Having avidly read all the previous posts regarding shooting the 450-400 Ruger No1, I finally picked up my own recently after a few delays on my part (PTA, being away again etc.).

Shooting the Hornady 400gn softpoints has left me with a number of both positive and not so positive impressions:

- I've really missed having a No1, especially with the AH forend. They are such a sweet little rifle and fill the hand wonderfully,

- The entry price for a Nitro Express cartridge, even in Australia, makes the No1 a value buy,

- The length of pull is far too short for me. My ideal is around 14 1/2". I have to be careful with the No1 where and how I place my face and thumb, to stop giving myself an upercut of sorts!

- As older age slowly creeps up on me (I'm 49 yrs young) I find the rear sight too small and too close, plus it's the wrong shape. Needs to be an express 'V' for me. My old H&H bolt rifle has the rear sight at 26" from the butt, this is what John Taylor recommended for rifles as age progresses, although at the time he wrote that 24" was fine for him, he would order 26" to allow for a loss of accomodation due to advancing age. The Ruger rear sight is approx. 22" from the butt,

- The safety and ejecting spent cartridge cases; need I say more than what every person shooting the medium bores in the No1 has already said? Suffice to say I did not have to go hunting through the short grass for spent brass!

- Overall the rifle is lovely. The weight is very good (around 8lbs unscoped)

I will be fitting a longer pad, a Limbsaver prefit following discussion 500Nitro. The safety will be a more difficult fix, I am not exactly sure which way I will progress. I may drop it off to a gunmaker to change, add some rollers and perhaps inlet. I have seen a few different ways of fixing the problem, however I cannot understand how Ruger feels that this safety is appropriate for DG calibers.

Nor can I understand why Ruger supplies high mounts with this rifle (5B's). I have fitted a Leupold 1.5-5x, that I have had on a few rifles over the years, in a set of Warne QD rings.

500Nitro has given me some advice on slightly modifying the front sight to make it more visible (I tend to lose it on darker targets). I would like to replace the rear with a single fixed express sight. I am unsure of the availability of the Boddington rear sight, I have asked the Australian Ruger importers but have so far had no reply.

Cheers and good shooting, Chris