Ruger # 3

[trapperdan]

I have been looking at buying a Ruger #3 chambered in 17 Mach IV. It has a heavy pac nor bbl and was smithed by Darrell Holland. I have no experience with Ruger's but have been told that because of their slow lock time to not expect to get much better than ¾ “ groups let alone ½” or better. If this is the case, can anything be done to improve the accuracy or lock time? Any and all help will be appreciated. Thank you
Dan

 

[watercam]

I have had three #1/#3s (30-06, .375 Win., .270) and was able to tweak them into 1 moa or better with hunting loads. First, sand off the forearm pressure point at the far end so that the barrel floats. I also glass bedded the end of the hanger and the area that contacts the receiver. I am NOT a fan of the Hick's device as the barrel can not float when it is installed. Brownells offers a lightened hammer to decrease lock time but frankly I never saw a difference one way or the other. DO have a trigger job or replace the factory trigger for reduced pull weight and better follow through.
Since you have a custom barrel your results should be better than mine.

 

[MrMajestic]

Sub Moa accuracy from one very classy rifle, who will debate the trivial?

 

[SSL]

I currently have three #1s (very similar to the #3), .223, .22-250 and .280, that all shoot one inch or less with preferred loads. The .223 and .22-250 average under half inch on most days. If the #3 is anything like the #1s, you should be fine...especially with a custom barrel.

 

[10at6]

Sounds like a very cool rifle. The varmint barreled #1s always shot well

 

[lawman29]

Custom barrel is the trick. http://forum.accurateshooter.com/th...-hicks-accurizer.3952983/page-2#post-37232273

 

[C.E.Smith043]

I had a number 1 in 218Bee. Fun gun to shoot but man was it heavy. Mine averaged right at 1moa to 1.5 moa with hand loads and it did have the trigger worked over.

 

[Schandler]

Had a #1 in 220 swift - beautiful rifle and i wanted it to shoot. Tried many bullets powders loads but it never satisfied me. I didn’t try any of the mods. Read about them but didn’t buy in. It sure was a pretty rifle but has a new home now.

 

[Boyd L.]

Had a #1 in 220 swift - beautiful rifle and i wanted it to shoot. Tried many bullets powders loads but it never satisfied me. I didn’t try any of the mods. Read about them but didn’t buy in. It sure was a pretty rifle but has a new home now.

+1 for the 7x57 I had. Nice rifle, with all the dash and romance the falling block conjures. Couldn’t hit my hat with it.

There’s a Number 3 in my late father’s gun safe that I’ve considered trying to make shoot. Dad was never pleased with its performance.

I hope the OP finds the most accurate one available.

 

[Outrider27]

Sounds like a very cool rifle. The varmint barreled #1s always shot well

That mirrors my experience with #1s also. Mine was a 25-06 and was a lot of fun. Gave it to a young lady who was enthralled with it and plans to take it out west antelope hunting soon.

 

[pilot]

I have a #3 in 223. Bought it new way back when. It likes the Speer 70 grain round nose flat base bullets, of all things. Doesn't come close to stabilizing a 69 grain bullet, but those 70s will group into a half inch.

 

[nmkid]

I've only had one. They are nice rifles and a breeze to handle. However, the one I had, antagonized me to no end. Wish I had kept it as it was a 100th year rifle.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Yup, this all mirrors my own experience with No.1's and 3's. I currently field a No.1V in 223 and a No.3 in .17 Ackley Hornet. The No.1 has had all the tricks, forearm mod, Canjar single set trigger, and it will shoot in the 3's now.

The No.3 wears a B&C synthetic stock and a Pac-Nor SS super match barrel. I had to bend the finger lever and reblue it to work with the pistol grip stock. But the little rifle will shoot ten shots that can be covered with a dime using 1680 and any 20gr bullet. It's a real fun rig the size of a Ruger 10-22, but with 400 yard reach.



Not BR accuracy to be sure, but definitely "minute of rat"......

 

[B23]

Poor little sage rats ain't got a chance with shootin like that! Nice job, but ummm, you completely missed the dime.

 

[pilot]

Rick, who chambered and installed your barrel?

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Rick, who chambered and installed your barrel?

This was a few years ago, but I found a guy who specialized in the Ruger single shot rifles in Delaware; Broad Creek Rifle Works. He did not have a website when I found him in Shotgun News ads. Nice work, great chamber job and barrel work. He also supplied seating/neck gauge from the barrel stub than was sectioned to easily see distance to the lands. He also has his own line of CNC produced triggers for these rifles. The trigger on this No.3 breaks clean at 12 ozs., as it's shot mostly at squirrels from my bench.

Normally I would have had friend Darrell Holland do the work, but at the time he was much too busy with a very long lead time, so I looked elsewhere and seemed to have lucked out, as his lead time was very reasonable in addition to professional quality work.

Don't know if he's still about, have not seen any ads or mention, but he's good at what he does.

 

[Jimmy James]

Had a #3 in 44mag that I let go for a song and now regret it sort of. Never found a factory load that would shoot. This was before I started serious reloading. But the stoopid thing or the stoopid shooter somehow managed to always have the lever wrap my knuckles when firing. Ouch!