Suggestions for sighting equipment for Ruger #3

Chris

Well-Known Member
Just picked up a #3, beautiful little carbine that appears to be unfired. In .45/70, of course, and even better "made in the 200th year of American liberty". Looking forward to trying out that crescent buttplate, I doubt it's as bad as they all claim it is...:)

Look easy enough to put a scope on. Barrel is tapped and requires 2 heights of bases, by the looks of it Weaver #85 and #86. There is some internet chatter about maybe needing to modify or shim these... can anyone confirm or advise a better solution?

Secondly, peep sights: I can't see that Williams or Redfield make anything specific for this rifle. Is there a workaround, maybe a WGRS that could be made to work some how without D/T the receiver? NECG makes a peep that mounts on the Weaver base, I have one on another rifle and that could be a practical solution? I see that XS Systems makes a ghost ring that they claim works (but will likely require a higher front sight) and so does Skinner. Anybody have experience to share?

Anybody have experience with no D/T apertures for this rifle? Also a solid solution for the two-part bases? They just didn't make many #3's so there isn't a lot of aftermarket stuff that I can find.

Thanks in advance.
 

JonB

Halcyon member
I have two Ruger Number 3 rifles, one in 22 Hornet and one in 45-70.
I put scopes on both, using Weaver made aluminum bases, I sure wish someone made affordable steel bases for the 3.

Anyway, one set of weaver bases fit great, the other set, not so much, I ended up moding one base with that set, so the bases were similar enough in elevation so my scope would adjust to the correct point of aim.

Also, these rifles need a scope with long eye relief or a scope with a long body to mount it far enough back (I have a old Weaver T10 (El Paso) on one of them, that is a loooooong scope, works great on a 3. I've seen others use offset rings to achieve getting a scope far enough back. I have also seen other using high rings (too high, IMHO)...that mostly allows for easier loading a cartridge with fat fingers.

I have never found a "solid solution" for scoping a 3
 

Chris

Well-Known Member
Thanks, JonB. I have the Weaver bases ordered and hope they don't need too much messing with. I have on hand an old 2 3/4 Redfield Widefield with a post reticle. It is quite a bit longer than a few other scopes I measured, it is 5 1/4" from the turret body to the end of the eyepiece. If you get a chance could you eyeball your scopes and advise whether I have a chance of a fit? Just wondering if I need to order offset rings in advance.
 

4060MAY

Active Member
This is how I did it, used a T/C Contender scope mount and cut an angle on the bottom of .020 so I could go to 500M without bottoming/topping the scope, I put this on in 1992 and never removed it to blue the base
Scope is a 6.5 -20X Leupoldruger no 3.JPG
 

JonB

Halcyon member
Thanks, JonB. I have the Weaver bases ordered and hope they don't need too much messing with. I have on hand an old 2 3/4 Redfield Widefield with a post reticle. It is quite a bit longer than a few other scopes I measured, it is 5 1/4" from the turret body to the end of the eyepiece. If you get a chance could you eyeball your scopes and advise whether I have a chance of a fit? Just wondering if I need to order offset rings in advance.
My 22 Hornet has the El Paso Weaver, it is a K12
back edge of turret body to the end of the eyepiece is 6.75"
But I don't have it mounted as far back as possible, it's mounted as if that distance was 5.75"
max eye relief is aprox 3.75"

My 45-70 has a older Leupold Vari-X II 3-9x40
back edge of turret body to the end of the eyepiece is 5.25"
max eye relief is aprox 4.5"
I have this mounted as far back as possible.

"chance of a fit?" that will depend on eye relief.
I'm betting that old Redfield doesn't have the eye relief of my Leupold, but if it does, then you should be fine.
 

Eutectic

Active Member
Chris,

I have several #3's all scoped. The Weaver bases are OK, The Ruger bases better..... I have a .45-70 in the #3 as well. The #3 crescent isn't too bad for recoil but watch it if you take the loads up to where that #3 .45-70 can go! I've had recoil break the 6-48 base screws!! I changed them to 8-40 screws. I was shooting the Gould bullet without the HP, about 380grs, paper patched.... I had a bunch of Rel7 on board! And they were really accurate...... 3/4" at 100!! Tough to stay behind with a good squeeze... cause when they went it felt like a mule kicking you!!! (Ask those 6-48 screws) I chronographed them one day..... 2148 fps! I always wanted to hunt with that load as the bullets were 40 to 1 soft!!!!

Now.....4060MAY may have the best idea going above! I use that T/C Contender base for my Savage Model 23's. Milling that for the #3 .45-70 radius and taper would be good!! Maybe even add a fifth 8-40 screw in cause I feel young enough to shoot that super accurate shooter stomper above again!

Pete
 

Chris

Well-Known Member
Thanks a lot for the ideas, guys. There really aren't a lot of options and from what you say and from what I read, scoping Ruger 1's & 3's is not simple. I gather some get lucky, but there appears to be a struggle to get them set up right.

