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Hi everyone, I have found two ruger number 1's for sale here in Australia, one is a .404 jeffery the other is in .416 rigby. The only worry I have is recoil. I also own a Weatherby MkV in .340 wby mag and even with 300 grain loads I am fine with the recoil.
According to some recoil calculators, my .340 is kicking with about 40 or so ft/lbs, and the .404/.416 will give about 55ish.
However these are only numbers so I want to know how do these bigger rifles shoot in a number 1? Some ruger stocks seem to exagerate recoil, and so does this happen in the No 1's?
Any thoughts or recomendations you can give would be appreciated.
Thanks
Steve
P.S I dont plan on hunting any seriously dangerous game, or even going to africa, but I have always wanted a big british game rifle, just for the sake of it.

I've never shot either in a #1, but a friend of mine had a 416 and he said even with a Sims Limbsaver on it, it still came back with great authority, and he recommended a scope with at least 5" of eye relief. I do have a 405 WCF in a #1, and it shoots fine off hand. That tosses 300 grainers out at 2450 - 2500 fps. Off the bench, 10 or 12 is enough for one spell. Good rifles, but the heavy hitters are no fun off the bench, usually, unless your last name is "de Sade."

The Rigby is a cool chambering that will be easier to find stuff to reload (although I'd jump at a 404 too). You will have the advantage of easy Woodleigh availability to boot

FWIW, the 404 will recoil less with full loads. the 416 is easily loaded to tolerance ("practice" loads can be easily made up to match the relative recoil of a 375 H&H).
The main issue I have with mine is that it takes a pound of powder every time I load up a batch


and welcome to the 'fire too!

I recently sold my number 1 in 458 LOTT, and found it fairly easy to shoot,

I've owned a bolt-action in.338 Win, and 300 WBY that felt worse.

I like the way a No.1 recoils.

Welcome to the fire.

Well thank you all for the welcome, and information. I also forgot to mention that the .416 is unfired. I have heard that the big bores push more than whack like the .340 does as its recoil is quiet sharp, and so its not the amount of recoil energy, but rather how fast the rifle recoils which is the problem. Also does anyone know how heavy a number 1 in a magnum caliber would weigh?
Freedumb1 I owned a ruger M77 all weather in .338 win mag and it was a handful of the bench with the 250's, that boat paddle stock was not the best.
Steve

Aussiesteve,
If your used to a 340Wby ... dont sweat the 416Rigby and 404Jeff ... they're not that bad. Loaded to the hilt the 416Rigby will start coming back real fast, but at its nominal 2400fps its quite a mild chambering. Currently ... probably easier to find brass, dies, projectiles etc for the 416Rigby rather then the 404Jeffery.
Cheers...
Con

Hi Con thanks for the info, I was thinking of the .416 rigby, but the .404 does come with dies and loaded ammo. There is a mob who advertise in the SSAA mag who had .416 dies for sale, just need to find some brass. Do you know if bertram make .416 cases? I'll just use woodleigh bullets in it.
Now for the fun part....... the P.T.A and convincing the constabulary that I "genuinely" need a .416 rigby
Cheers
Steve

AussieSteve,put quite a few full power loads (500gr.)through a mates 458 win mag in a ruger no. 1.Shooting through the window spotlighting one night.Honestly found my 30-06 ruger with that godawful synthetic stock to be less pleasureable.You're dead right about the heavy push part vs. the hammer blow that small bore magnums give your shoulder.For what it's worth i loved that rifle and also there's nothing wrong with owning a big bore rifle for no apparent reason,about to do it myself!

Hi trublue, yes I have just been looking at finding some cases and dies for it. I think that with the standard (400 gn at 2400) load it should be OK. Will hit sambar with some authority I bet!
As I was saying I can handle the .340 wby's recoil OK but it slams me rather than the big push some say the big bores dish out
Cheers
Steve

416 Rigby dies are standard (not special order) from RBCS,Hornady, Redding, IIRC. mine were $35. 404 I think is special order, although you said they came with.


final thought: the ribgy is a regular production gun, the 404 quite hard to find. were it me, in the US, getting the 404 now would be a no-brainer. could get the 416 any day.

