Ruger No. 3 sporter questions

[bobcat93]

Have any of you guys worked on these. Ive never even seen one.
I read some weird stuff regarding new barrel installation.
And they shoot horribly even with new barrel due to design.
Ive very familiar with the frustration the ruger no.1 left with with, and the rifles limitations by design.
I was constantly chasing accuracy. Add a barrel band with a barrel hanger to the same rifle..is that the set up haha..
Ive also read that the barrels on the #3 dont just screw out..
Ive read (if you want a #3 buy one, then throw it away, and buy a real gun for the same price.) Hahaha
What can you folks tell me.
Thank you

 

[CCM]

They're a "budget" version of the No. 1.
The barrel unscrews just like the No. 1, and like the No. 1, sometimes they don't want to turn loose.

You can relieve the barrel band so it doesn't make barrel contact, or you can cut off the end of the forearm and reshape it to get rid of it.

No. 1 stocks fit the No. 3 also.

As for accuracy, a lot of people think free floating is the answer. I disagree, and have had better luck bedding the barrel, spring hanger, and receiver. That barrel will never truly float with a scope mounted to it anyways.

Here's one I dolled up for a guy earlier this year.

 

[bobcat93]

Thank you for the response CCM
Is that a #3 in a #1 rifle stock in your photo?

 

[max evans]

do you want my opinion?

 

[pertnear]

Here is my Ruger #3. I had it rebarreled to a 6.8mm SPC & installed ruger #1 stocks. I had a pressure point installed in the hanger to tune for accuracy. This rifle shoots exceptionally well!

 

[Will Henry]

I have built some rifles on No.3's and the action is just the same as the No. 1, except for the lever. I have altered the levers on some. One always has the choice of using the Number One 1/4 rib, for scope mounting, or make a base to use Talley rings or make a Weaver-style mount.
CCM, that's a nice job. WH

 

[CCM]

Thank you for the response CCM
Is that a #3 in a #1 rifle stock in your photo?

This was a custom stock, but the pattern is for a No. 1.

 

[bobcat93]

Its a beautiful chunck of lumber

 

[skeeljc]

I had a Ruger No 3 in .22 Hornet. Terrible grouping as received. I removed the barrel band and re-shaped the forend. Shot well with cardboard shims between the barrel and the forearm.

 

[wiltbk421]

I have a No 3 in .223 and have never measured it but pretty much touches holes at 100. I have not done anything to it.

 

[WesG260]

Consider the 2 most famous SS rifles during the Schuetzen Era were the Winchester Hi-wall and the Steven's 44-1/2. Both had the forearm directly attached to the barrel.

I rebuilt a no 3. Cut the hanger off leaving enough to keep the pins for the ??? ... getting old .... Replaced the rest with a block attached to the barrel to anchor the main spring.

The hanger is a massive obstacle when you NEED to do a bunch of machining to get the action face and barrel thread parallel/square to the breech block. So off it goes ...

Put a 6mm barrel on it, formed 357 Max to a scaled up and slightly 'improved' version of a 218 Bee. Haven't got any further with it ... moved ... and the cases are too short for my torch based annealer. Induction type on my list of new toys.

Shop building and my machines have to come first.

I'll try to remember to find a picture.

Barrel is a half octagon, tulip breech, both tapered a bit, flaring back out to a straight octagon for a front sight.