I've been looking for years for a No 3 in .30-40 and I just picked one up. It's all original in new condition. Now I'm agonizing with the idea of modifying an original gun in this condition but I'm not waiting any longer to get started. So I'm going to try to preserve its original condition, but configure it to my tastes. I'm going to remove the stock and fore end and replace them with factory No 1 wood and then send the No 1 back to Ruger for new wood. I have several candidates, but probably the wood from a 1A will be the closest fit. Does anyone know if 1A wood will fit the No 3? I don't mind opening up inletting but I don't want to have to fill in inletting. Also, I want to mount a rear aperture sight as near the receiver as possible. Is there an aperture sight that will mount in the scope mount screw holes already in the barrel? To avoid changing the front sight's originality, I'll have to live with the factory band-type base. It has a standard 3/8 dovetail for the front sight. Can someone recommend a tall partridge sight blade that will fit?
