Lee Newton, a member of the Ruger Owners and Collectors Society, talks about the History of Ruger Number 1 Rifle and the impressive collection of Ruger #1 displayed at the NRA Meetings and Events 2024 in Dallas, TX. Including a rare Ruger Number 1 Rifle with Serial Number 2374 that was originally made for Bill Ruger.
Video Transcript:
I’m Lee Newton with the Ruger Owners and Collectors Society and we’re here in Dallas for the 2024 NRA Conventions and Exhibits in the Collector’s Area. This is our exhibit of the 67 calibers of the Ruger Number 1 Rifle. Over its period of 57 years of production, starting in 1967, It’s been chambered in all [of these calibers], probably more than any other rifle ever made. Y’all probably pick up on this later but there’s an example of every one of the cartridges. They range all the way from the 204 Ruger to the 475 Turnbull. We’ve got an example of every one of those rifles that are chamber in those calibers. While most of these can still be bought today, There’s one that can’t be bought today.
Dennis, if you’ll bring this one over, we’re going to show you the most unique Ruger Number One ever made. It has Serial Number 2374. It was engraved by John Warren for Mr. Bill Ruger Senior himself. The engraver was actually this man’s Uncle, nephew John Warren. This rifle is remained in the Ruger Estate, from Bill Ruger Sr to Bill Ruger Junior until Dennis was able to purchase it from a grandson.
So it’s a truly unique rifle, the one-of-a-kind engraving on it is just unreal! It was actually featured on the cover of the 1969 Gun Digest. So anybody that’s old enough to have one of those copies, or you can buy it on eBay, and you can read the whole story of this rifle. Let me give it back to Dennis. The rifle was a single shot rifle. It was introduced in 1967 and the Sporting World said “why in this day and time would anyone want a single-shot rifle to hunt with?” Well, believe it or not, it became extremely popular among a group of people that says, “I only need one shot to do my business.”
But you’d be surprised at the number of young and new people coming in that really have an interest in these types of rifles. They are classics!
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