Looking for a starter big bore rifle, I wanted to go with the CZ, but the SS Ruger #1 in 458 Lott just stole my heart.... and didn't take my wallet either.(Easier to sneak past the wife)

I've shot a good friends 600OK, 585AHR, 450Dakota, and the 416Rigby, and was never bothered by the recoil (truth be known, I liked it). I believe my lighter weight 300WBY hurts more than the above big girls do.

Looking at a lot of posts, it would seem I'm in for some fun with the #1 in Lott.

I am a very experience reloader, and will be mostly reloading.

Does anyone with a #1 and/or 458 Lott have any tips or advice they'd be willing to share in reference to the rifle or reloading?

Three things:

1. Install a good recoil pad.

2. Contact Ruger and get the fixed rear and white bead front sights a' la Boddington models... and throw away the folding rear that is designed to be accidentally down when most needed.

If you want to put a scope on the gun, just use the medium height rings to clear the fixed express sight...

3. If you like aperture sights, forget #2 above and get a NECG sight with the largest "hole" available... or drill out the provided one a bit.

I HAVE A RUGER #1 STAINLESS IN 375 H&H. I DID NOT CARE FOR THE STRIPPED LAMINATED STOCK, SO I PAINTED IT WITH A DARK GRAY DURACOAT. VERY TOUGH STUFF. ALSO INSTALLED A LIMBSAVER GRIND TO FIT RECOIL PAD. FIT RIFLE WITH A LEUPOLD M8 4X. SHOOTS VERY GOOD WITH MOST LOADS. HAVE USED SPEER 235'S, AND CURRENTLY DEVELOPING LOADS FOR 250 & 270 GRAIN BULLETS. WELL MADE SETUP. I THINK YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR #1.

Since your a reloader, start with medium strength loads and work up...your shoulder AND brain will appreciate it. My 458 Lott has a pound of lead in the buttstock and with full power loads will effect your brain after a few shots. I'm not kidding either. The #1 stock does not lend itself to heavy recoil calibers. If I had to do it over I would have gone with the RSM instead as the recoil seems to be handled better with that type stock.

For fun loads, the 350 sierras and Hornadies over Reloader 7 produce great accuracy and moderate recoil @ 2400-2500 fps, and plenty of punch for all NA game.

I used both RL 15 and Varget for full patch 500 gr hornady soft loads. You have to compress the powder, so use a drop tube.

Other then that, it's an easy round to load for.

You can't go wrong with any Ruger #1. I have a Lott and just bought a donor rifle for a 500 Nitro.

Hello,
I also have the No.1, SS/458Lott and installed recoil reducer/merc. device, plus Galco velcro type fit additional pad and makes for a much more pleasant rifle to shoot compared to original configuration. Have the RSM's in 458Lott and 375HH and will say that the NO.1 w/ above alterations is easier on my shoulder than the RSM version w/ full house loads. Good practice bullet is the Rem. "bulk" 405 jacketed bullets, but if you put some steam behind them, jacket will peel away and leave copper. Those bullets were designed for lesser velocities as in 45/70, but easy enough to clean bore and cheap shooting/practice. As mentioned earlier, don't care for the fold down type rear sight, also have the NECG peep sight, but currently using Nikon 1.5x4 scope and have a fair number of rounds through it and scope is holding up so far?? Will tend to the rear sight and different scope in fuure, but having good time with it as it is! If it's not broke, don't fix it. Lot of rifle for the money.

martin

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
You can't go wrong with any Ruger #1. I have a Lott and just bought a donor rifle for a 500 Nitro.

Ditto.
The 500 Nitro Express Ruger No. is the ultra-cool one, requires a rebarrel.

The 450 NE 3.25" of 1898, the first true Nitro Express cartridge, is a simple rechamber and ejector fitting away, with the .458WinMag or .458 Lott Ruger No.1.

I really like the fixed sights on the Ruger Alaskan and #1 "Boddington" models.

I'm picking up this rifle later this week, so I don't have her infront of me yet... But
I thought these fixed sight models had a verticle set screw set at the front of the sight to lock in the horizontal adjustments, and the folding sights were just friction fit? Is this retro fit as easy as a drill & tap?

Many years ago I had a #1V in 22-250 that wasn't accurate after trying everything. I was fairly frustrated w/ this rifle and had a smile on my face when I traded it in. It was a very pretty rifle, but was all show and no go. I haven't heard many complaints about the big bore number ones. It seems most people are very satisfied w/ the accuracy.

Do most set the crimp at the cannelure, or do you try and get close to the lands?

