Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger No 1 450/.400

Always wanted a double rifle in 450/.400 but they all seem to be out of my price range. The Ruger No 1 so chambered appeared to be the next best choice. I placed a bid on one on Gunbroker but sadly was outbid at the last moment. I guess the question I am asking is if the gun is worth it? I have had a few Number 1s and they have all been great guns either 1a or 1h but not collector grade. They were all hunting guns. It seems hard to find a shooter grade big bore. Any ideas?

Same as you, but just years earlier. My mistake was getting to shoot a double in .450/.400 NE 3" and loved it. So, when the #1 so chambered was announced I put my order in, I think that was back in '07.

You don't mention what the Gunbroker price was, so I can't comment on that. However, my #1 is a whole lotta fun to shoot and worth it to me.

I haven't seen brass available for sale, but loaded ammo is available which is double the fun; shoot 'em up then prep for reloading.

It went for $1650 and came with 2 boxes of Kynoch (10 rounds) and some brass. Should have bid higher

I'm a bit surprised at what it went for. Given the realities of today that price sounds reasonable for an auction site. Ammo and brass included? Yea, I'd have bid a little higher.

Oh, well, it just means you'll be better ready when the next one pops up.

Bid the most you’re willing to pay, then walk away until it’s over. Might get lucky, might get outbid again, but you won’t get excited and go crazy at the last minute.

Good strategy for keeping your wits. But, you might consider placing your absolute maximum bid during the last half hour of the auction, so that others won’t have too long to reconsider and raise their maximums. I’m puzzled by those who place bids on the first day of a six day auction.

Just remember, six months from now you won’t miss the money, but you will be enjoying a fine rifle.

I bid what I was willing to pay at the moment at the 12 hour mark last night and got out bid with less than 30 minutes left. I did make another bid with 16 minutes left but all I did was raise what the other guy had to pay. I do have a line on another one, just waiting on pics. Will know more by Monday

All right! Best of luck.

I bought one a couple of years ago and love it. IIRC I got it off the classifides here. It makes for a nice deer rifle, you can eat right up to the hole.
I see them on Guns International from time to time. Much better place the GB.

They're a cool rifle for sure. When one showed up at a LGS, I had to have it and was considering trading a 1H 375 H&H. The 375 had much nicer wood so I worked a trade deal with them that included swapping the stocks with their gunsmith refitting the wood. I haven't shot it much with full strength loads - just factory Kynoch ammo, but cast bullets and Trail Boss are lots of fun. I do need to spend more time with it.

Me like. Alot.

Nice rifle in a very nice cartridge. Easy to shoot at the classical 2050-2100 fps MV. Its a different animal when you load it to 2400 fps.

How much is ammo ?
300.00 for 40 Hornady?
Why so expensive?
45-70 is a better round?

I bought one 5-6 (?) years ago from an outfit up in Minnesota or Wisconsin, they claimed on GB to have 10, at $700+. Thought about buying two (should have) but was buying it on price alone as I collect No.1's and still have it NIB. Now they go for a lot more---hindsight is 20/20.

keekeerun,

I haven’t bought ammo since I bought the rifle with Hornady cases years ago, so don’t really keep up with current ammo prices for this cartridge. Wouldn’t be surprised if ammo’s expensive - thank Unkle Joe BoBo and military ammo demand around the world - it’s another high priority demand with government $$$/insufficient production problem. I reload for it.

I don’t think the 45-70 is a better round for the task the 450-400 was designed for. It’s reputed to be a great penetrator on large DG - based on what I’ve read from Boddington who has had significant experience in that role. Apparently his wife and daughter have used it on elephant, maybe Cape and/or water buffalo IIRC. Because I use larger caliber DRGs my experience with the 450-400 is at the range not in hunting.

Certainly the 400 grain solid at 2050-2400 fps - quite doable in the #1 - will easily reach vitals in elephants, buffalo, etc. IME components to reload this cartridge are comparably priced and available from the same sources as large caliber DG cases & bullets in this class. Expanding bullets provide KE and peformance very similar to the 416 and 404 class of heavy mediums if loaded to equal MV. It wouldn’t be my first choice to break down charging wounded elephants but if I started the melee with a 450-400 #1 in my hands, I wouldn’t feel unarmed for the follow up.

