Ruger No. 1 45-70 GOVT

Updated September 9, 2026

Ruger No. 1 "Fifty Years" 50th Anniversary Single-Shot Rifle, .45-70 Government A striking commemorative Ruger No. 1 single-shot rifle produced to mark Sturm, Ruger & Co.'s 50th anniversary, chambered in the classic big-bore .45-70 Government. Built on Ruger's celebrated falling-block action — inspired by the 19th-century Farquharson design and introduced in 1966 to a new generation of shooters and collectors — this special edition dresses the No. 1 in exhibition-grade presentation befitting a milestone year for the company. The receiver is fully covered in fine gold-inlaid scroll engraving framing a banner reading "RUGER — FIFTY YEARS — 1949 1999" around the Ruger phoenix medallion, with matching gold-line engraving carried onto the trigger guard and tang. The founder's signature, "William B. Ruger," is inlaid in gold script on the frame beside the individually numbered serial. The barrel is roll-marked "Before Using Gun — Read Warnings in Instruction Manual Available Free from Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc., Southport, Conn. U.S.A." and stamped ".45-70 GOVT," with the "Ruger No.1" banner logo rolled into the barrel near the forend lug and twin gold bands accenting the muzzle and receiver ring. The rifle presents in excellent condition throughout, with deep, glossy blue on the barrel and underlever set against the black-and-gold engraved receiver, showing no notable handling marks. The stock and forend are cut from strikingly figured, fiddleback-grade walnut — far above standard-grade wood — with rich marbled grain running through the buttstock. Sharp diamond-point checkering panels the pistol grip and forend, finished with a black grip cap, black rubber recoil pad, and the rifle's factory-mounted open sights intact and undamaged. A genuine collector's piece — a limited commemorative issue combining Ruger's iconic single-shot falling-block action with the venerable .45-70 Government cartridge, gold engraving, and exhibition walnut, produced only for the company's 50th anniversary and unlikely to be offered again.

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