Ruger No. 1

Not sure if they’ll still have them but Collector’s Firearms in Houston head a No. 1 in 300H&H, .375H&H and a few other calibers several weeks ago
 
I posted this picture in my recent hunt report, but thought it fits this thread too. I took this one with my #1 in 300 H&H in early June. I love carrying and shooting this rifle. I also own it’s little brother in 303 British.

1B71FE26-9EA8-4F55-BFF0-FC6917A82ECD.jpeg
 
I posted this picture in my recent hunt report, but thought it fits this thread too. I took this one with my #1 in 300 H&H in early June. I love carrying and shooting this rifle. I also own it’s little brother in 303 British.

View attachment 544586
It is a beaut. And those long thin rounds are just as pretty.
 
I shot my recent purchase yesterday. Uberti Courtney in .303.
Very impressed with the trigger and accuracy with ball ammo.
I love the stock! That Prince of Wales grip is sexy!
 
The 404 is the holy Grail I think, I have never seen one in person. I got the 450/400 instead, which is probably better in a single shot like that anyway. Nevertheless the 404 would be very tempting and I’m sure quite expensive
 
Hope you like recoil! I had one in .450-400 for a time and while it shot very well, it gave me a recoil headache every time I shot it. Sold that for a CZ 550 in .404 Jeffery and shot the same type of loads and nary an issue.
The No.1 just seems to kick harder than other rifles of similar power levels. Ruger could put a better pad on the big bores but dont seem interested in doing so.
It's all down to stock design; with a straighter top, and less toe-heel angle they are much, much more tolerable in heavier calibers. A shame they weren't produced that way, and as RooHawk posted, a flat-top action would have been awesome!!
 
If its rare that you're looking for, don't stop until you find a 404 Jeffrey. Ive been told that only seventy some were built but i can't confirm that.
They are rare for a reason. Ruger apparently used some odd dimension in the chamber and shooters had issues with them.
I had a custom made .404 No.1 for a time with a Kreiger barrel that shot like a house a fire, but having no real need of it I sent it down the road.
 
Ruger apparently is having problems sourcing quality US stock lumber. So Randy Brown hooked them up with the owner of Tri Star which makes many popular shotgun brands with much better quality walnut than Ruger used. So in the coming year or so you should start seeing some very nice Walnut on Ruger’s
 
Other factors with Ruger No 1s, and RSMs no longer being available:
I believe Ruger now hammer-forge their barrels ( courtesy of technology from Steyr?) whereas the RSM items were machined, a complex process. Similarly, their actions were (and still are?) investment-cast. Imagine, if you will, if the No 1 had a short picatinny rail cast, or machined into its top, or having made with a half-octagonal profile, like square-bridge Mausers are, instead of being round? Not economically viable, I suspect. Any comments on this from you more knowledgeable folk on these ruminations?
 
I like the Courtney. Any attempt at bringing a grand old design to market is for the good. But, whoever at Uberti decided a pic rail would be appropriate should be flogged! It’s not period appropriate for a falling block. It’s unattractive. I’ll probably buy one myself when they get around to chambering them in 7x57. The pic rail will be gone 5 minutes after unboxing the rifle!
 

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mfharoldson wrote on SkullKeeper's profile.
Hello! I saw your post from last year about a missing crate from your hunt in Moz. I am curious how that all turned out? We (my fiancé and I) also hunted in Moz in 2024 and the trophies are being shipped with Hunters Services Limitada. We have some concerns on whether we will get the trophies home or not. May I ask who you hunted with?
 
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