I’m thinking about taking a couple of #1s on the next hop across the pond. Maybe a 404 Jeffery or 500 NE 3” as primary and the 450-400 as follow-up reload - loaded and on the shoulder of the tracker - if needed. A NY reload, on a grand scale, if you will. Back to the days of Selous!!! 😊😊

mule deer has experience with the 450-400 and has written about the #1 chambered for this cartridge.

Thanks for the info.
I want one I just don't understand the ammo cost.
I would reload ,just have had no luck finding a good deal on a #1 rifle.
In the mean time i'am happy with 458win mag.
Maybe one day I can get in the 450/400 Express club
This is a link of a nice number one that sold last month.
Good luck I know they are fun to shoot.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1022029476

I have never bought factory ammo for this. I'm loading a Hornady 300gr bullet 68 grains of H4895 with a Federal 215 primer for just a tad over 2000FPS. This is a comfortable load and as I said makes for a dandy deer load.

I have never bought factory ammo for this. I'm loading a Hornady 300gr bullet 68 grains of H4895 with a Federal 215 primer for just a tad over 2000FPS. This is a comfortable load and as I said makes for a dandy deer load.
I would think you could use pistol bullets and Trail Boss to come up with a nice shooter load as well.

My brother has one he told me it was the most miserable recoiling rifle he ever has gotten..mb

Although I like the 450-400 #1, I prefer my 404 J because the latter is a 1-H Tropical model. It was built at the Ruger factory with a thread-on removable muzzle brake. The combination of appropriate weight for the cartridge and the brake make heavy loads easy to handle. I try to hold the 450-400 to around 2050-2100 fps MV which is right for its lighter weight. Been to 2400 fps, but no joy there for just practice. Should be OK when the targets can stomp you, though over penetration on all DG - save maybe frontal brain shots on large elephant bulls - is highly likely at that velocity with good solids.

I like the 458 WM as well. A good cartridge with great performance with the right loads and in the right DGR.

My #1 450-400 is a Tropical. With 400 grain bullets going 2400 FPS it's a handful for sure but as there is a shortage of DG in the lower 48 there's no reason to load it to those levels.

This is a classic!

Did someone say Ruger#1 Recoil

i had a real nice 458 Win. mag. for 10 years then the original owner died and his family wanted to buy it back for his son ,so i made a couple bucks and sold it back to them. i still have my 458 Lott Ruger #1 in a s.s. Laminate also i still have a 450/400 , 416 Ruger , 416 Rigby and a 375 H&H so i still got plenty fire power yet.

i watched the video was a very fun to watch , i don`t think i could shoot every one of those rifles the same day anymore . i may not flinch when i shoot but if i shot all those Big cartridge caliber Ruger #1`s i probably would start . thanks for posting the video,Pete53

To that end has anybody here experimented with greatly reduced loads? I see no reason to shoot any large bore/magnum cartridge with full power loads - I have no need or desire to impress other people or myself with how much punishment I can inflict when I pull a trigger. With the paucity of big/dangerous game to be encountered anywhere I will ever set foot there's no practical need for me either.

On the other hand, and the reason for my butting in, I've stumbled onto a gorgeous Swiss Martini in 10.3x60R (the twin, and metric equivalent, to the .450/.400) that has a lot going for it - pretty wood, case coloring, etc., and best of all its price (about half of what a Ruger .450/400 would go for). Much to consider, chief of which is cost and practicality of shooting it with loads built to around half of its full potential - which would make for a fun gun to shoot and still be plenty viable for 100+ pound whitetails and paper targets.

I have used the load described earlier in my 450-400 and it has proven to be accurate and friendly on the shoulder. JB has a good chapter on reduced loads in one of his Gun Gack books. I also have a #1 in 375 H&H and shoot a reduced load with IMR 4227 and a 225 grain pistol bullet. It will flatted a deer and once again you can eat right up to the hole.
Reduced loads make these big bores fun to shoot and hunt with.

I have brass, dies, custom labeled aluminum loading blocks and a partial box of Hornady ammunition available. PM if interested.

EdM check your PM's

Ed sent a pm. The rifle is now mine!

