I've decided I want a Ruger #1 Tropical. Only problem is I can't decide on what caliber. I want somthing stupidly large, and I don't care how practical it is. It'll see the odd deer, rabbit and gopher. But it will also be used on everything on this continent up to and including Grizzly. Also, one day I will venture onto African shores. My choices are .375 Hurt-N-Holler, .416 Rem. .416 Rigby. .458 Win mag, or .458 Lott. I know I can fire the win out of the lott, so it only makes sense to go that route, if it's a .45 I go with. I've always had a love for the .458. But I could get more range out of the .375. Brass and ammo is cheaper too. What's cool to shoot and why?

What's the biggest gun you've fired to date?

Even though I'm a huge fan of the 458 Lott, I'd be hesitant to recomend one in a Ruger #1. Not that the gun can't take it, it's what it does to the nut behind the but.

I've shot .300 winchesters, .338 winchesters, 45-70's, .50 cal muzzleloaders with great plains bullets, and .54 cal muzzleloaders with maxi's. I like recoil. It makes me as giddy as a schoolgirl!

Since you like recoil I heartily recommend the #1 in 458 Lott. Bone stock and with full loads it will make you _very_giddy You can find #1 Lotts for under $600 bucks and downloading the round makes the rifle okay to shoot. If you find you like the Lott cartridge you can always do what I did...get an Lott RSM and sell the #1

John

pharaoh2
as you have said,you've already made your decision to go with a No.1, but I think you should reconsider this on two points.

This rifle will hopefully make it to Africa one day and there has been enough discussion on this board in respect to DG v SS rifles.
I assume we are talking DG hunting judging by the calibres you are considering.

Secondly,in regard to such calibres in a No.1,the recoil will be fairly wicked.Excellent novelty value but getting to be a little bit impracticle for fair dinkum shooting.

Don't get me wrong, I love the No.1's, got one myself in 220 Swift, and they can be made into a real "gentleman's" piece, but I just think that there are limitations with one of these.

Maybe this will help you to reconsider, it belongs to a friend of mine.

Get a .458 and build it into a .45-120.

George

Go with the Lott, the most versatile of the 458 bores, light 45-70 cast loads to near 460Wby. Replace the pad, add some weight to the butt, you'll love the Ruger #1:

quote:

Originally posted by pharaoh2:
I've shot .300 winchesters, .338 winchesters, 45-70's, .50 cal muzzleloaders with great plains bullets, and .54 cal muzzleloaders with maxi's. I like recoil. It makes me as giddy as a schoolgirl!

So you've never shot anything with real recoil go with the 458 Lott Seriously, it is a quantum leap increase in recoil vs what you've shot. I like #1's, and the 458 Lott, but can't see putting them together. The #1 in a NE to go with a double rifle makes sense, but the 458 Lott really belongs in a bolt rifle.

I've got one in .458WM, and it is all I want with regard to recoil. This is my first big bore, and I love it. But (and it's a big but), this gun is fun and usefull precisely because you can down load to 45-70 ballistics. If I had to shoot full bore loads all the time, this gun would not get a lot of use.

More experienced big bore riflemen might not mind this level of recoil for long sessions, but I'll bet there aren't many of those in the real (non-internet) world. I can shoot about 8 factory rounds in a row, from a standing position, and then I've had enough.

Therefore, I shoot mostly reduced loads. I load 300gr cast, 350gr cast, 375gr cast, 405 grain cast, 525gr cast, 540 gr cast, 350gr jacketed, and 405gr jacketed. I shoot these at under 2000fps (the heavy ones at 1500fps) and get outstanding accuracy, moderate recoil, and good deer-killing power. It's an amazingly versitile rifle.

I may try some 350gr Northfork SS at 2300fps for a longer range load.

I vote for a .458 of some type, due only to the versitility. There are so many bullets and the cartidges are very easy to load for.

But keep in mind that the recoil is harsh with full bore .458WM loads. I don't think I want to try the Lott loads.

FWIW, YMMV

mmmm...it's 375 Hoot & Holler . If you want recoil, stopping power, and versatility, 458 Lott (can you say ouch?). I would, however, refrain myself to either a 375 H&H or no more than a 416 Rigby in a #1H (classic cartridges in a classy rifle), but that's just me.

I have one in 458 Win mag I purchased years ago before the Lott was available. Bear in mind that I subscribe to the ranger bob(above) school of thought. I bought this rifle with the intent to fire a few "heavies" now and then but mostly to shoot lighter cast loads from the bench. It is accurate and versatile, but not a front line "safari rifle"

If you really want to go to Africa or Alaska a single shot will not be your best choice. Much as I love my #1, a bolt action would be preferable in the tall and uncut.

pharaoh2,
Fine idea, the Ruger No. 1, when you are ready for the touch of distinction that Single Shot use implies: Expert or just plain nuts!

I have 3 of them now, a couple more having come and gone in trade. All were fine rifles, and shot well. What remains:

1. For a rimless cartridge: A .416 Rigby that slays water buffalo at 50 yards and fallow deer at 342 yds, with 350 grain bullets at 2700 fps.

2. For a belted cartridge: I have a .500 A-Square made from a rebarreled .416 Rigby Ruger No. 1 Tropical, mate to the other. It is scoped to put the 750 grain A-Max bullets centered on paper at 945 yards with a 5 mil holdover, Quigley be danged. I can shoot this one sitting with a long bipod. No worries, but yes it does have a muzzle brake, and comes with ear muffs attached.

