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Thread: Ruger #3 what to rebarrel it to?

  1. #21
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    I'm thinking of taking one of my 375win-#3s and rebarrel with 26" in same cal. Now you got me thinking and might look into 405w. Only have these for Ohio Deer. We are limited to 38cal min and straight case. The 405w
    might be ultimate Ohio deer gun. I have 45/70, 44mg and 223 in #3 also. Have been playing with 375w to see
    what it will do with spitzer bullets. It does well but would do better with longer barrel. I bought the stock extenders that look like recoil pads. Adds 1" to stock and it is noticeable improvement. Wish I could find bubba
    #3 cheap. I have traded off most of my late model lever actions for #3s & #1s. My goal is to come up with flatist shooting and lightest rifle I can and be legal.

  2. #22
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    To each his own. This was mine.

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  3. #23
    Boolit Grand Master
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    As I get older, I have come to detest recoil. So none of the larger calibers you or others mentioned would be of interest. Also, a light rifle is appealing.

    I am not fond of casting, and I enjoy an accurate rifle. This leaves a jacketed bullet as my choice. Alas he Ruger is not always stellar the in accuracy department.

    I like the first suggestion...7mm Mauser. It is a special little round that is underappreciated.
    Don Verna


  4. #24
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    22 TCM - It is a modern day 22 Hornet but with cases easily formed from 223. Depending on twist you could shoot heavier than the factory 35 grain. lil’gun will get 2900 FPS easily with jacketed. A couple grs unique is a pip squeak pop gun load - a pinch of bullseye is the same. I sent two #3’s to McGowan to be rebarreled. Both are 20”, both threaded, one with 12” twist and the other with 10”. The 12 twist went to my Dad and has been passed down to Hatch. Bonus was no extractor mods were needed.
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  5. #25
    Boolit Master marlinman93's Avatar
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    What someone wants to do with a cartridge is important. But I also get tired of paying high prices for oddball brass, and expensive dies. Or searching everywhere to try to find brass!
    So what I plan to use it for is in the decision, but tempered by availability of brass and dies.

  6. #26
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    327 Mag,6 or 7mm BR,7.62x39,45 Schofield. As someone opined what do you want the rifle for plinking,hunting serious target work. Another choice that was a standard caliber 30/40 Krag. Any large bore calibers in the relatively light No 3 are going to kick like a mule. Ages ago a gunsmith I was going to hire to do some work on a pistol was reboreing a No 3 in 450 NE a customer. Just thinking about the conversion makes me flinch.

  7. #27
    Boolit Master andym79's Avatar
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    I would like to do something like a 220 swift or 6mm br, but is a Ruger 3 good enough for the 6mm BR?

    Or would I be better of do my 243 Howa in 6 mm br?

    As I think the Ruger #3 is too small for a heavy recoil rifle. Still a lot of larger rim cases appeal to me.

    The 375 Ruger is a real hitter, but if I were doing a 375 on the Ruger it would be the H&H it has that nostalgia but also brass is easier to come by.

    I would definitely change a bolt action in 300 win mag over to 375 Ruger though!

    The 7x57R is a nice case, but I can get bullets in 224-270 and 30 cal a fair bit cheaper than 7mm ones, don't know why?
    Last edited by andym79; 03-20-2019 at 10:02 PM.

  8. #28
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    For me with my current needs or wants it would be a 220 Swift. I love this cartridge. If you want something different 225 Winchesters are nice in single shots.
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  9. #29
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    To my way of thinking, the .303 British would be ideal for a No.3. Because the action is strong I would go ahead and use a normal .30 cal. barrel in 10" twist for the greatest flexibility in bullet choice. Use the SAAMI-dimensioned .303 British chamber dimensions so as to provide adequate neck release clearance and throat diameter to use factory and military surplus .303 British ammo, squirting the fat bullets down the .30 cal. barrel, which poses NO safety issue whatever, in a suitably strong action.

    In fact, in the 1980s Ruger produced several thousand .303 Brit. No.3s for the Canadian trade which were in exactly this configuration and shoot splendidly with either .303 British MkVII or MKVIIIz service or commercial softpoint ammo, as well as with handloads using common .30 cal. bullets, either jacketed or cast.

    I no longer have the No. 3 Ruger, but do have a No.4 Mk1* Long Branch barreled in this configuration, which is my "Go-To" general purpose rifle. I am well satisfied with it.

