I am new on this forum and looking for advice.
I am very interested to buy a Ruger#1, after seen it on a shooting range in 8x57JRS caliber.

What would be a good caliber for alround hunting in europe?
Could a Ruger#1 be used as a dangerous game rifle, too?
Please suggest calibers and why...

Thanks in advance

M

I have one in 458Lott. A little big for Europe
but great fun on big hogs. PH's tell me they have no problem with a #1 if the man can shoot it. With practice a #1 can be just as fast as a bolt gun. One gun is harder so some would have to say .375H&H to try it all. 30-06 For all except Big bears and other Dangerous Game. Now the Lott can be loaded with 325gr or so and reach out as well So that makes it my 1st pick.
It will kill,stop, hammer,etc what ever you shoot. Handloading is a must with it though.
If you do not then the .375 would be my pick as ammo is everywhere.

I think, to answer your question properly, I need to know what animals you plan on hunting? Are you allowed to handload your ammunition? How does heavy recoil affect you?
I don't know if Ruger even furnishes #1 rifles in European cartridges, so I will go with what I think would work. My first choice would most likely be a #1A in 30-06, .270 Win. or 7x57 Mauser for game up to deer size, with trhe 30-06 being OK for larger animals with proper bullet selection. This is the lightest weight version of the #1. A #1B in 30-06, .280 Rem. (if you can find one) or .270 would be next in line.
If you plan on animals larger than deer size, you might consider a .300 or .338 Win. Mag.although I think the .338 only came in the #1S which Ruger has dropped from the line. DAMMIT! I've been shooting and hunting with Ruger #1 rifles since 1975 and I have only seen one #1S for sale in all that time. it was a .300 Win. mag. and I not only bought it, but didn't even try to haggle the price down. Just my personal opinion, but I think it has the best balance of all the #1 rifles.
The .375 H&H, while a great all around the world cartridge has a couple of drawbacks in a #1, none real serious, but there. First, it's a darn good idea to replace the stupid piece of rubber Ruger considers a recoil pad with something a bit more substatial, like a Packmeyr Decelerator. Two, while hike up some mountain looking for a Chamois, that 9.5 pound rifle is going to get mighty heavy in a hurry. I don't know what the .458 Lott that was mentioned weighs, but my .375 H&H weighs 9.5 pounds without a scope, the .404 Jeffery 10.0 pound without scope and the .416 Rigby almost 11 pounds without scope.
Feeding the last two rifle, and probably feeding a Lott will require owning as least one oil well to afford the ammo. Well, almost. Regarding a rapid reload, yes, it can be done. With practice, you should be able to get off an "AIMED" shot almost as fast as an average shooter with a bolt action rifle. The cartridge fired and attendant recoil will have some effect on speed of reloading. For example, I'm probably twice as fast reloading my 7x57 #1A than I am the #1H in .416 Rigby.
Paul B.

Ruger claims 9.5 lbs on the lott. Yes a new recoil pad is a MUST. Handloading the lott is the only way to go. Here we can get the 405gr Rem. bullet at about $65.00 per 500. Factory ammo, You need the oil well. It will shoot 458 win mag if you need to which is everywhere. So much depends on what you will do the most.
Hope this helps. Yes I do like the Lott.
Gene

Paul B & Gene..
Thanks alot for your advice....
Next question: Should I consider a flanged or rimless cartridge?
Which one is best for the Ruger#1 action?
Reading your comments along with other forums on AR, I think I will go for a "big" medium-bore (300 to 8mm)or a "Light Big-bore (375 to 416) !! ....or ??

M

I don't think there are too many flanged (rimmed) cartridges chambered un the Ruger, unless Ruger makes some for the European market. About the only ones I can think of offhand are the .22 Hornet, .218 bee, and 46-70, but that doesn't there are not others.
Ruger #1s work just fine with rimless and belted cartridges though. My oldest rifle is the 30-06 I bought in 1975 and I have never had a failure to extract and eject, even with some very hot handloads.
I think Heym uses #1 actions to make a European version of the #1 chambered to European cartridges, so you might want to look into those, at least for something in an 8MM. I wouldn't mind having one in 7x57 or .300 H&H myself. Come to think of it, a #1A in 7x57 is a really neat stalking rifle for most game. Mine is one of my favotites.
Paul B.

Paul, I am with you, I am sorry to see the 300H&H fall by the way. I would love to have a set in 300 and 375H&H. Or 9.4 X 74R and 9.3 X 62
and a 7X57 is a good round also.They just won't
do it our way. To the point, the 416 is a fine round. Designed for 400grs and shoots great. The 375 H&H however IMO is a better all around rifle. You will see people post about shooting 235 to 270gr for deer, elk,etc. I believe the 375 comes into its own at 300. If I wanted 1 to go ,the 375H&H is it.
Gene

I have two #1s & love to hunt w/ them. You can hunt DG w/ a .375h&h & larger, you'll hav a PH backing you in Africa, but I prefer a bolt gun. For a all round hunting rifle they are grat. The #1 works better w/ a flanged round but non are availablein factory form but the .405 & .45-70. I would suggest a .30-06 for Euro. caliber or a .375h&h if you think you may want to hunt DG in Africa some day.

