Big Bore

F

FullDraw

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
9   0   0
Location
Chilliwack
Been thinking about getting a big bore for a while hard to chose which one?
I like the Marlin guide gun in stainless but I do like the Ruger # 1 as well.
Should I go 45/70 or .458 also the .458 lott if i'm correct,you can shot the .458 win out of a .458 lott.
I have read the #1 kicks real bad. I would like to hunt bears with this big bore so how is reloading the #1 is it quick?
What are your guy's thought's? on what gun and what cal.

FullDraw
 
I like the Ruger #1, whose stock design which handles recoil from big cartridges very well. Should you choose a #1, you should send it straight to a gunsmith for some bedding attention, otherwise you may find that the stock cracks at the tang. If you want a .45 caliber rifle, I would choose the Lott (of the cartridges you have decided to choose between) and if you do not have any experience shooting powerful rifles, you should start with .45-70 equivalent loads, then increase the power as you feel comfortable. Jumping right into full power .458 loads could give you a flinch which may degrade your shooting for years.

The Ruger suffers from the same complaint as the Marlin in that it's factory sights are poor. An after market ghost ring could be mounted while the gunsmith does the bedding work, and IMHO this should be mated with a square post front sight which I have found to be superior to any bead. I have a Ruger front sight on my .375, and it has a custom built square brass post insert. Not only does this sight give me a good index of elevation due to the flat top, it also appears to be black on a light background, and white on a dark background.

If you plan to mount a scope to the factory quarter rib, you may find that the ocular lens comes too far back for your comfort. My solution was to have a custom quarter rib built which allowed me to mount a low powered scope even with the front face of the falling block. With this arrangement I never had to worry about getting hit by the scope, regardless of the position I shot from.
 
I picked up a Ruger #1H in 405 Winchester. The iron sights need regulating, but the thing is super accurate. I mounted a Leupold VX-II in 2-7X33 on it. Only complaint I have with the rifle is that the scope is hard to get far enough to the rear, even with the longer eye relief of the scope I have (4.8", I think). Out of the box, it shot well with factory ammo. Once I started reloading it shot better. It really likes the 300 gr Barnes X. Three through the same hole at 50 metres with iron sights.

Once I got the scope mounted, my first group at 100 metres was two through the same hole and a third opened it up to right around 3/4". Not bad for a blind old fat man. Recoil is noticeable but not unmanageable. A friend has the #1H in 416 Rigby, and he put a Sims Limbsaver on it, but it still comes back pretty good. Any time you burn around a hundred grains of gunpowder to start a 300 - 500 grrain slug downrange, Sir Isaac Newton comes to play......... to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Ain't no flies on the old 45-70 either. I picked up a Buffalo Classic by H&R, and the thing is absolutely amazingly accurate! And penetrate! Lots of choices -- do you really need the power and snort of a 458 WM of a Lott?
 
mylesrom said:
45/70 kicks hard and the others will kick harder!!!
Click to expand...

A couple of years ago I switched from my 264 win mag to a single shot, iron sight, 45-70 for elk hunting, and was a little apprehensive about the recoil. But its no proiblem at all - even with my rather hot reloads. The description I have heard from others is that it is more of a "push" like a shotgun rather than a "kick" like any other heavy rifle. So don't worry about it! :p
 
Don't overlook the 375H&H, even though it's more of a medium bore.......

Comes in lots of shapes and sizes.
Lots of reloading goodies. 235s for deer, 270/300s for everything else.
Easy to load for.
Recoil is managable.
Easy resale.
Classic caliber = cool factor!
Accurate.



 
What Supercub Said!

In the unlikely even that I ever own another bore larger than .284 (excluding my 30-06 safe queen), I will have a Rem 700 Stainless 375 H+H built weighing ~ 8.5lbs scoped with a good heavy handle (McMillan).

I've killed with the 45/70 (couldn't like the Guide Gun or the Trajectory) and the 35 Whelen (Didn't do anything my 7's didn't) and ended up selling both... couldn't warm up to them.

The 375 H+H gives an excellent blend of bullet weight, moderate recoil, and 30-06 like trajectory, in a rifle that doesn't need wheels to move around.

