I just received my Ruger #1H, chambered in 416 Remington Magnum. I have been handloading for about 5 or 6 years, but only for lever and bolt actions.

Is there anything I should know before I start? I know I don't have to crimp, but should I neck size?

To anybody who has experience reloading for single shots, please tell me if I am missing anything.

Well in my Ruger #1 I do a full length resizing the brass fits better when I do and I crimp all my loads for better consistency

Intersting question and with no experience of single shot rifles, I can't add information but I can add to the question.

Why would this style of loading/chambering require anything other than, say, neck sized, uncrimped rounds?

Presumably brass fired in this rifle would continue to work better & last longer if neck sized only?

If you're feeding rounds in one at a time, what about the mechansim demands the additional robustness of a crimp? Surely the primer or the bullet tip aren't used as levers?

For my TC Encore I have the size die set to do the neck and bump the shoulder back. The cases in a break action single shot will expand lengthwise enough to complicate lockup. In a Ruger with its lever,neck sizing may be sufficient if the rounds will chamber correctly.As for the crimp, that may be determined by trying both crimped and uncrimped rounds to see which the rifle prefers.
Regards
Rick

Ive got two No.1s and a No.3 and all Ive ever done is to neck size only and there is no reason to crimp.

One thing remains as the most important thing when hunting with a single shot rifle, especially a DGR rifle like the .416. The ammo must drop into the chamber via gravity with no assist from the shooter's thumb. It must also eject and fall clear from the gun after firing. For this, full length resizing may be mandatory when on a hunt. I say "may" because some of my #1's work just fine with neck sized ammo and others need to be full length sizing to be reliable in the field. My .375 H&H works great with neck sizing, but the 7x57 and .243 both have to be full length sized. Your rifle will tell you what it likes best.
Paul B.

I loaded up 20 rounds for the 416. I full length sized them, then seated the bullet to the canelure. I played with the seating depth, and the shell would drop into the chamber when the bullet was WAY out there. I'm going to start at the max oal. for the 416(3.56"), then work my way out to find the sweet spot. Or shold I start just off the rifling and work my way deeper?? By the way, the bullet is a 400 gr. Hornady soft point.

Although the cartridge was designed for DG, the most dangerous beast I will probably tackle with it will be a curious black bear or a horny bull moose!

One more thing. What is the difference between the Ruger No. 1 and the No. 3?

Your showing your age now - just joking - the No.3 was the No.1 action with a shorter barrel and a few other changes that was basically a carbine version of the No.1.
They are not made anymore and not sure when Ruger quit production.::::Multi Vis