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The #1's are GREAT rifles! I've owned a few, mostly the 1-S in .45-70.

I traded a Ruger M77 in .458 WM for my first 1-S (slightly used).
I loaded it up to just about 60,000 psi (according to Accurate Arms)firing a 500gr Hornady at a tad over 2000 fps. (Accurate was getting 2100 fps from their setup using a 24" test barrel at 63,200 psi).

My second son owned a #3 that shot the same load at about the same MV.

After that, I traded my #1 for his #3, then sold his #3 and purchased a NIB #1-S in .45-70. It would do the same as the former 1-S and the #3. Then, I had it slightly modified, or long-throated, or "improved" by increasing the throat by .30". A world-class gunsmith friend did the work for $75.

Ballistics were increased, on average, by 200 fps, but with slightly less pressure in using slower powders.

I've been toting it a lot over the past 11 years for anything from wolf to moose. Haven't shot either of those with it yet, but it works great on bl. bear!

As I get "younger" grin, and have the wisdom of the 30 to 40-year olds, I use mostly 350's and 400's -- granted, at insufficient speeds of 2500 to 2350 respectively for anything beyond 50 yards!

About recoil: everything is "standard" on this rifle except for the long throat. Over most of the years it carried a Burris "Silver Safari" of fixed 4X by 20mm. It weighed 7.8 lbs "empty" with nylon sling and scope. This year I mounted a 2 - 7 X 32 Nikon "Shotgun Hunter" because I do a lot of bear hunts over bait on the edge of darkness, and needed more light as I get "younger" laugh

I don't shoot 500s anymore, but they generated about 75 - 80 ft-lbs in the "improved version". I shot a bear with that load and didn't remember the recoil... I also shot a coon with that load dressed in a light T-shirt. I felt it, but it was not an "earth shattering" experience.

True, I'm probably in better shape than most who are fast approaching their 77th, but I'm only average size: 5'-9" and 175 - 180 lbs out of the shower. (at one time I was 215!).

That's not to boast: I give God the credit, but I have to wrestle with my mind to try to understand where some are coming from when recoil is discussed. crazy

I think JB has hit the nail pretty squarely again.

Bob

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I have a few #1's ranging from .22 Hornet to the mighty .416 Rigby. Shoot a few from the Rigby and the .375 H&H feels like a pussycat. The .404 jeffery is mild campared to the .375 and .416 but that's because some yahoo put a muzzle brake on the gun. One thing I am looking for is an Alex Henry forearm that will be used on the .35 Whelen build I plan in doing. I have "B" moel in 30-06 that won't shoot worth a damn but has very nice wood in the butt stock. I want to rebarrel it to .35 Whelen with a 1 in 12" twist. One rifle I always wanted as one of thos Farquharsons. I always thought they were supper cool. I'm thinmy my #1 build with about a 27" barrel and the A. Henry fforend, decent iron sights similar to the period would maake me a reasonably nice clone of the "Farkie". I'd still go with a scope though as my 74 yeaar old eyeballs and iron sights just are no longer compatible. JUst my idea of what a good looking #1 should look like. cool
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PJGunner,

I also badly wanted a Whelen in a #1 but not the SS/wood 1A that eventually came out of the Ruger works. I owned one of them for a while but never liked it and have since sold it and all my SS/wood #1s.

I later found a 45-70 1H for sale that had been rebarreled by EABCo to 218 Bee with the original barrel profile. (This was done because the factory issued piece developed a bulge in the barrel.) It has nice features -- near killer wood, trigger work, a Hicks device, and was reblued.

Anyway, I bought it for a good price and had it rechambered and rebored to .35 Whelen. It approximates everything I always wanted in a Ruger #1 Whelen while not costing much more than the K1As do these days.

Going after what you really want in a rifle actually works out sometimes.

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I'll comment on the .375 H&H cartridge, not the #1 rifle. As someone posted, such cartridges are often used for dangerous game and I want more than a single shot. Mule Deer may be able to to get a second shot off from rounds in his shirt pocket reasonably quickly but not nearly as fast as an experienced shooter can from the magazine. A double is faster still.

