Ruger No.1 Big bores

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DonD

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 25, 2013
Messages
201
How many of you have big bore No. 1s? By big bore, I mean .375 H&H and up and what do you do with yours?

I have a gorgeous No.1 in .458 Win Mag. Near presentation grade wood with an excellent trigger. It's about a 1.25MOA gun off the bench with a 2-7X scope as long as I do my part. Some might well do better.

Mostly I just admire it but I do reload for it and shoot it with a degree of regularity. I'm not much of a hunter although I do support hunting. It's only taken a mid sized sow wild pig (450gr Swift A-frame to the head) and, you can laugh, a jackrabbit. I was hunting coyotes with a couple brothers and hadn't gotten a decent shot so I took out my frustration on a sitting jackrabbit. Almost nothing left in the trench the bulled plowed behind it. Don
 

firecaptain

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
240
Location
WI. USA
My big bore is only a 45-70. I would rather shoot that than my 35 Whelen. The 45-70 is a push, the Whelen hurts when shooting off a bench.
 

DonD

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 25, 2013
Messages
201
I wouldn't say "only" regarding a 45-70. In a No.1, they can be loaded to be fully adequate for anything that walks the earth and fortunately for those who own one, Garrett's ammo will do the job if you don't reload. Don
 

JFB

Hunter
Joined
Sep 7, 2005
Messages
2,091
Location
Eastern Piedmont NC
Dang, I haven't recovered from loss of photo bucket, so no pics :(

starting with the light 300 WinMag
then the 416 Rigby
and then there is the Beast Slayer

I got a 458 action, mat finished, had it stocked with a heavy exibition grade from Bishop (back in the early 80's), and then reamed to 460 Wby, topped with a leupold VX3 1-5X20.

when asked by the gunsmith how accurate it turned out, I replied if I see a red, then blue flash through the scope I nailed what I was aiming at. If I just saw a blue flash, I knew I missed. when he asked Huh? the red/blue is first the red muzzle blast, then the blue is my eyeballs slamming from the recoil!

However, the gun's point of impact is VERY dependent on how it is held
9kbUm1S.jpg

MJcm2Dx.jpg
 

firecaptain

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
240
Location
WI. USA
DonD said:
I wouldn't say "only" regarding a 45-70. In a No.1, they can be loaded to be fully adequate for anything that walks the earth and fortunately for those who own one, Garrett's ammo will do the job if you don't reload. Don

Yeah, I was being tongue in cheek. I love my 45-70 no1. Hunted with it last fall, unfortunately didn't shoot anything with it. I have toyed with getting a 458 LOTT just for kicks and grins...for now the 45-70 will have to do.
 

bisley32

Single-Sixer
Joined
Dec 10, 2010
Messages
325
Location
NW KS
Three here, a 405 and a 375 H&H, that I haven't fired yet. 45-70 SC, have been using it to thin a friends buffalo herd.
 

DonD

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 25, 2013
Messages
201
JFB said:
D
I got a 458 action, mat finished, had it stocked with a heavy exibition grade from Bishop (back in the early 80's), and then reamed to 460 Wby, topped with a leupold VX3 1-5X20.

when asked by the gunsmith how accurate it turned out, I replied if I see a red, then blue flash through the scope I nailed what I was aiming at. If I just saw a blue flash, I knew I missed. when he asked Huh? the red/blue is first the red muzzle blast, then the blue is my eyeballs slamming from the recoil!

.460 Wby??? Sounds like ouch to me. Hornady 500gr Heavy Mag ammo runs 2176 out of my No. 1 and the Wby is 400-450fps faster.

My .458 is enough for me and I suspect it is easier to load down than is the Wby but I'm no expert on that bad boy. Don :)
 

JFB

Hunter
Joined
Sep 7, 2005
Messages
2,091
Location
Eastern Piedmont NC
DonD said:
...
.460 Wby??? Sounds like ouch to me. Hornady 500gr Heavy Mag ammo runs 2176 out of my No. 1 and the Wby is 400-450fps faster.... Don :)

I haven't shot IT in decades :oops:

Besides the 500gr Hornady solids, I recall using a 350gr soft point and the slowest powder Hornady recomended. Sort of remember warning NOT to down load
 

ABNRGR

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
58
Location
Manchester, CT
.375 H&H (Medium bore)
.45-70 (50th Anniversary)
.404 Jeffrey (rare)

All with spectacular wood.

Thanks. (pictures when possible)
 

wunbe

Buckeye
Joined
May 19, 2002
Messages
1,240
Location
Reston VA USA
In the last few years I have nearly eliminated my collection of factory #1s w/o much remorse.

The one sale that did bother me was a black pad .375 H&H with pretty but not handsome wood. It shot tight groups with anything I fed it. It is the only larger bore #1 I have ever owned and I found the modest recoil about as much as I wanted.

