Ive got a ruger no1 in 458 lott that is about to be sent off to get a facelift to 500ne 3". I've done a bit of looking around through the 713+ pages of information on this forum and figured what the heck, I'll add another. I was looking for input as far as loads, recoil pad recommendations, hunting stories and things to watch for. Or anything else that could be pertinent. This rifle was bought as a 458 lott that was NIB until i took it for a grizzly hunt whilst stationed in alaska this last year. Recoil really isnt too big of an issue, I've put 50rnds in one sitting through it as it is in stock form without ill effect besides a lightly bruised shoulder. Been lucky enough to get a good deal on 50 pieces of once fired norma brass, now I'm just trying to find dies and I'm trying to figure out what would be a good plinking bullet besides just using the woodleigh softs I'm paying too much for lol, planning to use RL-15 with data i got from woodleigh. This gun will hopefully see Africa, Alaska and Oz some day when its finished. But for now it'll be a range gun and will see plenty of use in the PNW on blacktail, elk and black bear. Thanks ahead of time for any input.

Hyak, welcome! Great first post!
Your project is one I have considered more than once, but I am such a hopeless romantic I would probably set the gun up for .500 BPE 3 1/4, and run nitro-for-black when I desired the smokeless/Woodleigh experience. For casual shooting, there are a number of lead bullet molds out there, and among the very cheapest would be the Lee molds designed to cast bullets for the .50-70 and .50-90 BP cartridges. These will drop about .515, and you can get a .512 size die from all the usual suspects.
If you are set on firing full-starch .500 NE loads most of the time, you may want to consider a better butt stock design, but if you are happy shooting 50 rounds of Lott at a time, you may not need it. I would, but I am an old guy.

Thanks for the reply! Don't get me wrong though, that was 50 rounds freehand, 20 off the bench burning through factory loads was all i wanted to deal with lol. It's still enough to catch my attention, but for the 500 there will definitely be a new recoil pad

You could add some weight while the pad is off. The mercury filled tubes are usually a slip fit. I have and like the solid Kickeez pads on my big guns.

I use 450 grain .510s from Hawk bullets. And for anything hunted in NA.
Also, I routinely put mercury brakes in #1s; they tend to be lightish.

NOE have a good mould if you cast your own. It comes in solid or HP version. The HP version looks like a shot glass!

When I had my 500 3 1/4” Nitro Double I settled on RE15 and Kynoch wads.

Good luck with it and interested to hear how it goes.

I turned one of those .458 Lott Ruger No.1's into a 450 NE 3-1/4",



simple as extractor work and rechamber, and glass and pin the stock,
for emotional support of the laminate under recoil,



and some stamping on the barrel:



I have a .500 A2 Ruger No.1, which is a bugholer:



The Ruger No.1 was actually more accurate than the bolt action (since re-barreled), and it is the only .500 A2 I have now.



I have one more spare Ruger No.1 action and a B&C fiberglass stock (they don't make those B&C stocks anymore),
and I am cogitating a build with those parts:

.500 NE: Rimmed instead of belted .510-caliber would be most cool ...
470 NE: I have lots of 470 NE brass, from purchase of a dead man's stash ...
or .458 WIN slow-twist for cast bullets ...

The .458 WIN could be done on a .45-70 Ruger No.1 with 1:20" twist, just as easily as the Lott was turned into a NE ...

I have .50-70 and .50-90 single shots aplenty, and the .500 A2 to exceed anything my shoulder likes ...

Yep, confirmed, I gotta do a Ruger No.1 470 NE. Just most "practical" for me.
The weak sister to the .500 NE will do for me, and the older I get the more sense that makes.

Or maybe a .500 NE 3-1/4" using 470 NE brass necked up, or just trim the 470 NE brass down to 3" and call it a .500 NE 3".

Rip ...

Buttstock was epoxy bedded to action and two brass pins inserted by a Gunsmith who builds custom flintlock rifles:



Real support or just emotional support?

The .500 A-Square finally got iron sights and barrel stamping, nearly twenty years after initially assembled by a different gunsmith:











It is good to find a Gunsmith (Rusty McGee) who will indulge the whims of a bubba like me, as in barrel stamping above,
and glass bedding B&C stock wth which I had replaced original walnut, through no fault of the walnut.

Rip ...

quote:

Originally posted by Hyak55171:
Ive got a ruger no1 in 458 lott that is about to be sent off to get a facelift to 500ne 3". I've done a bit of looking around through the 713+ pages of information on this forum and figured what the heck, I'll add another. I was looking for input as far as loads, recoil pad recommendations, hunting stories and things to watch for. Or anything else that could be pertinent. This rifle was bought as a 458 lott that was NIB until i took it for a grizzly hunt whilst stationed in alaska this last year. Recoil really isnt too big of an issue, I've put 50rnds in one sitting through it as it is in stock form without ill effect besides a lightly bruised shoulder. Been lucky enough to get a good deal on 50 pieces of once fired norma brass, now I'm just trying to find dies and I'm trying to figure out what would be a good plinking bullet besides just using the woodleigh softs I'm paying too much for lol, planning to use RL-15 with data i got from woodleigh. This gun will hopefully see Africa, Alaska and Oz some day when its finished. But for now it'll be a range gun and will see plenty of use in the PNW on blacktail, elk and black bear. Thanks ahead of time for any input.

Hello Sir,

I've planned the same project for a .500 Nitro Ruger #1.
In 2014, I email SSKINDUSTRIES, and received a prompt reply from JD Jones. In summary:



He suggested a muzzle break for the 26 " barrel I want plus a spring loaded stock ( not my preference)

They reinstall the quarter rib but you would need a new barrel band swivel and sight.

The 2014 price quote was under $1400 with the muzzle break , existing stock.a great value I think given the reputation of JD and SSKINDUSTRIES.

I'm thinking, add 2 mercury recoil reducers in stock, some weight to the forend, Magnaport barrel, and a Kick-Ezee pad. I don't like traditional muzzle breaks; they work but too damn loud, especially with my hearing loss.

As for practice loads, in my .500 Jeffery CZ, I'm using Cast Performance Bullet Co. 435 gr Heat Treated LBT SWCGC as a practice (75% rule) of my Jeffery 570 grain load that duplicates.500 Nitro Express velocity.

POI is nearly the same as the 570 grain load at 2150, and more fun to shoot.

When I got the CZ .500 Jeffery, I intended to load it to .500 Nitro ballistics.

3 shots with factory Kynoch 535 grains at 2400 confirmed that was a good idea.


Good luck with the project and keep us posted.

Rip and cajunchef, i appreciate ya'lls replies. I'm having a local smith do my gun up, said he'd keep it under 1500. I had considered having ssk do it but i was quoted a bit over 2k about a year ago and figured id give the local guy more business. He's been smithing in grays harbor forever and i believe he has almost 60 years experience.