doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Winchester 1885 vs Ruger No1

I have not owned a Ruger in years, have a couple of 1885s, a .405 and one of the 30" barrel .25-06 Wyoming Commemoratives. Have not shot them much but agree I would be nervous at taking one apart. My impression at any rate from reading is that the Brownings do shoot better than the Rugers, but this may be that on the average, they are heavier.

And I am going to sell the new .405 as I have picked up a custom .405 on a sacred original High Wall action.

C Sharps makes a very nice 1885, true to Brownings original design and not all Lawyered up like the Brownings. Fine Shooters and quick delivery. Check their website, some guns ready to go.

I like the traditional looks of the winchester. I like the model I was looking to buy is heavier with a 24" octagon barrel and shotgun style butt. 9.5# vs 7.25#. I have had good luck with my japan citoris, one of the most reliable reasonably priced target guns....
but I don't like the idea of buy Jap with the economy as its. I guess I just have to make a decision.. don't I

It's not so much the nippon I dislike, it is the aborted attempt at facsimile. They didn't do to bad a job copying the later lever guns, but the single shot, I've heard, is Val Browning's idea of improvement. The newer models are supposed to be better than the M-78, but... don't ever take it apart!
I've a gunsmithing school chum that has worked at Browning all these years and he agrees on the notion of disassembly; don't.

If you need Ruger No. 1 parts, you can get many of them through Brownells. There are some parts that are factory restricted, but not everything. They also stock the Ruger No. 1 & 3 speed lock hammers.

David Kaiser
Montezuma, IA

Mark, If you bought a highwall .405 a few months ago in a Julia auction, I may be able to shed some light on its history. If it's one I know, just a few details would pin it down.

I haven't owned one of the "new" 1885's, but have had several of the earlier Brownings...both B-78 and 1885's. All were very good shooters, but as noted disassembly can be troublesome (if you get the procedure wrong, they tend to self-disassemble, post-haste). I still have one in .45-70 that is currently in the vise. I looked at the stock as long as I could stand it, and decided to make some changes. I took off the forend hanger so I could slim and shorten the forend, and restocked it from a fairly plain (but very hard) piece of Turkish I've had gathering dust around the shop for several years. I'll re-strike and hand polish the metal while it's apart, and re-finish that as well...too damn shiny for a carrying-around rifle. The light weight .45-70 should make a very adequate rifle for deer/bear/elk.

Greg

I like #1s just fine and have a couple. But I'm with e15cap; the C.Sharps is the nearest you can get to an actual Winchester for under $2K. Lots of options, and I had a great experience with John S. and company (despite rumored toxicity). And you really need to visit their factory. I suggest during Montana trout season, or at least "prairie dog season." It's just a hop, skip, and a jump from "Central California": hop to Elko, skip to Boise, jump the Rockies and you're there!