The Taming of a Mule

[Marine Sgt 2111]

Well after being the owner of at least one now two #3 Rugers in .45-70 I have my brothers finally found a way to ride that kicking mule without misery. Long ago I filled the stock with #9 birdshot but that Communist plastic butt plate still life tough with 400 grainers at 2000 fps.

I have now put a slip-on Limbsaver Recoil pad. I am absolutely amazed at how that pad soaks up the recoil. While the light profiled barrel waves around far too easy, "the mule has been saddled". I also tried the pad on my Shilo sharps military carbine with it's steel buttplate and no problems there either. No birdshot but a heavier barrel made for a "comfortable" time at the shooting bench.

[no34570]

Well after being the owner of at least one now two #3 Rugers in .45-70 I have my brothers finally found a way to ride that kicking mule without misery. Long ago I filled the stock with #9 birdshot but that Communist plastic butt plate still life tough with 400 grainers at 2000 fps.

I have now put a slip-on Limbsaver Recoil pad. I am absolutely amazed at how that pad soaks up the recoil. While the light profiled barrel waves around far too easy, "the mule has been saddled". I also tried the pad on my Shilo sharps military carbine with it's steel buttplate and no problems there either. No birdshot but a heavier barrel made for a "comfortable" time at the shooting bench.

Marine Sgt 2111
I have a Ruger No3(that is my avatar & username),while I don't have the plastic butt,mine has a old shotgun recoil pad on it,that is in line for a replacement,for when I shoot those 500gr bullets out of her,they are doing over 1850fps,using ADI AR 2206,they let you know,at both ends :) I can only shoot 3-5 at a time,it hurts!
It was just an experiment,so I'll probably go for a limbsaver for my mule and cut back on the powder charge to a tamer level. :)
Have been thinking of getting it magna-ported,don't know?.

[John Taylor]

Best way to reduce recoil on a #3 is to change the barrel to a 28" tapered octagon and put a new longer butt stock on ( or add a recoil pad). For some reason the longer barrel does not hurt so much.

[flounderman]

I don't like magna port. I have a 7 mag I put a sako barrel on that had been magna ported and I see why they took it off. it will tear your ear drums out. I had a sleeve made to fit over the end of the barrel to cover the ports. I ruined my hearing years ago shooting without ear protection and a ported barrel will hurt you.

[Marine Sgt 2111]

Best way to reduce recoil on a #3 is to change the barrel to a 28" tapered octagon and put a new longer butt stock on ( or add a recoil pad). For some reason the longer barrel does not hurt so much.

A longer barrel would tamer her down as I have a shilo with a 34" barrel and she's a joy to shoot. But for brush hunting, fast handleing and stalking with the #3 is fine. Notice I didn't say great or perfect. Short of replacing the buttstock entirely, that limbsaver recoil pad is the "perfect" fix. For what it's worth Jim, even a 20" thicker walled barrel like the one on my sharps carbine makes a marked difference.

[Lloyd Smale]

400s at 2000 are going to be a bit wild out of any gun.

[Artful]

I just traded mine out for a 375 win - kills just fine and only on the end I aim for.

[725]

I slipped a mercury recoil reducer in the stock of my #1 .458 Lott. Night and day. Cut the stock and installed a thick, soft recoil pad and now even the craziest loads don't hurt. Porting makes the gun too loud to ever shoot.

[cowboy]

Howdy-
have to agree with the Limbsaver being as good as it's name. Put one on a .416 Rigby- with factory loads, still not pleasant, but at least tolerable. Before the switch, sort of like being clubbed like a baby seal.

[Marine Sgt 2111]

Lloyd, in 1976 I was 20 and went black bear hunting up in the "UP" with some friends. One night around the camp fire we were talking guns and cartridges and I started to get the short end of razzing about using a single shot (Ruger #3 in .45-70). Some of the guys had Remington 742's, one had a BAR in 7mm Mag.

Anyways, the next morning I asked the doubting Thomas of single shots if he would like to shot my rifle. He said sure and sat down in a folding lawn chair to shoot across a 20ft wide stream and hit the mushy bank on the other side.
When he touched off that round, I was standing next to him and caught the rifle as it was headed up. The lawn chair was wrapped around the shooter and there was a 10-12" hole in the otherside of the creek bank with steam coming out of it. There was no more ribbing about my single shot and the shooter had a green/gray bruise to remember it by.