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    Last edited by Outpost75; 03-20-2019 at 10:53 PM.
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  10. #30
    Boolit Master pertnear's Avatar
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    Frank De Haas book "Mr.Single Shot's Gunsmithing - Idea Book" has some very good information on accurizing the Ruger #3. As you know the barrel is the heart of an accurate rifle & while it won't shoot like a bolt gun it can be made very accurate. My rifle has a medium heavy Shilen barrel & with light forend pressure regularly shoots 3/4" or less at 100 yards.
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  11. #31
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Outpost75 View Post
    To my way of thinking, the .303 British would be ideal for a No.3. Because the action is strong I would go ahead and use a normal .30 cal. barrel in 10" twist for the greatest flexibility in bullet choice. Use the SAAMI-dimensioned .303 British chamber dimensions so as to provide adequate neck release clearance and throat diameter to use factory and military surplus .303 British ammo, squirting the fat bullets down the .30 cal. barrel, which poses NO safety issue whatever, in a suitably strong action.

    In fact, in the 1980s Ruger produced several thousand .303 Brit. No.3s for the Canadian trade which were in exactly this configuration and shoot splendidly with either .303 British MkVII or MKVIIIz service or commercial softpoint ammo, as well as with handloads using common .30 cal. bullets, either jacketed or cast.
    I think I'd just go with .30-40 Krag (or Ackley Improved) in that case - since that's essentially what a .30-303 is/ Brit brass might be slightly easier to find than Krag brass these days, so that might be a wash.
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  12. #32
    Boolit Master

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    30/30 case, 25, 30, 32, 35, 375, or 38 caliber barrel. For a lower power round, 32/20 or 30 Badger. Set it up as a change barrel and do one of each.

  13. #33
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    25-35 Winchester or its fraternal twin the 30-30. Light recoil, accurate, rimmed case.

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  14. #34
    Boolit Master
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    the best answer make it a takedown then you can mutable calibers pick and chose.

  15. #35
    Boolit Master
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    In no particular order: 38WCF, 7-30 Waters, 25 Souper or 357 B&D.

  16. #36
    Boolit Master andym79's Avatar
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    I am seriously considering a 7x57r but bullet price is a problem.

    For some reason 6.5 and 7 cost a lot more than 224 243 257 270 and 308 bullets.

    I don't have a problem with normal cartridges though most of mine are non standard, most of mine get re done for better or heavier barrels. Too many factory barrels are either not good or are in a #1 or #2

  17. #37
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by ulav8r View Post
    30/30 case, 25, 30, 32, 35, 375, or 38 caliber barrel. For a lower power round, 32/20 or 30 Badger. Set it up as a change barrel and do one of each.
    35-30 looks fun but finding dies?!?! Whoa!


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  18. #38
    Boolit Master
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    If I had a spare #3 to start on, I would consider the 38-55 cartridge first off. Rimmed case, readily available, option to drop a 375 Winchester load into the chamber if I had that itch to scratch. The parent caliber would be loaded mild, and the warmer loads on reserve as desired. As a second thought I would consider the 32-40 Winchester caliber which can be made up from the parent 30-30 brass by a single pass through a sizing die. Short case length be hanged, you still get the correct COL with jacketed .321" bullets properly seated to the cannelure in the 32-40 short length case to match your chamber. Either of these calibers would make a very satisfactory stalking rifle with the option of going mild to more than mild as your needs change.

  19. #39
    Boolit Master
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    I have a restocked No 3 that started out as a 30/40 but a previous own had chambered to 30/40AI. In a No 3 action I have a full range of power, from mouse fart to near 06. Restocking raised the weight a bit which helps with recoil on the upper end of the loads and makes it a pussycat with low end loads. I wish it was still a 30/40 but at the price I couldn't turn it down.

  20. #40
    Boolit Master
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    There is so much overlap in present hunting cartridges it hardly seems reasonable to try to fill any big game rifle gaps. You have a terrific specialty action, why not make it into a specialty rifle that actually means something?

    In my mind, a nice little falling block single shot is made for a classic walking varmint rifle; it cries for a 22" high grade medium weight barrel chambered for .17 K Hornet or .220 Ruger. And it should wear something like a 10x or 12x Unertl 1 1/2" target scope (you can still find them on eBay).

    I don't know about any "inherent accuracy" of the #3 (or #1) compared to competitive BR bolt rifles. If it grouped as much as 3/8 MOA more, which is huge in BR, but - think about it - at 100 yards that translates to being "off" no more than 3/16" from point of aim! Meaning no crow, groundhog, etc., (nor any human) would ever see a real world difference in the field, not even the most serious BR shooters.

    What ever you do with it, I hope you enjoy your little treasure!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check