Notwithstanding the debate about whether a single shot is suitable for DG (buffalo), as I said in another post I have a morbid fear of carrying a loaded rifle behind the PH or anyone else. What I find is so easy and quick with the Ruger No1 is to slip in a round when needed and then pop it out if the moment passes. Quiet, minimal movement, and no reliance upon the safety catch on the less focused times of the walk and stalk.
I wouldn’t worry too much with the ruger. When you’re carrying it over shoulder, muzzle forward, all the branches are hitting the barreled action, not skating over the safety. If they somehow did skate the safety (a scope makes this near impossible) the branches are pushing the safety rearward reaffirming the “safe” position rather than nudging it forward.
gotta love the tang safety! Same reason they have them on DG double rifles as well.
Related to comments about most collectible rifle of all time? No. Not even close. They are collected because they are cheap. They are at the price point of worthless “working tools” types of guns. But they were made by Bill Ruger, sold at break even or a loss, and are one of the highest quality guns made at their $700 price point. (Average price over their 50 years cataloged) They have some junky issues compared to $5000-$20,000 Gibbs-Farquarson single shots of which they are a modern copy, but for the price?! Name another sub-$1000 Gun with a quarter rib, express sights, a barrel band, a walnut stock, a tang safety, and integral scope mounts. Doesn’t exist.
The complaints about the ruger 1s are all solved by spending 5x-10x the money. Bad rings that fit few scopes with proper eye relief. Better safeties that aren’t investment cast. Extended tangs so the stock isn’t a hollowed through-bolt design. Etc.
But for a gentlemen of modest means, it’s a beautiful weapon with soul of acceptable quality in any circle of Gun snobbery.
For dangerous game, please look at Strop safeties. That’s a cheap fix to a dangerous ejection problem with the #1. Craig Boddington designed it to make the number 1 DG worthy. An inexpensive fix for a potential problem during reloads in a panic.