“ruger no. 1”

For a hunter’s first rifle, one naturally chooses among the myriad center-fire cartridges and the arms that chamber them. But, is that the best option? Probably not.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. is proud to celebrate its 75th year as an American firearms manufacturer in 2024. To commemorate this milestone, the company is releasing a very special edition of one of America’s most iconic firearms—the Ruger No. 1.

A rimless designed made for use in the Mauser-style rifles, the .318 Westley Richards was released sometime between 1906 and 1910, and became one of the most popular medium-bore cartridges for hunting African game.

Generating just over 3,200 ft.-lbs. of muzzle energy, the .405 Winchester was—at the time of its release in 1904—the most powerful lever-action cartridge available.

The .303 British has a deeply rooted history in the era of exploration and is tied to the adventurers and hunters who headed to the wilds.

Why would the Creedmoor gain acceptance, when we had such a similar level of performance in a cartridge released at the end of the 19^th century? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each.

Both cartridges are easy on the ears and have minimal recoil, yet are effective for any of the smaller species for which they are suited. Which is the better choice for the hunter? Contributor Philip Massaro examines the pros and cons of each.

Be it a bucket list hunt in a land of giants, an anniversary escape with a loved one, a quick scouting trip turned big-buck showdown or the culmination of a trophy slam, American Hunter readers searched for and found opportunity near and far this past year.

Released in 1980, the 7mm-08 Remington would go on to be considered one of the best deer cartridges ever conceived, and the gamut of 7mm bullets available make it extremely flexible.