Ruger #1 500 Nitro Express

[Mike70560]

I shoot a No One in 416 Rem Mag. It is not too bad.

Is it a simple rebarrel from 7 mag to 500 Nitro? Thinking about the extractor on a belted versus rimmed cartridge.

 

[Mike70560]

My 500 Jeffery is right around in the 100 ft lbs range with 570g bullets at 2500 fps. Recoil is painful off the bench, no other word for it. It's fine offhand. I believe the Ruger No 1 has a thinner stock, so the recoil maybe more pronounced.

I remember the picture of your bruised shoulder. It still hurts me thinking about it.

 

[JvW]

A friend had a 1902 Daniel Fraser falling-block single-shot in .500 (3,25") NE-the only Nitro one they ever made, in fact. It weighed in at just over 8 lbs. It was nothing short of excruciating to shoot! Some of the hardest recoil I've ever felt, and I've fired my fair share of hard-kicking rifles.

The Fraser was not only beautiful but in mint condition as well. I know why: everyone who owned it fired it but once or twice and sold it on! In my humble opinion, a .500 NE is too much gun for a Ruger No 1, all things being equal. A single-shot is just too light in .500 NE unless it has a tractor axle for a barrel, and that defeats the purpose somewhat, in my opinion..

 

[Forrest Halley]

Here is a 450 Nitro Express #1 for sale on gunbroker. I asked the seller, weight is 9 pounds 2 oz. Not too horrible.

https://www.gunbroker.com/Item/965931939

Yikes. Stamped by a break dancing gunsmith. Looks like a pitching wedge. I'd like to see under the forend with that crack. Check the ejection system for damage. Check the frame for cracking since it's been reamed and the barrels likely been removed.

My 500 Jeffery is right around in the 100 ft lbs range with 570g bullets at 2500 fps. Recoil is painful off the bench, no other word for it. It's fine offhand. I believe the Ruger No 1 has a thinner stock, so the recoil maybe more pronounced.

You'd be correct in stating that the #1 is going to be a bit more of a ride than others.

I shoot a No One in 416 Rem Mag. It is not too bad.

Is it a simple rebarrel from 7 mag to 500 Nitro? Thinking about the extractor on a belted versus rimmed cartridge.

I'm thinking it's also an extractor change and likely a recontouring of the channel on the receiver and falling block.

 

[colorado]

I remember the picture of your bruised shoulder. It still hurts me thinking about it.

Lol I use a lead sled from the bench now. I'll shoot a 3 shot group from the bench to check zero, but that's about it. Offhand my CZ 550 in 500 Jeffery is a pussy cat. I just had to learn to give the rifle some respect.

 

[geoff rath]

Played with a #1in 416 Rigby; offhand was OK, benched not so. Used early Barnes 300X, and Woodleigh 450s. Advice from gunsmiths for stepping up in caliber is:
1. restock with timber fit to your body, with dense, straight-grained walnut;
2. heavier profile barrel, setup to give good balance in the hand;
3. extractor, ejector, and feed ramp will need work;
4. (open) sights to suit N E C G and others, or a well-mounted red dot.
This will push the price up, obviously; a shame that Ruger no longer make the No1s, or do they ??

 

[Rare Breed]

Here is a 450 Nitro Express #1 for sale on gunbroker. I asked the seller, weight is 9 pounds 2 oz. Not too horrible.

https://www.gunbroker.com/Item/965931939

I respectively disagree. This light weight rifle will “hurt” when used. Too light

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Going to be a wonderful rifle. They had one of them in the white and it will be fabulous thing once fitted, regulated, and in final livery for @Tanks. (Sadly a bit too beefy an action for a .375 flanged.)

Lovely stock and the sort of inherent balance would expect from a Rigby.

Really smart move on Rigby's part. Twenty rifles provide a significant savings in both production costs and in time from order to delivery. Both are being passed to the customer. Those smart twenty buyers acquire what are essentially bespoke rifles for two-thirds the cost of having ordered the same rifle individually. DSC provides Marc Newton and team an opportunity to reap an immediate return on that investment. A real win win for everyone.

What kind of time frame did they commit to for the run of 20? I was in the booth looking at a custom 577 NE and they were quoting me almost 4 years to completion.

HH

 

[IvW]

You want a 500 or bigger on a nr 1 start with an action and build a custom one otherwise prepare for all sorts of nasties in the recoil department and will result in a useless firearm......
Balance, fit and weight need to be correct.....

 

[Red Leg]

What kind of time frame did they commit to for the run of 20? I was in the booth looking at a custom 577 NE and they were quoting me almost 4 years to completion.

HH

Two years.

 

[Brian]

It will be fine to shoot. I install a heavy 25 -26 inch barrel, get the weight up to about 10 lbs.
Install a wide Limbsaver Nitro type recoil pad. Wider than the stock, looks a bit funny but it sure takes the edge of the recoil. ( I make mine at least 3/8" wider than the stock and attach it 1/4" off centre away from my cheek. It gives the effect of being cast off. )
Also, sometimes I stick on a, cut to size, 1/8" thick piece of sticky back EVA foam on the comb, temporarily. It helps too, and it gets your eye a bit higher which is a good thing on a #1.