3. For a rimmed/flanged Nitro Express: I have, in the works, the conversion of a stainless/laminate .458 Lott Ruger No. 1 to
.450 Nitro Express. When I get the laser sight and a 2.5X Leupold scope working together on that one, Mark Sullivan be danged!

It seems like the .416 caliber is getting a lot of press these days about being the do-all caliber. Look at the .416 Rigby, thats a pretty big round and will do anything you want. However, I would not risk my life when facing dangerous game with a single shot rifle, period. Not by choice anyway. I have a .375 H&H and a .458 Win Mag in Model 70s. Now I trust them for my future safari-to-be under fumble- fingered stress.

By the way, I have a Ruger No.1 in 25-06 Heavy Varminter thats a real shooter, and I am a big fan of single shots for general purpose hunting and shooting. Just not dangerous game. If you must have a punishing recoil factor in a rifle then just get the Lott, load it with 500 grainers, shoot 100 rounds off the bench and be done with it.

Good luck on your selection.

I have a Ruger No.1 in 416 Rigby. Stock butt pad was way to hard. Put on a Pachmayr Decellerator pad and can shoot 400 gr. Hornady bullets very comfortably for long sessions offhand with no problems. Would think twice using a single shot on a DG hunt. Better practice fast reloading for a quick follow up shot on DG.
Enjoy the Ruger, a great fun rifle.

I'll put in a lonely vote for the 416 Rem Mag. The Lott is great but like I said elsewhere, buying a Magnum so you can load it down is like marrying a big-tittied woman so you can send her in for breast reduction surgery.

The 416s puch hard, recoil moderately and shoot flat enough to take decently long shots. Of them, the Remington is most economical to feed.

"I want somthing stupidly large, and I don't care how practical it is."

Honestly, I'd borrow a rifle of heavy caliber and afterwards spend a few days letting the experience sink in. It might not change your mind, but then again, it might.

FWIW

For a gun that is mostly just for fun I would get one in 458 because of the great and dirt cheap selection of bullets. With 405 grain Remingtons you can shoot to your heart's content without breaking the bank. I don't think you will like full house 458 loads in a No 1 though.

For use in North America only, the .375 H&H is plenty! IF you intend to go to Africa someday, I'd get a .416 Rigby, although 99% of all African shooting can be done with the .375 as well.....

quote:

Originally posted by mix3006:
pharaoh2
as you have said,you've already made your decision to go with a No.1, but I think you should reconsider this on two points.

This rifle will hopefully make it to Africa one day and there has been enough discussion on this board in respect to DG v SS rifles.
I assume we are talking DG hunting judging by the calibres you are considering.

Secondly,in regard to such calibres in a No.1,the recoil will be fairly wicked.Excellent novelty value but getting to be a little bit impracticle for fair dinkum shooting.

Don't get me wrong, I love the No.1's, got one myself in 220 Swift, and they can be made into a real "gentleman's" piece, but I just think that there are limitations with one of these.

Maybe this will help you to reconsider, it belongs to a friend of mine.

mix, one of the nicest No.1's I've ever seen! Fabulous wood!

As for shooting dangerous game with a No.1 - I'd be more concerned about using it on big bear in Alaska than on the Big Five in Africa, where you are backed up by someone with a stopping rifle! The No. 1 is a great HUNTING rifle, but leaves a little to be desired as a stopper. With practice, the No. 1 CAN be reloaded pretty quick, though!!

"Secondly,in regard to such calibres in a No.1,the recoil will be fairly wicked.Excellent novelty value but getting to be a little bit impracticle for fair dinkum shooting."

"Honestly, I'd borrow a rifle of heavy caliber and afterwards spend a few days letting the experience sink in. It might not change your mind, but then again, it might."

Obviously people's tolerance to recoil varies widely, but I'd read and heed these two statements. I have a Model 70 in .375 H&H and it is no problem to shoot 50 or 60 rounds in one session. Shot 80 rounds in one afternoon preparing for Africa with no deleterious effects.

Last year I bought a Ruger #1 in .375 H&H. 20 rounds was okay, 30 was plain work, and 40 rounds was just bloody "suck it up and try to ignore the pain and the rapidly developing flinch".

Fired three shots in a row from a Ruger #1 .458 Win. Mag. once. Once.

Again, YMMV but a Ruger #1 in a heavy caliber will Kick you. if you just want to shoot 5-10 rounds of .458 Lott ammo per day, okay. Any more than that and the novelty will quickly wear off.

Unless one is an Alaskan resident, they to will be backed by a guide with a big gun, as non res hunters are required to have a guide for the hunting of brown and grizzly bears.

Single shot rifles deserve rimmed cartridges!

450 3 1/4
450 #2
375 flanged mag
45/120
470 NE

I'm glad you're gonna shoot it and not me!

El D; $2,500 blank!!

quote:

Single shot rifles deserve rimmed cartridges!

I think a neat plan is to get one in .458 WCF and rechamber it to .450 nitro. Utterly impractical, but still neat. (And rimmed!)

Also, one might consider getting the 1-S in 45-70 and rechambering to .450 BPE. Again, thoroughly impractical -- and only for the consumate handloader -- but it would certainly be a unique and entertaining gun.

Just to put a spanner in the works, why not get Pac-Nor to make you a pre-chambered barrel in the lovely 400 H&H, just to be really different.

H&H Mad.