Ruger #1 in big bore calibers

Hello again, interesting reading Velo, I was in contact with Glen Soroka last year regarding a falling block rifle, looking for a classic cal. like a 300 H&H but he told me that in 300 WM he can guarantee that it will shoot more or less 3 shots in the same hole at 60 yards, I know that the FB system is most accurate and strong and I was planing to order one after his recommendation in 300 w.m for a L.D eland hunt, with a Pivot Apel low mount and a S&B classic 3-12x42 loaded with 200 gr A-frame, total weight with out scope 7,3 lbs .. I was figure out all the small nice details.. but unfortunately the hunt turn out to be a bit expensive and there was also western buffalo in that concession, so I sadly drop the whole idea and was flying up with my old Mauser Oberndorf in 9,3x62 instead, I still dreaming... maybe some other day

All the best, Gordon

gordon-kruger said:

Hello again, interesting reading Velo, I was in contact with Glen Soroka last year regarding a falling block rifle, looking for a classic cal. like a 300 H&H but he told me that in 300 WM he can guarantee that it will shoot more or less 3 shots in the same hole at 60 yards, I know that the FB system is most accurate and strong and I was planing to order one after his recommendation in 300 w.m for a L.D eland hunt, with a Pivot Apel low mount and a S&B classic 3-12x42 loaded with 200 gr A-frame, total weight with out scope 7,3 lbs .. I was figure out all the small nice details.. but unfortunately the hunt turn out to be a bit expensive and there was also western buffalo in that concession, so I sadly drop the whole idea and was flying up with my old Mauser Oberndorf in 9,3x62 instead, I still dreaming... maybe some other day

All the best, Gordon

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Gordon,

Sorry to hear you had to skip over the single shot project for now.
The plan sounded like it would have been a good looking rifle.
Also, I think it's interesting that the builder wanted to sell you a .300 Winchester barrel instead of a .300 H&H barrel, eluding to the idea that the Winchester version is somehow predictably more accurate than the .H&H version.

The opposite has been my observation.
So far, I have never seen a .300 H&H rifle that was not accurate (neither a .222 or a .308 for some reason) but, I have seen the occasional .300 Winchester that would not group well (I spent most of my spare time on earth, at rifle ranges and in the wilderness, the rest I just wasted).

In terms of eland, I would prefer a larger bore and a little more bullet weight than any .30 can deliver.
Nonetheless, I would bet hard cash that because you are an experienced rifle shot that, your idea of using a .300 magnum loaded with 200 gr A-Frame would put an eland in the salt every time.

Your 9.3 sounds like just the perfect ticket for eland.
Again, with you being a seasoned rifle man, can also put a western buffalo in the salt with it, provided it is legal where you are going to hunt.
I had only "discovered" the 9.3x62 a few years ago but after firing one (CZ 550 belonging to a friend) and doing some reading up on it, I began looking for one.

Not finding one that I both liked and could afford, I had one built on a 1950s FN Commercial 98 Mauser, 23" barrel, British style express sights, etc, etc.
The Gunsmith then modified internally, a well figured Whitworth stock to fit, glass bedding, crossbolts, etc and it now is a fine looking "Safari Mauser".
One day I hope to save up enough $ to have it claw mounted.
Heck, one day I hope to take it hunting .. LOL.

Kind regards,
Velo Dog.

Thank you Velo for the kind words, and hopefully soon you and the FN/Mauser will be in Africa, the Eland as you probably already know is not very hard to take down, but bullet placement is important, if you hit it even with a .458 a bit back it will running for miles before it stop....

That FN sound very nice after the gunsmith working with it, what scope you planning to mount ? Should be some classic German or Austrian made scope with steel tube like the Swarovski Habicht 3-9x36 or similar.... I will see if I can snap a pic of one I have use for 20 years and never fail me !

All the best, Gordon

Ok here is that now a little bit old-school scope, 1 inch tube and 36 mm objective with Apel Swing Pivot montage, have served me very well for years. Cheers Gordon.

gordon-kruger said:

Thank you Velo for the kind words, and hopefully soon you and the FN/Mauser will be in Africa, the Eland as you probably already know is not very hard to take down, but bullet placement is important, if you hit it even with a .458 a bit back it will running for miles before it stop....

That FN sound very nice after the gunsmith working with it, what scope you planning to mount ? Should be some classic German or Austrian made scope with steel tube like the Swarovski Habicht 3-9x36 or similar.... I will see if I can snap a pic of one I have use for 20 years and never fail me !

All the best, Gordon

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Credit where credit is due, always.
I'm +1 with you on German/Austrian scopes and I prefer steel tube as well because I like a little weight in my rifles as mentioned before to help reduce recoil.
Yes, eland remind me of our Alaska-Yukon moose species, not especially tough but so large in body size that if not hit just right, (no matter what caliber) they will go for mile after mile, through the steepest and swampiest and thickest bush and generally the most difficult land they can find.
Cheers.

gordon-kruger said:

Ok here is that now a little bit old-school scope, 1 inch tube and 36 mm objective with Apel Swing Pivot montage, have served me very well for years. Cheers Gordon.

