Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Help me choosing a second #1 for my 'battery'

Hey folks,

Please pardon an inexperienced hunter's dreams ...

I have a beautiful Ruger #1 RSI in 7x57 that I love. It's also all I need for most of the hunting I see myself doing. I'm about to move back home to western KY or middle TN, and will primarily be a whitetail hunter then. The 7x57 is the only gun I'd ever need for that.

However, I'd still like to do some special hunts from time to time, and I'm thinking about adding to my 'battery'. I pretty much want to stick with the Ruger #1. Just wanted to sort of brainstorm a bit and get your reactions and recommendations. Here are the type of hunts I dream of (I know I probably won't get to do all of them, but hey, I can dream):

1) Elk, either the herd in eastern KY, or returning out here for another try on Roosevelt elk in western WA (or both).

2) Hogs somewhere in the southeast / southwest.

3) Black bear.

4) Some combination of grizzly, moose, and / or caribou in Alaska.

5) African plains game, and Cape buffalo

6) Water buffalo in Australia (combine that one with a visit to my wife's half-brother who lives there ... not near the water buffalo unfortunately!)

So anyway, those are my dream hunts (some easier and more likely than others). My 7x57 would work for elk, although I might like something bigger. It should also work for hogs and black bears, I would think. I would want something bigger for everything else, though, although I might use it for some plains game if the Africa hunt ever happens. So here are the things I've been thinking of:

1) Just get a #1 Tropical in .375 H&H, and happily hunt the world with my two rifles.

2) Have a custom #1 RSI built in 9.3x62, and happily hunt the world with my two rifles ... keeping in mind that there are some African countries that don't allow the 9.3 on buffalo.

3) Get something in-between the 7x57 and the .375. A .338-06, .338 Win Mag, or .35 Whelen perhaps. Use that for the larger North American game, then add the Tropical in either .375 or .416 for Africa or Australian water buffalo.

4) Similar to 3, but get the custom RSI in 9.3x62 as my medium rifle, then add a #1 Tropical in one of the .416's if I need it for Africa.

Or some entirely different approach??

Finally ... I just hope God grants me half of those hunts I want to do ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I probably sound pretty darn naive, but oh well ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Thanks!
Liam

one of the difficulties you may encounter is that the #1s in large calibers are difficult to scope (IMO). It seems there is either a problem with scope height or eye relief. This may not be a big deal on a lighter rifle but above 338 it may not be much fun <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />. I'd recommend you but two if you're going to stick with the #1; a 338 to scope and a 416 or 458 to keep "clean". You'll end up using mostly the 338 but the bigger ones are a ton of fun!

BTW, someone just posted in ATG that he had a #1 in EVERY caliber they've made. May want to ask him of his experiences.

Hey, Lefty,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I saw the ATG post you mention ... that's pretty amazing!

Since a Ruger #! pretty much requires a scope with about 4 to 5" eye relief if you don't use extension rings, do you think that's enough for something like a .375 or .416? I have some scopes with about 4.5 - 5" relief that I have bought up in anticipation of using them on Ruger #1's.

Thanks again!
Liam

375 yes, 416 probably not with full house loads. I don't feel a lot of movement with my 375s but the 416 is in motion when it goes off. I'm personally more concerned about scope height. On my 416, I get a good cheek weld with open sights and I know I would not with a scope. (you have to reduce the velocity to about 2200 fps to approximate the 375 recoil level.) Oh, and I would avoid extension rings like the plague with either calibers....

IMHO ... Have the 9.3x62 made in the RSI ...

Your metrics will do everything needed on this continent and look exceptionally good doing it.

THEN if you feel the need to pursue dangerous game, get something that allows you follow up shots. Style points be damnned we are HUNTERS not THE HUNTED.

Sure a Griz may be far enough away to allow a follow up shot with a Ruger 1, maybe you have other contingencies in place for that hunt. But African DG hunting gets rather up close and personal. I have no desire to do it myself (have the plains game jones tho), but if I was going to do it I would require the magazine capacity to finish the job before the job finishes me.

Hmmm ... Yes, I get the scope as low as possible. I use Leupold low rings on my 7x57, and prefer scopes with no objective bell, or very small ones. I see what you're saying, though ... it's still not quite as low as open sights ... plus I've never experienced the heavy recoil of anything like a .416. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />



I avoid them like the plague for any caliber ... I just hate them, and prefer to search out longer-eye-relief scopes instead.