You made a GREAT choice Any reasonable load shoots MOA with either the big Lott or .458 Winnie. Beautiful sleek rifle

Do not buy the Hornady reloading dies, They resize way to small and when you seat a bullet the cases look like an hourglass. I returned mine and got the RCBS brand. inexpensive, and they work properly.I have the same rifle, and changed the pad to a limbsaver, I also use a Past shield when shooting from the bench. enjoy

The recoil of a Lott in a Ruger no.1 is greatly exagerated. Only a tad more than a .458 win in the same gun. dont sweat it.-Rob

Maybe I need a Ruger No.1 in 500 Mbogo instead of 500 NE.
Need one in .395 Tatanka also.

I have had no problems with the Rigby rim in the Ruger No.1.
Heck, W. D. M. "Karamojo" Bell used a .318 WR rimless double rifle!

A "400" and a "500" aka "Forty Ought Seven" and "Fifty Aught Eight."

The perfect pair for PG and DG ... at least as perfect as a pair of single shots can be ...

I owned a # 1 in .416 Rigby for awhile, the gun was accurate, and handled recoil reasonably well, but I find the CZ 550 in the same caliber to be much more pleasant.

My favorite load in the Lott is 87.0 Grs of W748, which I found on Saeed's reloading page.

quote:

Originally posted by mwm464:
Looking for a starter big bore rifle, I wanted to go with the CZ, but the SS Ruger #1 in 458 Lott just stole my heart.... and didn't take my wallet either.(Easier to sneak past the wife)

I've shot a good friends 600OK, 585AHR, 450Dakota, and the 416Rigby, and was never bothered by the recoil (truth be known, I liked it). I believe my lighter weight 300WBY hurts more than the above big girls do.

Looking at a lot of posts, it would seem I'm in for some fun with the #1 in Lott.

I am a very experience reloader, and will be mostly reloading.

Does anyone with a #1 and/or 458 Lott have any tips or advice they'd be willing to share in reference to the rifle or reloading?

I am so glad other people share my enthusiasm for the No.1 in 458 Lott. I've got 2 in stainless (NEGC peep sights) one for me, and one for my kid(s) when we hunt.

I very rarely shoot factory ammunition - I've developed loads with 350gr - 500gr projectiles, lead and jacketed. Use Hornady brass. I get sticky extractions with Jamison brass and 500gr bullets @ 2100. I've relegated the Jamison brass to my 45-70 clone loads for deer hunting.

You will get a lifetime of satisfaction from this one. Additionally, Ruger isn't manufacturing them at this point. Prices have increased slightly.

Have fun!

I have a Ruger No. 1, blue/walnut in .458 Win. Mag. I think it's "pre-Lott" . . .

Put a Leupold 4x 30mm (I think) FX I on it. I think about sending it to Ruger to bore out to Lott, but then . . . Win. Mag. is just fine for most applications. The new powders resolve the compressed load issues and produce the 2200 fps the 500 gr. bullet is designed for.

It came with some sort of peep sight, quick detach on the scope lug. Nice, but the Leupold has lots of eye relief, and I'm not hunting with this gun anyways.

I don't shoot the Ruger # 1 but I own the CZ 550 Safari 458 Lott and I use RL25 powder.

Ive got a #1 stainless/laminated in 458 Lott, had it for around 4 years, I had a NECG peep on it, found the apperture to small, hard to pick up game in thick cover, so I went with XS ghost rings, perfect!
Use it on Camels , donkies and the odd horse, find the 350 gn round nose Hornnady the best at 2500fps for the afore mentioned game, use 300gn Sierra and Hornady, 405gn Rem cheapies, Woodleigh 405gn, and Barnes 450 tsx and 500 tsx, found the barnes 500's too heavy for camels, would like to try them on a scrub bull, reckon they would be allright on heavier game.

quote:

Originally posted by choppa:
Ive got a #1 stainless/laminated in 458 Lott, had it for around 4 years, I had a NECG peep on it, found the apperture to small, hard to pick up game in thick cover, so I went with XS ghost rings, perfect!
Use it on Camels , donkies and the odd horse, find the 350 gn round nose Hornnady the best at 2500fps for the afore mentioned game, use 300gn Sierra and Hornady, 405gn Rem cheapies, Woodleigh 405gn, and Barnes 450 tsx and 500 tsx, found the barnes 500's too heavy for camels, would like to try them on a scrub bull, reckon they would be allright on heavier game.

That's interesting. I couldn't keep Hornady RN 350's intact after ~2200 fps.

I've also heard donkeys can soak up a lot of lead. Do you find this to be true?

MWM 464,

Oh God, and another recoil junkie comes out of the closet. And he likes it! Welcome to the club, its hard to get out of it.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdoggy700:
MWM 464,

Oh God, and another recoil junkie...

That post car-wreck feeling is hard to beat. It is addictive!

That's interesting. I couldn't keep Hornady RN 350's intact after ~2200 fps.

I've also heard donkeys can soak up a lot of lead. Do you find this to be true?[/QUOTE]

Gday Mate,

I have never found them any great challenge to put down, found the old dirty thirty (30/30) does the job emphatically, Donkeys are no great hunting challenge thats for sure.

Chris