I have killed African game with .375 300 grain bullets ranging from impala--about as big as a white tail--up to elephant. I was not handicapped in the slightest. I believe that with a .375 I would not hesitate to take an elk with a Texas heart shot, as I once hesitated to do with a .300 Wby.

As for recoil, my .375 Model 70 is not unbearable. Recoil is A LOT less than my .458 Model 70. Felt recoil is less than my .300 Wby, probably because the .300 weighs less and thus recoils faster. If a Ruger #1 fits you, has a good recoil pad, and weighs the same, it should not punish you more than a bolt rifle.

The .375 H&H is truly an all around cartridge. Moreover, with a 300 grain premium bullet, you have an all around bullet, with the same load being useful for everything that walks smaller than an elephant. For them, you merely use a solid bullet with the same load.

Last edited by IndyCA35; 11/22/12.

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Indy. Doing a fast reload on a Ruger Number One is not as difficult as you might think. Cartridge size is part of the program though, I can reload my #1 .375 H&H a lot faster than my .22 Hornet as the larger shells are a hell ofa lot easier to grab onto. I will admit it takes a bit of practice but a copuld pf minutes doing the motions slowly then gradually picking up speed and in less than 10 minutes you can be quite fast. There are several methods that work and by tryig each one you can find the system that works best for you. Some like the cartridges in loops on a belt holt with the shells space one shell, one empty loop, another shell, then empty and so on, the empty loop gving you the needed clearance to grab the next round. I like that one sometimes, depending on the situation.
Some like a wrist band with a couple of loops to hold the spare ammo. Never could get to thrilled on that one.
Mule Deer's shirt pocket is just a variation of the old African hunter's use of shell holding loops on his shirt.
The system that has worked the best for me is with one of thos shell holders that goes on the butt of the rifle. The belt holder works if you're basically shooting mostly off hand but becomes, at least for me, awkward as hell. The holder on the rifle's butt seems, at least so far the fastest method for me. Some people fashion a holder for a couple of rounds near the rear of the forend that holds a couple of rounds. I haven't tried that one yet.
Normally, whe I hunt with one of my Ruger #1 rifles, I use the butt cuff and the belt holder at the same time and they're used according to the situation.
I believe that a man who takes the time to practice just five or ten minutes a day with a couple of dummy rounds can easily stay up with the average man with bolt action on getting of a quick second shot if needed. I doubt though that he would ever get as fast as a target shooter with bolt gun in a rapid fire contest.
So, if given the chance, would I ever hunt something like a Cape Buffalo with my .375 H&H, .404 Jeffery or .416 Rigby Ruger Number Ones. Yes, I do believe I would. After all, a lot of African hunters used single loaders because they could not afford those pricey double rifles.
Paul B.


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PJ,

You wrote, "I doubt though that he would ever get as fast as a target shooter with bolt gun in a rapid fire contest." Well, that's what I am. A lot of the NRA high power matches have rapid fire stages. No one ever uses a single shot rifle. The bolt rifles commonly (but not always) beat the semi-autos because their lock time is faster.

I shoot the same way in hunting. Rifle stays on shoulder. Left (non master) hand stays on for end and rotates the rifle to the right. Concurrently I raise my right hand and, in one rotary motion with the outside of my right hand, whang open and withdraw the bolt. Another motion closes it, pushed by the bottom of my thumb. Continuing this motion, my right hand rests on the stock and my trigger finger goes in the trigger guard, helped by the left hand rotating the rifle back into the correct position. Most of this while the rifle recoils and returns back down.

You see a lot of hunters take down the rifle from their shoulder (to admire the shot?), grasp the bolt with the thumb and forefinger, fiddle around getting a sight picture because their stock does not fit, and, in general, wasting time. In the cowboy movies you even see the actors take lever actions down from their shoulders to flip the lever, which is really dumb because one advantage of a lever is that you can stay exactly in your cheek-weld position.

I used to think I could get off the second shot as fast as a double rifle, because I'm doing all this bolt operating while the rifle returns from recoil. But lately I've been shooting Sporting Clays and doubles are definitely faster for the second shot. Basically, "fast" equates to "less motion." Also, with a single shot, there's always the danger of dropping a cartridge. A bolt action can have a feeding problem, though mine never have. A double doesn't.


