]

I know it is not the same but Browning makes the Low Wall in 22. Be alot cheaper than having a Ruger converted.

[marlinman93]

If you're really stuck on a Ruger #1, you could reduce your costs some by having the chamber sleeved, and then reline the barrel with a .22 liner. You'd still need to do all the other things John mentioned, but at least it would save you the cost of a barrel and fitting.

[dodd3]

its always puzzled me wy ruger don't do the 22 rimfire on the number one, i think they would sell really well specially in  europe and australia .
bernie

[Ruger # 1 Guy]

I think it would be way to much work to try an convert the breech block to rimfire, it seems that it would be easer to work on the linkage and only bring the block up far enough so the firing pin would hit at 6:00 o'clock on the 22 rim, it would take some extractor work and of course a barrel, it does not seem like it would be a real big job and someone was doing conversions like this but I'm not sure who.
  S/S


Converting a Ruger Number One to .22 LR rimfire presents much more of a problem than simply rebarreling.  The extractor must be replaced.  The breechblock must be converted from centerfire to rimfire.  In the Ruger design, the breechblock/firing pin is a "sealed" unit.  The breechblock is welded shut at the factory to give the shooter the greatest safety against firing pin blowout.  I can see a talented gunsmith speciallizing in this conversion, but I can bet that it is not a cheap one![/quote]

[Buford]

There was a write up on this very conversion in one of the older Gun Digest - it would be worth looking up.

[horseman308]

thanks for the tips and feedback. I think the ruger is the classiest looking falling block out there (my opinion only), and asked because I saw a #1 custom converted to .22LR on Cabela's gun library website.  It was not too expensive for a "custom" gun, but I just wondered how hard it really was to do.

[mouldexchange]

There are two ways to do this on a #1/3: Offset the chamber to move the firing pin strike (as done on the MAS 45 trainers), which gives you a bore that is eccentric to the barrel OD except at the muzzle; or shorten the breech block arm to lower the block for a 6 o'clock strike on the rimfire case (about .110").  As stated, the extractor must be custom made or modified, as Ruger does not make one that will work.  It is not easy to feed the round into the chamber in either case, despite the cut down right side wall of the reciever.  There was a 'smith in PA (Korzinek?) that did these at one time.  I won't do another for less that $1000.00!!!!!

[Ruger # 1 Guy]

Hi mouldexchange,

 Sounds like you have done this before. I've heard about the PA gunsmith, Korzinek, but I've also heard he had health problems and was not up to doing much work at this time. I have always been interested in having two Ruger # 1's made up as follows:

1-A Ruger # 1 in 22 LR with at least a 24 inch, maybe longer,  octagon, medium heavy, tapered, match grade barrel, would not want the offset chamber type, so shortening the linkage or breech block arm would be ok. I do like the Case Colored receiver so would go for that also. Would like three sets of scope base holes, would use them for standard scopes and the front and rear set spaced at about 7.5 inches so I could use a Unertl target scope.

2-A Ruger # 1 in 45-70 with a 30 inch octagon, medium heavy, tapered, match grade barrel, Match chamber, with rifling for lead bullets. Case Colored receiver. Same scope base holes as the 22.

  Now the BIG question, you say you won't do another 22 LR for less than a $ 1000., that's ok with me but what does one get for that $ 1000.,  and about how long does it take.
  S/S

[Don Fischer]

Kind of an old post but I just saw this. A number of years ago I read of the conversion your talking about in "Varmit Hunter" magazine. Can't remember which one but a call to them might get it for you.