Hi Gentlemen
Any suggestions for a good and reliable caliber for the Ruger#1.
I am thinking allround hunting for all european game, including longdistance shots.
I have posted a similar question on another forum, but I would like to have some recommendations too from this forum.

please advice

//voyager

What calibers do your hunting buddies use?
What calibers do local sporting goods dealers stock??
The only thing I have hunted in Europe is women (next week I am going to visit my inlaws!)

If you hadn't included long distance I'd have said .416 Rigby ... it'll do everything you want.

However, I think a .375 HH will *SLIGHTLY* outperform it at longer ranges - but I say that grudgingly.

With either of the above calibers you should be able to hunt anything you want on the continent without problem.

Good luck.

That's easy....25-06, .270, .280...or 6.5X55, 7X57.....These cal. will nicely kill anything you hunt in Europe @ distance...without excessive recoil....If you cast your own bullets to hunt with then I would consider one of the 9.3's....
cheers...mic

I'd say 300 win mag. Has enough power for your larger species, and is plenty flat shooting with the lighter bullets.

I'd go for a 30-06 ......it can do it all!

I understand that some countries do not allow military cartrdidges so keep this in mind. In general the effect of similar cartridges is about the same as it should be so just pick one that you like and is easy to live with.

Do a search here and look at the cartridges offered.

If a military cartridge is allowed then the 30-06 is a good choice. If not they chamber for the 7mm RM and 300 WM. You would have to check on the availability of those rounds where you are.

Unless you like heavy guns the 26" barreled #1's should be handled by you before you pick a model. The only #1 that I have kept is the 22" 1A. Mine was a 7mm RM and that barrel wore out and now it's a 30-06.

Good luck and tell us what you pick out.

Remington Mountain Rifle in .280 with a Leupold 2-7 compact and feed it 140 gr Nosler Part. The belt belongs in your pants not on your cartridge!!

300 Win Mag for your application.

Gentlemen..
Thanks alot for all your replies.
Should I be thinking of rimmed or rimless...
How reliable is the Ruger#1 extraction mechanism??
Is there any difference in the strength of the action between the Ruger#1 in the smaller caliber versus the Ruger#1 in the "safari" calibers??

//voyager

From 22 hornet to 458 Lott, they are all the same action. I have yet to get a #1, but I've heard they have a reliable ejector. Personally I think a rimmed cartridge is just a natural choice for a single shot, but I wouldn't hesitate to get a #1 in a rimless or belted chambering.

quote:

Originally posted by voyager:
Gentlemen..
Thanks alot for all your replies.
Should I be thinking of rimmed or rimless...
How reliable is the Ruger#1 extraction mechanism??
Is there any difference in the strength of the action between the Ruger#1 in the smaller caliber versus the Ruger#1 in the "safari" calibers??

//voyager

A few questions for you...
1. Are you interested in a new factory barreled Ruger #1? or do you plan on going with a custom barrel?...
2. Do you reload?
3. What is your definition of long distance
shots?
4. What is the largest animal that you hunt?
And how much will it weigh?
5. What is the size of the animal that you will hunt the most? and the hunting situation? (ie Mountain hunting,hunting from a stand,etc?
6. Do you own and shoot a rifle now?
7. If so what type and cal.?
8. How often do you get to shoot your rifles (ie. practice) in a non-hunting situation?


Rimmed vs non-rimmed....the # 1 handles them all and belted case also...
The strength of the actions are the same....

Personally I would forget the Ruger #1 and buy a Blazer K-95....that way you could have several barrels to meet your needs....cheers mic

If you could only have one a No.1 Sporter with premium wood, upgraded irons, and a 26 inch barrel chambered for 300 H&H would be nice. Too bad there is no such beast available off the rack these days. Good hunting!

Hi Low Wall

Thanks for your reply

Let me answer your questions:

1
I have considered a custom barrel, that is why I wondered about the action between the models.

2
Yes I reload.

3
I will be comfortable up to 300 meters in any situation.

4
The largest game would be elk, but I hope for africa (buffalo) within the next year(s), however should a Single shot rifle be considered as a DGR??

5
Open and forrest, not mountains.

6
Yes I am shooting a rifle...375 CZ550.


The reason I want to go the "Single Shot way" is that I am charmed by the challenge of "oneshots".

Tell me more about the K-95, I dont know that one..

//voyager

CAPE BUFFALO....good grief that sure changes the landscape doesn't it!....
I would have two rifles then... a lighter cal. for Europe and a heavy cal. for Cape Buffalo... and you can use your lighter cal. rifle for plains game in Africa...I can't help you with Africa because I don't know the min. cal. requirement "Laws" for Cape Buffalo in the different countries they are hunted in AND I have never hunted there myself....I would think that you would have all the bases covered with a .416 Rigby but not sure....Someone else on this board will have to help you there...
For Europe any of the cals. listed above will work fine and since you hand load that adds greater flexibility to what ever cal. you choose...
I live in British Columbia and hunt moose,black bear and deer....they just opened elk season in in this area two years ago and when I retire I hope to hunt them also....The elk here are called/hunted in very thick bush and shot at close range (less than 75 meters) A friend of mine killed one last year at 20 meters with a 7-08 A.I....myself, I like to cast my own bullets so I will probaly would use a 45-70 lever rifle or a CZ in 9.3x62... which is on order...For moose,bear and deer I prefer light recoil cal. in light weight rifles...with the right bullets they kill fine...