Last month I checked with the buyer and we did a swap that made both of us happy. But it just feels right having it back in the safe.

wunbe
 

Sugar River

Buckeye
Joined
Aug 25, 2008
Messages
1,084
Location
S Florida
405, 450-400, 45-70, and 475L.

To me the No 1 has always screamed "Big bore and rimmed case".
Though I do enjoy the 7x57 and 303 as well.
 
Joined
Jun 19, 2006
Messages
4,247
Location
Midwest Illinois
I have (and shoot) a 50th Anniversary #1 in 45/70. I have a Guide gun in 338 RCM, and this pat week a friend was asking what the recoil was like on my 338. I had just got done loading some 210 grain Partitions for the 338. I told him that using H-4895 the maximum load listed uses 52 grains. With the 45/70 loading Remington 405 grain JSP's the maximum listed load with the same powder is 55 grains. Hmmm, almost twice as heavy a bullet with a full 3 more grains of powder... The 338 is a fluffy kittens cat to shoot compared to the 45/70. Especially in my Encore with a 20" Kathadin barrel.
 

DE1216

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
40
Location
Delaware
To those of you who have, or have had a Lyman Centennial 45-70 and/or a Lipseys 1S-C……..

I have been comparing online pics to try determining the difference in barrel profile between the Tropical models, the 1S-C, and my Lyman Centennial.
It seems the Lyman is a "heavier" profile, but I can't be certain. What say y'all?
I'm figuring I'd like at least 24" barrel in a heavy barrel, but have never had my hands on a 1S-C as they are scarce. I have a standard 22" 45-70, would like a heavier big brother to it.
IF I shortened the barrel on the Lyman and had rib/sights added, how would it handle at 24" vs the 26" length of the 1S-C?

D.
 

RSIno1

Hunter
Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Messages
2,858
Location
Southern California
I have a 458 Win Mag too. Just haven't shot it yet. I loaded up some 300 and 500 grain rounds for it at about 90%. Took it last time I went shooting but after a day of playing with other stuff I decided I didn't want to clean it too so it's still unfired.
 

Alan in GA

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 7, 2008
Messages
327
375 Ruger
405 Win stainless/ laminate
44 Rem Mag
458 Win
475 Linebaugh (sold).

The 458 Win is fun to shoot just about anything out of it. I like lighter loads of cast bullets, but when I have time to make them I like paper patching soft lead bullets. I've had success with commercial bullets intended for 45 Colt, like Speer's swaged 250 SWC which is .452" I believe. It wraps up to .459-.460". I shot a nice 8pt buck whitetail using a Handi rifle in 45/70. I have yet to play with this No.1 in 458 Win but with it's HEAVY weight recoil won't be noticeable with light loads. It's weight IS noticeable when picking up and carrying it though!
The 405 Win should be fun in the same way with .41 pistol bullets.
 

rugerdczr

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
679
Location
Catskills, New York
NO1H-375H&H,458WM,450-400,416Rigby,416Rem,375Ruger x3,450 3 1/4NT",405jeffrey,458 Lott,475 Lin,475 Turnbull,45/70xabunch,405win,44mag and there may be one or two more that I need! most of these have great figured walnut stocks shoot the 375 Ruger Boddington and the 45/70 from the early 70s the most and they are very accurate out to 300yards.
 

gewehrfreund

Buckeye
Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Messages
1,159
Location
central New York
DE1216 said:
To those of you who have, or have had a Lyman Centennial 45-70 and/or a Lipseys 1S-C……..

I have been comparing online pics to try determining the difference in barrel profile between the Tropical models, the 1S-C, and my Lyman Centennial.
It seems the Lyman is a "heavier" profile, but I can't be certain. What say y'all?
I'm figuring I'd like at least 24" barrel in a heavy barrel, but have never had my hands on a 1S-C as they are scarce. I have a standard 22" 45-70, would like a heavier big brother to it.
IF I shortened the barrel on the Lyman and had rib/sights added, how would it handle at 24" vs the 26" length of the 1S-C?

D.
The Lymans have a "D" profile barrel, same as the 458 1H. The 1S-C 45-70 Lipsey rifles have "C" weight barrel, same as the 375H&H 1H.
If you cut a Lyman back to 24", it should handle just like a 1H 458 Mag.
I think the 26" C-weight on the Lipsey 45-70s is just about perfect for weight and balance, and what Ruger should have been producing all along in the 45-70.
 

eastbank

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jul 3, 2017
Messages
101
I have a older # 1 in .460 S&W with a 22" barrel and have dies and bullets for it and when the weather opens up I am looking forward to seeing if I can get a .452 magnum 300gr bullet to 2500-2600 fps, if I can I,ll be happy.
 

DE1216

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
40
Location
Delaware
After shortening the Lyman, I have no idea what the cost would be to add rib/sight and front sight.

How would that total job cost compared to rechambering a 1H?

Anyone have pics of a good front&rear sight arrangement instead of exactly replicating Ruger front & rear sight on Ruger rib?

D.
 
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