Ruger #1 .375 H & H

adam12

AH senior member
Joined
Oct 15, 2013
Messages
51
Reaction score
5
I bought a Ruger #1 in .375 H & H, which should be here by early next week. (I love these rifles, also own .45-70.) Has anyone any experience in shooting this rifle in this caliber? Is it up to the task or does it push you around?

Also, if I were to scope this for plains game what scope would you recommend?
 
I would scope it with a 3-9x 40mm scope if possible. I would make sure I had a nice Limbsaver pad on the gun or something similar against my shoulder.
 
I am on my second No 1 in 375 H&H. Probably have about 1,000 rounds through them.

I have only used the factory butts on mine, but when shooting max loads off the bench, I do slip a 3" x 5"x 1/2" thick piece of closed-cell sleeping pad material between my shoulder and the pad. Takes the bite out.

Off-hand it is completely unnecessary, as you are able to roll with the recoil.

What I really like about the No 1 in 375 is the ability to seat bullets out long and effectively get the case capacity closer to a 375 Weatherby (if you want it). I have no problem beating 2,600 fps with the 300 grain bullets, with perfectly acceptable pressures.

If you are new to shooting heavier rifles off the bench, be sure to sit up straight and get the rifle up high enough off the bench. Nothing worse than a low rifle that you have to scrunch down into. You have trouble getting full butt contact in your shoulder and the force is concentrated on a smaller area. NOT GOOD!

Some guys use the various Lead Sled type devices for shooting off the bench. I have not used one myself, but I hear they really tame the recoil.
 
On scopes, I have never considered my 375 rifles as long-range affairs. I have used 1.5 - 5x and 1.75 - 6x scopes on them over the years.

I was always more concerned with being able to find a moving animal at short range, vs being able to snipe something at great distance. 5 or 6 power was always plenty, especially considering you are not usually shooting gophers with these rifles.
 
Would a Leupold VX3 series scope be able to take the recoil?
 
Yes, I have a VX3 2.5-8X on my Ruger no1 in 375 H&H. They're wonderful rifles!
 
i use a 3-9x40 on my CZ 550 in 375 H&H, the caliber is a good performer at long range and i have easily shot out to 300+ yards with mine. with a proper bullet loaded to a decent velocity the cartridge will shoot very flat.

i used a 300gr Hornady BTSP over 75gr of W760.

as for my thoughts on the Ruger #1... im not a fan. i dont believe the stock is designed very well for big bore calibers. ive fired a 45-70 #1 using a 500gr bullets at a warm load (not super hot) and the felt recoil was way more then it should have been.

-matt
 
Adam12,

The first caribou I ever shot was with the Ruger #1.

I had a Leupold compact 2.5x scope in the factory Ruger rings on it, because they had quit making their 3x scope unfortunately.

Now that a proper safety tab is available that does not block the fired empty from actually ejecting, I often ponder getting another one.

Now though, I believe I would put a slightly longer tube scope than the tiny 2.5x, such as: perhaps splurge and get an Austro-German low power scope (Ruger single shots look top-heavy to me with 40mm or 42mm front lens scopes on them).

The 2.5x is no longer as clear as it was for me when I was younger (lenses are too lose together. The longer but still small, discontinued 3x was better for my eyes).

To answer your question about recoil, I like the 300 gr Hornady RNSP at about 2400 FPS, and I have a Gunsmith put Pachmayer brand "Decelerator" pads on all my decent kickers.

With that "bottom of the book" load and that replacement anti-recoil pad, the Ruger #1 is not harsh.

(I have used that load in Alaska and Africa in various rifles, with perfect results).

Cheerio,
Velo Dog.
 
Thanks, Velo Dog. Shooting the #1 in .45-70 is, to me, just fine, but I'm skeptical about any more power on this ever-aging body(!). Funny you should mention the Decelerator pad. I've got one on my .416 Rigby and it tames it quite nicely and I was thinking if the old red pad on my .375 #1 just doesn't do it I just might replace it with a Decelerator. The .375 should come in to my dealer (need it shipped to FFL) this week and I'll start playing with it then. Not a huge custom rig, just a plain old Ruger #1 but I have to admit I'm kinda excited!
 
Adam12,

Great minds think alike.

I will live vicariously through your experiences with your new Ruger .375 H&H single shot.

When I had mine, I even took it with me to Nevada (I live in Alaska) one time to visit my old homeys and hunt jack rabbits & coyotes for a couple days.

It turned out that the .375 H&H is enough gun for Mr. J. Rabbbit.

These days there is a company making an after-market "safety" tab for the #1 that allows empties to launch clear of the weapon.

Sadly, I cannot remember what the name of those are but, a google search should turn it up.

A bit of small humor:
All of the Ruger M77s and #1s I have owned were older models (1970s / tang safety, etc).

When removing the red rubber but pad from them, it was discovered that the word "Goodyear" was embossed on the concealed side if said pads.

Nothing like a truck tire against your shoulder during hefty recoil, nice and soft.

Out,
Velo Dog
 
What look the #1 and accurate !! I've owned 2 cal .375 H&H , sold cause ... pleasure to change for a Winch Mod 70 SE ..
It was scoped with a Leupold VX2 3-9x40 .. VX3 is better ... look at VX6 ..
 
My Number 1 375 H&H has a nice butt, no?
photo (9).JPG
 
WOW! Is that factory wood? If it is then it's by far the most beautiful wood I've ever seen on a stock Ruger (no pun intended)
 
Yes, factory wood.

As soon as I saw it, I had to buy it!

I hunted almost exclusively with a No 1 in 375 from about 1987 to 1995. Then I did a dumb thing and sold the Ruger to make room for something else.

Bought this one about 3 months ago to atone for my mistake! Found it one week after buying my Boddington Kudu No 1 in 300 H&H. My wife was very understanding...thankfully.
 
You must have had a near heart attack with all that adrenaline rushing through your veins when you happened upon this one! And your wife understood as well. Good fortune surely smiled on you, sir.
 
Adrenaline for sure. I bought it without asking!

One of those "better to ask forgiveness than permission" deals. :) I just could not pass it up.
 
My Number 1 375 H&H has a nice butt, no?View attachment 28206

Tarbe,

Si, claro,...get it?...."claro".

Claro is both the Spanish word for "truly" or "absolutely" in English, and a variety of black walnut tree as well.

It's a Spanglish play on words.....never mind, sorry.

It won't happen again....(for at least ten minutes).

Out,
Velo Dog.
 
Too funny, Dog!
 
I have a Ruger #1 in 375 h&h and it has a kick-eze recoil pad on it. It is not bad as far as recoil. Much better than the factory recoil pad. I was never fond of Ruger's factory recoil pads-like bricks. One exception is my Ruger Guide gun in 338 Winchester magnum-excellent recoil pad!
 

Forum statistics

Threads
53,632
Messages
1,131,580
Members
92,701
Latest member
jack849688
 

 

 

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Early morning Impala hunt, previous link was wrong video

Headshot on jackal this morning

Mature Eland Bull taken in Tanzania, at 100 yards, with 375 H&H, 300gr, Federal Premium Expanding bullet.

20231012_145809~2.jpg
 
Top