Regarding the the Blaser K-95 here is their website/link http://www.sigarms.com/products/blaser-k95.asp ...They are made in Germany... They are a high quality high $ very light weight rifle .. you can enterchange barrels...however the heaviest cal as far as I can tell they chamber it for is the .300 Weatherby mag.... which I would think is to light (law wise) for Cape Buffalo....good luck hunting what ever you choose....cheers mic

quote:

Originally posted by voyager:
Hi Gentlemen
Any suggestions for a good and reliable caliber for the Ruger#1.
I am thinking allround hunting for all european game, including longdistance shots.
I have posted a similar question on another forum, but I would like to have some recommendations too from this forum.

please advice

//voyager

IF you are going to build one, and can use any cartridge you want, make it an 8X75RS! This will equal the performance of the 8X68S, but with a cartridge more suited to a SS action. If you're ONLY hunting European game, perhaps a hot 7mm is all you need, such as the 7mm STW. But for BIG boar and perhaps African plains game, I'd prefer the bigger bullet!

I assume you would be building & not buying one. One of the great things about a single shot is you can have any lenght cart. you want. I see no point in a #1 in .300WSM or such. A 7mmSTW, .300h&h or Wby. makes sense. A 9.3x74R would also be great for your area, components would be readiliy available. If you want a wildcat, I've thought a 7x74R improved would be interesting. The #1 is great w/ rimmed carts. I have one in .338x74Keith, a 9.3x74R necked down to .338 & blown out straight. The OAL is 4"!

Gentleman..
Again, thanks alot for all your answers..

Where can I find some good info about wildcats e.g fredj338 mentioned the 338x74 keith.
dimensional drawings, reloading date etc, etc
It all sounds very interesting...please share info about wildcats for ruger#1 project..

//voyager

The late Jack Lott did a specialty book one big bore rifles. One of the chapters concerned the Ruger #1 as a "stopping" rifle, his term. He felt that in the hands of a cool headed shooter, the #1 in a cartridge like the .458 Mag. was suitable for use as a stopping rifle. I guess the buzz word here is "a cool headed shooter". I have several of the #1s in the Tropical version, .375 H&H, .404 jeffery, and .416 Rigby, and I would probably choose the Rigby for the DGR, as long as I had a professional hunter who could shoot as a back up. I ain't dumb, I just look that way.
However, if you want to go that route, the #1 in DRG cartridges needs a decent recoil pad for openers and a much better set of iron sights, should they be needed for back up. While I did not feel my Rigby kicked all that bad (no sense, no feeling???)when GUNTESTS Magazine tested a #1 in .416, one of the testers got hurt shooting the gun. They did a serious rant on the qwuality of Ruger's recoil pads used on the harder kicking rifles. On this, I'm inclined to agree. The previous owner of my .404 had put a muzzle brake on the gun, and it's a pussy cat in comparison.
The late John Taylor, in his book AFRICAN RIFLES AND CARTRIDGES stated that whenever he was seriously hunting lions, he was armed with a "single loader". Probably a Martini in 45 caliber.
If I were to pick a pair of #1s for an African trip (maybe if I win the damn lottery) I'd take my #1S in .300 Win. Mag. for plains game and the .416 Rigby for buffalo, with the proper modifications I mentioned.
Let's face it, many a young British subaltern used Farquharson single shots because the proper double rifles were way too pricey for them. The Ruger #1 is a lot better rifle, not only in strength, but in reliability. JMHO.
Paul B.

quote:

Originally posted by mb:
If you could only have one a No.1 Sporter with premium wood, upgraded irons, and a 26 inch barrel chambered for 300 H&H would be nice. Too bad there is no such beast available off the rack these days. Good hunting!

If going the custom route, I've always thought a No. 1 in .300 H&H would be a great choice. If Ruger offered one from the factory in .300 H&H I'd buy one.

-Bob F.

Right you are BF, I would love a #1S in .300H&H. I really like the #1S & had my .338x74K made that way. It started life as a #1H in .375 but I lways thought a .375h&h should be ib a good bolt gun.
Vyager, the Big Bore Rifle book has an article on the .338x74K. There is also a Crtridges of the World & Wildcat Cartridges. Good info. books.
http://www.gunbooksales.com/cartrdge.htm
I had Clymer make my reamer. A cool cartrdige (4"OAL) that shoots quite well in this day of short, fat designs.

7rem mag on the left & .280 on the right.

fredj338
Thanks for your reply..
Are there any webpages where I can see some pictures or drawings, dimensions etc, regarding bigbores and wildcats???

