I'm getting very close to buying a .375 HH Ruger 1 that's calling my name every time I enter my local firearm emporium.

My #1 hunting tool is my recurve, so I naturally tend to enjoy hunting close and the closer the better. When using a firearm, up to now, it's always been iron sights. But, age is cruel, and I'm accepting the fact that it's time to consider a scope. My eyesight is still good enough that the Eye Doc didn't feel I need glases for the day to day stuff. I do use 2x reading glasses for that damned small print that seems to be on every thing these days. :^)

Scope selection & mounting systems seems a bit overwelming. I thought I start with asking anyone that shoots a Ruger 1 in .375HH about their experiences & suggestions. Also, I'm not the most gracefull swan om the lake, so I'm interested in a tough product. It's worth the money to have something that I or a baggage handler won't destroy too easily.

Thank you.

Welcome to the forum. Take a look at the Leupold 1.5x5 or the 1.75x6. Both excellent scopes for the 375. I highly recommend you get the Heavy Duplex. It shows up in low light and heavy brush.
The 375 No1 is a very good rifle.

The 1-4x20 leupold is also an excellent scope and has been upgraded with click adjustments and a better coating on the outer lenses.

Also a fixed 2.5x compact leupold might lao interest you considering your style of hunting.

The mounts come with the rifle so thats where you will start I suppose.

I would get a Leu VX1 2X7. They cost only $179 from places like Grafs and are the best value for a well made item.

As to the price of the #1. There is a new one for sale at the Autumn Gun Works in Goshen, CT for $495!

I'll second the 2x7x33 Leupold. Most of the time my #1 in .375 wore iron sights, receiver aperture, but when I scoped the beast the little Leupold worked great.

I think the 2x7 is one of their better scopes.

BTW, you might want to consider a rear peep, e.g., Williams or NECG. They work well on the Rugers and look great.

I've got eyes over fifty, also!

i have the ruger 1 in 375 and i love it and cant say to much about it mine is the stainless version with laminate stock the scope i am useing is the 2.5-8 vxlll using ruger stainless scope rings.

im using a 300 grn barns-x at 2640fps with 72 grns of rel 15 and a cci 250 magnum primer(this is the max listed load in the barns reloading manual (accuracy is great all shots at 100 yards grouping 1" i have shot better groups but this is about the norm.

On my Ruger No.1 416 Rem Mag, I have mounted a Weaver V3 1-3X20mm matte scope in Leupold low 1" gloss rings. Works great for me. Compact, light, bright, clear, in-expensive, solid, and a huge field of view for close shots.

Weaver V3
http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/183610

Leupold Rings
http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/598764

BTW, I don't work for MidWay, just they show good pics of their products. Also, Ruger does not supply scope rings for their single shot No.1 rifles if they come with open sights. M77 Mk2 rifles can be had with rings & sights at a extra cost.

[ 01-20-2003, 09:24: Message edited by: todbartell ]

My #1 from about 2 years ago did not come with ring s. I've also used a Leupold 2x7 and like the higher end magnification for the longer shots the 375 is capable of. I'm very pleased with the combination, although the 1.5x5 would look even classier. Bob

I like the Leupold, but consider the Nikon Monarch 1.5-4.5x20 as well. I have one mounted on my .375 and Its worked quite well.
good luck

[ 01-24-2003, 03:35: Message edited by: CZ 550 ]

I have in my grubby hands both a 2-7 & 1-4x20 leupolds. I am debating which will go on to my cz. I am leaning towards the 1-4. 4x is plenty of magnification for bigger stuff from pigs and up to 300 yards which is as far as I would ant to shoot. Actually the leupold specs for the 1-4 say it is 4.5x at setting 4, please correct me if this is wrong. The new 1-4x20's have an improved coating and click adjustment which makes them closer to the Vari X111 in performance. Personally I just could not justify the extra $370AUS the varix 111 1.5-5x20 costs over the 1-4x20 VariX11. More to the point I just could not afford it.

Take a look at the improved VariX11 1-4 before forking out the extra for the 1.5-5. The 1-4 is a favourite of Ray's as well if I recall correctly.

