Ruger No. 1 450/400 NE

L

ligonierbill

New member
The No. 1 has been on and off my list of "must haves", just because it's a neat rifle. I'm not hung up on a specific caliber, although I am a cartridge junkie. Now GB has a bunch of these Nitro Express examples. (Now if "magnum" is a marketing gimmick, it doesn't hold a candle to "nitro express". Some things never change.) Some of these are offered at a pretty good price, I'm guessing because the woolly mammoth is extinct in North America.

I will probably find a good example in a caliber I already load, but what do you folks think of this? I think that though the No. 1 ain't cheap, for some of these African rounds it's actually about as cheap as they come.
 
.450/400 NE runs $89.99 per 20 at Grafs. On sale for that. Regular price is $99.99 per 20. .450/400 NE is not even listed at Midway.
"...doesn't hold a candle to "nitro express"..." Absolutely. Nothing in North America needs an NE either, but NE's and marketing magnums just aren't the same thing.
They are on GB because the distributor/retailers who sell 'em for Ruger can't sell 'em in their shop. No "big boy" cartridges listed as available from Ruger either. Cabela's claims to have 'em at $1079.99. Wouldn't want to shoot a Tropical in 450/400 NE though. A 7.3 pound rifle would hurt to shoot.
 
The 458WM is much more readily available in terms of ammo and reloading components. Does the 450 NE offer anything clearly superior (other than it's just fun to say "450 Nitro Express?")


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The 458WM is much more readily available in terms of ammo and reloading components. Does the 450 NE offer anything clearly superior (other than it's just fun to say "450 Nitro Express?")
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In North America fun to say is the primary reason for buying any of those though.
 
Despite its nomenclature, the 450/400 loads a 0.410 bullet, mostly 400 gr at 2,150 according to Hornady. Not as much juice as the .458 WM. Despite being a sucker for old classics, I can't see spending the money for this one. It has a lot of thump, but not much range. I already have such a rifle, a reconstructed Remington Rolling Block in 50-70. Truly, this round might appeal to 45-70 shooters. It has a different history though, British.
 
There is a fella who has a net business you can find at classicsportingarms.com. He has new and used #1s in a wide variety of calibers.

His prices aren't wholesale, but they look fair to me. if I were loaded with "leisure money" he and I would be on a first name basis.
 
The British drive on the "wrong" side of the road, and they put the parent case first in the case name. Just the opposite of the American practice of putting the parent case last in the name (7mm-08, 6.5mm-06 etc.)

The .450-400 is the .450 NEnecked down to .400.

I talked to a friend who is more into these things than I am, and he said the Ruger No.1s in .450-400 are "Boddington Specials" and were made up around 5 yrs ago. There are also some in some other calibers. He said the guns were made with matt finish, suitable for heavy field use in Africa.

He also said they didn't sell well, because of the unusual caliber (to US shooters) and the matt finish isn't what people expect No,1s to look like, they expect good blue and nice wood...

If the rifles on Gun Broker are these, (I haven't looked) then what you are seeing is stock that was made because Ruger overestimated the demand, and dealers are hoping to move them, now.

Wouldn't want to shoot a Tropical in 450/400 NE though. A 7.3 pound rifle would hurt to shoot.
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I imagine it would. IF you can find a Ruger No.1 Tropical that only weighs 7.3lbs, I'd love to see a picture of it, on a scale. Old Gun Digests I have list them at 8lbs, and a friend's .375H&H was weighed 3 times, and came out 8lbs 5 oz, every time. Without optics.

In my area big bore No.1s, (other than .45-70) are a drag in the market. People mostly don't want single shot .375 H&H and up, long range rounds 7mm mag, etc sell pretty well, and even 06 and .270s "move" off the dealer racks pretty well. .416s, .458s, and other big bores sit for long times.
 
Once upon a time the .450-400 was the leading medium safari caliber for single and double rifles.
Cheap (relatively speaking) Mausers in .375, .404, and .425 considerably displaced it.

I once had a Ruger No 1 .45-70 - there is the lightweight hard kicking rifle - and tried the technique I read about for getting rapid followup shots from a Farquharson. It is pretty quick, but I'd rather have a double or magazine rifle.
 
Our local gun store has a 9.3x64 that my husband is wanting in a bad way. We love the #1s. He's got a Safari grade in 375 h@h. Got one in 22-250. Great shooters.
 
I once had a Ruger No 1 .45-70 - there is the lightweight hard kicking rifle -
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Where are you guys finding "lightweight" Ruger No.1s in .45-70??? I've never seen a No.1 in .45-70 that isn't in the neighborhood of 8lbs, +...

The real light weight is the No.3, in .45-70. 6lbs (six pounds, plus maybe a couple ounces). With heavy loads that rifle KICKS!! (and I know, I have one, and max loads are not fun.)
 
I got a Ruger #3 in .30-40 Krag, which is good for a vintage cartridge junkie, and pretty economical to reload. It shoots very well. I think a few regular No. 1s were made for the cartridge. I understand the appeal, however, of the round you are considering.
 
The only reason to purchase one of these is because you have a serious jonsing to have one of the original Africa/Asia safari rounds.
 
Not all the .450/400 #1's are Boddington specials. They were also offered in the regular Tropical Rifle, which mine is. The recoil is far more manageable than the 416's, 458's, etc. Mine shoots 1" groups (3 shot) with no trouble. The ammo is expensive, but so are most DGR calibers. For an over .40 DGR, The best choice based on ammo cost is the .416 Ruger, which can usually be had under $60 per 20 (I know, Still expensive). The #1 in .450/400 offers elegance, nostalgia, and accuracy in a caliber that is eminently suited for hunting the largest game while not being ridiculous on medium game. I would not trade mine.

gary
 
Rugers

African calibers aside, I have always had a hankering for a Ruger No.1, or a No.3 as well. I've read material that the early No.1's were essentially "semi-custom",or production custom, and used premium barrels with a lot of shop time for fitting and assembly. Sorry, no source for that, as it's from recall. But that sort of thing is attractive to me.

I can't say what era that was, but certainly early in the life of the design.

The No.3 seems so slight and handy......with a modest scope, it would be near ideal to carry in the deer woods. I've passed on a couple.....maybe one of these days.
 
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