Ruger No3 question

[curioushooter]

I have finally after years found a Ruger No3 in 375 Winchester that I am prepared to purchase. It seems great in the metal, but like other No3s it has that homely Ruger-style stock made of cheap wood. I understand the rear stock can be swapped out with a No1's. Can the for-end be swapped as well? Is the barrel contour and forend-hanger the same? I am particularly keen on putting a No1's full stock forend on it and ditching the barrel band!

It has steel bases and what appear to be steel Ruger rings on it. Is there a reason why No1s have that rib? Is that rib from a No1 mountable on the No3? I wonder because why would Ruger go through all that extra trouble? Were there wandering zero problems with the No3.

Any guidance would be most appreciated. Any opinions on this particular model? It has a 1:12 twist and usually Ruger barrels are of good quality, so I have some pretty high expectations for accuracy. Any cast boolit load recommendations for deer?

[pertnear]

I converted my Ruger #3 into a #2 by putting #1 wood on the butt & forend. Yes they fit the same. The plastic barrel band on the #3 is only there for looks. Not sure about the rib fitting on a #3 barrel. Forends are easy enough to find but I had to buy a DIY semi-inletted butt stock. This was a few years ago, but Ruger would sell a #1 forend but not a #1 butt stock. I had the hangar drilled & tapped for a pressure adjustment screw to tune for accuracy. Recoil from the 375 should not be too bad, especially with cast bullets, but with heavier calibers the lever can be very hard on the grip hand. Here is my #2 in 6.8mm SPC
Attachment 266910

[Drm50]

I have two #3s in 375H&H and 223, 44mg and 45/70. All except 223 have been gathered up when Ohio got limited rifle deer. The question about wood I don’t know. All my #3s have factory walnut stocks. Not fancy but nice. Stock design is rather military. The only thing I have done is buy the stock extenders that look like black recoil pads. Extends pull 1”. I traded a Marlin 375 for one of my #3s. I’m shooting spitzer bullets out of #3s. Both rifles will do close to 1.25” at 100yds x 5shot. and that’s with anything you stuff in them.

I have only one scoped. It has Weaver bases and extended rings. Scoping them is PIA. The new generation scopes are shorter and bases on 3 close together. I’ve got Burris 2x8 Signature because only scope I had other than fixed 8x plus that would allow travel to get eye relief. The #1 quarter rib will not fit without gunsmithing.

I did shoot cast 38/55 200gr when first got 375s. Used IMR-3031. Will have to get out my notes for load. They shot well. At the time had K3 Weaver on rifle but could get eye relief where I wanted. I had run out of rear travel and front ring flushed out on scope before I got where I needed to be.

Bottom line is I’ve had other 3s and most finicky was 22Hornet. The rest have all shot very well. I’ve had the 223 since they hit market. The 375- 44- 45/70 are least finicky and I don’t think you will regret getting a #3 in 375.

[cub45]

use a shot gun scope to get extended eye relief.

[GBertolet]

Pertnear, did you have to replace or bend the lever to mate up with the #1 stock? I have a #3, and would love to have a #1 stock on it.

[15meter]

The single #3 that I shot was a buddies in 45-70, I think he loaded it with a measuring CUP he swiped from the kitchen, not a powder scoop.

I load and shoot a fair number of the old English double rifle cartridges, 400/350, 450/400, 450 N.E., 470 N.E., 416 Rigby both 300 and 375 Ouch and Ouches plus several more. I'm reasonably familiar with recoil.

None were more difficult to shoot than that #3 with full house loads. That lever is NOT designed for full house loads.

That's when I started looking for mouse fart loads. Got down to 4.4 grains Clays under a Lyman 457122 in the 45-70.

Cool rifle, good luck with it, I've had good luck with Blue Dot loads in the 375 H&H, I think I got the loads from Lyman cast # 3.

I think.

[Tim357]

If I understand your question re: the quarter rib on the #1, thats really the only way to mount a scope on them. Ruger rings and mounts are among the strongest made. The action is only a couple inches long. I've not heard of wandering zero, but at times, they can be finiky about groups. Jon Sundra and others have penned articles about accurizing #1s and #3s.

If I was in the market for a #3, I'd jump on it. I only wish they would have chambered them in .357 Mag.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello curiuoshooter,

I have a #3 in 45-70, kicks like a mule (I love it).
I did purchase Ruger Style mounts from Brownells a few years ago,
but I no longer see them listed. I did had a set of Weaver mounts,
but they didn't fit right and I didn't want to mess with them.

AntiqueSledMan.

[pertnear]

Pertnear, did you have to replace or bend the lever to mate up with the #1 stock? I have a #3, and would love to have a #1 stock on it.