//voyager

Try this one:
http://www.ammoguide.com/

voyager

For an "allround" in Europe (roe deer, mufflon, fallows, gems, red stag, wild boars, moose) 7X65R would be alright. 8X75RS would also be nice

Cheers
/ JOHAN

Some of my Ruger No.1's;

270 Winchester Ackley Improved

340 Wetherby

404 Jefferies

45/120/3.25" Sharps

BAW

Interesting "sights" you got on the 404 Jeffery,

Guess it must be some sort of Aussie peep sight or holo sight

Cheers
/ JOHAN

If I lived in Europe, reloaded and was willing to rebarrel I think I'd go with the 9.3 x 64.

That's hard to beat as an all-around caliber if you already have a .375 H&H. Second choice, just because I'm partial would be a 416 of some flavor; the Weatherby if you can handle the recoil.
The Ruger will handle rimmed or rimmless with equal ease. Just the same, if you are uneasy about a rimmless round then the 500/416 Nitro Express is a good way to get into some single-shot horsepower. If that ain't enough then maybe you need frj338's 338 x 74!

quote:

Originally posted by JOHAN:
BAW Interesting "sights" you got on the 404 Jeffery,
Guess it must be some sort of Aussie peep sight or holo sight
Cheers
/ JOHAN

Minute of Buffalo peep sights. We use this for and texas heart shot on big game!

Gentlemen

Again thanks alot for all your comments..
I really appreciate all your info.
Any one of you gentlemen know if the Ruger#1 action is forged or cast. It appears to be quite strong...anything I should be concerned of before I buy one for customizing??

//voyager

Rugers, I believe are made from an investment casting process with very little final machining

Depend on wich Ruger #1 you want?
A shorter one #1-A with 22" barrel with iron sights or a #1-B "longer" without iron sights.
Or #1-RSI 20" full lenght stock.

I would vote for 7x57Mauser, .270WIn or .30-06 Spr. Will be enough for most hunting for european game. If heavier game as boar or moose is common go wiht .30-06.
Or if you belive in magnum use that but than you can only choose the #1-S with 26" barrel.

If you go for a custom there is a lot of cartridge to choose between.
fredj338, the .338x74 Keith sounds as a perfect cartridge for a #1 and bigger games do you have a picture of cartridges and some information about loads?

I choosed the 1-A in 7x57 for my "walking rifle" a compact rifle with all punch I need.

280, the picture of the round is above. It's flanked by a 7rm & a .280. I put the rifle together w/ the idea of using the 225gr Nosler AB. It's a submoa rifle rilfe w/ 71.5gr IMR4831 or 70gr H4350 or 72.5gr RL19 & Fed215M primers in RWS brass cases. I get 2800fps from the 25 3/4"bbl. The 250gr NP gets 2675fps & also shoots under 1moa. I've tried 210gr NPs o/ H4350 @ 2950fps also w/ good accuracy It's basically the .338wm in a slimmer/longer case. No reason for it other than Keith used to write about it & it's just a cool looking cartridge that works well in a single shot. Something different especially in todays short/fat magnum craze. With a bit of modification, the case could be necked to .308 or 7mm for rimmed versions of the 7rm & .300rm.

It is a real great looking round, no doubt. Very clean.

I have a bunch of Ruger No. 1's (about 15 or so).

If I could only have one, it would be in the 7x65R. Matter of fact, I have one in that chambering and have used it frequently for elk. With the heaviest RWS H-Mantle bullet, it is a SERIOUS killer of thin-skinned game.

If I could only have two, I'd still have the 7x65R, but would add either a .375 H&H Flanged (NOT the belted version), or a .470 Nitro, depending on where I was going to hunt with it.

If I was allowed three, I'd also have one in 6.5 Mannlicher. (I DO have one in 6.5 Mannlicher - the rimmed version, the 6.5x53.5R).

I have also one in .375 Flanged, but not the magnum chambering. Instead it is in the 9.5x57R. But, it is not quite enough cartridge. The 7x65R will handle anything the small .375 will deal adequately with. So, think I will take my own advice and have it punched out for the magnum flanged case.

If you plan a custom barrel for a rimmed cartridge, how about the 500/416 for something different? Should be very versatile. Here it is flanked by the venerable 30-06 & 416 Rigby, with the 550 Magnum thrown in for good measure! (courtesy tiggertate):

Uh yeah, neck that down to .338, a .338/.416R now we're talkin!

That lineup looks pretty cool, fla3006. The 500/416 screams for some wildcatting. .338 would be a good start as would 9.3 or .375. In fact, for those who are looking for a rimmed 300 I would not hesitate to work it down to 308.

My personal favorite would be the (500/416)-6.5!

I say 700 Nitro, but that is just me ;-).

Then again, 375 h&h.

Gentlemen..
Again alot of good info from you all..It gave me something to work with.

A practical question:
How fast can you load reload for a second shot if it should be needed?
I realize that some practice for reloading is required, but what would be realistic?

// voyager

quote:

A practical question: How fast can you load reload for a second shot if it should be needed? I realize that some practice for reloading is required, but what would be realistic?

I can't tell you the number of seconds but when shooting heavy recoiling big bores I've watched some experienced shooters reload and fire the Ruger #1 almost as fast as a bolt rifle.