Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Ruger No 1 big bores in Africa

Ruger has offered some interesting offerings for the Ruger No1. The 450/400 and 450 No2 being the most recent.
How many have made it across to hunt buffalo at least.
I admit I would rather enjoy a simple buffalo hunt carrying one of these latter cartridges. I don't feel the need to shoot everything as I once did but I do enjoy following buffalo. The Ruger is a simple and comfortable rifle to carry. The single shot is not a problem for me in thinking it is a major handicap. I have always enjoyed shooting my No1's and feel ashamed mine have not had the chance to go over. I am curious how many have made an honest gun of you big bore No1's by using it on DG.

I decided to only use my 416 Ruger on my elephant hunt in the Zambezi Valley in 2009. Alternated back and forth between my #1 450/400 and my 416 Ruger Hawkeye on buffalo. Actually shot the buffalo with the 416, but then put it away for the next week and took a bushbuck and impala with the single shot. Didn't matter to me - we were in eles and buff every day, and I felt I was prepared for whatever happened. Craig Boddington seems to really like his #1 450/400 that he and wife Donna shoot on the TV show.

My Lott worked well two years ago and is going back this summer for Waterbuck!







[img]http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/StumpBuster/AfricaPictures238.jpg[/img]

Stump

Stump Buster, cool rifle. Which scope is that?

Guy

Thanks GuyM.....it's a Leupold Scout Scope set as far forward it can go with the factory rings. It's at the very closest end of it's eye relief range. It makes for a VERY fast system while allowing your head to stay upright and comfortable while still maintaining a proper cheek weld.

Stump, cool rifle and pics. Think I read about your hunt. Is that rifle a 458 WM? By the by, to the OP, my son and I are going to Zim, this summer. We are both taking Ruger no. 1s, in 375 H&H. We are hunting cape buff, hippo, and tuskless ele.


maddog

stump, is that an aftermarket stock. I was thinking of putting a laminated one on my 375 so i don't beat up the walnut one.

Thanks Again Guys! The rifle is a stainless 458 LOTT that Jack Huntington bead blasted and trimmed the forward edge of the safety to allow the empty casings to fly free of the action when having to reload quickly. The stock is factory, but my friend Randall Fung (Fung Grips) stippled the throat and forend for my birthday one year. It's turned out to be one of may favorite rifles ever! Here's the story of the trip and the rifles used if yuo want to read about it (I posted it here over a year ago, but it has since timed out, so that's why I have a link to another excellent website)

http://singleactions.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=hunting&action=display&thread=904

Thanks Again and I hope the OP doesn't mind the sidetrack.

Stump


PS - I re-read the "africa trip" posting and found some typos I missed the first time I proof read it. I haven't fixed them yet....sorry about that.

I know Mule Deer/John Barsness took his .375 Number One to Africa and shot at least Gemsbok & Cape Buff with it.

Stump Buster
You are a young man so make the plans and go back. It is nice to see the #1 in Africa.

Randy

I enjoyed your report on the link you provided.

SB, very nice read. Sounds like a great trip.

Very nice rifle, SB.

How do you manage the eye relief with that setup. Leupold's scout scope is supposed to have a 23 mm ER, I checked the measurements on my no 1 considering you have your objective reaching the rear end of the action and it looks impossible to comfortably aim with the eye 23mm away from it. Can the scope be used at closer range from the eye ?

Eye relief on that Scout Scope is quite long:

Eye Relief (in) 9.3
Eye Relief (mm) 236

I find it a very interesting use of the Scout Scope, which is often seen mounted well forward of a receiver on lever action or bolt action rifles.

Does it work correctly ? I tried and can't properly hold the rifle with the eye at te right range from the scope objective's suppposed place. 180-200 mm maybe but not 230.

I am plnning on taking the one on the right after buffalo. It is a .416 Rigby topped with a 2.5x8 VXIII. The one on the left is going after a water buffalo. It is a .405. It is wearing a M8-3 but will soon be changed to a 2.5x8 as well. reflex264

Can the Ruger offset scope rings be reversed to give more forward adjustment for a scout scope?

No, they only fit one way.

Pete

In 2008 on my first trip to Africa (Selous LU5 in Tanzania) I used a Ruger No. 1 in 416 Remington to kill two buffalo, an impala, warthog, and a wildebeest.

This year I shot a nice leopard with a Ruger No. 1 in a 300 Win Mag.

