Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 416 Rigby

I am going to start loading for a 416 Rigby soon. Is there anything special that I need to know or is it pretty straight forward like other calibers?

Straight forward like the rest. Pick up some Re 22 and you will be set.

I just started loading for mine, I am trying the RL22 with 400 grain partitions, will be curious to see how they shoot.

96gr H4350, Barnes TSX 400gr, shoots a shade under 1in.

I am partial to 101 to 102 grs. of H4831 and about any 400 grain bullet. Seems to shoot solids and softs close to the same POA at 100 yds for me.

I've had good luck with H-4350, same load as Frank's. However, my "money" load is 90.2gr IMR4350. Out of my 24" Rigby, I get an honest 2400 plus, sub MOA with 400gr Swift A Frames, Fed 215 primers. Also, get a custom made Lee Factory Crimp Die. You need to crimp that case. jorge

For whatever reason H4350 didn't do so well for me, using 400 grain A-Frames and TSXs, as well as 350 grain Speer Mag tips. Groups were in that 3.5-4 inch range and showed a definite tendency to string. Some loads vertically, some diagonally. A switch to RL22 put everything right, with the TSXs going at or slightly under the inch. The A-Frames were close to that, and plenty good enough for anything a .416 Rigby would be used on. Groups were shot with a 2.5X Leupold with Heavy Duplex, so trying to fine tune loads further is probably fruitless given the sighting equipment.
I still need to work up a cast load, one for the 350 grain and another for the Barnes banded solid.
Model70guy

I've played around with the 400 gr TSX and have done well with H4831 around 102gr for 2380 fps in a 24" bbl (this is a compressed load) and easy extraction. About 102 gr works well with Hornady 400gr RN as well. I have purchased but haven't tried the 400 Barnes solids yet. In terms of reloading, it is an easy bottlenecked case just like a 30-06. However, the cases are huge and will not fit into a standard reloading block (or I found out, a bullet puller <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />). You may need to make a reloading block (5/8" drill bit) and buy special ammo boxes! have fun

oh, and buy lots of powder! at 65 rounds per pound, you'll go through it quickly <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

No kidding! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> You might as well take the cap off and throw it away.
The 20 gauge lift out trays for shotshell dry boxes make a good loading tray for the Rigby, a BPCR shooter got me going on that one. The MTM Caseguard boxes in Magnum size work, but only bullet down. Who makes a bigger one?

MTM does make a 22 round smoked plastic case (I can look up the model #) that fits the rigby nose up with room to close the lid. I think I found them locally and bought them out <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> IIRC it says in the ad that it is designed for the 338 Laupa.

Thanks, I'll check into that. The 50s work but a smaller case would be handy at times.
Mike

The caseguard number is RF22-LM. I picked up a few of them today to have a more portable alternative. They fit all the way to .600 Nitro.
Model70guy

I buy 8# canisters of H4350 and 8*65= a lot of 416 Rigby practice.