Your endorsement for a limited edition of Ruger Rifles

[IvW]

I could only endorce Nr.1's

22 Hornet would be neat...

7x57mm or 7x65R
375 H&H or 375 Flanged Magnum
450/400 3" NE

All you need

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Why Ruger? I'm a bit lost on the relevance/significance of Ruger here?

I just took it as a tongue in cheek post rooted in subjectivity to challenge the creativity of the good folks here on AH. Kinda like if I started a thread over best looking BBW actresses, for example. Iconic African animals and Ruger rifles and cartridges. Sure. It's a nice break from discussions about the cliff our country's Executive Office continues to fall from.

 

[rookhawk]

What model Ruger? If the "All American," I am uninterested. If a No. 1 then I think @Neil Molendyk has it about right for Africa, except I would have either a .416 or .404 and the fifth would be for small game and night critters - maybe a .22 Savage Hi Power or .22 Hornet.

Agreed. Ruger #1s?

Stainless K1A models with Turkish Walnut as that is a very attractive variant that is quite rare. (but they can and have made)

Calibers:

.22 Hornet / .22 Savage Hi-Power (Duiker/Bushbuck/Jackal)

257 Roberts (Impala/Springbok since it plays homage to the 7x57 through its heritage)

7x64 (Kudu/Eland, since they've never done this storied caliber)

9.3x64 Brenneke (Lion/Leopard since they've never done this storied caliber)

500 Jeffery (The ultimate low pressure stopping rimless caliber. They've never made it)

 

[VertigoBE]

7x57 impala
.300 H&H kudu
9.3x62 eland
.375 H&H lion
.416 Rigby buffalo

 

[rookhawk]

7x57 impala
.300 H&H kudu
9.3x62 eland
.375 H&H lion
.416 Rigby buffalo

I'm not a #1 expert, but they have for certain done 4 of those calibers already. Not sure if they did a 9.3x62mm or not?

All are excellent, particularly the 7x57 in the #1 action.

 

[VertigoBE]

I'm not a #1 expert, but they have for certain done 4 of those calibers already. Not sure if they did a 9.3x62mm or not?

All are excellent, particularly the 7x57 in the #1 action.

i'm no expert for sure. I thought the question was "what 5 iconic combinations of African Game with their appropriate caliber, for a limited set of Ruger Rifles"

Honestly, my opinion in these matters has zero weight, was just a fun thought experiment

reading some of the other suggestions, a .22 Hornet in a Ruger N°1 would be very neat as well.

 

[Newboomer]

i'm no expert for sure. I thought the question was "what 5 iconic combinations of African Game with their appropriate caliber, for a limited set of Ruger Rifles"

Honestly, my opinion in these matters has zero weight, was just a fun thought experiment

reading some of the other suggestions, a .22 Hornet in a Ruger N°1 would be very neat as well.

10-22 for little fellas and varmints.
5.56 for small pg.
6.5CR for small to medium pg.
30-06 for medium to large pg.
375H&H for large pg and dg.

 

[rookhawk]

i'm no expert for sure. I thought the question was "what 5 iconic combinations of African Game with their appropriate caliber, for a limited set of Ruger Rifles"

Honestly, my opinion in these matters has zero weight, was just a fun thought experiment

reading some of the other suggestions, a .22 Hornet in a Ruger N°1 would be very neat as well.

It was. I guess the inference was that it doesn't exist and we want it.

I'll bet good money the two calibers we'll see next from the Ruger #1 limited runs will be either 300 Blackout or 350 legend. The reason being that many US States that were "shotgun only" now are allowing straight walled rifle cartridges and specifically 300 blackout as a bottlenecked exception. The thinking is these have less range for urban/suburban areas. Add to that, these States do not allow semi-autos for the same concerns about spraying rifle rounds in suburban areas that are currently archery-only. The ruger #1 is the perfect platform for accurate, responsible single-shot hunting but the availability of the most desired calibers for this task is limited.

So the next Ruger #1 limited runs are going to satiate this new US demand for an odd use-case. Shooting as far and as accurately as possible with the calibers recently allowed for deer hunting.

 

[VertigoBE]

It was. I guess the inference was that it doesn't exist and we want it.

I'll bet good money the two calibers we'll see next from the Ruger #1 limited runs will be either 300 Blackout or 350 legend. The reason being that many US States that were "shotgun only" now are allowing straight walled rifle cartridges and specifically 300 blackout as a bottlenecked exception. The thinking is these have less range for urban/suburban areas. Add to that, these States do not allow semi-autos for the same concerns about spraying rifle rounds in suburban areas that are currently archery-only. The ruger #1 is the perfect platform for accurate, responsible single-shot hunting but the availability of the most desired calibers for this task is limited.

So the next Ruger #1 limited runs are going to satiate this new US demand for an odd use-case. Shooting as far and as accurately as possible with the calibers recently allowed for deer hunting.

shouldn't such a limited run than not rather feature different iconic species of NA game?

 

[rookhawk]

shouldn't such a limited run than not rather feature different iconic species of NA game?

