There was previously some discussion in another thread about the barrel band sling swivel on the African rifles. Someone contacted Ruger and reported back that Ruger said the band was still a feature of the African and since then they have updated the pictures on the Ruger website to show all models with the barrel band. Rifles must have been produced for awhile anyway without the band, because all the Alaskans i've inquired on on the auction sites do not have the barrel band.

I want a 416 Alaskan with the barrel band. Does anyone know where I can find one? Thanks!

Looking at the Ruger web site, it appears that the barrel band is still a feature.

Ruger Alaskan

If it were me, I'd 1) call Ruger and get a definitive answer, and/or 2) order one from a local dealer with the contingency that if it didn't have a barrel band you would not accept it. Some dealers will work with you, some won't, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

A third alternative would be to build a custom .416 Ruger, as some of us have or are in the process of.

You're just seeing the older rifles on the auction site. The barrel band was later added and is still a feature of the current Alaskan's. I was the one who brought this up and I was the one who not only called Ruger, but had Ruger write me to confirm the barrel band was still current. They then updated the website with the correct photos.

I'm not even sure if the current 2011 models have been shipped out to the distributors yet. It seems that this time of year, the models from previous years are generally sold and are scarce, while the new models have yet to be shipped out while they take orders to determine how many to produce. It's kida a lull during the shift change.

Thanks for the information guys! I'll most likely end up trying to be patient for the 2011's to make thier way to the distributors so I can get one. It's not a huge deal for me to have the band, but for the same money i'd rather have it than not. I have toyed with the idea of having a 416 ruger built on a stainless New Haven 70 action though!

So have I. Matter of fact it's getting closer to being a fact than an idea!

I had to return my non-barrel band 416 for feeding issues in January and Ruger decided it needed to be destroyed and replaced (it was a very early one and they had a few bugs that needed to be worked out). They told me the next batch of 416's weren't scheduled for production until May/June. That will be cutting it close for my trip to Africa this year, but they ARE making it right and building me a new one. If you can wait, more of the new 416's will be on the way to distributors in a few months.

Take Care,

Stump

Should be available troughout their parts service.

And how pray/tell would you put a full barrel band sling swivel on a barrel that already has the barrel band front sight 'anchored on'? And I mean 'anchored'. From my conversations with a few 'smiths, removing a Ruger barrel band front sight is not something to be taken lightly - some even refuse to attempt based on previous failed attempts.

Stumpbuster: Would you care to elaborate on your 416 Ruger feeding issues so we know what to look out for in a dangerous game rifle. Thanks.

Basically, some of the "very early" 416 Alaskans without barrel bands had feed rail issues and had feeding problems, mine included. Initially I wrote it off as a bad batch of newly designed ammo or a bad day on the range, but the problem persisted and then I read about another "early" 416 owner having problems here...

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=71167&highlight=416

I mean't to send in the rifle early last year, but never got around to it. I finally got it off this year and recieved the reply from Ruger mentioned above. From what little I've been able to find on-line, the feeding issues have been resolved and if you have a barrel band 416, you should be good to go. Now the only issue is getting Ruger to figure out how to mount the 416 AFRICAN in a wood stock. I'm fine with the Hogue as I have big hands and this rifle is strictly a utility tool for me....BUT I can completely understand the desire for a pretty piece of timber attached under the 416 though...especially if it included a nice piece of ebony stuck on the end!!!

Now I just need to decide if I'm gonna go with the new fixed 3X from Leupold or the 2.5-8 VX3. I'd just as soon use the Leupold Prismatic I already have for close range work, but nobody makes a Ruger scope base adapter for that model.

Hope this helped.

All the Best,

Stump

The good thing about this Ruger is that it is on their long action which doesn't have any particular issue with mounting scopes with short tubes.

Stump: Thanks for the info.

get both scopes and Warne quick detach or release on it ...

I guess I'm in the minority but I don't care for the barrel band. In fact the only Alaskan I've seen locally has it...which is why I did not bring it home.

I think all the newer models are made with barrel bands, and the older batch or the first batch they released didn't have the barrel band and people were complaining that the swivel was slamming into there fingers from the recoil.. hence the need for the band. Some of the websites still have the older models without the barrel band. You could always contact them.