Hi I got a ruger #1 in 7RM semi heavy barrel , light varmint magnificent dark tiger walnut .Leupold VXIII 6,5-20 , tack driver . Was selected by Mr Ruger himself for a french friend .got my first chevreuil with it this july :Swift Scirocco on Norma. Quite a heavy gun for stalking i thought ,but with one of those camo neoprene slings ,you forget it .say a price ?

Welcome aboard, That sounds good. Someway, we should have a hunt for #1's only.Would be fun.
A Hog Hunt in Spain?
Gene

Thanks again for all your replies.
The 405 & 45-70 sounds interesting, I dont have any experince with these calibers.
Where will the 405 & 45-70 fit in, will they be in the class with 375?
Can they be used for DG?
What about the 375Flanged or the 500/416 NE?
I know they are not a standard Ruger#1 calibers, but if I should consider a customized caliber and ofcourse the expenses related to that, what kind of alternatives would you suggest?

M

If you are rebarreling then the sky is the limit. There are guys building them in .450NE & they are available in .416Rigby, .458Lott form Ruger. A .375 flanged would be very cool, but they already make one in .375h&h so I wouldn't bother, but a 9.3x74R would be a great all round for Europe & you could stretch it for buffalo in Africa. The .405 has been used to take buffalo in Ausie, an interesting caliber in a factory offering, just wish they would offer a #1S in 9.3x74R. I went custom on one of mine, it's a .338x74Keith. This is a 9,3x74R necked down & blown out. Basically a .338winmag on a rimmed case (the middle round .338x74K).

Good luck w/ the project.

Well, the underlying question still has not been answered. What game are you planning on hunting? Strictly European game or is African game included?
The .405 Winchester and 45-70 are cartridges from an earlier time. The 45-70 came out in 1873 and was the cartridge used by Custer and his men at the battle of the Little Big Horn. In a Ruger #1, it can be loaded up to near .458 Winchester levels, but recoil is quite stout.
The .405 came out in, I believe the early 1900s in the 1895 Winchester. President theodore Roosevelt took one to Africa and called it his "medicine gun" on lions. Professional hunter Charles Cottar also used one, and it failed to stop a charging rhino and he was killed. Both cartridges are fairly short range affairs.
Paul B.

Damn ya'll--all this got me going and I got another #1 yesterday. A 22-250 so now I need a Scope too. I think everyone should chip in cause it is ya'lls fault

If you people go for it, I'll try it on the wife
Gene

I have had 2 Ruger No1's, a 243 and a 45/70.
I still have the 45/70.
Both with sights and the Alex Henry forearm.
I agree with Paul B a 270, 7x57, or a 30/06 in a 1-A would serve you well. Just pick a cartridge that is available in your country.
Rimless rounds work perfect in the No1.

Interesting...suddenly my world changed after reading the latest postings..
It has starting me thinking.
I checked the costs for a new barrel, the price here in scandinavia will be the equal to 800-1200 USD, depending manufacture. Any advice from you, where I have to be careful when having the Ruger#1 re-barreled?
Any suggestion to type and manufacture?

Paul B:
Sorry, I forgot..I expect to hunt in Europe, Moose in the north and / or maybe Hogs in the southern and eastern part of Europe.
Africa?? Yes, but not within the coming year.
I always wanted an Oryx, (Buffalo...maybe)
Thanks again all of you

M

VKG10
I have done a fair amount of shooting, and hunting with my No1's. I like them a lot. I think if you are planning on hunting European game AND African Buffalo you need 2 No1's. I would get two factory No1's which would probably be about the same money as getting one with a custom bbl.I have only been to Africa on one 21 day hunt, taking plains game, 2 buff and 3 elephant. I used 2 double rifles, a 9,3x74R [scoped] and a 450 No2.
While I MUCH prefer the double rifle I could have done evcerything with two Ruger No1's in similar calibres.
So, I would recommend you first get a No1 in 7x57 ,270, or 30-06. Hunt with it for a while, and if it suits you, get one in 375 H&H,416, or 458 Lott depending on your recoil tolerance.
There is something SPECIAL about hunting with a single shot rifle.

ne450 si giving good advice. For the cost of the custom bbl. I would just get a #1H in .375h&h & call it done. A .3-06 would be nice if you want two rifles.

Well, I have to agree with N.E. 450. My personal choices would be either a 30-06, or, if there are some countries that won't allow it, possible a .300 Win. Magnum. If you prefer, the 30-06 could easily be rechambered to the .300 H&H Magnum using the 30-06 barrel. Either would suffice for all your European game, about all African plains game, and for the big five, get another #1 in either .375 H&H (preferred) or .416 Rigby. (Much harder kicking and noticably heavier to carry.) I'd add the .404 Jeffery to the list but Ruger only made a very limited run of those and they have a certain amount of collector status. Apparently Ruger may have made a mistake on the chamber dimensions of the .404 which makes reloading difficult unless one is very careful in adjusting the sizing die. I've never gotten th whole story on that and Ruger isn't telling.
Paul B.