Video Review
Intro: About the Ruger No. 1
The rifles center around a robust and compact falling-block action with what has become known as an artillery-style breechblock. It debuted in late 1966 and early 1967 and was based on an 1870s Farquharson falling-block design. A swooping underlever located both behind and beneath the trigger guard actuates forward to drop the block and open the chamber.
The simple strength of this action design allows it to handle some of the most powerful chamberings on the market. Barrels are cold hammer forged and available in a variety of weights and finishes, many dependent on chambering. For historical sticklers, its name truly is No. 1, which is how the actions were initially stamped upon first production, and not Number One or any variation thereof.
The rifles are fitted with an ejector mechanism that can be adjusted to provide only extraction. Integral scope mounts are machined directly onto the solid steel quarter rib, and Ruger includes a set of rings with each rifle. There’s an easily accessible, ambidextrous-friendly tang safety. The rifles are finished off with a slim, rubberized sporting-style butt pad.
The most common stock material is American walnut partnered with satin-blued steel, though other woods have appeared, including one of the sharpest dressed of the bunch with pepper laminate mated with stainless metalwork.
These American-made rifles have been in production and hunting the world for well over five decades and counting. Current chamberings in the Ruger catalog list only three: 6.5 Creedmoor, .257 Rigby, and .257 Weatherby. However, name a chambering, and odds are good it has been offered at one time or another on a Ruger No. 1, from our diminutive .204 Ruger to dangerous game rounds like the .480 Ruger and plenty of “non-Ruger” choices in between. Need another reason to grab a No. 1? They’re a lefty-friendly platform with the falling-block action and safety easily actuated by either hand.
Our Test No. 1
We regularly peruse the ever-changing used inventory of the Guns.com Vault. At any given time, there are usually several Ruger No. 1 rifles to be had. When we saw one of the laminate/ stainless rigs, we simply had to give it a try. The main selling point was its chambering – the zippy young .204 Ruger.
We’ll go into more depth on the .204 Ruger round in other pieces but suffice it to say that round from a Ruger No. 1 is deadly on vermin, varmints, small game, and bullseyes. Partnered with the 9+ pound weight of our scoped rig, and there is zero recoil or muzzle rise, meaning terminal performance is fully visible in the scope.
Our test gun wears a 26-inch bull-taper round barrel. There are stainless sling studs and a black rubber recoil pad. The included Ruger rings are matched stainless. We topped it with a Burris Signature HD optic in 2-10x40 to really dig into accuracy potential. It should be noted that this particular rifle, as is the case with a good number of No. 1s, does not have iron sights.
While we’ve seen – and owned – some No. 1s with exceptional walnut wood grain stocks, this partnership of laminate with brushed stainless is both beautiful and practical from a wear perspective. The stainless grip cap is accentuated with a gold Ruger logo inlayed at its center. Aesthetics merge ideally with performance.
Range Time
Fall headfirst into internet forums – at your own risk and peril – and you’re sure to find naysayers who claim the Ruger No. 1 to be an inaccurate platform. If that’s true, we’ve never witnessed it, as all four of the No. 1s we’ve owned, shot, and hunted – .204 Ruger, .22-250 Remington, .243 Winchester, and .45-70 Gov’ – have been capable shooters.
To test the theory, we headed to the range with all the .204 Ruger ammo we could muster. That included Hornady Superformance Varmint in 24, 32, and 40 grain; Nosler Varmageddon 32-grain FB Tipped; and Federal 32-grain ballistic tip. Bullet weights spanned 24 to 40 grains. The Ruger No. 1’s twist rate handled them all with ease out to the 200-yard mark. We did the bulk of our accuracy testing at 100 yards from the bench. We were pleasantly surprised to find ragged cloverleaf three-shot groups as more of the norm than the exception.
There’s neither muzzle rise nor recoil, though this particular rifle is heavy enough to make it more of a bench gun than one a hunter would carry afield all day or shoot regularly offhand. The compact nature of falling-block actions mean the Ruger No. 1 – when compared to, say, a bolt-action or semi-auto rifle in the same barrel length – will be a shorter overall firearm. Those metrics can make a difference in hunting blinds or when carrying through thick brush.
Variations
Over the years, the Ruger No. 1 could be had in a number of variations. There’s the 1-A Light Sporter, 1-B Standard, 1-H Tropical Rifle, 1-S Medium Sporter, the International with its Mannlicher stock, 1-V Varminter, and the K-1 Stainless Series we have in hand now. Most designations are self-explanatory, referring to barrel weights and lengths – as in light sporter and medium sporter or stainless.
The Tropical Rifle is dressed for serious hunting in the largest bores with adjustable irons and a barrel band in calibers like .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, .458 Win Mag, and .45-70 Gov’t among many others. For collectors, there have even been limited runs like the 1878 Lyman Centennial. Whether collecting, shooting, hunting, or plinking, Ruger has built a No. 1 for your purpose and pursuit.
Why a Single Shot?
Some will question why we’d spend serious cash on a single-shot rifle. The better question is, why not? They’re classic, beautiful, accurate, strong, simple, capable, collectible, and American-made guns. Further, single shots tend to make better shooters of us all – making that first shot count. However, it’s important to note that practiced single-shot shooters can reload their rifles – No. 1’s included – incredibly quickly when needed.
Whether you find aesthetic pleasure in the lines and design, are attracted by the wide array of chamberings, dig the compact action, or simply prefer classically-styled firearms that are at once accurate and lovely, there’s a Ruger No. 1 out there for you. As for us, we’ll always be cruising used listings and gun shop shelves for this king of single-shot rifles.