I'm not kidding gents, these recoil pads are really pretty effective.

[2Tite]

I had a #3 in 45-70 once. I wore a football mouthpiece. It kept me from chipping my teeth.....

[no34570]

I slipped a mercury recoil reducer in the stock of my #1 .458 Lott. Night and day. Cut the stock and installed a thick, soft recoil pad and now even the craziest loads don't hurt. Porting makes the gun too loud to ever shoot.
where do you get those Mercury Recoil reducers from?
Also thinking of putting a No1 butt on it.

[no34570]

Lloyd, in 1976 I was 20 and went black bear hunting up in the "UP" with some friends. One night around the camp fire we were talking guns and cartridges and I started to get the short end of razzing about using a single shot (Ruger #3 in .45-70). Some of the guys had Remington 742's, one had a BAR in 7mm Mag.

Anyways, the next morning I asked the doubting Thomas of single shots if he would like to shot my rifle. He said sure and sat down in a folding lawn chair to shoot across a 20ft wide stream and hit the mushy bank on the other side.
When he touched off that round, I was standing next to him and caught the rifle as it was headed up. The lawn chair was wrapped around the shooter and there was a 10-12" hole in the otherside of the creek bank with steam coming out of it. There was no more ribbing about my single shot and the shooter had a green/gray bruise to remember it by.

I'm not kidding gents, these recoil pads are really pretty effective.
Good one :lol::lol::lol::lol: Single shots rule!
I would not get rid of mine,it is too much fun,well sometimes ;)

[no34570]

I had a #3 in 45-70 once. I wore a football mouthpiece. It kept me from chipping my teeth.....
:lol::lol::lol:,sorry,don't mean to laugh,but i could imagine what it would look like;-)
So,did you get rid of it ?,the 45/70.

[Lloyd Smale]

id stick with the slip on pad. I would cut up a #3 to put a permenant pad on it because there starting to be worth money and it would about take all the value out of one. Best thing you can do is back them loads off to 1800. The 200 fps you loose will not make your gun one bit less effective on game and will do alot toward making it comfortable. My #1 with a limbsaver is still a handfull with 405s at 2000 fps but at 1800 its a completely differnt gun. I think id rather shoot my 50ak with full power loads then a #3 with 2000fps loads.

[John Taylor]

It's part of the fun to have a 6&1/4 pound rifle loaded up 10% short of a 458 mag. Had one when I was much younger. Never shot anything with it, most elk were smart enough to stay away. When you pull the trigger and it spins you around and bangs your shoulder blades together you get to ask your hunting partners " did I hit anything". Been there, done that.
Made more than one #3 look closer to a high wall with a long tapered octagon barrel. When I was hurting for money I sold three at a gun show to other dealers before the show started. I think I had them priced to low.

[frnkeore]

I have my own 45/70 story. I'm a traditional single shot guy so, I can't put a recoil pad on them and in my case, it's to late for the slip on ones, the damage has already been done.

Off hand isn't to bad, you can give with the recoil. I shot a friends 8 bore double ONCE!!! But, when it comes to bench rest, it a whole different storty. I fired 65 rounds of a 500 gr spitzer in a black powder match back about '96. It doesn't sound like a lot, 500 gr, 1450 fps, 15 gr smokeless and 70 gr black (breech seated), in a 15 lb gun. But, it seperated my shoulder and I couldn't shoot rifles for 15 years.

I remember reading a story back around '80 in a magazine. The writer said he was 6' and 200+ but, was hard pressed to finish his shooting with the #3 45/70 that he was writing about.

Now, if we could just fined us a 3 1/2 pound #3 to shoot those 1850 fps, 500+ gr loads with...............:evil::veryconfu:kidding:

Frank

[dgslyr]

I used to have a#3 in 45/70.Some previous owner put a pad on it.I can't say it helped much though.The most accurate load was a 500 gr. Hornady RN and 53 grs.of 3031.I could only get it to group aroud 4 inches at 100.It killed two scopes.My right cheek flinches at the thought of shooting it.Wish I still had it now though.