I did not have to alter the lever to fit the #1 butt stock. I had a Shilen varmint weigh barrel fitted to the action. My original plan was to use a pair of scope base blocks that Ruger provides for their #1V rifles. My gunsmith offered to fit the rib & he did an excellent job. This rifle has become my favorite WT deer rifle. I call it my baby .270

[GBertolet]

Tim357, I have a 357 mag #3. I rebarreled a 22 Hornet to it. It has a Douglass 1-14, .358 barrel, finished from a free barrel blank I was given, instead of the std .357 dia. I did all the work myself. I have a Hick's Accurisor on the hanger, and a Leupold 6X scope on it. It is a real treasure. I shoot nothing but cast bullets from it. Mostly subsonic, in deference to the noise. I size them to .360. I replaced the std RCBS 357 expander, with a 38 S&W expander plug, which is intended for .361 bullets. This keeps the bullets from being swaged in the seating process.

[Drm50]

I wanted to use K3 or K2.5 on #3s. They won’t work because of short distance between bases. I tried some similar Redfield 2.75x with same problem. If shotgun scope he’s any end bell of front it’s not going to work. I don’t like having to use Weaver bases and rings but they have held up. Ruger did make bases for Ruger rings. They are listed in #3 Manual, personally I’ve never seen a pair they are rare. I’ve got K4 on 44mg and none on 45/70. I don’t want scope on it because of recoil.
On all #3s the stock extender makes them more comfortable for most people to shoot unless you are a munchkin.Attachment 266962

[GBertolet]

I like the stock extender. What is the brand name? Is it the same one that fits the 10-22?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Here is some info on #3 scope mounts.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...t-scope-mounts

There are some other threads about this topic as well, but I can't seem to locate them right now.

[pietro]

I like the stock extender. What is the brand name? Is it the same one that fits the 10-22?

Yes, the pad fits all Rugers that have that "carbine" buttstock (10/22, Mini-14, #3, .44 Carbine, 96-22 & 96-44).

I believe they were made by a company named Tacbro.

https://www.amazon.com/RECOIL-BUTT-C.../dp/B0032ZFZAU

.

[Doughty]

Curious,
I hunted the Ruger #3 in .375 Winchester for several years. I used the heavier Lyman mold with the GC. (Can't recall the number offhand). I found the best loads using AA2015. The heavier loads shot best. In the 1900 fps range. Recoil was significant, but I was young then. This was good out to 125 yds without having to hold over. This was before I had access to rangefinders and BDC reticles. In order to get more "unph" I rechambered to the .30-40 case blown out to .375. My shoulder was the only limit then. I found the Vortex Crossfire 2X7 scope with BDC to be a good scope for this set up. No. 1 wood on the No. 3 an easy superior improvement. I don't like the quarter rib. I think it causes more problems than it solves. Also "long" .38-55 cases worked better for me than the .375 Win cases.

[gnostic]

I used to own a #3 in 45-70 that was the most brutal, punishing rifle I've ever shot. The trigger guard smashed my middle finger purple in just a few shots. I'm trying not to kick anybody's dog, but the #3 will knock your nose off in under 20 rounds. Get a #1, it's a great rifle that's well worth the extra cost....

[onelight]

I used to own a #3 in 45-70 that was the most brutal, punishing rifle I've ever shot. The trigger guard smashed my middle finger purple in just a few shots. I'm trying not to kick anybody's dog, but the #3 will knock your nose off in under 20 rounds. Get a #1, it's a great rifle that's well worth the extra cost....

The trick for me with my 45-70 no.3 was to sling in tight and be young enough enough to enjoy being smacked

[Tim357]

Tim357, I have a 357 mag #3. I rebarreled a 22 Hornet to it. It has a Douglass 1-14, .358 barrel, finished from a free barrel blank I was given, instead of the std .357 dia. I did all the work myself. I have a Hick's Accurisor on the hanger, and a Leupold 6X scope on it. It is a real treasure. I shoot nothing but cast bullets from it. Mostly subsonic, in deference to the noise. I size them to .360. I replaced the std RCBS 357 expander, with a 38 S&W expander plug, which is intended for .361 bullets. This keeps the bullets from being swaged in the seating process.

That's a fine looking rifle! Thanks for the info!

[Drm50]

The brand is John Mason and sold by Midway USA. They use existing butt plate screws and are Black. #BW07. I saw another brand advertised that are red and softer. I had one and didn’t like it.
I think it came out of Blue Press adds. I had it on Mini-14 and only wanted it to extend the pull.

[Good Cheer]

This has the original No.3 wood with a bit of the blockiness smoothed up.