Thanks!!

Liam

Liam;

Ya oughta know where my vote lies. In concert with Gaviidae_Esq.

Find another RSI, and as the ejector is already set up for the standard case head (the .243, .270, 7x57, and .30-06 all use it), send it to Danny Pedersen at cutrifles.com and have him rebore it to 9.3x62.

The trajectories of the 7x57 and the 9.3x62 are just about identical, at least for any practical ranges. Where the 7 leaves of, the 9.3 picks up, and short of pachyderms, the 9.3 will capably handle anything on this planet.

A matched pair of Mausers in the RSI is just too classic. Get your pair; mine will be along later.

Until the Ruger #1 came out in the late 60's we thought of single shots just for varmints and target.

I have had a game rifle since then in that Ruger and for a while two of them I don't see one as all that hot for really big game.

Perhaps a #1 as a long range hammer make sense. In fact the 1S I had in 300 WM served as mine. I moved it on when I found a lighter rifle.

I would not go to Africa with a single shot even though I am a fan of the type. Those trips are very expensive. Get the DG rifle when you have most of the money for the trip saved up.

Meanwhile something with more range that the mouser might please you.

As for the scope, the Nikon OMega is a good choice. 3-9x 32mm. Appears to be a variation on the Buckmaster line optically. But is made for Omega black powder rifles which have quite a wallop. And it features a constant 5 inch eye relief. For bigger calibers 9x is too much. But the 3x is good.

Now how would it work on a #1 in .416 or similar, well I don't know? But you shouldn't get whacked by the scope at least. It handles a 45-70 just fine anyway.

As for caliber, hey you really do just need one of all of them. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

As for the scope, the Nikon OMega is a good choice. 3-9x 32mm. Appears to be a variation on the Buckmaster line optically. But is made for Omega black powder rifles which have quite a wallop. And it features a constant 5 inch eye relief. For bigger calibers 9x is too much. But the 3x is good.

Now how would it work on a #1 in .416 or similar, well I don't know? But you shouldn't get whacked by the scope at least. It handles a 45-70 just fine anyway.

As for caliber, hey you really do need one of all of them. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

liam,

I admire you for limiting your hunting to Ruger #1s. Altho' I don't think it's entirely practical. Especially when hunting animals that can bite back or stomp you or both. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

However, the short answer is either buy a .35 Whelen, or a 9.3x74R when they become available. (Or a .338 Win mag.) Those are about the only factory offerings that are appropriate for the hunts you have mentioned.

The 1-H in .375 is a hoot to shoot and I have owned two of them. But the idea of carrying a 9.5 lb rifle plus scope is not very attractive to me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> , YMMV.

For hunting dangerous game in Africa, no way would I consider a sgl-shooter. And I bet most PH's would agree with me on that one.

A custom 9.3x62 would be nice or even a .375 Ruger IF they made in a 1-B, but I have my doubts on that one. Even so, 1-B's weigh in at or near 8 lbs plus scope.

The terms Ruger #1 and Lwt rifles are mutually exclusive terms. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />, Unfortunately.

Just my two peso's worth....

[color:"green"]Grasshopper [/color]

liam...since you have that 7x57 (I have that exact rifle by the way), I would say you could go two routes. First, go straight to a .338 Win. Mag. or a .375 like you mention if that floats your boat. I have the .338 in a #1B and it groups like a varmint rifle and is just fun to carry. Or, you can go with another all around caliber like a 30/06 or 300 Win. Mag. etc., but in a laminated and stainless version of a #1. That way, if the weather turns absolutely nasty, you have an all weather rifle in a caliber that is suitable for deer as well has bigger critters. Some don't think anything but walnut is appropriate on a #1, but I've been on a few hunts where things got so rough logic kicked in and an all-weather rifle just made sense. Plus, the looks of that stainless #1 is starting to grow on me. If my wife hadn't bought me an all weather Ruger bolt a few years back, I'd probably own a stainless #1 right now.

Hey, thanks for the replies, guys!