Can't think of much a 300gr Partition couldn't do from 10ft out to 400+ yards... a very cool cartridge!

280_ACKLEY
 
Last edited:
SuperCub said:
Don't overlook the 375H&H, even though it's more of a medium bore.......

Comes in lots of shapes and sizes.
Lots of reloading goodies. 235s for deer, 270/300s for everything else.
Easy to load for.
Recoil is managable.
Easy resale.
Classic caliber = cool factor!
Accurate.
Click to expand...
x3;)
 
I'll add to the motion to consider the .375H&H IF you are going to go the ruger route.

I am a big fan of the marlin lever guns, the .450/.45-70 is a great caliber.

don;t worry about reloading the Ruger#1 fast. if you using one of those calibers and you need a second shot, you really fuct-up.
 
Marlin '95 45/70 much more close range knock down then 375....as many as 9 shots on tap....can keep loading without removing round from the chamber....sounds not important but remember anything can happen, call it buck fever, frozen hands, etc....with a bolt gun or single shot....you could easily be caught without a round up the spout!!
 
JUst my 2 cents worth but all i shoot are big bores so here goes....I would buy a 375 H and H and rechamber it to 375 weatherby and here is why. Brass is easy to find and not that expensive,you will gain 150 to 200 fps. over the H.H. Slugs are relatively cheap and you are not burning a shovel full of powder each shot.

I own a .458...416 rigby..460 wby...and they can get expensive to shoot believe me on that one. But then again i use the 460 on gopher hunts as has been posted in the events forum under the edmonton gopher outings thread. ( hey free publicity where i can get it for our troops never hurts:D )

The Rigby i have is BRUTAL off the bench and Grizzaxeman took the scope to the forehead the first time he shot it and said never again. Also the cost of slugs and all the powder adds up in a hurry not to mention that brass is damn expensive and factory runs around $160.00 per 20 rounds.

The 460 is in the same boat cost wise if not worse then the rigby and recoil is a lot more so nuff said bout that one. The 458 is a fun round,i use it on gophers with 500 grain cast loads which are cheap but once you move up to full bore loads recoil comes wayyyyyy up and so does the cost of slugs.

If you want a big bore for hunting seriousely consider the 375 WBY but if you have unlimited or lots of funds kicking around....go with the 458,its more versatile and wont cause headaches like trying to find cheap brass or shooting cheap slugs. You can load it down to 45/70 velocity quite easily or warm em right up,mine has been up to 2200 fps with 500 grainers and 3 shots rapid fire dislocated my shoulder completely..:D

To bad you didnt live closer to me i would let you shoot all of them then you could make your own decision,but in the mean time its your call...take care...Ice.:)
 
icehunter121 said:
JUst my 2 cents worth but all i shoot are big bores so here goes....I would buy a 375 H and H and rechamber it to 375 weatherby and here is why. Brass is easy to find and not that expensive,you will gain 150 to 200 fps. over the H.H. Slugs are relatively cheap and you are not burning a shovel full of powder each shot.
Click to expand...


for north american game there is ZERO advantage to having a Wby over an H&H. ZERO. 200fps is a minimal difference at most.

More Powder
More Recoil
More Expensive Brass
More $$$ to rechamber

in the context of north american game, if the .375H&H can't kill it, learn to shoot, or get back in your time machine and stop bothing the T-rex's.
 
Last edited:
Amphibious said:
for north american game there is ZERO advantage to having a Wby over an H&H. ZERO. 200fps is a minimal difference at most.

More Powder
More Recoil
More Expensive Brass
More $$$ to rechamber

in the context of north american game, if the .375H&H can't kill it, learn to shoot, or get back in your time machine and stop bothing the T-rex's.
Click to expand...

There are 2 HUGE advantages a 375 Weatherby has over the H&H, not to mention the added horsepower if you want it.

#1 You can load the Weathebry to similar performance levels as the H&H, with less pressure.

#2 Brass life is greatly improved. You can use the shoulder of the Weathrby to headspace, instead of the belt.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom