Ruger #1 and #3 Stocks
The #1 and #3 Rugers are very nice (and affordable) American made single shot rifles. Unfortunately the #3 is no longer in production, but can easily be restocked in a pistolgrip configuration without modifying the lever (it would be a nice touch to shorten it, however.)
The pictures below show examples of stocks in higher grade wood, but the same stocks can be had in standard walnut starting at $390.00 for buttstock and forearm. The cheekrest adds 100.00
(Yes, the drawbolt hole is bored.) If you are brave enough, you can bore it yourself, be sure to specify you do not want the hole bored.)
I can provide these in any grade wood you desire. Adding a cheekrest, or ebony tip (90.00), as well as wood upgrades increase the cost.
The pictures below show examples of stocks in higher grade wood, but the same stocks can be had in standard walnut starting at $390.00 for buttstock and forearm. The cheekrest adds 100.00
(Yes, the drawbolt hole is bored.) If you are brave enough, you can bore it yourself, be sure to specify you do not want the hole bored.)
I can provide these in any grade wood you desire. Adding a cheekrest, or ebony tip (90.00), as well as wood upgrades increase the cost.
Here are two fine Rugers built by Paul Hampton . Paul is close enough to come visit here to select wood for special projects. As you can see his work is well above par, not to mention being a good photographer.
This is high grade Bastogne walnut.
www.countrycustommetals.com/
Here is another by Paul Hampton in high grade Claro walnut
A Ruger #3, custom by Paul Hampton. Using the Ruger International forearm as a pattern, I attached an ebony tip, which Paul shaped into an elegant schnabble to replace the normal steel tip. I used a full size rifle blank to get a match forearm with the buttstock. In this case, the wood is a textbook grain layout of quartersawn english walnut cut in the 70's.
This is the ebony schnabble Paul shaped to match the muzzle perfectly.
Detail of the carbon steel blued grip cap fit on the Ruger #3 by Paul. Note the crisp detail of the shadowline cheekrest.
The checkered steel buttplate is blued to match the carbon steel grip cap on the custom #3 Ruger by Paul.
#1 Ruger by John McGlothin
Here is a fine example of what I would call an English sporting rifle built by John McGlothin of Raton, NM. John picked a fine piece of California english walnut from my wood inventory that showed perfect layout, displaying a great combination of marble and fiddleback radiating from a crotch. He requested the wood be cut to this pattern with an ebony tip on the forearm. As you can see he did an outstanding job of fitting and finishing.
The next picture below, is my english sporting pattern (same pattern as the pic above, but this has a shadowline cheekrest).
While the cheekrest is a nice decoration, it does NOT make the comb higher, it just adds a bit of flavor to the stock.
The next picture below, is my english sporting pattern (same pattern as the pic above, but this has a shadowline cheekrest).
While the cheekrest is a nice decoration, it does NOT make the comb higher, it just adds a bit of flavor to the stock.
Below is a Ruger I with octagon barrel, case colored by Curt Hardcastle. The buttstock is my sporting pattern, and Curt's schnabble forearm pattern with ebony tip.
This is a closeup of the detail I put into the grip on this pattern. For lack of a better term, I call this a "thumbnail". This feature is also included on some of my 74 and 78 Sharps patterns. High end custom gunmakers charge big bucks to add this feature. Some day I might decide to do the same, what are you waiting for?
#1 Ruger pistolgrip detail
Below shows detail of the standard Ruger rifle forearm pattern
This is the english sporting buttstock pattern with cheekrest, with the Ruger International forearm. This particular rifle stock is a subtle french walnut, and required a full size rifle blank
in order to get the matching forearm.
in order to get the matching forearm.
6 Ruger stocks right out of the carving machine. Select standard to fancy grades. When I layout my blanks for carving I pay particular attention to grainflow throught the wrist.
A dark Walnut stock on Roy Guidry's stainless #1, a nice contrast of color.
Below is a picture of a finished rifle sent in by my customer Geoffrey Wise of Lock, Stock, and Barrel Performance Gunsmithing. This is a Ruger #3 in .25-35 Improved. The wood is high grade Western Quilt Maple. Displaying unique figure, quilt demands your complete attention while fitting and finishing. When done well, it is a traffic stopper. While not the easiest wood to checker due to the contrary grain, Geoffrey managed to pull it off nicely.
Ruger #3 in Western Maple
Here are a pair of Rugers I carved for a customer in Royal Jacaranda laminate. A match pair, one has an International mannlicher style forearm, the other has an uncarved blank, as the customer wanted to shape his own.
Below is a Ruger #3 with a pistolgrip shotgun butt in Myrtlewood (AKA Bay Laurel))
My customer brought it by the shop after he had completed it. Since I did not offer a bench type forearm, he had me inlet a matched block for him to shape.
Myrtle is a nice wood to work, and very stable when properly aged. It is one of the easiest woods to bring to a nice finish.
My customer brought it by the shop after he had completed it. Since I did not offer a bench type forearm, he had me inlet a matched block for him to shape.
Myrtle is a nice wood to work, and very stable when properly aged. It is one of the easiest woods to bring to a nice finish.
Here is another #3 Ruger (in .17 caliber for New Mexico Prairie dogs). This belongs to BJ of BJ's Shootin Shop of Raton, built for him by John McGlothin also of Raton (John also built the rifle shown at the top of this page.)
November 2025
I have been carving out of my Screwbean Mesquite stash. I thought it might be interesting to make one for my own Ruger #1 .45-70. This stick is Hard! Very comparable to ebony in hardness and weight.
The knot hole, typical of screwbean, goes through to the other side.
Weatherby used Screwbean Mesquite for a while for some off their African guns, but even 50 or more years ago it was very scarce to get, especially for bolt gun size stocks. There is a
bit of mesquite around in the southwest, but the screwbean variety is extremely rare. I am very fortunate to have a stash of logs from the 1960's that my dad cut back in the day.
I have been carving out of my Screwbean Mesquite stash. I thought it might be interesting to make one for my own Ruger #1 .45-70. This stick is Hard! Very comparable to ebony in hardness and weight.
The knot hole, typical of screwbean, goes through to the other side.
Weatherby used Screwbean Mesquite for a while for some off their African guns, but even 50 or more years ago it was very scarce to get, especially for bolt gun size stocks. There is a
bit of mesquite around in the southwest, but the screwbean variety is extremely rare. I am very fortunate to have a stash of logs from the 1960's that my dad cut back in the day.