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 $340.00 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 $340.00 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.
#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.
The picture below is customer provided wood. I often get wood sent in by customers to have carved to my patterns. Prices vary a bit, but generally it is 340.00. for a buttstock and forearm, and for the Ruger, an additonal 50. to bore the drawbolt hole. Ebony forearm tips are 90. using my ebony.
Ken Hurst (well known for his engraving) sent a spectacular piece of wood to be carved in my Ruger pattern with an A. Henry pattern forearm. Keep in mind that the finished rifle will be engraved and detailed to the maximum.
Ken Hurst (well known for his engraving) sent a spectacular piece of wood to be carved in my Ruger pattern with an A. Henry pattern forearm. Keep in mind that the finished rifle will be engraved and detailed to the maximum.
Ruger cut for Ken Hurst
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 bolt rifle blank.
The stock shown below is from a pattern built by a customer, sent in for duplication. This will fit a #1 or #3. It is difficult to see in the picture, but it features a nice shadowline cheekrest. Generally I carve these without a buttplate inlet, as I have no idea what buttplate will fit it.
Ruger #3 crescent butt
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.
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 the customer wanted to shape his own.
Ruger #3 in Western Maple
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. He also made his own buttplate out of a contrasting wood, shown in the next photo.
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. He also made his own buttplate out of a contrasting wood, shown in the next photo.
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 a view of the wood buttplate, these are only limited by your imagination and skill.
Ebony makes a very nice buttplate also. Checkering can add a nice touch also.
Ebony makes a very nice buttplate also. Checkering can add a nice touch also.
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.) BJ wanted an affordable piece of wood for the project, this rifle intended for serious use on the local dogtowns.
