Considering buying one for deer hunting. If you have one, what do you recommend?

6mm, 257 Roberts or 280 AI

I've gotta 7X57, with an international (Mannlicher) stock. Short little thing that I love. Fixed 6X Leopold on it. I don't hunt with it enough, but I can't give it up.

I have one in 25-06 that I enjoy shooting. You will hear of eye relief concerns and lack of accuracy. I mounted a scope rail to have more adjustment and found no issues in accuracy with handloads. I did notice that I have to clean the barrel a little frequently, usually at 50 rounds, compared to my other rifles. Good luck in your search!

- Z

Thanks for the info and replies.

One of my few regrets. I sold mine. 7-08 with a 6x42 Leupold. I’m not sure if I miss the scope or the rifle more. That’s a beautiful lite weight scope and the perfect one for the #1.

If you’re considering it for long range hunting you need to change horses. This is a great rifle for 0-300 yards. It is not now nor has it ever been a target rifle. As stated above regular cleaning is needed for optimal accuracy. The trigger sucks. With that said I was able to get easy sub moa with mine. There are accurizing tricks and a Jard trigger available if you want to get involved in that aspect.

Thank you for the guidance.

For deer I have used a 270 Winchester also with a 6x42 Leupold.
For hog I have been using a No. 1 in 45/70. I found one that had never been fired because I am using paper patch bullets.
I use 270 for jackrabbits to get practice with reloading.

I always wanted one in a 6mm Remington back when I was reloading because you could load it light and shoot squirrels and load it up to whitetail hunt. Never at the right place and right time. Then I got rid of my reloading stuff.

I have six ruger no. 1s, 270, 280, 7mm mag, 7x57 and 257 Roberts. All six are very well built solid ruger rifles. However, they are strictly blind gun they are quite heavy to be carrying around. Also, as already noted they are not 300 yard tack drivers. I’ve had these guns for over 30 years and taken quite a few whitetails with them.

That sounds like what I am looking for. Something new to set up and enjoy taking to the blind. Thanks.

Here is my Ruger #2. A #2 is a Ruger #3 with Ruger #1 wood. It's chambered in 6.8mm SPC with a 22" med heavy barrel. Handiest blind gun ever! I've been hunting Hill Country deer/axis with it for 6 years now. My favorite!

The 275 Rigby I had in the International configuration shot well enough and never lost an animal shot with it.

I have had 2 others that were also good enough for hunting a 143 and a #3 in 223.

I like the @1s but really like other falling blocks I have now. Browning 1885 in 45-70 and Lil Sharps in 357 Win.

I’ve always had a fondness for #1s. They’re not usually tackdrivers but I don’t hunt tacks. There are a number of tricks you can employ to tighten up groups- most of the time. Classic rifles and something about knowing you have only 1 shot makes it a little more interesting.
22-250, 243, 7x57, 30-40 Krag, 338, 375.

I have no idea what I would do with it, it I wouldn’t mind owning a Ruger No.1 in 7mm-08 or 7x57.

Always loved those rifles

I just traded for one in 7x57....love the weight/balance of this gun!!!

I have had several over the years. Killed a lot of deer with the 7x57 back in the day.
My most accurate one was a Varmint 25-06 I bought at JC Penny at the Mall in Jackson Ms probably around 1980. Back before the world went to “Biden”

I've never owned a #1 Ruger, I have owned a couple of #3's back in the the 1980's. One in .223 and one in .44 Mag. I don't think I ever shot the .223. The .44 had maybe a box of shells through it. Kept them for a few years and sold them to a guy that built custom rifles who wanted them just for the actions.

That is the most beautiful firearm Ruger ever produced.

Thanks every for the thoughts and feedback. I am going to make the purchase, now just trying to pick out the caliber.

My latest Ruger #1 should be bad medicine for Axis and hogs next month. 280AI SS.
You can say I'm a # 1 fan. I've had at least a couple and at times 5 or 6 different Ruger #1's for the last 30 or so years.

Great looking stock on that one.

Elkhunter49, I've gone through a few Ruger #1's in the last few decades & they all had better than average factory stocks. But none ever got even close to that stock!

Thanks for the kind words fellas. I just bought this rifle new last month and I've yet to fire it. I hope it shoots as well as it looks!

That's a fine looking group! Impressive sir