I really like #1s, but as of now I only own one of them. I have owned others in the past. I just love how the handle and look.
I re-barreled a few too, and one job I did that was a bit unique was to make a 7.62X54Russian. I used a Green Mountain blank and made the barrel, fit the extractor and installed a set of express sights before I re-mounted the rib for the scope rings. With Russian surplus ammo I could get about 2MOA from it, but with a good handload shooting a load of 4064 and a 180 grain Sierra that rifle would go about 3/4" at 100 yards. The Russian shell, loaded up in the #1 action is the full equal of the 30-06 but has a case that is superb in a Single Shot rifle or a Double.
The one I have now is extremely accurate and I have done nothing but a trigger job to it. It's a 9.3X74R and has become one of my very favorite hunting rifles.
I agree with chilnstructor, a 30-40 Krag would be very cool or for that matter a 303 Brit.
The 30-30 is also a very neat one to have, but for elk I would like to fire 180 to 220 grain bullets and do it a bit faster then I can get with a 30-30. Not that I would not hunt elk with a 30-30, but I want to be fairly close if I shot. I did that 2 times in the past, but never got a shot at an elk when I was hunting with my 30-30. if deer were what I was going to hunt with it I would prefer the 30-30 over the 45-70.
If I were offered a #1 in 30-30 or one in 45-70 and I could only choose one I might just go with the 30-30, but in the back of my mind I feel I might wish I'd taken the 45-70.
That's one of those questions that will "make your teeth itch".
Very unpleasant
