Ruger #3 Single Shot Carbine

[Warbandit1776]

I just received a Ruger No. 3 in .22 hornet. The gun belonged to my grandfather and was left to my aunt (his daughter) when he died. For the past many years it has sat under my grandmothers bed collecting dust. I talked to my Aunt and she agreed to give it to me because she has no children to leave it to and she knew it would get more care in my possession. I have the original Box, original, booklet, and the original bill of sale. Turns out my grandfather paid $10.60 for it because he traded another .22 hornet worth 155.00. The original cost was 165.00 plus tax. It was made as well as purchased in 1976 the Bicentennial; and has never been fired. I am not only pleased with the gun and all of its original pieces but also with the sentimental value behind it. I plan to keep it in its un-fired condition and hang it on the wall. It was purchased on June 30th so its been in my familys possesion for 30 years now.

[bgjohn]

Shoot it! It will still have all the sentimental value. Unfired only means something if you want to sell it.
JM

[Ruger No. 1]

that is really something special, and it looks good.

[22shooter]

I have two Ruger #3 .22s. One is a .22 Khornet and the other is a .223 Rem. I treasure both of them. I have been getting the best acuaracy in the Khornet using 35 grain Hornady bullets and Lil'gun powder.

I wish they still made the #3s. I have a #1 in .270.

[ennacac]

I have a Bicentennial Ruger #1 in 270 and was wondering if anyone knows what it is worth since I rarely use it?

Tom

[Rick in Oregon]

ennacac: Just an opinion, but I'd guess that your No. 1 in .270 would be worth around $750 right now. That's based on seeing them listed in the Gun List and at shows.

Here's a No.3 I put together a couple of years ago for a walkabout rifle for ground squirrels, called coyotes, and rock chucks. Originally a 223, now chambered for 17 Ackley Hornet. Accurate, and is great on squirrels out to around 350 yards. Quiet, see your hits, cheap to shoot, and a joy to carry around all day. It's about the size of a 10-22, and disentegrates squirrels inside of 200 yards....20gr V-Max at 3810 fps. Pac-Nor 22" Super Match barrel, Bell & Carlson synthetic stock, glass bedded & floated, custom trigger by Broad Creek Rifle Works. She's a sweetie.



Here's how she shoots...ten shots at 100 yds.



Sweet little missles, WS2 coated.

[ennacac]

Very nice #3 indeed.

I was looking at a Ruger #1 in 204 but went with a Savage 12 instead because my #1 in 270 doesn't shoot as tight a group as I would like it to.

Tom

[Lee C.]

Great looking gun rick,

[faucettb]

Great looking gun. It needs to be used just to honer the memory of your grandfather. I to wish Ruger would make the #3's.

My #1B was built in 1979 and is in 243. It's an under one inch gun at a hundred yards. This is the first #1 I've ever owned and though I always wanted one it just never happened til a few years ago.

I've got a friend whom owns a pawn/gun shop and he bought out an estate from a Speer executive's wife. He had about 14 or 15 #1's and the story was that Ruger built him one ever year. I don't know if that's true or just a story, but they all had the darndest wood I'd ever seen.

My granddaughter who's lived with us since she was a year old has been shooting this gun for the last couple of years. She is 13 this year. It was here Christmas present this year. Her one goal is to shoot more coyotes this year than grandpa.

Here's a pix of of it and her at Christmas.







The smile tells it all.

[Guy M]

Both of those Rugers are great! I remember when the Number One rifles often came with really nice walnut like that.

Somewhere along the line I got silly and sold my two Ruger single shots, a .25-06 varminter and a .300 Win mag. Both were good guns, the .25-06 was really very accurate!

Thanks for showing all the cool Ruger single shot photos. I need to seriously consider getting another one. Or two...

Regards, Guy

[Rick in Oregon]

Guy: I'm with you on the nice wood on the older No.1's. Here's my No.1V in .223 Rem on the bench. Not the best shot, but you may be able to see the very nice wood the factory used. Both sides of the buttstock are well figured.

This particular rifle has a lapped and floated barrel, glassed forearm hanger, and a Canjar single set trigger that lets off at around 8 ozs. Lupy 6.5-20X aboard with target adjustments. It is a veteran of many squirrel, rock chuck, and prairie dog shoots and still shoots under .5 MOA. A keeper for sure.



We're about ready to lock & load here, Skippy is about!