Allure of the Ruger No1

[Kevin Peacocke]

I know this subject has been aired many times, but after a trip to the range yesterday with my Ruger No1 tropical 375, i have even more respect for this fine little rifle. Topped with the Leica DG 1-6.3 we all had turns putting close holes in target with comfortable ease. Over the past few years I have saved every image of Ruger No1's on quarry and contrary to what you may think from the armchair comments, this rifle in its various calibres has taken plenty of respectable game. I have yet to collect photos of a grizzly, lion, leopard and a croc, so please if anyone has, or better still if they have taken these trophies themselves, please post. A few years ago a father and son ( I forget their names) hunted Zimbabwe with a brace of 375 No 1's and took elephant, buffalo and hippo.
As to all the arguments about second shot speed, yet again at the range yesterday I witnessed folks having trouble with bolt actions (this time not picking up rounds from the magazine), and I alas had problems with my flanged 375 double action opening with well within spec loading (the gun smith is trying to figure it out). Put a round in the Ruger No1 and you are in business every single time, so tick the reliability box boldly.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Hickok45 did a video on the Ruger No 1 in 375 H&H. A fair amount of talking and a little shooting.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Yes thanks 375 Ruger, watched it several times. What I gathered from this video is that the 375 is rather easy to shoot, Hit everything, didn't misbehave. Much my own experience.

 

[Bonk]

I'm a big fan and I wouldn't hesitate to hunt anything anywhere with an appropriate caliber #1. If I had to choose the mythical 'only one rifle' I'd be just fine with mine being a #1. YMMV.

 

[Red Leg]

Fine rifles indeed, and a lovely buffalo. With a little effort (and admittedly expense) they also can be tricked out in ways that even might have pleased George Gibbs. This one is in .300 H&H and the mule deer was taken in British Columbia.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Gosh that is a nice wood, and case hardening. I am about ready to order some nice walnut pre-formed from a stock cutter in the states, who can you recommend? I can do the finishing here although the checquering scares me.

 

[farrokhrt]

Red Leg,
Sir, your rifle is handsome! I’ve seen many #1s with nice wood on the back end but never the fore end. Is this re-stocked for you or original?

 

[Red Leg]

Restocked in English walnut. Found it on a rack at Lance Hendershot's for sale as a half completed project. Stock was already shaped but not finished and no work done with the original barreled action (which looked to have never been fired). A gifted friend completed the stock and Doug Turnbull did the metal work - case color and rust blue finish. Turned out to be an elegant and accurate little thing.

 

[Ryan]

I own one and keep my eye out for another that may catch my eye. With the looking I have found it in an incredible array of calibers.
There was a seriously customized 7mm-08 on auction lately with beautiful wood, case hardened action and an octagon barrel.

 

[Red Leg]

Here are a couple of other interesting No. 1's. The first is a No. 1 B in .270 that I purchased through the Wertheim Rod & Gun in Germany way back in 1975. It has taken many dozens of Roe deer, five or six red stag, another half dozen wild boar, and several whitetail over the years. While there a gunmaker friend sent it to Ferlach where a young protégé of his used it as the canvas for his graduation project to be admitted to the guild. (The only way a Lieutenant could ever afford such work!) A red stag is on one panel and a Roebuck on the other. The stock was redone in traditional oil and the receiver given a French grey finish.

The second is a Heym Ruger No. 1 in 7x64. Heym imported the actions and then used some rather fabulous would to stock them. This rifle has an octagon barrel and rail mounted scope in claw bases. Many are engraved, though this one was not. This particular rifle dates from the late seventies.

 

[AZDAVE]

@Kevin Peacocke I would recommend Treebone Carving as a possible company to get your stocks from. http://www.treebonecarving.com/index.html

I have used them on 5 different #1.

I concur with @Red Leg recommendation for using english walnut.

 

[AZDAVE]

Top is 7x57, middle is 9.3x74, and bottom is 450/400

 

[Petey J]

I wasn't familiar with the No. 1's until a group of gentlemen friends (all my father's age or a little more, but still cherished friends) went elk hunting. And to a man, they carried No.1's. When I heard the stories, I started looking. One of them will swear he can run the action on his 1 as fast or faster than a bolt gun. And I believe him.

I currently have a No. 1 in .30-06 I bought specifically to take to Africa for plains game. And I've seriously considered getting a DG caliber No.1.

Does anyone have the Craig Boddington 5-gun African Series of No. 1's? Saw a couple full sets for sale. Would be amazing to have.

 

[RayAtkinson]

I presently have two Ruger SS, a 250-3000 fwt. 1-A Lipskys special and a .338 both 1-S ..
I shot one buffalo with the Ruger #1S some years ago, in 458 Caliber and it worked fine, but having shot quite a number of buffalo and having 2.5 charges to my credit, I would never recommend the single shot rifle for hunting DG, charges are rare as hens teeth but they do happen and I recommend a double or bolt action repeater for DG, I see the single shot as a stunt, same as using a 30-30 on the big Alaskan Bears, it works 99% of the time! that one percent can have a sad ending...Just my two bits, and to each his own..

 

[CAustin]

@Kevin Peacocke I would recommend Treebone Carving as a possible company to get your stocks from. http://www.treebonecarving.com/index.html

I have used them on 5 different #1.

I concur with @Red Leg recommendation for using english walnut.

Dave will that company make a stock from some walnut I already have!?

 

[CAustin]

As chronicled in another thread I too love the No 1 and have hunted with them extensively. In addition to those pictured above I also had a blues version in 458 Lott.

 

[CAustin]

Ruger No 1 in 375 H&H on 2018 Hippopotamus hunt

 

[CAustin]

No1 in 300 WinMag used on eland

 

[Art Lambart II]

I love Ruger #1's, I only have two currently, a 30-06 and a 416 Rigby but they would make a fine brace for an African safari. The Blesbok below was taken with my #1 in 30-06 and a 180 grain NP on my first safari in 2016.

 

[AZDAVE]

@CAustin yes they will. The 7x57 was from a blank I sent them. The bottom 2 were from blanks he had.