Ruger No. 1: 45-70 or .458 win-mag?

[45workhorse]

Get the the 458!
I just bought a Ruger No1 in 9.3x74R,talk about an odd round, but dangit, I have wanted a Ruger in an odd cartridge, I think I have accomplished that. Haven't shoot it yet.

[Bulliwig]

Funny, the 45-70 and especially a 458 is a really odd cartridge around here, whereas a 9.3 is one of the most common calibers you can have. The x62 in repeaters and the x74r in combinations.

Edit: the 9.3‘s are really great calibers for what they are and a blast to shoot. If you want it for hunting i‘d recommend the Lapua mega bullet (if not a cast one). My dad shoots this in his x62 with 54 gn (not sure, i have to ask the exact amount) of n135. Not really flat shooting, but a great stopper without much damage or bloodshot meat even when hitting a bone

[Fishman]

Depends on what you want it for. My #1 45-70 is a nice light walking around rifle and is fun to shoot with trapdoor loads and tolerable with Marlin loads. Max loads, well I don't like them. If you are shooting from a bench then the heavier gun in either caliber makes sense.

[Mk42gunner]

I had a No 1S in .45-70 and it was an enjoyable rifle to shoot with factory level or slightly higher loads. If you wanted to get into what I call "Elmer Keith Memorial Loads" on the other hand, it quickly became uncomfortable to shoot. Still accurate, but it would kill cheap scopes fast. I ended up with a 2½X Leupold on it an it was a fine hunting rig.

Never shot a No 3, but I doubt it would be much fun with warmish loads.

For a range toy with authority, the .458 Win Mag might be fun, but it would get heavy if you were carrying it afield.

Robert

[scattershot]

45/70. I have one, and it’s a nice light rifle. The 45/70 was made for cast bullets, and reloading info (and cases) are everywhere. You can load the old “punkin roller” as hot as you care to stand behind, and unless there are mastodons in your neck of the woods, the .458 is just overkill. Nothing wrong with the .458, either, but if I were buying another one, it would be in 45/70.


You mentioned that Number Ones were pretty pricy in your area, what do they go for, if I may ask? They seem to be going up around here, too.

[Bulliwig]

No 1 in „common“ calibers like 30-06 are quite ok, they sell for around 750€. Used .45-70 usuallly run for about 1000€. .458‘s are a lot cheaper, because many people don‘t reload.
1000€ are a lot for an used american made gun, especially for a single shot (living in the country of Suhl, blaser and Mauser seems to let a lot people think guns from other countries are cheap junk)

[725]

I had a Ruger #1 in .458 WM and it was a dandy rifle although heavy to carry around. I bought a reamer (then sold that reamer to one of our fellow castboolit members) and used it to punch out to .458 Lott and that was fun. Shot both great and generally I stayed with about 400 grain +/- weight cast. I have no need to drive either fast and generally stayed around top end trap door loads. Fun gun suitable for hunting around my area. Never did any extreme accuracy stuff so I can't comment in that direction.

[robg]

having shot a friends 458win mag i would get a 45-70(i did) it doesnt kill at both ends.

[bcp]

Handling both, the 45-70 was light and lively. The 458 was like a semi-truck axle.

For carrying, I bought the 45-70 (two over the years). If I was bench shooting, or elephant shooting with a gun bearer, the 458 would be good.

Bruce

[murf205]

Bulliwig, if you are not going to shoot full throttle 458 loads, I cast(pun intended) my vote for the 45/70. I have one with the heavier barrel and a 440gr GC boolit at 1992 fps is about all the fun I can have with my clothes on! It will do over 2000 fps with several loads but my accuracy is in the sub 2k range. If you need more horse power than that, you need a guide as a back up gunner. I will tell you that I actually cannot feel the difference between a full snort 45/70 and a 458 when both are loaded with 400 gr boolits. I love #1 Rugers but the scope mounts bit too far forward with the standard Ruger rings. I wish Leupold still made the long tube 3x scopes. Also the advice about the brass is correct. Finding 458 Win brass could turn into quite a challenge now days. But it's your $, buy what makes you grin.

[eastbank]

, ruger #1 in 45-70 at 100 yards, ruger #3 in 45-70 at 100 yards. same load 300 hornady at 2000 fps, you don,t need that speed to kill, but it does flatten the bullet drop out past 100 yards.

[skeettx]

I like my Ruger #1 Lyman Centennial 45-70
Longer and heavier barrel
What fun
Mike

[Bulliwig]

Haven‘t decided yet which one to get. But the auctions are still going and we‘ll see. Also saw a high wall in 45-70 for auction with a nice scope. And man, this loooong barrel does look appealing!

[Bulliwig]

Auctions ended but all of them were to Pricey for me. The .458 ended at 1000€, the .45-70 at over 1200€ and the high wall for 1100€.
Found a no1 in 375 h&h, I’ll have a look at that. I think this would also be a nice cast gun.

[rockrat]

My H&H loves cast.

[Bulliwig]

Just want to inform you, I bought the .375 rimless belted nitro Express!
It even has a very nice aftermarket trigger in it. I‘ve seen someone fiddled with the forend already, i found some bedding compound around the tip of the hanger. I first want to test fire it before messing around. Anyone a good idea for a scope?
Afterwards i want to try cast in it.

[TurnipEaterDown]

The best scope is the one that serves your purposes that you can afford.

Obvious statements aside, depends on what you want to do with it, as to what suits you best.

Some things should be rather evident: Thick reticles (sp?) help in quick pick up on game, but hamper target shooting, etc.
I would tend to pick something w/ good eye relief, and large exit pupil. I find that by trolling GunBroker I can find older Burris optics on the cheap. They hold up well, have a lifetime warranty (no matter who has owned, and I have made use of the warranty), and have clear glass. Probably someone likes something else better, that's why I said "what suits you best".
Specs aren't usually too hard to find, and are worth reviewing.

[Texas by God]

4198 is a good powder for calming the .375 down so that it is actually fun to shoot.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[Bulliwig]

I‘d love to buy 4198 or 3031, but both powders are banned inside the EU

[Bulliwig]

But I‘m pretty sure a .375 is the right medicine for our famous, bulletproof, middle-european 30# roedeers