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Beauty.

Above my #1 Ruger .375 H&H and my Winch 70 Safari Express .375 H&H.. a year ago ..
Two different philosophy ...two different stock ... but they were both accuracy, reliable , same weight etc ..
The both are sold .. Now I have a CZ synthetic 9.3x62 Mauser and another Winch 70 SE but cal .416RM.
I can't keep all the rifles with whom I am in love ...

bebo said:

I can't keep all the rifles with whom I am in love ...

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Ain't that the sad truth?!

I've sold two rifles over the years...a Stevens 30 30 and a Savage 7mm. I now regret having let both go! Love that Ruger 1

I have a Ruger #1H Tropical in .405 Winchester. First thing I did was to put a 15 oz Mule Kicker reducer in the butt stock and then I put a Limbsaver recoil pad on it. I also mounted a Nikon 2-7 x 32 mm shotgun scope on it. After everything was said and done, the rifle weighs close to 10 lbs. Not too bad, but the recoil is still noticeable, like a heavy load in a .30-06 Springfield. I am thinking of selling it at some point in the future because I want to be able to have fairly quick follow up shots and not have to be fumbling with ammunition and open chambers. Not that I can't do it or am a bad shot, but just not something I want to be doing on, say, a cape buffalo.

The Ruger with a few original Winchester loads that I use in my Winchester 1895 Deluxe TD :


The Barnes 300 gr TSX load target (100 yds):

Good looking group at 100 yards there. I can't say enough good about the model #1. If you shoot that well in the bush the trophy will be down with the 1st shot!

Nice adjustment to that .405 Win., awesome grouping.

Excellent shooting, and this is with a factory load !!

I like the falling block for the concept that I will describe under here, but its also a great precision instrument for a hand loader with the opportunity to get a minimal head-space that you can not be able to receive with many bolt action rifles in larger calibers (too short head space give a longer overall cartridge, and will not fit the magazine)...

Nicolas, you have miss something here, a single shot rifle is made for the hunter that have in mind to wait for the most optimal shooting moment and then delivery ONE perfect shot !! Its a way of hunting I like very much. Its a bit like bow hunting but with a rifle..

The hunter with experience know if the shot that was taken was perfect or not in the same millisecond the bullet left the barrel, the inexperience one do not know this, and therefore fast need one more round to cover up for his eventually mistake.

I will say keep that very well shooting single shot rifle, training with it until its feels like a body part of you, and then you don't need a both action anymore !!

Best wishes, Gordon

Gordon, the target was shot with my handloads. I just took the picture of the Ruger#1 with the old Winchester factory loads for effect and presentation. I did use those factory loads in my Winchester 1895 Deluxe TD. I'll see what happens, I have about 50 rounds of the TSX loads made up and will try them from the sticks to see how much more comfortable I get with it. I am very choosy and will ONLY shoot when I KNOW I have an excellent shot at a target. Was hunting pigs in Tennessee a few years ago with my Tikka T3 Lite SS in 6.5 x 55 SE using handloads made with Woodleigh 160 gr PPRNs. The only shot that presented itself was a left orbital/ frontal head shot @ about 25 yds. I was zeroed for 100 yds and had to put the drop at the bottom of the jowel. Threaded the needle, so to speak, and dropped the pig. Had to finish it with a knife to the chest so it didn't suffer much anymore after that (if it did, it wasn't apparent, it was just breathing and nothing else). Never recovered the bullet, didn't really expect to because at that distance, that's still all muzzle velocity.

I have two Ruger No 1 rifles now in 45-70....one here and an identical one left in Africa. As with all older Rugers....the "recoil pad", and I use that term loosely, could be used to straighten nails. I replaced both with limb savers, and although the screw holes did not align, I drilled them out, plugged them with glued in dowel rods, and redrilled them after setting a couple of days. Then, by adding a leather cheek pad available from Cabelas.....thin for open sites, med or thick for raising your eye to scope level, It is just barely possible to shoot these stout recoilers. Ruger no 1 with 22" bbl and Alex Henry forend weights under 7 pounds. A hefty load of Re 7 will drive a 490 grain cast to a velocity that makes recoil astounding. But for plains game, the Hornady Leverevolution load is effective and mild........FWB

Sorry gents, I was in my fast writing : "head space" but what I mean is off course "freebore" !!

All the best, Gordon

I have a Ruger #1 in stainless steel with a laminated stock in 375 H&H with a kickeze recoil pad and it is pleasant to shoot.

Lone Ranger you have a nice one.

Well, I have a 416 in Ruger No 1 and my route was to get a muzzle brake fitted and, what the gunsmith called, a gooey pad - a pad made by trap dude.com. All the people who have fired this rifle - PH's right enough - are impressed by how comfortable it is. You certainly never notice the recoil when actually shooting an animal.

matt85 said:

ive heard from nuWell merous sources that Ruger #1's are a hand full in larger calibers. seems people think its far more difficult to shoot then normal bolt and double rifles.

why is the Ruger #1 in large calibers such a hand full? do Ruger #1 have poorly designed stocks?

thank you
-Matt

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