Congrats. I was interested in the componets. I love my rifle. It a conversation starter at deer camp

I think it's accurate powder 5744 that is excellent for reduced loads in big bores and can be loaded 3 levels.
1-mild
2-mid moderate
3-near max to max loads

Here is a good thread on the 450/400, including info on reduced loads with Trail Boss and 5744:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2902561/1

Thanks! Anyone use cast bullets in one? Wondering what diameter would be appropriate? I still have a few molds around I used for a .40-70 straight and a .40-70 SBN

This is what I bought to try in mine. I've only tried one load with Trail Boss (around 30 gr as I recall), and it shot well. Essentially trying to duplicate blackpowder velocities (1100-1300 fps). I used info in the thread I linked to arrive at this. It's been a few years so my memory isn't very good on details.



I cast my own for my Shiloh Sharps and Ballard BPCR's, and will probably do the same for this one when I get back to working with it. Hell, I may even load blackpowder - I have a lot more of that than Trail Boss and 5744.

I believe the bore on these is .410, so a mold that drops at .410-.412 should work, I'd think. I'm thinking your 40-70 molds are likely .403-.408?

The 404 Jeffery Ruger No. 1 is a real collectors' item, congrats to Wildcatter264.
I wonder how many of those were made ?

Avi got the date on the 450/400 NE 3" origin wrong.
It actually came out in 1897 as a Farquharson falling block with cartridge at that time being called the ".400 S Jeffery."
The "S" being for either "Smokeless" or "Special."
It was actually the first of the class that would eventually be called "Nitro Express."
John Rigby's "450 S Rigby" first survived proof in Nov. 1897 as a double rifle. Extra points for that.
Eventually it would be called the 450 NE 3-1/4".
They would be the two earliest chamberings of the Nitro Express clan, when that naming convention got established.

The 404 Jeffery came along as a bolt action in 1904-1905.

I used my Ruger No. 1 450/400 NE 3" ...



... to fire-form 404 Jeffery brass for a .410/404 Jeffery Rimless Nitro Express wildcat.
That was one of the silliest wildcats I ever played with.

The 450/400 NE 3" single shot is what actually started the Nitro Express line.
It deserves great respect for that.
Its beefed up brass with thicker rim and head was modified into 404 Jeffery brass by 1904.
The 404 Jeffery rifle became the first truly great bolt-action DGR on sale in 1905.
Two milestones set by W. Jackman Jeffery.
A sportsman could do no better than that until 1956 when the .458 Winchester Magnum raised the bar.

I have a Baker's dozen of Ruger No. 1 rifles, trying to swear off of them.

6.5 Creedmoor 1-B
.375 H&H 1-H Stainless Laminate
400/.395 Nitro Express (wildcat, re-barreled 9.3x74R 1-S)
.395 Tatanka (wildcat, re-barreled .416 Rigby 1-H)
450/400 NE 3" 1-H
405 WCF 1-S
.416 Ruger 1-H Stainless Laminate
.45-70 Elko Magnum Stainless Laminate (CIP .45-2.6" re-chambered .45-70 Gov't. 1-S)
.45-70 Elko Magnum (CIP .45-2.6" re-barreled 9.3x74R 1-S)
450 NE 3-1/4" 1-H Stainless Laminate (re-chambered .458 Lott)
.458 Winchester Magnum 1-H
.475 Linebaugh 1-S
.500 A-Square 1-H (re-barreled .416 Rigby)

I only regret the couple of Ruger No. 1 rifles I traded off in the 1990s.
Wish I still had them, a .338 WM and a .458 WM.

My smallest bore Ruger No. 1:





First 3 shots it fired with factory ammo at 100 yards, from its 28" barrel:





My biggest bore Ruger No. 1, McGowen 10" twist is 27" long without brake, 29" with brake:

As H4895 is unatainable I'll try some Trail Boss when I run out. Has anybody tried TB with a jacketed bullet?

Yep on the smaller diameter for the Shiloh. Oh well another excuse to go mold shopping!

My last no 1 is a 450/400. I was curious about the barrel contour, mine measures .750 in front of the sight band, rifle weighs around 8.5 pounds.
Would this be the C weight?
Are all the 450/400 this weight?
What is diameter of a D weight?
I started loading 400 grain Woodleigh
and got up to an average of 2170 for 3 shots and said
“Uncle”. Thats enough snap for me.
It is unscoped, but have peep sight.

