Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger #1 450 vs 45-70?

I'm looking at acquiring a Ruger No.1. I'd like it to be a nice 45 cal. Looking at either a 450 Marlin or a 45-70 Gov. Any thoughts or experience would be helpful. Ammo availability for both seem scarce. I know the 450 Marlin has a little more velocity. I have plenty of 45-70 rifles and one 1895 Guide Gun in 450 Marlin. I like them both.

In factory chamberings, it looks like the 450 used a 20" barrel vs 22" on the 45-70. I personally would lean to the 45-70 because I'm set up to load for it and would prefer the longer barrel.

Me too.

Go with the 45/70. Lots of factory ammo out there. Also brass is easier to find if you reload. The Ruger action can handle any load, your shoulder will tell you when to stop.

No reason to pick a .450 in a gun like the Ruger. Look at loading data for both (.45/70 data for Number 1’s, not Trapdoors). OTOH, .450s can be built on bolt actions pretty easily, if anyone prefers one of those; I don’t. Brass and ammo choice is no contest, or will be when the Plague is over.

I have typically been shooting Sharps Rifles and very limited experience with Ballard Rifles. I've got a few 45-70s and I like them. I shoot a 45-70 out of a Shiloh Sharps standard weight barrel and after a bit your shoulder definitely tells you when to stop. Its fun to shoot and load for. I know for years Shiloh shooters would claim you can shoot anything out of the Shiloh that you can shoot out of a No. 1, so I'm sure you can heat up the loads quite a bit in those, but I'd prefer to do it in a No. 1 just to be on the safe side. Plus its an excuse to get another gun

A big handful of cases and a bullet mold is all you need for a helluva lot of shooting, from mouse fart practice loads to full snot shoulder breakers. In that regard .45-70 brass is everywhere on the internet, not so much .450 Marlin.

I agree with the crowd. The 45-70 is the way to go in a No 1. Have one and love it. The only reason for the 450 Marlin was to have a powerful round for the Marlin lever that couldn't be accidentally be chambered in a Trap door or other weak action. Buy a hundred Starline 45-70 cases and you're likely set for a lifetime.

Personally I would like to see a .40-70 #1 to go with my .40-70 Ballard, to see what can really be done with it.

I have an unfired Lipseys Ruger #1 in stainless/walnut. What do you think it will go for?

Not 100% sure. Pretty much every No. 1 I see that is in good condition is well north of $1,000 these days. Not sure about the Lipsey's exclusives or some of the rarer ones.

Since, you appear to like them both rounds equally, you might decide based on which is available first in the configuration YOU like the best. Some of the 450 are ugly. Some of the 45/70 are light and short. Some 45/70 had medium (lIpsey special) barrels.

FWIW, I like rimmed cartridges in my singe shots. Positive extraction and more traditional.

I picked up a No 1 stainless in 45-70 in December. I have owned the 450 Marlin and 45-70 in various Marlins. I still have a 1895XLR.
The 45-70 is easier to find ammo and components. I also prefer the 22" barrel of the 45-70. Any advantage of the 450 Marlin is lost in the shorter barrel.
I still regret not being able to buy a No 1 in 45-70 with the 26" barrel.
Having killed deer with both calibers, I saw no difference.

I kinda wanted a Ruger No1 like this most of my adult life and jumped on it as soon as I found out. Made a sight unseen, online order, back when I rarely did that. I am glad I did. I think this is the perfect balance of looks, feel and performance. That was a Lipsey's option. Sometimes Ruger has this almost mystical insight and other times he just missed the mark. Another example was for many years the Super Blackhawk only in 7.5" barrel. Not 6 or 6 1/2 but only 7 1/2.

Talk about missing the mark. How about a normal shape butt plate and sporting shape for arm on the No3. It would not cost 5c more to have made that gun right! You know, that could still be made today. Image this? An economy model, plain Jane wood and blue steel No3. I know, no chance. More profit in stainless laminated crap.

If i could find a 45-70 No. 1 in a 26" barrel I would jump all over it.

I'd prefer a 26" barrel over a 22", but my favorite barrel length for the No. 1 is 24".

The main advantage of the 450M over the 45/70 in a Ruger No.1 is the throating. I believe Ruger now use a SAAMI spec throat for the 45/70 (ie no throat). That minor advantage can be easily addressed by having a 45/70 throated as you wish. Either option will be a bit light for really heavy loads. With a Ruger No.1 you could easily get by with a 24-26” barrel but 22” makes for a nice compact rifle.

45-70 for me!

Besides I have not seen 450 brass for sale lately?

Personally I'd say .450 NE

Love my Winchester scoped 1885 in 45-70 reproduction. Wish it didn't have a curved buttplate. I do have a leather and rubber tie-on recoil pad that helps. Gun is accurate and beautiful.

However I have more fun shooting my mint original trapdoor springfield. My late uncle gifted me many years ago an Ideal 500gn mold and he said shoot the bullet as cast. He was right. Some of his 45-70 cases he used back then were tin (?) plated government issue.

Whichever way you go it will be fun.