The earlier #1's actually used Douglas Barrels and now they are Hammer Forged and not by any means as good. They all also had very exceptional wood and they had allot of figure. As well as also being hand checkered in house. They are now just basically hunting rifles and they are probably more than good enough for that type of use. But they probably are not as good for long range Varmint use as they once were and surely not up to extremely competitive use anymore.

The barrels were outsourced from many makers, Douglas being only one, and for a very short time. Basicaly a crap shoot, hence my suggestion to rebarrel from a good source, of which there are many.  Yes, the new are hammer forged, but that doesn't mean they won't or don't shoot better than say Williams barrels, which Ruger used for some time. It all boils down to intended use. At ranges large game should be shot, even the older were adequate. For small targets, more accuracy is best. The Ruger No1 was never intended for competitive use from the factory. There are always exceptions, and there are a multitude of improvements that can be made to enhance their capability for that use, but trying to get a poor barrel to shoot is an exercise in frustration.

BIG, is not always a good thing!! Which is just one of the reasons there are good barrel makers, making good barrels.

Rollerguy, thanks for the trip down memory lane. In 1958 I was in the Navy and was going to school in Norman, Oklahoma and made a number of pilgrimages to Mashburn arms. I don’t remember if I met Mr. Mashburn but did find a nice 8mm Mashburn Magnum for my dad. I also had an early Ruger .44 flat top I bought in 1962 with a 6 1/2 or 7 1/2 inch barrel...at 83 my memory is just that, a memory. I also had a Ruger SS in 7mm mag. Bought it as a barreled action. Your Ruger is a real tack driver in an interesting caliber. So many guns so little time.
Welcome to the forum, the folks here are a wealth of knowledge.
Cheers Richard