Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 416 Rigby

Orion03,

You might be able to order an American stock from CZ, but it's also relatively easy to remodel the Euro-style "humpback" stock. That's exactly what I did with mine 15 years ago, rasping off the hump and also cutting off some of the long Schnabel forend. (I usually like Schnabels but not in this particular instance.) I rasped down the comb until the rifle's sights pointed right where I looked, and after sanding the comb and forend tip smooth it turned out spar varnish matched the factory finish perfectly.

If you adjust the primary (unset) pull of the trigger to around 3-4 pounds, the set feature disappears. But Timney also makes an excellent replacement trigger.

Bruce,

None of the present commercial .416 Rigby Federal or Norma brass I've used is "lighter" than, say, .416 Weatherby brass. The case capacity is just slightly less than the .416 Weatherby, and loading the Rigby up to near Weatherby velocities didn't make extraction sticky, expand primers pockets, or cause any other problems except, of course, more recoil. I didn't find it too bad, but all the three buffalo I've taken with my CZ were taken with standard velocity loads, and they worked just fine--as they should.

NOW you Tell me!

Gotta add one more thing about my Ruger. Although it came with rings and I probably have a good scope I won't be putting a scope on this rifle. The stock is perfect with the factory sights. I don't like my face off the stock and think that shooting that way would effect the felt recoil and eventually make me shy away from shooting the rifle. If I were to put a scope on the rifle I'd build up the stock was that I could get a firm rest for my cheek.
After PMing a great writer I got some advice about that on my other 77. I built up that stock so that I could get a good rest for my cheek and I eventually replaced that stock. Now that 7mm RM shoots fine without pain.

I'm still shooting those solids at around 2300+. No issue with recoil. And I'm old, with bersitus and arthritis.

But I think knowing the limits is a good thing even if you don't go that far.

I loaded the 350 gr TSX's to 2700 fps in my Rigby with RL-22, let me know if you want to drive em that hard and I'll go dig up my old load book, my rifle was a RSM too.

Bruce, I did tell you! Go back and reread the chapter in Gun Gack....

Greatly appreciate the info on the stock and trigger of my CZ. Love that rifle and cartridge. Have only shot whitetails with it. Works great with 400gr. soft point Woodleighs as long as you shoot them broadside "behind the shoulder"! Friends give me grief.

Your poor unadventurous friends!

I will if I can find my copy.


I know...I know...

Well, the third printing did just show up here, if you can't find your "old" copy.... :-)

I keep threatening to buy a Ruger .416 #1, but the barrels are too heavy IMO, the "D" contour. Tempted at some point to get a .375 (the "C" contour) and rebore it to .416

Another way to lighten the barrel on the Ruger 416 Rigby RSM is to rebore it and rechamber it to 450 Rigby.

Just had one done and getting ready to develop some loads. Reloading data is pretty slim, though!

McMillan, AHR and Manners make big CZ stocks.

The postmortem on a 150lb hog shot in the neck with a 300gr TSX at nearly 3000fps MV is something to behold.

Looking through old Rifle magazines I found a treasure.

Al Miller writes about the Ruger 416 Rigby. What a perfect article for 416 Rigby owners, especially Ruger 416 Rigby owners.

Al has 33 loads listed. From the 300 Grain to 400 grain. Many of his groups (3 shot) were under an inch at I believe 100 yards. He recommended a 1.5x5 Leupold scope by the way.

Well at accuracy like that, I've got another PD rifle.

September-October 1990 no. 131

Did you convert the 416 you bought from my dad?

These folks make a specialty out of upgrading the CZ. http://americanhuntingrifles.com/?page_id=221

They can modify your stock or put a new one on. Their full house upgrade makes for a very nice rifle indeed.