Ruger #3 in .375 Win.

[NHlever]

One of my gun shop haunts has a #3 in .375 Win. The forend has been modified, or is not original, and they want $700+ for it. That seems a bit steep for me although I would like it to play with. :D What do you all think something like that is worth. It is very clean except for the forend modification.

[EDG]

I have another forend for one.
However I would not pay $700 for a #3. There are too many other things you can get for $700.

[NickSS]

I think the price is high even though there is some collectors appeal the a number 3 in that caliber, however the reqorked fore end would kill a lot of that appeal.

[bigted]

what exactly is the forend modification? and how clean is the gun?

[Bass Ackward]

So they know what they have and it isn't a steal. Question is not is it worth it. The action alone would be close to that much for someone that wanted to build one. And if the gun was mint, it WOULD be more than that.

If you do decide that it IS for you and you can't get them down, then I would get them to throw in a set of dies and some brass to sweeten the pot.

[Ben]

$525 - $550 would be stretching things a bit in my opinion.

[NHlever]

The replies I'm getting here reflect my thoughts pretty close. The gun is very clean but the forend has been cut off behind the band, or replaced entirely by a homemade one. For me, I'm thinking it would have to be very mint, and original to command that price. A Winchester big bore ar $425 would be a better buy to me.

[onceabull]

If that's the going rate, I'll see their offer,and you can take mine for $699...!!! Onceabull

[the other DWS]

Its all supply and demand. I've paid more and I've paid less. lots of variables but I'd say they are on the high side of in-the-ball-park. Depends on what they have invested in it and what their standard shop mark-up rate. you might be able to negotiate a better price---when are taxes due there?

[Good Cheer]

About 1980 I had a No.3 in .375Win. It didn't have enough powder capacity for boolits. So, had a 375H&H reamer run up in it. Super accurate but I pulled muscles on the bench. Then had it rebarreled to .375x45-70. Like Goldie Locks and the porridge...this one is juuust right.

[Doughty]

Good Cheer,

I'm with you. Only I rechamered mine to the .30-40 Krag case blown out to .375. I call it a .38 Krag. Made a second one with a 28" Green Mtn octagon barrel for my Quigley Match rifle. My idea of "just right."

[Boz330]

Good Cheer,

I'm with you. Only I rechamered mine to the .30-40 Krag case blown out to .375. I call it a .38 Krag. Made a second one with a 28" Green Mtn octagon barrel for my Quigley Match rifle. My idea of "just right."

In the BPCR world that would be a 38-50 Remington-Hepburn.

Bob

[Artful]

I just use 5744 powder with mine - works great. Mine was modified with new rubber recoil pad to repllace the plastic one.

[Doughty]

Boz330,

I thought about that, but I didn't intend to use BP. My vison was a higher pressure, smokeless load, so therefore the "new" name. My Quigley load is a 335 grain, lino, GCed bullet at a little over 2100 fps. This load is fine in the 12+ lb rifle, but not fun in the lighter, short barrel carbine.

[Charlie Sometimes]

I have a #3 Liberty Model in 45-70 that I am swapping over to 375 Win., and will eventually restock it, too. I just had a buddy fit a 24" Douglas XX barrel to it. I'm working on fitting the new extractor now. When that is done, I will be ready to touch off a round or two through it.
I give $660 for mine and it wasn't mint by a long shot, but #3's are harder to come by. I've got $140 in the barrel and scope mounts, another $100 in the barrel fitting, and will probably have $200 in a semi-finished stock set. So it is just a matter of "Is it something I really want?" It's not like you can't get your money back out of it either, if you decide you don't like it.

[Charlie Sometimes]

Got the extractor fitting finished yesterday, and fire that baby today! [smilie=w:
Put six round of factory 200 gr. Winchester loads through it, and it did okay.
I used the carbine stock and forearm with the barrel band, too- looks good.
The only difference in old and new is caliber and barrel length- no scope yet (that's next when the weather lets up some).
As to recoil, it felt slightly less than the Lever Gun 45-70 loads I fired in it when it was a 45-70- tolerable.
The scope will add some weight, and if ithe stock were longer for me it would be better.

If you are still considering the #3 you mentioned, get it and scope it. You'll like it, I think. :smile:

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I picked up a second kick around #3 in 45-70 last fall for $400.00 and the only change on it was sling swivels.