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You don't buy a #1 for it's rapid fire capability and you don't use a 375 H&H because of it's light recoil. If you want a rapid firing low recoiling hunting rifle, get a Savage M99 in .250 Savage. If you want a modern single shot that will kill anything, then a Ruger #1 in 375 H&H is hard to beat.

Last edited by timbo762; 11/23/12.

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I only have one #1 and it i the #1H in 405 Winchester. I love the rifle. With full house #1 loads out of it, it comes back pretty good, but is manageable, and it shoots near MOA with almost every load I've tried in it. I topped mine off with a VX-II in 2-7X33 Leupy. Nice combination. I imagine the 375 would be as nice.


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Originally Posted by lance1
What's your experiences with the Ruger #1? I�m thinking about getting a Ruger #1 in .375 H&H for an all-around caliber.


Mine have not been very accurate.


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I did not intend to give anyone grief. I admit .375 to be a great chambering , but still contend that it is not an all around cartridge for this country. Recoil did not used to bother me much, but as I get older and less flexible from nature (and arthritis), I can tell the difference.

I am not sure what OP ment by "all around" but, if a one rifle battery is his thought, NOT. A .375 is a valuable addition to the all around hunter that travels to wherever. I still contend that it's usefulness is not required in this country. But the same could be said for my No. 1 S-C .45-70. As a gun pusher friend of mine frequently asks, "What does need have to do with it?" Again, Your money, your choice. Still you can kill stuff all over this continent with less horsepower. jack


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Originally Posted by lance1
What's your experiences with the Ruger #1? I�m thinking about getting a Ruger #1 in .375 H&H for an all-around caliber.


Bought one from a guy wandering the aisles at a gun show several years back, despite it having a muzzle brake on it. Put a 1.75-6x Leupy w German No. 1 on it and soon slew a couple of Tenn. WT bucks with Fed 270 gr. PowerShok ammo. Use the 'fire Google and search for "A Damned Adequate Whitetail Round".

It weighs nearly 10 pounds, recoils like a 20- ga. And shoots about 1-in. + or -. It's been in the safe for a couple of seasons and I might sell it for a reasonable amount. Send me a PM.

BTW I took the brake off for hunting, and I use a bubba cuff from which it is quick to reload. As an earlier poster noted, practicing this (or any motor skill needed to shoot or hunt) is a dandy idea before your trying to kill something afield.
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Last edited by ColdCase1984; 11/24/12. Reason: Add photo

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Indy. I never said I would ever get as fast as a train rapid fire target marksman. My point was with a little practice you could rapidly reloa a ,in the case, Ruger #1 just about as fast as the average bolt action shooter. I hear you about them dropping the butt from the shoulder to admire the shot whistle but that's something I don't do with my bolt guns. do far I haven't found a convenient way to rapid reload my Rugers while keeping the but on the shoulder. Seems like my arms just ain't long enough. frown One of the things you do have to learn though it to keep your eye on the game while doing the reload. That's where the practice really comes in. Neck sized brass that might work just fine in a bolt gun is a strict no no. During part of the reloading action, the muzzle must be pointed down at an angle steep enough for that properly sized round to literally slide in easily strictly by gravity. One of the reasons I prefer the Rugers is thee's no hammer to mess with. My browning B78 drops the hammer to half cok when you close the actio and it'd a real bear trying to get my thumb under the scope to recock the hammer especially if it's cold and I'm wearing gloves. On those days that one stays home. Anyway, the challenge is to take your game with that first hopefully well aimed shot. Right?
Paul B.

Last edited by PJGunner; 11/24/12.

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Originally Posted by PJGunner
One of the reasons I prefer the Rugers is thee's no hammer to mess with. My browning B78 drops the hammer to half cok when you close the actio and it'd a real bear trying to get my thumb under the scope to recock the hammer especially if it's cold and I'm wearing gloves.
Paul B.


Strange. My B-78 stays fully cocked and others I've observed at the range do too.


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A better all-around rig might be the same rifle in .30-06, a fair bit lighter, and without all that power. I'd like to get a .30-06 Number One to go along with the bigger rifle.

But for now, I'm sure enjoying the .375! Have enough bullets to continue handloading and hunting for another lifetime or two.

Cold Case: Great photo up there with the bucks and the Ruger.