[725]

no34570

Check out Brownells. Take your butt plate off and measure the size hole (diameter). There are a couple different sizes sold. Also, note the length of the through bolt hole that is available to fill up with the merc tube. There are a couple different lengths, as well. Heres how I do it:
Secure the bolt tightly in the stock. Just a check, really, to make sure the stock fits firmly.

Cut a leather washer to cover the bolt head. (Just a minor cushion between the bolt head and merc tube.)

Put the tube in with the flat against the bolt head. (the threaded end is to assist you if and when you want to remove the tube. Just thread any blot into it and use the bolt as a handle to pull it out.) I wrap the tube with an amount of electrical tape to have it form a snug fit. Don't want it to rattle in there.

Follow the tube with a wood dowel. Shove it in and scribe a line around the dowel at the face of the bare butt. Hold the dowel still and the line will reflect the angle formed by the angle of the plain of the butt. Cut the wood dowel, install it in the stock and replace the butt plate.

Really quick job. Pays tremendous dividends.

[no34570]

no34570

Check out Brownells. Take your butt plate off and measure the size hole (diameter). There are a couple different sizes sold. Also, note the length of the through bolt hole that is available to fill up with the merc tube. There are a couple different lengths, as well. Heres how I do it:
Secure the bolt tightly in the stock. Just a check, really, to make sure the stock fits firmly.

Cut a leather washer to cover the bolt head. (Just a minor cushion between the bolt head and merc tube.)

Put the tube in with the flat against the bolt head. (the threaded end is to assist you if and when you want to remove the tube. Just thread any blot into it and use the bolt as a handle to pull it out.) I wrap the tube with an amount of electrical tape to have it form a snug fit. Don't want it to rattle in there.

Follow the tube with a wood dowel. Shove it in and scribe a line around the dowel at the face of the bare butt. Hold the dowel still and the line will reflect the angle formed by the angle of the plain of the butt. Cut the wood dowel, install it in the stock and replace the butt plate.

Really quick job. Pays tremendous dividends.
725
Thanks for that,I looked on Brownells website last night,looking at the different recoil pads and recoil reducers,some how I don't think they would be able to send me the mercury recoil reducer here to Australia. I think my Customs & Border Protection officers would seize it,Ill find out though,I'll ring them today(my authorities )
Good one mate

[EDK]

CHOATE MACHINE & TOOL used to make a replacement rubber butt plate that fit the 10/22, #3 and the 44 semi-auto carbine...a simple parts swap...way back in the 70s. I'd see if BROWNELLS has anything like that.

[moose30273]

May not be approperate but my #3 in .45-70 story is I shot a rabbit with mine one day with a Remington factory 405 grain load. I found the friont end and the back end of the poor rabbit. No middle. But yeah, from a bench it was rough.

[Artful]

Anyways, the next morning I asked the doubting Thomas of single shots if he would like to shot my rifle. He said sure and sat down in a folding lawn chair to shoot across a 20ft wide stream and hit the mushy bank on the other side.
When he touched off that round, I was standing next to him and caught the rifle as it was headed up. The lawn chair was wrapped around the shooter and there was a 10-12" hole in the otherside of the creek bank with steam coming out of it. There was no more ribbing about my single shot and the shooter had a green/gray bruise to remember it by.


I love med to big bore guns - I had a similar experience with my Savage 99 in 358 - had lead bullet load seated so the base was at the shoulder and just a bit out the case touching the leade - they looked at and gave me chit - stopped to check zero - bank of road with a target pinned by a twig - they shot their 30-30 and 308's wholes in target but nothing much else happened - last up was me - fired one round and the bank erupted that threw the target back on the road - love that gun. :lol:

Oh, and they shut up and one asked if he could take me along as backup when he went bear hunting :drinks:

[no34570]

I love med to big bore guns - I had a similar experience with my Savage 99 in 358 - had lead bullet load seated so the base was at the shoulder and just a bit out the case touching the leade - they looked at and gave me chit - stopped to check zero - bank of road with a target pinned by a twig - they shot their 30-30 and 308's wholes in target but nothing much else happened - last up was me - fired one round and the bank erupted that threw the target back on the road - love that gun. :lol:

