Ruger No 1 No-1 #1 Tropical .450 Nitro Express Single Shot Rifle, MFD 1977
SOLD FOR: $1950.99
LSB#: 210906MB20
Make: Sturm, Ruger & Co.
Model: No. 1 Tropical
Serial Number: 131-10354
Year of Manufacture: 1977 (Ruger Serial Number Lookup)
Caliber: .450 Nitro Express (the barrel has been re-chambered)
Action Type: Falling Block Single Shot Rifle
Markings: The stop of the barrel is marked with a Ruger warning and “STURM, RUGER & CO., INC. / SOUTHPORT, CONN. U.S.A.”. The left side of the barrel is marked with “.450–3 1/4″ N.E.” and a Ruger proof mark. The top of the receiver is marked “RUGER / No. 1”. The underside left of the receiver is marked with the serial number “131-10354”. The grip cap and buttpad are marked with the company’s phoenix logo.
Barrel Length: 24”
Sights/Optics: The front sight is a red fiber optic blade in-line dovetailed to a ramped banded base fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a flip up u-notch dovetailed into the optic rail. The barrel is drilled, tapped, and filled with an optic rail that is notched for Ruger rings (none included).
Stock Configuration and Condition: The stock is a two-piece checkered wood with pistol grip and beavertail forend, fluted straight comb, and black rubber Limbsaver buttpad. There are sling swivels on the belly of the buttstock and forward barrel band. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP is 14 1/4” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttpad and 13 1/2” to the wood. The buttpad has light handling marks, some discoloration. Overall, the stock rates in Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is well-defined. There is no erosion, but there is minor stubborn fouling scattered throughout.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 95% of its current metal finish. The barrel has a series of light tooling marks under the optic rail. There are minor nicks and scuffs scattered around the barrel. The receiver has taken on a light plum hue. The screws show light tool marks with strong slots. All markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The safety latch has been replaced, and the barrel has been re-chambered. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork and Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Ruger No. 1 was introduced in 1967 and at first seems an odd design choice for a modern rifle. Repeating rifles of many different designs had become the norm by the late ’60s and the single shot—certainly the falling-block single-shot—was on the outs with most hunters and target shooters. The brilliant success of the Ruger No. 1 comes from its embodiment of Ruger’s design philosophy: simple, durable, reliable. It has been chambered in nearly 50 different cartridges and continues to be manufactured and sold to this day. This example is in Fine condition, manufactured in 1974. The bore has been rechambered for .450 Nitro Express, making for one heck of a shot. Good luck and happy bidding!