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Guy,

I've owned and hunted with a number of No. 1's, from .22 Hornet to .450/.400, and agree completely, especially in North America. Actually, my favorite No. 1 for general big game hunting right now is a .25-06, a 1AB special-run from Lipseys with fancy European walnut. I'd certainly hunt anything in Montana with it, unless we get a grizzly season again.

That said, it's still hard to beat a .375 No. 1 as an all-around rifle. I've asked a number of the African PH's I know whether they would guide somebody who wanted to use a single-shot on Cape buffalo, and I can't recall one who said no. In fact most said something like, "Why not? It's the client's hunt, and the first shot is by far the most important."


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John, you are pushing the right button to get me to take my
European walnut stocked (mines is handsome, but not fancy) No. 1 AB out for blood next week. I have a box of 110 Accubonds freshly stuffed. Got to hang the scope and sight it in first, but all the parts are in stock in my "good junk" box.

Boss rancher says there is a good buck waiting for me to tag him. S-I-L says there is another good one on the Texas side of his place waiting for me. (OK's regulations are strange to me, but I may have to get more fluent in Okie.) jack


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Jack,

Sounds like a No. 1 opportunity knocking to me!


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Originally Posted by jt402
(OK's regulations are strange to me, but I may have to get more fluent in Okie.) jack
Uh, nothing "strange" about them. 2012 gun season runs 11-17-12 to 12-2-12. You are allowed one antlered deer and at least one antlerless deer. (Antlerless deer days and limits vary.) Non-resident fee is $280 if you are only hunting deer.


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Thank you for the compliment, Guy. I try to take good photos of the game out of respect. In fact, I hate my little profile shot shows my best Tenn. buck to date in the back of my truck, but it's the one that shows his rack to best advantage.

Back somewhat on track, though, I just realized my Tropical might make the ideal twilight rifle for that deer's nocturnal grandson I'm wanting to clip this fall.

Need to swap out the 1.75-6x out for an 4.5-14x50 AO/IR I've lying unused at the moment.

If JB is still following this thread (or anyone who is that knows) I humbly request that pet 220 mild load recipe.

Was thinking about putting that big Leupy on my .358 Frontier or Marlin Guide Gun for a twilight tree hammer, but the Tropical could certainly do the deed.

The idea of a super-sized .375 Winchester singleshot (or the snubby carbines) with a moonscope tickles my fancy.

Unless the OP wants to tickle his itch for a 1H Tropical .375...

Or anyone who wants to trade for an International No.1 in '06 or the stainless 6.5x55. grin

Last edited by ColdCase1984; 11/25/12.

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Originally Posted by PJGunner
Indy. I never said I would ever get as fast as a train rapid fire target marksman. My point was with a little practice you could rapidly reloa a ,in the case, Ruger #1 just about as fast as the average bolt action shooter. I hear you about them dropping the butt from the shoulder to admire the shot whistle but that's something I don't do with my bolt guns. do far I haven't found a convenient way to rapid reload my Rugers while keeping the but on the shoulder. Seems like my arms just ain't long enough. frown One of the things you do have to learn though it to keep your eye on the game while doing the reload. That's where the practice really comes in. Neck sized brass that might work just fine in a bolt gun is a strict no no. During part of the reloading action, the muzzle must be pointed down at an angle steep enough for that properly sized round to literally slide in easily strictly by gravity. One of the reasons I prefer the Rugers is thee's no hammer to mess with. My browning B78 drops the hammer to half cok when you close the actio and it'd a real bear trying to get my thumb under the scope to recock the hammer especially if it's cold and I'm wearing gloves. On those days that one stays home. Anyway, the challenge is to take your game with that first hopefully well aimed shot. Right?
Paul B.


There's a lot to be said about keeping one's eyes on the game. Many novices look at the rifle instead when reloading. My concern on DG would be dropping the round. On three occasions--two cape buffalo and a hippo, I have exhausted the magazine (three round magazine) on a bolt action and had to reload. On one of these occasions I dropped the round in the mud. OK, a very short time later I got one out of my belt wallet. I also refill the magazine before approaching any game I have shot. I admit I keep shooting more than might be necessary--as long as there is any movement--because trophy fees are very high if the game escapes and because it's dangerous. None of this would apply for most North American game.


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