RUGER No. 3 Carbine #3 3B 3-B .375 Win Single-Shot Falling Block Rifle 1978
SOLD FOR: $1330
LSB#: 220409KL020
Make: Ruger
Model: No. 3
Serial Number: 130-66806
Year of Manufacture: 1978 (Ruger Serial Lookup)
Caliber: .375 Winchester
Action Type: Single Shot Falling Block Rifle
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked with a Ruger address. The left side of the barrel is marked “.375 WIN”. The top of the receiver is marked “RUGER / NO. 3”. The underside of the receiver has the serial number, “130-66806”.
Barrel Length: 22″
Sights/Optics: The front sight is a blade with brass bead dovetailed into a barrel band. The rear sight is a semi-buckhorn adjustable u-notch leaf with a white triangle aiming reference. The barrel is drilled, tapped, and filled for installing a scope; no scope is included.
Stock Configuration and Condition: The stocks are two-piece wood featuring a straight wrist, a straight comb and a curved black Celcon buttplate. The left side of the forend has a few light scuffs and the right side has a few more notable drag lines. The buttstock is peppered with very minor nicks on either side, some a little deeper into the wood. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 1/2” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate is mostly free of wear or damage, but a bit of scuffing can be noted on the heel and toe. Overall, the stocks are in Fine-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. There are just indications of minor handling wear, but otherwise the metal is free of any notable wear or damage. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Fine-plus-to-Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The Winchester Low Wall-style trigger guard/finger lever is smooth and locks up tight. 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: This No. 3 includes a serial-matching Ruger cardboard box and a manual.
Our Assessment: The Ruger No. 1 was introduced in 1967 and while the falling-block single-shot rifle was on the outs with most hunters and target shooters, Bill Ruger hardly allowed that to stop him. The No. 1 pattern went on to brilliant, long-term success, success that comes from the rifle’s 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 rifle is a subsequent version of the vaunted original, the No. 3, which was at the time a ‘carbine’ version chambered in heftier cartridges and used for thick bush stalking. This No. 3 hails from 1978 and is in Fine-plus-to-Excellent condition and in-hand is a real treat. It is chambered for .375 Winchester, an absolute monster of a cartridge—if you can find it. Most have moved on to hand-loads for .375 Win, making this No. 3 a collector’s piece. There are very few No. 3 rifles chambered in this cartridge, and comparatively, very few No. 3 rifles at all, discontinued as they were in 1986 with just a bit more than 30,000 made. This example is the 3B and is made from pre-liberty (1976) Ruger parts, and does not feature the warning that would be applied to all Ruger firearms by 1980. In like-new condition, the dedicated Ruger collector will have a nice rifle for themselves should they win. Good luck and happy bidding!