I bought my Burris made rings from Brownells.

At the time I couldn't afford both the rifle and a "decent 'scope" so I mounted a cheap jap '4 x 32 I had lying around. I didn't expect it to last. Well, 12 years and several thousand rounds later it is still working fine, zero never shifts and adjustments are still precise and repeatable and the optics are still as bright as the Ziess' and Leopolds that my friends have that cost at least twenty times as much.

In fact my scope, that came with lense caps, cost less than the lense caps that you have to buy for a Leopold!

Thank you all for your help & thoughts. So far it looks like I'm leaning toward the Leopold VARI X III 1.75 x 6. I can't seem to access Nikon's specs on the Monarch. I'll have to go compare them in person next.

What I was most interested in was hearing how these scope help up in the field. Again thank you, for that imput.

I'd like to hear any other comments on recticale chocies, as suggested the Heavy Duplex seems like a wise choice. Chances are that I'll use this rifle & scope in the South African Thornveld and hopefully for Brown Bear in Alaska or Russia. So, branches, twigs & stiocks will typically be in the sight picture.

BTW - I'm really enjoying this site & it's helpfull membership!

With your eyesight going, I would consider the Leupold VXIII 3 x 9. Great scope, can find them used everywhere for less money, and remember that the .375 H&H is not a bad mid to long range round. With a 300 grain bullet, the .375 H&H matches up with a .308 Win and a 168 match bullet as far as bullet path. Mine will beat hell out of a pig target at 350yds. I have a Leupold 2 x 7 on mine but the 3 x 9 should not be overlooked for the money IMO.

I would go with the 1x-4x Leupold..4x is all the scope one can use on a 375 H&H, anything larger is just proud flesh...stay with the 20MM objective on any DGR....I also like the old 3x Leupolds if you can find one, but they bring as much as a 1-4 Leupold does new...

I have a Winchester M70 in 375H&H.I like a little more magnification for 100 yard shots so I replaced my 1X4 Leupold with a 3X9 Redfield.I am very pleased so far.If you only hunt large game at short distances than you can't beat the 1X4 Leupold but if you like making longer shots at smaller game,consider the 3X9.

I have allways been miffed by this American thing for bigger and better, including scopes, rifles and binoculars...

I can see rabbits and rockchucks at 1000 yds in a 4x scope well enough to shoot, surly thats good enough for big game, as is a 2.5x for elk, deer, and Buffalo....the only place for a power over 4x, at the most, is in varmint shooting perhaps, and in target shooting.

I cannot see any advantage to a 9 to 12 power scope in the real hunting field, if so please advise me of that circumstance and tell me of any animal shot that a 4x would not have done the job as well...

I write this off as totally in the mind of the shooter...It's a mind set from hi dollar advertisment, a hunter-shooter mind washing.

Just to add something here, I have made the discovery that I actually shoot better with lower magnification scopes than higher types. I am even considering replacing the 3-9 on my 30/06. I just think 9x at the top end on a even a 30/06 makes for a awkward over scoped rifle. Even a 30/06 could benifit from a 2-7 at most and probably the 1-4 would be a good choice for this as well.

Ray , the beauty of a 3X9 is you have a 3 if thats what you want.Its nice to have more power IF you want it.I bought my 3X9 Redfield at Academy Sports on sale for $170 IMHO not much money for a quality scope.You are right about the 4X,I like the extra power of the 3X9 particularly at the range.

Ray,
I agree that the lower power scopes are better for a wide field of view and less weight. I use a 2x7 Leupold and a 4x Zeiss on my .375's. However, the 3x9 is the most common scope made by any company, and can be had for cheap in any pawn shop. Cost would be the main advantage here. I am not debateing your opinion on DG rifles/scopes, for I am sure that you have more experience than I and it's not a bigger is better "AMERICAN" thing. Just another option for the people who love to hunt, but are on a limited budget.

I have a 375 H&H #1 that I use for deer, boar, and bear hunting. It is equipped with a Leopold varixII 3x9. So far I have no problems with the scope and the optics are quite good. I shoot Hornaday 270 gr. heavy magnums and they also perform flawlessly.