Coupla things ... first, any DG hunt I did with a single shot would be with a guide / PH suitably armed with a big-bore repeater backing me up, and I have absolutely no problem with him putting lead in an animal for / with me as needed. Hey, there are PH's who guide black powder and archery hunts for DG. As a matter of fact, another thing I've considered is getting a custom 6 or 8 bore muzzleloader for a buff hunt someday. I can get off repeat shots a lot faster with a #1 than with a muzzleloader. In fact, using a forearm ammo sleeve, I've occasionally beaten some of my buddies with their bolt actions (the ones who take their faces away from the stock to work the bolt ... one friend of mine shoots very well and quickly, keeping his cheek weld while working the bolt ... I can't touch him, of course. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Actually, that's one of the myths I guess ... these aren't single shot rifles, they're 'single-load' rifles. Put some practice in, and have a system for having the extra cartridges close at hand, hone a nice smooth motion, and you can fire multiple shots with a #1 fairly quickly. At least, that's how it seems to me, from my tons of fun I am having with my RSI. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

By this point in my rambling post, In case you think I'm crazy, let me just say that I'd never go solo after anything dangerous with a #1, though ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Also, this "#1 exclusive" thing might be just a phase I'm going through. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I appreciate and will consider everyone's advice, so please don't think I'm just disregarding it if you're one of the folks who recommend that I use a repeater for DG hunts. I'm pondering it, and will keep those thoughts in mind.

Thanks again!
Liam

I was just about to call foul on some of the above comments regarding slow follow up shots with #1's. However, Liam beat me to it, and pretty much said exactly what I was going to say. With practice one can easily reload a #1 just as quickly as most folks can work a bolt gun assuming you have the cartridges handy as Liam mentioned. I loaded 10 dummies in each caliber (empty cases with bullets) and have spent many evenings practicing repeat shots from multiple shooting positions. My wife thinks I'm a bit weird.

Liam: I'm right there with you...the only high power rifles that I own are #1's. Hunting with them is something that I look forward to every season. However, that being said I've only hunted on this continent and have thus far only pursued deer, antelope, and elk. Just saw your location; I grew up in Gig Harbor, not all that far from you.

Hey, VANimrod,

Yeah, I was figuring this would be your take. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I also recently found a couple more post-n-crosshair El Paso Weavers, an original K2.5 and an original K4, both with about a mile of eye relief. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the name of the smith ... I was planning on asking who you were considering for the 9.3 project anyway.

Sorry to be such a copycat of you, with the metric RSIs and the old Weavers!!!

Thanks!
Liam

Oh, and off-topic, thanks for the PM reply about the 175gr 7x57 ... I tried to reply to your PM, but your inbox was full and it wouldn't let me.

PM box not full (right now).

Your 9.3 RSI will likely come to fruition before mine. Let me know how it goes.

Oh, one thing...

The tube on the RSIs is THIN for a 9.3 bore. It mikes at about 0.586" to 0.590"ish, muzzle diameter. That'd leave only a 0.110" to 0.112" sidewall after the rebore to .366 caliber.

Danny says he's leery of reboring anything that doesn't give a 0.15" sidewall.

That said, my CZ 550 FS in 9.3x62 has only a .580" muzzle diameter, from the factory, and it's fine.

Here, here...the first critter I ever shot with a Ruger #1 was a jackrabbit running on the opposite side of a little ravine perhaps 125 yards away. I got him with my 3rd shot. The last critter I shot with a Ruger #1 was a small bull elk. When I replay that whole event in my mind, I remember that after the shot, it only took a few seconds for that bull to trot for 30 yards then just melt to the ground and call it quits. At that point, I also remember lowering my rifle because I had already reloaded and was preparing to shoot again.

Another vote here for the 9.3X62. Keep hearing rumors about a factory 9.3X74 , but who knows?

[color:"brown"]Liam wrote:

---------------------------------------------------[color:"blue"]
1) Elk, either the herd in eastern KY, or returning out here for another try on Roosevelt elk in western WA (or both).

2) Hogs somewhere in the southeast / southwest.

3) Black bear.

4) Some combination of grizzly, moose, and / or caribou in Alaska.

5) African plains game, and Cape buffalo

6) Water buffalo in Australia (combine that one with a visit to my wife's half-brother who lives there ... not near the water buffalo unfortunately!)[color:"brown"]
-----------------------------------------------------

For #'s 1, 2, 3, 4 & 6... .35 Whelen using a 250 grain Nosler Partition.
For #5 .375 H&H Magnum for the plains animals, a .458 Lott for the Cape Buffalo.

Jus' my 2�....... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

There you go! 1 stop shopping with that recommendation <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Although for Africa I would make that rifle a CZ 550 not a #1.