Ruger No. 3 #3 22″ .223 Remington Falling Block Single Shot Rifle, MFD 1978
SOLD FOR: $1,015.00
LSB#: LSB251112LF009
Make: Ruger
Model: No. 3
Serial Number: 130-68149
Year of Manufacture: 1978 ()
Caliber: .223 Remington
Action Type: Falling Block Single-Shot Rifle
Barrel Length: 22”
Sights/Optics: The front sight is a brass beaded blade dovetailed to a banded base that is fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a flip-up u-notch with white triangle that is adjustable for elevation dovetailed into the barrel. The barrel is drilled and tapped with two-piece Ruger-style bases installed.
Stock Configuration and Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth wood with banded forend, straight grip, straight comb and black plastic carbine-style buttplate. There is a sling stud in the belly and another mounted to the barrel band. There are some light nicks, scuffs and scratches. 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 plate has some minor wear, mostly at the heel, with a nick at the toe on the left. Overall, the stocks are in Very Good-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is infrequent minor erosion and a little stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 8-9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 97% of its metal finish. The finish is generally strong throughout with a few spots of minor oxidation. Otherwise, there are only light handling marks. The screw heads are generally sharp, the forend mounting screw is tool marked with a strong slot. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in Fine-Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a 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 blush 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 rifle pattern—certainly the falling-block single-shot—was on the outs with most hunters and target shooters. The brilliant success of the Ruger No. 1 came from its embodiment of Ruger’s design philosophy: simple, durable, reliable. It was been chambered in nearly 50 different cartridges and continues to be manufactured and sold to this day. The No. 3 is “low-cost” a variant of the No. 1 that debuted in 1973 and was made until 1986. Low-cost it may have been ($139 at the time of introduction), that did not translate to low-quality—the simple uncheckered wood, barrel band, straight wrist, simpler lever work like charm and worked well. While the No. 1 was chambered in many cartridges, the No. 3 saw far fewer variants and the chamberings were more traditional.
This example was made in 1978 and is chambered for the popular .223 Remington cartridge. The rifle is in Fine-Excellent condition with some light wear in the stocks, hardly any in the metal, a nice bore and strong mechanics. Whether you’re looking for a pre-warning No. 3 to round out a Ruger collection or want a simple, robust rifle chambered for a common cartridge, this will make a great addition to any safe in America. Good luck and happy bidding!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