Oh, and they shut up and one asked if he could take me along as backup when he went bear hunting :drinks:
Me and a mate,we did a bit of an experiment,we got a few rock melons and watermelons given to us (a truck rolled over carrying them and we where so sick of eating them),so we took them to a farmer friends place and asked if we could use one of his paddocks,got the green light,so we put these melons out to 50 meters then 100 and we plugged away at them,with small cast loads,my mate said "I thought you said this thing kicks like a mule" told him we were only using low velocity loads,he was banging away at the melons,hitting them pretty constantly,saying "this thing is a *****"just trying to get me to bite,so I slipped a full house load in,a 500gr bullet using my AR2207 load,he lined up the melon at the 50 meter mark,touched it off and nearly fell backwards ,the look on his face said it all,I asked if he would like another"No way he replied,that thing kicks,hence that was the end of him shooting the #3.
To this day,I ask him if he would like a shot out of it,only if I go first....ahhhh good times[smilie=s:

[Four Fingers of Death]

725
Thanks for that,I looked on Brownells website last night,looking at the different recoil pads and recoil reducers,some how I don't think they would be able to send me the mercury recoil reducer here to Australia. I think my Customs & Border Protection officers would seize it,Ill find out though,I'll ring them today(my authorities )
Good one mate

I have found that the stumbling block is at the American end usually. It should be ok, it is an accessory, not a gun part as such. Bob Taylor in Lidsdale NSW fits them and would supply you one no doubt. Probably save a heap importing one direct though.

If they grumble about it, tell then that you are disabled (shoulder shot to pieces) and need it as an aid to ensure you can pursue your hobby and maintain your lifestyle, lol.

If you are handy and can get hold of some mercury, you can make your own using inside threaded pipe, plugged at both ends (after you put the mercury in of course, lol). I would seal the rear end with a threaded stud, welded to seal it off and a bolt with thread sealant at the front end. That will allow easy removal. I would also use the leather washer and dowel as mentioned earlier. I'd be flattening one side of the dowel slightly and writing the thread details on it so that a gunsmith in the future can work out what's going on.

If you are concerned with keeping the rifle original, a leather slip over can be made from a cheap leather (read Chinese) pair of gloves if you can't get thin enough leather. I'd be stretching cased (slightly wet) leather over the slip on pad while it is on the rifle and once shaped (and dried), Glueing it to the slip on pad and stiching it along the bottom. It will make the Limbsaver look more at home on the old rifle.

[no34570]

I have found that the stumbling block is at the American end usually. It should be ok, it is an accessory, not a gun part as such. Bob Taylor in Lidsdale NSW fits them and would supply you one no doubt. Probably save a heap importing one direct though.

If they grumble about it, tell then that you are disabled (shoulder shot to pieces) and need it as an aid to ensure you can pursue your hobby and maintain your lifestyle, lol.

If you are handy and can get hold of some mercury, you can make your own using inside threaded pipe, plugged at both ends (after you put the mercury in of course, lol). I would seal the rear end with a threaded stud, welded to seal it off and a bolt with thread sealant at the front end. That will allow easy removal. I would also use the leather washer and dowel as mentioned earlier. I'd be flattening one side of the dowel slightly and writing the thread details on it so that a gunsmith in the future can work out what's going on.

If you are concerned with keeping the rifle original, a leather slip over can be made from a cheap leather (read Chinese) pair of gloves if you can't get thin enough leather. I'd be stretching cased (slightly wet) leather over the slip on pad while it is on the rifle and once shaped (and dried), Glueing it to the slip on pad and stiching it along the bottom. It will make the Limbsaver look more at home on the old rifle.
Thanks Mick
I'll try that ;)

[tonyjones]

You guys DO know that the Ruger No. 3 was also made in .22 Hornet?

If you like the Limbsaver pad you should like the Kick-Eze dual action pad even better.

Regards,

Tony

[Four Fingers of Death]

Yep! One of the gunwriters in Australia has one with wood from his old No1 fitted (long story, a 22/250 that never shot worth a spit). Nice bit of kit. If I ever see a No3 in 22 Hornet, I will be on it like a Pi$$head on a curry, to quote Bricktop for 'The Sting.'

[no34570]

I'd like to get another #3,to convert to a 303 Epps or 303 Magnum,now that would be something :)