Bill Ruger was a remarkable American. He picked these projects that he literally lost money on at every turn because he felt it needed to be done. The Ruger #1 was an example of this. The gun is an updated replica of the storied Gibbs-Farquarson rifle and their clones. As such, he balanced his caliber choices between the originals big ones (dangerous game calibers of the golden era), classic Euro stalking rifle calibers (7x57 being a huge seller), and classic American calibers people love for North American game. (30-06, 270, 45-70, 300 win mag)

They've done a few limited runs as mentioned above. About ten years ago Craig Boddington had them make a 5-gun safari set in blued steel and circassian walnut. They weren't every expensive. They've gone up a TON in collector value.

Today, the Ruger #1 is barely on life-support. Even after they nearly doubled the MSRP and reduced the annual caliber choices to a tiny trio, they still only break-even on them. That's why Ruger of today (Bill Ruger is dead and can't fight these decisions of beauty over profits) is focusing on 10/22s and AR type guns that are huge profit centers for them at the expense of these hand crafted guns that cannot be made cheaply enough to justify the effort.

Lipseys does a three-gun special run every year, but they have been postponed for the past couple years. Usually you get a stainless K1A model like the lovely 6.5x55 I've owned a few of before. They also will do a new/fast cartridge in a long range model 26" barrel like a weatherby. The third gun is usually their RSA (mannlicher full stock) version of a gun.

 

[VertigoBE]

I fully understand the attraction of the N°1's, not very known in Europe, but fabulous rifles nonetheless. Last year I picked up a .270Win version, a version with the iron sights, for 480 EUR. I should have also bought the .300WinMag at the same price, but didn't. I'd love to get a .22 Hornet and a 7x57 of these.

They exude quality.

 

[Rubberhead]

.25-06
270 Win
.30-06
.338-06
.35 Whelen...

Haha - it's a joke...most will get it...

If I lived in Africa, I would have the following rifles and I think Ruger could make each one but I'll try to stick with what they offer...staying away from autoloading calibers too...

.22 WMR
6.5 Creedmoor (I would not become a Creedmoor creep)
.30-06 (I'll always have one of these)
.375 Ruger instead of a 375 H&H :-<(
.416 Ruger (I'd really want something closer to a .500 but it doesn't look like Ruger makes those)

 

[deewayne2003]

I’d like to see another run of the RSM/African in..

7x57
300H&H
375H&H
404J
500J

 

[Flewis]

Agreed. Ruger #1s?

Stainless K1A models with Turkish Walnut as that is a very attractive variant that is quite rare. (but they can and have made)

Calibers:

.22 Hornet / .22 Savage Hi-Power (Duiker/Bushbuck/Jackal)

257 Roberts (Impala/Springbok since it plays homage to the 7x57 through its heritage)

7x64 (Kudu/Eland, since they've never done this storied caliber)

9.3x64 Brenneke (Lion/Leopard since they've never done this storied caliber)

500 Jeffery (The ultimate low pressure stopping rimless caliber. They've never made it)

Did the 7-64 in the 77.

 

[HWL]

6,5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer
7x64 Brenneke
8x68S
9,3x64 Brenneke
11,2x72 Schüler, ......

...the German Edition

HWL

 

[Flewis]

Back in the Bill era ruger would build you about any thing you wanted. A gun shop here in pa would have special runs made. I think it had to be at least 250 guns and he was a small store.

 

[CBH Australia]

Some time back, Ruger worked with Craig Boddington to do a limited edition run of No 1s, named after iconic African game animals, each in a caliber best, or well, suited for them. IMO, there were some interesting choices, likely driven by ammunition commercial availability and marketing. The 450 and 450/400 make perfect sense to me - classic rimmed cartridges. The 7x57 and 300 H&H

There's more chance they would use Brittany Boddington for endorsement than me. I would probably give her my endorsement.

Anyways I would like to see these in Ruger Mk1 M77 actions. Built with quality and a CRF.

So a 7x57 would suit but I like my .280a.i

Add a .300H&H

.375H&H

.458Lott

And something smaller for camp meat and smaller critters .243 would be fine for that and makes a decent rifle for spotlighting

 

[AZDAVE]

Bolt Guns
22 Hornet
7x57
9.3x62
404 Jeffery
505 Gibbs

Double
7x65R
9.3x74
450/400
450NE
577NE

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

375 Ruger impala
375 Ruger kudu
375 Ruger eland
375 Ruger lion
375 Ruger buffalo
375 Ruger elephant

 

[Neil Molendyk]

Agreed. Ruger #1s?

Stainless K1A models with Turkish Walnut as that is a very attractive variant that is quite rare. (but they can and have made)

Calibers:

.22 Hornet / .22 Savage Hi-Power (Duiker/Bushbuck/Jackal)

257 Roberts (Impala/Springbok since it plays homage to the 7x57 through its heritage)

7x64 (Kudu/Eland, since they've never done this storied caliber)

9.3x64 Brenneke (Lion/Leopard since they've never done this storied caliber)

500 Jeffery (The ultimate low pressure stopping rimless caliber. They've never made it)

All would be great additions to my collection but I doubt that they would be available in the great white north, somewhere between Montana and Alaska. I dare to dream.