Ruger African .450 bushmaster

[MontanaGrant]

Randy’s Hunting Center Exclusive Ruger African

Now they are making one besides the Lipseys special editions. Last year Shooting South had .300 win mags (threaded barrels) made so maybe we’ll see this happening a bit more.

.450 bushmaster seems a bit odd to me.

I definately like the rear sight much better than the Lipseys Africans.

I think I’d they chambered them in more esoteric cartridges they’d have better sales. The .35 Whelens are all over the place. I don’t see the .450 selling too many outside of collectors needing one of each.

Hoping they will make one of these:
Top choices:
7x57mm (as I doubt they’ll do .275. Would hurt collectability of the first ones made)
7x64mm
338-06 (I’d think quite possible since they did .280 ackley improved)


Others I would buy(but less likely to make)
9.3x64
8x68S
6.5x68
.25-06
.318 Westley Richards
7.5x55 Swiss
.303 British
.400 whelen

 

[Antho9364]

I'm less familiar with the others, but with the 8x68s and especially the 9.3x64, you get what you pay for.
They're excellent cartridges.

 

[odonata]

Randy’s Hunting Center Exclusive Ruger African

.450 bushmaster seems a bit odd to me.

My guess is that since Randy's Hunting Center is located in Michigan that they're catering to the straight-wall crowd. The rules in certain areas are on the restrictive side with the max case length at 1.8" so the 450 Bushmaster might be a good choice for some of their customers.

All I know is that Ruger has only made left-handed Africans in 375 Ruger. So personally, my options are currently limited to one that I don't need.

 

[MontanaGrant]

I’m sure it is for the straight wall statuses. I’m just thinking they couldn’t have made a ton of them.

Which gives me hope maybe they’ll do a run in other calibers. Also better sights!

I debated a .270 in their current line but I’m very .270 heavy already.

 

[Altitude sickness]

My guess is that since Randy's Hunting Center is located in Michigan that they're catering to the straight-wall crowd. The rules in certain areas are on the restrictive side with the max case length at 1.8" so the 450 Bushmaster might be a good choice for some of their customers.

All I know is that Ruger has only made left-handed Africans in 375 Ruger. So personally, my options are currently limited to one that I don't need.

Randy Brown took his idea of the .450 bushmaster to Ruger. He is often Rugers number one retailer nation wide. He wholesales rifles to many large retailers.

He holds a lot of sway with Ruger. He asked them to make a walnut and blued version of the Ruger number 1 in .450 bushmaster. (It was only available in stainless and laminated stock.)

Ruger made 50 Number 1s .450 bushmaster in Walnut and Blue. Randy got all of them. It may be the rarest Number 1 produced. Because most never hit the street. I bought one of three he sold. And Randy wants it back.

Ruger News

ruger.com

 

[odonata]

Ruger made 50 Number 1s .450 bushmaster in Walnut and Blue. Randy got all of them.

I always thought it would be nice if there was a way through someone like Lipsey's, a group of disconnected shooters could all request a particular rifle be made. If enough people signed up, then the rifle would be produced. Sort of like a bulk custom shop that would guarantee a profit for the manufacturer since they wouldn't be producing based on speculation or dubious market research.

As a left-handed shooter, I can find enough options to cover all the hunting I do (e.g. 22-250, 6.5CM, 270 Win, 308Win, 30-06, 300 WM, etc.). Unfortunately, that doesn't come close to everything I want.

As far as I know there's never been a factory LH model in 257 Roberts, 275 Rigby, 7x57, 300 H&H or 35 Whelen. 9.3x62 is pretty scarce. Getting a LH Mannlicher / Stutzen with a bolt action is hard too. It would really be nice if small batches of 100 or 200 of these in African 77's could be made for the southpaws every few years.

I really have everything I "need" so this is just me sighing wistfully about the annoying gaps in my rifle lineup that I can actually fix myself if I just took the time to rebarrel a common 30-06...

 

[Altitude sickness]

I think Randy could get that done. But he and Ruger would require one order for the entire run. Cash up front

 

[MontanaGrant]

I wonder what the minimum that would be needed for a custom order? I believe somewhere I saw that the Randys special Orders were often only a hundred guns, but he is an exception and most it is in the neighborhood of 200.

The biggest problem is as much as we all have in common, we're a very small segment of the buying community. In example: the percentage of people here who use and love 7X57 and would buy a rifle in it is roughly 8-10 times that of the normal shooting public.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Good Morning Mr Grant. How are you.

I think this idea could work. Especially if people would pay for the total project. Say 100 gun runs are 30% higher cost than a typical high production run. I have no idea what that percentage is. And if all money for the entire run was collected up front.

I’m sure Randy was a little stressed when he talked Ruger into a new caliber and platform, (.450 bushmaster). It has been a huge success for both Randy and Ruger.

So it would either take someone to front all the money upfront and hope they can sell them all. Or someone to sell them all. Hold the funds, then to pay Ruger before production.

You could probably approach Montana Rifle Company with a pre manufacture deposit program for a small run. The issue is cost per unit.

Randy holds enough sway with Ruger that it’s worth a try to ask if a Ruger 1, odd caliber run. Or ruger 77 run.

Personally, I would rather find a 60-100 year version of those odd calibers.

 

[odonata]

I wonder what the minimum that would be needed for a custom order?

...the percentage of people here who use and love 7X57 and would buy a rifle in it is roughly 8-10 times that of the normal shooting public.

It's an interesting question. If you asked the members here if they would like to have a new Ruger African model made, I bet a bunch of hands would be raised. As soon as you start discussing LH or RH and try to decide which caliber is the one we're all going to agree on, that initial consensus would start to falter a bit. It would make for a lively discussion since we all have different goals, biases, favorites & already possess certain chamberings.