Thoroughly enjoyed having the No. 1 on both hunts.

Cool photos! Glad to see the ol' single shot Rugers came through. After your hunts, any reservation whatsoever about using the Number One on dangerous game?

I have made four trips to Africa, all DG trips. You give up a little speed for your second shot no matter how much you practice with the No. 1, and I practiced a lot before leaving.

This years hunt was early season and it was green and thick and on the buffalo hunts I felt better with my double than I would have with the Ruger or even a bolt gun. However I did shoot one of the buffalo on that trip with my CZ.

The short answer is I would hunt anywhere with the No. 1, but there are some places I would prefer the double.

Good post Mike and a very realistic assessment. Bottom line is you are raising the stakes when you go in after DG with a single shot and no backup. jorge

Hey GV,

Sorry for the delayed reply. Been back for a few weeks now but have been SUPER busy!!! The scout scope works perfect as long as you keep a relaxed upright head position and bring the stock to your face rather than your face down to the rifle (Not sure if that was easy to understand). I'll try this way... place the toe of the rifle into the pocket of your shoulder and keep the rifle at a "low ready" position, now look around with your head in a normal "relaxed" erect position...now (without moving your head forward and down, bring the rifle up to your face while keeping both eyes focused on a far off object...the scope should just materialize in front of your dominant side eye and the crosshairs will be on target and the scope should have perfect clarity (it does for me anyway). I also have a limbsaver pad on my rifle that may be adding another 1/4" or so to my LOP. Hope that helps...even if it's a bit late getting to ya.

I finally uploaded a couple pics tonight of the Waterbuck and Nyala I picked up on this last trip with the Lott....

Nyala...


Waterbuck (Day 6 and my longest shot with the Lott to date = 175yds)...


Tools of the Hunt (Ruger No.1, Conley Precision Ammunition, Simply Rugged Cartridge Slide, Swamp Rat Knives Custom Shop Vexillarius and Wild Boar Leather Co. Sheath)...


All the Best,

Mike

Thanks for the answer and congratulations for those shots

I don't like to always be a contrarian on this subject, and plains game is one thing, but I think hunting DG with a single shot is a dangerous stunt. There have been times I've needed the second shot--now. Other times it's just been insurance, but I didn't know for sure the first shot was fatal when I fired it.

No matter what anyone says, it is impossible to get off a second well-aimed shot with a Ruger #1 as fast as with a double or a bolt action under the best of circumstances. Under the worst of circumstances, you end up dropping the round in the grass and fumbling for another.

Since the invention of effective DG cartridges about 1900, has there been a single PH or game ranger who used a single shot? At least not very many.

Detractors of single shot rifles have always made the argument that the second shot is too slow. What most don't realise is that when shooting a single, we make sure the first one counts. In the matter of dangeerous game, there will never be as fast of a second shot as with a double, but we pay substantial bucks for a competant ph to take up the slack if and when needed. So do those shooting bolts or doubles.

I have taken three grouse out of the air with a singl shot shotgun, so a single shot can be reloaded remarkably quickly when needed. As jorge has stated you choose to raise the stakes when using a single. You do so with eyes wide open both before and during the hunt.

Great photos. I own #1s but chose a bolt 375. I have questioned that decision, and always drool over the #1 H considering another purchase in the future.

Randy

What most single shot advocates apparently don't realize is that those of us hunting with bolt action rifles do exactly the same thing. Why wouldn't we? You never know if you're going to get a second shot and, if you do, it will be under more difficult circumstances.

Even though I have hunted Africa with a No. 1 I have never subscribed to the theory that shooting a single shot makes you a better shooter on the first shot. If you are sloppy on the first shot you will more than likely even be worse on the subsequent shots regardless of the action.

But I also do not feel it is a dangerous stunt. You can fumble shells while reloading a double, you can shoot the first shot with a bolt action and "admire" your shot while not working the bolt. The role of the PH and the client is different, so I would not expect the PH to have a single shot. Also as a note, to date no PH has backed me up on anything.

Regardless of the type of action practice using it and you will be fine.

The implication was not that others do not make the first one count, but that virtually all single shot shooters do. I also hunt bolt actions as my post indicated. No disrespect intended, and no desire for a match of urinary skills.

Randy

You might also consider hunting DG only from a blind surrounded by land mines - just to be sure!