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

I have a few close to big bore rifles, 9.3x62, 338/06 AI, but nothing with any real whomp! I'm thinking the 416 Taylor is my next build! Not a big fan of belted magnums, I am willing to try this, just hate that kills on one end and criples on the thing! I want a Win. 95 in 405 Win. just didn't want to sell the farm to get one, and also not a huge fan of lever actions! Any feedback?

I have one, while obviously no 30-06 in the recoil dept. I don't find it as uncomfortable as some .300 mags I have shot. I tolerate the heavy push better than the high velocity jab.
Kevin

true dat! My Dad gave me a nice Ruger 77 tang saftey rifle in 300 Win Mag. once and we shot it and I told him I'll pick it up after your funeral!

I ran a 416 Taylor for a while, mainly for yotes and chucks. It was fairly user friendly and decisive on the critters.

Dober

I recently picked up a 416 Taylor in hopes of a Cape Buffalo hunt. It is built on a VZ 24 Mauser and weighs approx. 9 pounds.

I have shot quite a few rifles up to 338 win mag, and the good old 3.5 inch 12 gauge slugs and turkey loads, but didn't really know what to expect with the 416.

I acquired some 300 and 400 grain Barnes ammo (from the campfire) and was pleasantly surprised. It is actually pretty fun to shoot.

donsm70

Thanks, I have a reamer for it and a slue of Mauser actions, so maybe I'll give it a go! Just need to get me a barrel!

The Taylor is a nice round for sure. You might consider the .416 Ruger though as an option. Brass will be readily available from Hornady and I'm sure others, or could be formed from .375 Ruger brass. Either round does the same thing, 400gr. at 2400 at fairly high pressure. In either I'd think the 400gr. TSX might not be a good option if you're seeking 2400, but I've not loaded for either. May be doable with ease.

Either way you go, you'll have a great round.

Good luck with it,

David

I was told 264 Win. brass would be perfect just neck up shoulder and all is set, after fire forming, perfect! Thats what I have read doing my research!

If I were looking to build another 416 I'd choose the Ruger variant. Available, powerful and easily fitted into any standard length action worth basing a build on. BTW no belt on the Ruger case.

If I wanted a wildcat large medium, I'd go with the 404 (0.423 caliber) Ruger - for the same reasons and the added nostalgia of the 404s. YMMV

From what I gathered, most reloads are done with 458 win brass. After I got the rifle, I checked with Midway USA and they have A-Square brass with a 416 Taylor headstamp.

For what it is worth, while I was talking to Craig Boddington at the SCI show in Reno last month, Steve Hornady came over and Craig and Steve both thought the 416 Taylor barrel should be able to be converted to 416 Ruger without too much trouble.

donsm70

I had a 416 Taylor built on a Vz-24, it weren't bad to shoot but alas I had no need for it.

ive got dies for the round sitting on the shelf, have yet to get a rifle to go with them though

That would be a bunch of stretch. Not to mention 264 brass ain't always easy to come by. I'd probably look at 338WM or even 458 to make it. I've not looked at the case length, so 458 might now actually work. But I'd definitely not use 264. I'm thinking that necking down the 458 would be easiest.

Nothing wrong with a Taylor to fit in an '06 mag box, I built one off an M77. I've necked up 338wm brass and necked down 458wm brass. I think the 416Ruger is a better route today, but nothing should stop you from building a Taylor if that's what you desire. The Ruger cartridge is starting to become old hat, so a freshly built Taylor would have more cool points.

Best of Luck

I like to be able to find factory ammo if I need to. I went .416 Remington. Whether in Africa or Alaska, it's the dangerous game magnum between .375 and .458 that you are most likely to find. I think the Taylor does just as well on game as the Rigby. But neither are as available in a pinch if you and your rifle arrive in Jo'berg and the luggage with your ammo does not.

Dober - Elmer Keith would love you using the .416 Taylor on coyotes and such..."never be under gunned". Sort of like using a Louisville Slugger on 'em. Homesteader.

Being its based on the 338WM hull, the bonded softs from Swift and Woodleigh @around 350gns. would be good in the short hull and keep recoil down a bit.
Think Ive read of a chap using the 350 SAF on cape buff w/excellent results.