For example, I would love a 7x57 / 275 Rigby. I'd still buy in for a 6.5x55, 7x64 or 8x57. But I would want it in a left-handed model. Since Ruger already makes the African in a LH 375 Ruger, I would want some differentiation if another model was made. So the 35 Whelen and 9.3x62 have less appeal simply because they're so close to what is already available.

But all of this is speculation on my part. It never hurts to ask so I just sent an email to Randy's Hunting Center & inquired if they would ever consider requesting a special run of rifles for a group of hunters. It will be interesting to see if they respond.

 

[93marlin]

It's an interesting question. If you asked the members here if they would like to have a new Ruger African model made, I bet a bunch of hands would be raised. As soon as you start discussing LH or RH and try to decide which caliber is the one we're all going to agree on, that initial consensus would start to falter a bit. It would make for a lively discussion since we all have different goals, biases, favorites & already possess certain chamberings.

For example, I would love a 7x57 / 275 Rigby. I'd still buy in for a 6.5x55, 7x64 or 8x57. But I would want it in a left-handed model. Since Ruger already makes the African in a LH 375 Ruger, I would want some differentiation if another model was made. So the 35 Whelen and 9.3x62 have less appeal simply because they're so close to what is already available.

But all of this is speculation on my part. It never hurts to ask so I just sent an email to Randy's Hunting Center & inquired if they would ever consider requesting a special run of rifles for a group of hunters. It will be interesting to see if they respond.

Great idea! Personally, I bought a left hand Ruger American in 450B a few yrs ago from Randy's. Inexpensive, accurate and reliable. It filled my needs. It's my "using" rifle.
I look regularly to see what Randy has in any left hand rifles from Ruger. A 7x57/275 would REALLY get my attention!!

 

[odonata]

I look regularly to see what Randy has in any left hand rifles from Ruger. A 7x57/275 would REALLY get my attention!!

It's a nice dream. But unfortunately there's currently zero left-handed long-action Hawkeyes with a .470 bolt face in the Ruger lineup. Short action? Check! 300 Win Mag & 375 Ruger with a .540 bolt face? Got those too! So getting a left-handed African in a classic chambering may be a big ask.

My crappy right eye & my penchant for long-action classics may doom me to a lifetime of disappointment. What really makes this sad is that I'm a right-hander who shoots left.

 

[odonata]

I got an email from RHC. I started a new thread about it:

Thread 'What new Ruger would you like to see in a limited special run?'

Sunday at 12:24 PM

A few days ago, @MontanaGrant started a thread about the Ruger African in 450 Bushmaster that was made exclusively for Randy's Hunting Center in Michigan. This thread eventually devolved into a discussion about what it would take to have a special limited run of rifles made for a group of people (like us!). So I sent RHC an email to ask that question and here is the response I got:

Darryl,

We work very closely with Ruger on exclusive rifles for our company. Generally they require between 75 and 100 firearms (same model and caliber), but we believe that they would...

• odonata
• Replies: 84
• Forum: Up to .375

• 

 

[MontanaGrant]

Good Morning Mr Grant. How are you.

I think this idea could work. Especially if people would pay for the total project. Say 100 gun runs are 30% higher cost than a typical high production run. I have no idea what that percentage is. And if all money for the entire run was collected up front.

I’m sure Randy was a little stressed when he talked Ruger into a new caliber and platform, (.450 bushmaster). It has been a huge success for both Randy and Ruger.

So it would either take someone to front all the money upfront and hope they can sell them all. Or someone to sell them all. Hold the funds, then to pay Ruger before production.

You could probably approach Montana Rifle Company with a pre manufacture deposit program for a small run. The issue is cost per unit.

Randy holds enough sway with Ruger that it’s worth a try to ask if a Ruger 1, odd caliber run. Or ruger 77 run.

Personally, I would rather find a 60-100 year version of those odd calibers.

Hey sir how’s it been?

My main reason for wanting the m77 African is because Ruger for being a “cheap” gun company has always had an eye to classic lines that runs opposite their budget rugged guns.

And amongst higher end guns the African is a great gun for the money. Even at the inflated secondary market prices I’ve been very impressed with how they shoot and fit and finish even if the wood is plain.

Even an inflated price African at $1500 is a heckuva nicely built rifles vs $4k plus for a MRC type rifle.

 

[HookMeUpII]

.450 bushmaster seems a bit odd to me.

Agreed.

I love Ruger. I don't love the fact Ruger now makes the African in everything but an "African caliber."

 

[Goopy]

Randy Brown took his idea of the .450 bushmaster to Ruger. He is often Rugers number one retailer nation wide. He wholesales rifles to many large retailers.

He holds a lot of sway with Ruger. He asked them to make a walnut and blued version of the Ruger number 1 in .450 bushmaster. (It was only available in stainless and laminated stock.)

Ruger made 50 Number 1s .450 bushmaster in Walnut and Blue. Randy got all of them. It may be the rarest Number 1 produced. Because most never hit the street. I bought one of three he sold. And Randy wants it back.

Ruger News

ruger.com

Very jealous!
Any pics?
I have one of the stainless/laminate jobs and it seems to be a No 1 that people don’t part with very easily.
…and yes, I’m one of the folks hunting with them in the straight wall states

 

[Goopy]

Here’s my guy doing initial scope sighting and playing around with a few rounds. As it sits now, plenty of “minute of deer” accuracy. I’ll still tweak and peak it a bit to close up that small spread.