I was wondering about the quarter ribs and how adaptable they might be to the #3. I can't machine them, nor can anyone around here, so it would have to be a factory fit. Would be a good soultion, broadens the possibilities. I may need to call Brownell's to see if they know. For your reference I came across this product, a rail that lets you move the scope back over 2" on a #1: https://www.ebay.com/itm/RUGER-MODEL-1-PICATINNY-WEAVER-RAIL-EXTENSION-/181939547766?rmvSB=true

I guess I will just have to wait and see what it takes to fit a scope. I'll use the Weaver bases initially, experiment with a couple scopes I have laying around. I remain interested in peep sights, anybody with knowledge please chip in.

Hey Pete, I never got my Marlin much over 1900 fps with a 410 gr. and it started taking the fun out of it using the bags. I'm just going to use my imagination regarding 2148 fps in a #3, but I will consider going to the 8-40 screws just in case. I shot some 24 of 2400 today and the little rifle recoil wasn't noticeable... but I had on a wool hunting coat that protected some from that buttplate. Funny, it didn't like that load at all, been a good load in other rifles. It did like 12-14 gr. Unique with both 315 NOE PB and 410 LBT GC. Shot ragged holes @ 50 yds. using the factory rear sight and tired eyes.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Chris, I don't know if you have a copy of Paul Mathews "40 Years with the 45-70" but it's got quite a lot on his work with early #3 in 45-70. I first borrowed a copy fro Don Hamilton and ended up with several of Mathews books in later years. I enjoyed them.

There still gun shop down there in sticks? My good friend owns the one in North Creek.
 

Chris

Well-Known Member
Chris, I don't know if you have a copy of Paul Mathews "40 Years with the 45-70" but it's got quite a lot on his work with early #3 in 45-70. I first borrowed a copy fro Don Hamilton and ended up with several of Mathews books in later years. I enjoyed them.

There still gun shop down there in sticks? My good friend owns the one in North Creek.

Bret, yes I have that book and it is well-thumbed. Also his "The Paper Jacket" which I have been looking at with hopes to play with that aspect of cast. I never gave the issue of sights any thought before I bought this #3, but here 'tis and I'm anxious to scope it but remain interested in some form of aperture sight, I can still shoot them well. Hoping to find a solution that obviates the need to D/T the receiver.

I wonder if I could take this: https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com...and_id=6334&ST=NECG Ghost Ring Aperture .125" and tap a hole in the Weaver rear scope base for it? Obviously I would have to drift the front sight for windage correction, but maybe this would work?

I haven't been down to the shop in North Creek but have heard good things. I seldom go that direction but I have been meaning to. My neighbor has a little guns shop but it's mostly ammo and doodads, but he has a good powder selection and good prices. Don Hamilton is gone, I miss that guy, used to hang out down there a lot. The fellow who took over does high end gun work and no retail, so long story short nobody around to do real gun work and machining.
 

CamoWhamo

New Member
I had my No3 re-barreled with a No1 Profile barrel chambered .357 Maximum.
Conetrol and S K both make a base for the No1 that replaces the rib and screws into the two rear holes and is helped out by the recoil stud.

To use these bases just needs 3 holes in the barrel the same as the Ruger No1 factory holes.
They'll fit barrels that have a parallel section that's 1.2" in diameter.

IMG_0832_40%.jpg

I agree with the previous poster. Finding a scope with sufficient eye relief has been a challenge. I've got a Leupold FX-II 4x33 on there now and it is only just enough. The Leupold's ocular is small enough not to interfere with loading.
 

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
Some years back, when they were still made, I bought a #3 in 45-70 and still have it. The Weaver bases went on without a problem and a Weaver K1.5-4 scope was installed. No problem with eye relief even with high recoil loads. I used Paul Mathews load of 350 Hornady RN over 54/3031 to kill a large Mule Deer buck in the Glass Mountains of West Texas. The deer dropped in it's tracks with one shot through the lungs.

The recoil off the bench with this load is horrid, acually brusing my cheek. However in the hunting field the recoil is not a problem. I have shot 400 grain GC cast bullets over 25/2400 in the same rifle, for a mild shooting and very accurate (MOA) groups. GOOD RIFLE.

Addendum: Paul Mathews has cost me quite a bit of money over the years. As a younger person, I read his article in the 1956 Guns Digest, "I Choose A Rilfe and To Hell With The Experts". It detail his journey thought a Win. 86 (45-70) to the 375 H&H, for hunting deer in his area. I have gone though a right smart number of 45-70s and 357 H&H rifles due to that bit of writting. He is a guy that has always blazed his own path and ignore the way others have gone. As something of a rebel in some areas of life, I always admired that.
 
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Ian

Notorious member
Paul Matthews, may he rest in peace, has influenced me as well through his writings.
 

4060MAY

Active Member
The Man himself, when he set the record of 59 Pigs, both regualr record and senior record, Ridgway Rifle Club.
Not Sure if I remember the year, 1998 or 99
 

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