a quality rifle for a lefty?

I think that gun would be interesting, the Ruger #1 in a .458Win would be brutal in recoil...without some modification.

I agree 100%.
As originally chambered, the #1 in .458 already needed the - not one but two - mercury tube recoil dampeners installed.
The .450 No2 Nitro is about identical in ballistics at the muzzle and down range but with not much over half the chamber pressure.
Due to this lower pressure, the recoil is slower but from the Ruger #1, it is still too painful for most of us mere mortals.
As issued in .458, the #1 is muzzle heavy anyway so, mercury tubes in the butt stock not only adds to the badly needed weight deficit but also balances the rifle up quite well.
He also installed either a 1 inch Pachmayer Decelerator or a Kickease recoil pad which, is way superior to that red colored scrap of truck tire Ruger puts on them.
 
if i can score one, I plan on doing pretty much exactly what your friend did. id increase the weight to around 10.5 pounds via lead in the stock and replace the stock rubber pad with a 1" decelerator. im pretty sure the recoil should be very manageable with those simple modifications. rechambering the gun to 450 NE would be something to consider in the future but I think 458 Win would be cheaper to reload and shoot.

velo dog, aren't you shooting a double chambered in 458 Win at the moment?

-matt
 
I was just thinking that you should have your friendly dentist check that your fillings are good and tight before playing with a No1 in 458.

Recently a friend of mine asked his brother who has some acres in the countryside to zero a No1 in 416 for him. Apparently he returned it saying he could do the fine tuning himself :LOL:
 
I was just thinking that you should have your friendly dentist check that your fillings are good and tight before playing with a No1 in 458.

Recently a friend of mine asked his brother who has some acres in the countryside to zero a No1 in 416 for him. Apparently he returned it saying he could do the fine tuning himself :LOL:

I'm not surprised! I have a M77 Ruger in a .458 Win, it's quite the gun. Not for the faint of heart. It's manageable with proper shooting technique.
 
gonna open this discussion in a new thread.

-matt
 
if i can score one, I plan on doing pretty much exactly what your friend did. id increase the weight to around 10.5 pounds via lead in the stock and replace the stock rubber pad with a 1" decelerator. im pretty sure the recoil should be very manageable with those simple modifications. rechambering the gun to 450 NE would be something to consider in the future but I think 458 Win would be cheaper to reload and shoot.

velo dog, aren't you shooting a double chambered in 458 Win at the moment?

-matt

Matt my friend, you are definitely a big bore junkie!!! :)
 
if i can score one, I plan on doing pretty much exactly what your friend did. id increase the weight to around 10.5 pounds via lead in the stock and replace the stock rubber pad with a 1" decelerator. im pretty sure the recoil should be very manageable with those simple modifications. rechambering the gun to 450 NE would be something to consider in the future but I think 458 Win would be cheaper to reload and shoot.

velo dog, aren't you shooting a double chambered in 458 Win at the moment?

-matt

Matt85,

My friend chose the No2 version because he was convinced he would have had to otherwise address the recess in the factory chamber, cut for the belt on .458 cartridges.
In other words, he believed the .450 Straight was not large enough at the base to cut that feature out during the rechambering process.

Yes, the .458 is slightly cheaper to shoot but the majority of that slight saving is due to the .458 empty casings being easier to find and therefore cheaper.
After that, the .458 might burn a tad less powder per fps perhaps.
In live factory ammunition, I presume the .458 is cheaper but I have not seen either for sale in awhile.

Yes, my one and only double rifle these days is a SxS in .458 Winchester.
Wanted a .450/.400 in the same rifle (Heym 88B) but both in excellent used condition were $4,000. difference in price, at least at the time I bought mine.
(Plus mine has outstanding walnut that was not so with the specific .400 that I was tossing and turning over at the same time).

Any whooo, my .458 weighs about 9.9 lb empty and kicks like Satan's Mule, with factory 500 gr and some older 510 gr ammunition.
Planning to shoot it through a friend's chronograph, soon as he returns from the bush (he works remote here).
Hopefully it shows at or above 2125 fps with factory ammo.
If so, I plan to begin experimenting with 500 gr and 480 gr bullets @ around 2050 fps.

There is very strong evidence written about Pre-War Kynoch ammunition going about on average; 150 fps slower than Kynoch claimed, by people way more educated on this subject than I, and who offer compelling evidence (Kevin "Doctari" Robertson is one of them).
My old Army & Navy (probably made by J. Manton) regulated best with 480 gr at 2050 fps (it had 28" barrels to boot) which, tends to support this theory.

With the 480 gr loads at 2050 fps, I absolutely knocked a buffalo off his hooves, twice.
Incredible sight to behold if I do say so myself.
One buffalo is possibly beginner's luck but, possibly it's a time proven load for buffalo in that caliber but, due to poor ballistic measuring equipment of the era, or puffed up advertising, we've been convinced 2100+ fps was the magic formula.
Very likely the real Nitro Express large bore velocity was actually more like 2025 to 2050 fps that kept the ivory trade alive and other large/thick skinned animals simmering in the stew pots of those historic times.
(If that is so, the .416 Rigby was actually going about 2200 fps instead of the shoulder bruising 2350 fps as advertised then).

We'll see more of ya when we all go swimmin',
Velo Dog.
 
