It's finally here!!!

kombi1976

kombi1976

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After a long wait and the knowledge that I would have to wait over a year for a new one I found this Ruger No1 with the help of some mates.
It's exactly the model I wanted - a No1 Tropical in 450/400 Nitro Express 3". :D
It has only had 6 shots through it and is in almost perfect condition.
It hasn't even been hunting.
These are terrible pics taken with a really old camera but they give you the idea:
RugerNo1H_450-400NE_3inch_001.jpg


RugerNo1H_450-400NE_3inch_002.jpg


A friend is also mates with with Bruce Bertram of Bertram Brass fame and Bruce gave my friend a free sample 450/400 NE 3" 'thick rim' case to see if it's the right one.
Here's a pic or 2 of it:
450-400_3-inch_BertramBrass01edit.jpg


450-400_3-inch_BertramBrass02edit.jpg


Turns out it's perfect.
Mind you I won't need to buy brass initially.
Part of the deal with the rifle was the 6 once fired brass and the rest of the pack of factory ammo.
Considering a pack of Hornady 450/400 N.E. 3" ammo costs about $170 here in Oz that was a BIG bonus.
There's a bit of hassle getting the ammo to me but another friend of a friend is sorting that out so I should have it in 2 weeks time.
I'll post a range report when I can and I should have some better pics by then too as I'm getting a new camera to replace the good camera I accidentally soaked in energy drink. :redface:
Turned out to be pretty corrosive....... :(
 
Its a falling block. The lever on the bottom, push it down and the breech opens as a "block" drops down to show the pipe. Load and then pull the lever back up.
 
I have a real soft spot for big bore #1s, and it appears that your rifle is no exception.

Are you going to shoot the rifle as is or do you intend to upgrade the sights and/or scope it? I found the rear sight on the #1 to be a real disappointment which I could have resolved with a ghost ring and a higher front sight. Instead I chose to have a custom quarter rib made for my Ruger/Rigby so that I could mount the scope with the ocular even with the front edge of the falling block. This provided me with two advantages, first it left the loading port unencumbered and secondly it prevented any chance of getting tagged when the rifle was in recoil. The only disadvantage was that it limited my scope to 3X magnification (1.5-5X Leupold) which proved to be no disadvantage at all as it was mostly dialed down to 1.5X.

This rifle produced good accuracy out to a quarter mile, once I properly dealt with the stock issues. Mistakenly I thought the stock issues resulted from a flawed stock, but the replacement failed as well; it appears that bedding was the culprit. You may want top check yours as well. If the butt stock does not bear evenly to the reciever it will split in short order. Enjoy your beast.
 
My buddy just got his that he ordered 2 years ago from Ruger.

The guys at the store said it was the nicest production rifle they'd ever have come through their doors.

I'd have to say that it looks like a custom rifle with extra fine wood and checkering, deep bluing, etc. etc.

Very nice.
 
johnl said:
Are you going to use them on Roos or crocs?
Click to expand...
Unlikely on both counts, John.
The reduced loads with pistol bullets may account for a goat or hog but crocs are a protected species and mercifully far away and roos are not worth the trouble, especially at around $15 per shot. :(

Thanks for all the compliments, lads.
As it happens I have a Lynx 1.75-5x20 scope (designed in Sth Africa, made in Japan) currently on a Tikka T3 9.3x62 that I may fit on the 450/400 as I now have a Leupy 2-7x32 for the T3.
But the open sights on the Ruger seem pretty good to me.
I'm sure they could bear some adjustment but the rifle mounts very quickly and the sight picture is very clear.
I'll be on the look out for those stock problems, Boomer.
Thanks for the tip.
 
At one stage I was wondering if I'd manage to get one at all. :(
I do wonder at times if Ruger thinks their production schedule through!
I know they've knocked it down so they don't have layover stock but after chatting with a lot of big bore lovers the concensus is the Ruger No1 in 450/400 NE 3" is individual in a number of ways and so super desirable.
Firstly, it's without doubt the cheapest Nitro Express chambered rifle on the market.
Secondly, not only is it a Nitro Express, it's one chambered in a rifle that was directly inspired by the Gibbs-Farquharson action - the single shot non-break action used at the turn of the century for 450/400 and a number of other Nitro Express cartridges so it embodies a classic style of rifle.
Thirdly, the No1 is a high quality and, in some ways, premium rifle even though it's a production line gun - it's sort of a flagship model - and yet it's very affordable, at least compared to similar models by other companies.
And last but not least it is an all round rifle capable of any and all big and dangerous game in Africa AND anywhere else in the world.
The combination of those 4 factors make it a sure fire winner.
If Ruger were an exclusive boutique manufacturer like Martini & Hagn or Dakota I could understand a wish to limit the amount of rifles made in this chambering.
But they have the Craig Boddington series instead so why is this one so hard to come by, at least outside the USA?
Anyhow, at this point I'm just pleased I have a proper factory model and when I have a 7x57 (Mauser 98 or Ruger No1) and a Martini Enfield 303 I'll pretty much have completed my wants.
Well, pretty much...... ;)
Talking of 303 British, why hasn't Ruger chambered the No1 in this?
 
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