Gunner

My 416 T is built on the VZ 24 action and it is great except for the short magazine on the VZ restricts OAL to 3.30 or less. This restricts use of some great bullets that are in excess of 1.42 in length such as the 400 Barnes, etc. I use both the 458 brass, one pass through the 416 die and headstamped Quality brass. Giving thought to going Ruger with it but just too much invested in brass, etc already just to gain small amount of velocity at lower pressure.

Sounds like you might be a candidate for the .416 Ruger.

I have one built on a Ruger tang safety 77. I shoot it quite a bit. I also have a 9.3x74 and a 375. Really, I don't see much difference in the recoil among them. They are to me noticeably a step below the Rigby and the 458 class in recoil. It's a bit more than a 35 Whelen. I get 2300+ fps with 400 grain bullets so there are no flies on the loads that I'm shooting. The recoil is not as nasty as the big 300's and 338's. They slap me like a mad, redheaded girlfriend. The stock needs to fit you. You do not want a rifle that is too long or short if it's much bigger than an 06. I would recommend a good recoil pad, something with a little give to it. I shoot mine both off sticks and off the bench. I usually figure on about twenty shots before I get the jingly feeling that tells me to put it away. I find it easy to reload, and make cases from 338 and 458. The 338's need to be fireformed with cornmeal to move the shoulder out, but then neck sized.That burnt cornmeal stinks, by the way. The 458's need to be squashed down, that takes a bit more leverage on my old Herters press. It's six of one or half a dozen of the other. So brass is cheap and easy. I find bullets at Bass Pro or order them online. It's pretty cheap to feed as big bores are concerned and a lot of fun. It looks more fearsome than it is.
Bfly

What about a .416 Dakota?

Thanks for all the advise, just got back from Lost Wages. Out there 7 weeks teaching the USAF, had a good time just glad to get home a little while! Will start looking for a good barrel to thread and chamber in a 1909 Argt. action.

I have a .416 barrel lying around the house. I believe that it is a Douglass #5 contour. I would take $150 shipped for it.

Steelhead - in the equation "NEED vs.DESIRE(aka WANT)" the desire part always wins for me. I figure when the coffin lid closes it's waaay too late to think "damn...I should have gotten that..." Of course, MANAGING(read $$$)this equation's solution is the really hard part. LOL. Regards, Homesteader.

I have a reamer for the 416 Taylor and built two of them about 4 years ago , one for me on a new RH 700 action in a B&C stock, the other for a friend on a LH 700 action in a walnut BDL stock....The B&C was one of the Carbelite models with the big wide cushy pad, recoil wasn't nearly as bad as we expected.

Something like this maybe


Not a good picture I know, LH Ruger 77MKII, B&C Carbelite. 3/4" Groups at 100yds with 350gr HAWK RN

Nice looks right on!

I shot a 405 WCF owned by our own 405WCF here at the 'fire at our Michigan get together this past January, as well as some other rifles that ought to thump harder, including a .458 AR which is a 375 RUM necked to 458 and trimmed for an '06-length mag. That 1895 in 405, because of the drop on the stock and steel butt plate, kicked WAY harder than that massive AR which has more case capacity than a 458 Lott.

The only thing cooler than a 416 Taylor or Ruger would be the hunt that makes it necessary. Someday...

I'd go w/ the Ruger myself. I am no fan of belted mags (I've never owned one) either and like the idea of more readily available brass that is properly headstamped just in case my dream of Africa comes true some day... thats no put down to the Taylor though, which in my mind has a certain gravitas that "normal" factory legitimized rounds don't.

Got a Taylor built on a Rem 700 with a Shilen barrel and McMillan Sporter stock and love it. I neck down 458 Win Mag brass and use Hornady 400 Gr. SP's. Not too bad on the shoulder and fun to shoot.

A 350 grainer SAF @ 2,500 is sort of a cool loading. The TSX 300 at almost 2,700 rocks the house. Penetration a 400 grainer gave on a facing chest shot with a brown bear was quite telling.

The .416 Taylor is more versatile than many give it credit for. It do kick a bit...


best,
bhtr

ps. Use 458 Winny brass by Winchester...the already annealed stuff. It's as easy as can be to resize. Federal nickle looks awesome:)

I have one built on a Mark-X. It is not that bad and a great shooter. I like the 400gr Noslers at 2350fps over a stiff charge of IMR4320. Gatlinguns put it together. It is a consitent sub MOA rifle. I load 300gr X bullets for deer and it does a great job. reflex264