AussieSteve,

I just put my #1 in .416 Rem. on my digital scales. It weighs in at 9.45 lbs. I can't believe that a .404 or a .416 Rigby could be more than an ounce or two different, if that. I once owned a .416 rigby and it was one of the most accurate #1's I've ever owned. Recoil is tolerable with 300, 325, and 350 gr. bullets, but the 400s will get your attention. I strongly recommend avoiding them unless needed for hunting. Hope this helps...

Grasshopper

Aussie,
Regarding 416Rigby:
Dies are $95 (RCBS)from O'Reilly, cheaper and better quality than the dies from Western Firearms (Lyman)
Brass: Best is probably Norma ($90/20), Bertram are priced similiar but the quality isn't there, another option is Hornady for which at this stage I think we have to buy the factory loads $135/20 from O'Reilly. There is another option which is Bertram's seconds (mostly just discoloured) which are $2.20 each direct from the factory, you pick them out.
Projectiles: Three cheap options: Bertram $88/100, Taipan $80/100 or a new bloke in Sydney that sells at around $50-60/100 but isnt quite there with the 416 stuff yet. Save the Woodleigh's for the "real" hunting ... use a RN so they open fast on something as light as Sambar.
Regarding the Permit ... reason is "Recreational hunting and competition" ... covers you for Sambar and BGRC competition.
Cheers...
Con

Hi again thanks for the info. As far as the .404/.416 goes the .416 is closer and cheaper than the .404, and I have always wanted a .416 because of its bullet versatlity over the .404 and the .425 WR.
I didnt know that RCBS made .416 dies as standard so I will have to go down to O'rielly's and get some for only 95 bucks compare dto 130 or so for the lyman ones from wester firearms.
As far as brass goes 40 cases will last me a long time, I dont wish to benchrest the rifle, I live in Victoria and I'm only about 1.5 hours from the bertram factory so that could be an option for me.
With any amount of luck a big soft taipan/bertram bullet in the .416 will still handle the occasional sambar, its still getting hit with the same force as if it were a woodliegh, and its not like sambar are dangerous game.
I'm about to call the guy up now
cheers
Steve

Hi everyone just one more question, are the dies for the .416 compatable with standard presses? I have an RCBS press which handles the .340 wby no worries lenght wise, but I was wondering if the threads would be the same on the .416 dies as with the std ones? I have read that some large rounds use a differnt dies and so might not fit my press?
Cheers
Steve

Aussiesteve,
Yes, you'll be fine. It's around the 50cal chamberings where dies are best moved into the larger thread size.

What rifle have you decided to get or are getting?
Cheers...
Con

yep they'll fit. (although it's about the last one that will allow bullets to be seated with an RCBS press)

Hi everyone, I have put a deposit on the ruger number 1 in .416 rigby. From Hornadys website it seems as if they make some good .416 brass, and much cheaper than over here if they will ship it to me. As for bullets there is a pretty good selection here in Oz, by local makers
Cheers
Steve

Steve,
Hornady 416Rigby brass isn't available in Oz yet but Huntington's in the States (I think) have a great reputation for dealing with the paperwork to get stuff shipped to Australia. On this end you'll need a B709a and its best to fax a copy to be included in the package with the brass. If your not a member at AustralianHuntingNet (AHN) it may pay to join as you may be able to go a "group buy" from Huntington's and get various items shipped and split freight/export paperwork costs.
Pity you want a No1 ... I could do you a good deal on my as-new CZ as I'm raising cash to fund a custom 458AR build.
Cheers...
Con

Hi Con I will join up to AHN, its a pitty you didnt tell me about you wanting to sell your CZ as I would have brought it no worries. I have just ordered some RCBS dies for it and some 340 + 400 grain woodlieghs to start with.
Cheers
Steve