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Don't confuse "quality" with price. I recently just purchased my third 308 (a Savage m10) all I can say is that they have improved quite a bit since my first Savage. Don't rule them out, if you want a nice walnut stock their model 14's are pretty nice. The synthetics (though not attractive) (in my experience) have been hella accurate. The (my) recent purchase proves that you don't have to spend $2000 to get a quality rifle. I have said it before on this site, your quarry could care less how pretty or how much you spent on the rifle you shot it with. What matters is that you have a dependable and accurate rifle in your hand to make the shot. All of the rifles mentioned in this thread are good suggestions, just don't rule out a quality savage just because of price... Hell use the money saved to buy that dream scope.
 
Don't confuse "quality" with price. I recently just purchased my third 308 (a Savage m10) all I can say is that they have improved quite a bit since my first Savage. Don't rule them out, if you want a nice walnut stock their model 14's are pretty nice. The synthetics (though not attractive) (in my experience) have been hella accurate. The (my) recent purchase proves that you don't have to spend $2000 to get a quality rifle. I have said it before on this site, your quarry could care less how pretty or how much you spent on the rifle you shot it with. What matters is that you have a dependable and accurate rifle in your hand to make the shot. All of the rifles mentioned in this thread are good suggestions, just don't rule out a quality savage just because of price... Hell use the money saved to buy that dream scope.

Hi 35bore,

Speaking of Savage rifles:
I had completely forgotten about Model 99 Savage rifles to address the original Left Handed .308 question.
I believe his Dad has shifted his focus primarily toward the .30-06 cartridge now but, if a .308 might still be an option, perhaps a used Model 99 in .308 could work (I don't think Savage has made new 99s for a long time now).
Having owned several very old Model 99s over the years, (sold the last one 12 or 14 years ago) in various calibers, I can say that I really liked them, (when I was going through my lever action phase, so to speak).

As for the bolt action Savage rifles of today, I have zero experience with them.
Nobody I know has one so, I cannot say whether I would recommend one or not.
Rumor has it they are extremely accurate but almost everything made today is anyway.

However, I am under the impression the barrel is cold press-fit, AKA: "sweated" into the pre-heated forward receiver ring (?) in other words - not threaded in.
If that is so, it would make me nervous as a cat.
My information could be way off on that though because I have not seen or heard anything about this from Savage advertisements, or anyone who has done gun smithing on one, etc.
A man who is part owner of a gun shop said it, in explaining to another customer why he himself preferred other brands of bolt action rifles.

Regards,
Velo Dog.
 
Hi 35bore,

Speaking of Savage rifles:
I had completely forgotten about Model 99 Savage rifles to address the original Left Handed .308 question.
I believe his Dad has shifted his focus primarily toward the .30-06 cartridge now but, if a .308 might still be an option, perhaps a used Model 99 in .308 could work (I don't think Savage has made new 99s for a long time now).
Having owned several very old Model 99s over the years, (sold the last one 12 or 14 years ago) in various calibers, I can say that I really liked them, (when I was going through my lever action phase, so to speak).

As for the bolt action Savage rifles of today, I have zero experience with them.
Nobody I know has one so, I cannot say whether I would recommend one or not.
Rumor has it they are extremely accurate but almost everything made today is anyway.

However, I am under the impression the barrel is cold press-fit, AKA: "sweated" into the pre-heated forward receiver ring (?) in other words - not threaded in.
If that is so, it would make me nervous as a cat.
My information could be way off on that though because I have not seen or heard anything about this from Savage advertisements, or anyone who has done gun smithing on one, etc.
A man who is part owner of a gun shop said it, in explaining to another customer why he himself preferred other brands of bolt action rifles.

Regards,
Velo Dog.
Velo Dog,

They use a barrel ring for head spacing, but, seems the "sweating" process you are talking about is something used on some military rifles.

The 99 is one of my favorites though, and a very good suggestion...
 
Velo Dog,

They use a barrel ring for head spacing, but, seems the "sweating" process you are talking about is something used on some military rifles.

The 99 is one of my favorites though, and a very good suggestion...

I understand, and thanks.
 
As a fellow lefty I'll suggest looking at Montana. I have one in 458 Lott and like it fit and finish is good and it's shoots really well
 
I have had the same problem as your Dad .
I to wanted a left hand rifle in 308 for Africa . After a few months of looking at the limited number of factory made rifles for a resonable cost , I wasnt impressed . For 5 to 6Ks there were some better ones ,But not quite what i wanted .
I ended up talking to an engineering firm here in New Zealand about silencers and they offered to custom build one for me to my specs . Deal done .
Yes it will cost more than i wanted to spend but what the hell were only alive once . About 4K $us .
Cant wait to test drive it . Bring on Africa ! This is the rifle for Africa Built in lefthand for me in 308 , Going to be awesome .
10450069_875123385834632_2488389194356541277_o.jpg
 
...I am a lefty also and frustrated by lack of rifles for us. Want a weighty 300H&H or 300WM with 26 inch barrel and have been unsuccessful.

As another lefty I agree. I had to have all of my rifles except for a left handed .22 Annie custom made. As far as left handed M70s are concerned one can buy them, and use the action as a donor action for whatever caliber one wants (based on size of action) having a gunsmith re-barrel it.
 

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