My 450/400 and 375 H&H have the same barrel contour and are in the 8.5 lb range. I believe the 405 Win uses the same contour. Other 1H calibers like the 458 WM have a heavier contour. I'm not sure on the C and D weight designations...

My #1's in 450-400, 375 H&H and 405 Win all weigh basically the same, right around 8.5 lbs.

Here are some weight comparisons:



.375 H&H (8 lbs 6 oz) is 4 ounces heavier than same conformation .416 Ruger with bigger bore hole and weird photo lighting:



450/400 NE 3" and .405 WCF weigh the same, bare/unloaded: 8 lbs 2 oz





Indirect sunlight versus dim light bulb,
.410-caliber and .411-caliber respectively, and both are 1:14" twist, 24"-long barrels, 0.750" muzzle diameters.

After some research it seems that 370 #1s were chambered in 404 Jeffery by Ruger. This is a according to discussion on the Ruger Forum.

Although there’s talk of chamber dimension problems and ruined cases, I have not experienced that in mine.

This particular rifle was retained by the factory and never shipped until I bought it directly from Ruger. It may make the trip to Zim, if I can get there this coming summer.

I have the .38-55, .375 H&H, .405 Win, .45-70, .458, .475 Linebaugh, and .475 Turnbull. Would like to have a .416 Ruger over the Rigby as they come with the lighter C weight barrels. Could also like the idea of the .404, or the .450-400

For general information...

450/400 D weight and one loaded 300gr cartridge (and non factory recoil pad)

The rifle should be on the way, I have the Bushnell 4500 1-4X scope in hand, Alaska Arms QD rings are enroute along with dies, brass and the Decelerator pad. Still need to find some bullets and a mold or two. Just had surgery on my C6 and C7 vertebra so might have to wait a little while to shoot it. That will give me time to drop it off at the gunsmith for installation of the pad. I will wait to decide if I need a recoil reducer in the stock or Magnaporting as someone suggested until after I get to shoot it for a little while

I'm curious to hear how that scope works out for you. I need an offset rear ring for my No. 1s but with the longer eye relief of that 4500, I wonder if it might work without offset rings. It's a 30mm tube, correct?

I currently use the Nikon African 1-4x on all my No. 1s and would consider replacing them with the 4500 if it works.

Yes it is a 30mm tube. Once everything is here and I get it mounted I will let you know the real world eye relief with standard 30mm rings

I always wanted a 450-400 and didn't want to pay up for a double. I found a deal on new No.1 years ago and bought two boxes of Hornady factory ammo. My dad and I took it out and shot it. It was the hardest recoiling rifle I've ever shot. I think I shot it twice and he shot it once. I took it by a Cabelas the next day and they gave me more in trade than I paid for it.

I had a No. 1 in .458 at the time that was not nearly as bad as the 450-400 and I loaded the .458 hot. Given the velocity and 400-grain bullets, I expected recoil would be similar to a hot-loaded 45-70 No. 1. It was not.

To this day, I don't know why it kicked so hard, though it was the lighter version.

I don't find mine intolerable to shoot. I wouldn't want to shoot 20 off the bench in one sitting with either the 450-400 or my 375 H&H but a range session prior to deer camp or load development isn't objectionable

I’m going to try to get mine into the hunt coming season. Was finally able to order some 300 grain Hornadys a few minutes ago. I have smallish whitetails to hunt, think the 400 Woodleighs would have been a little underwhelming, for as hard as they kick. Not sure how fast I’m going to try to push them, I’m sure they’d do fine even backed off.
But 2400+ should be no problem if I’m feeling it.

I use the 300 grain Hornady in my rifle with a reduced load of H4895 producing 2000 FPS. This makes for a very comfortable load and a great deer load as well. I've pushed that bullet up over 2400 FPS but it was uncomfortable for me.

Thank you for the insight. Did you use any sort of filler? I’m not familiar with 4895, how bulky it is or isn’t, what sort of case fill that would be?

There is no filler needed. I used 68gr of H4895 and the Hornady bullet. I used JB's formula for the reduced load. He has a good chapter on the subject in one of his Gun Gack volumes.