Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Which 416 rifle and cartridge?

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Pictures would help.

DF

My personal experience only includes the Ruger RSM 416 Rigby, a Winchester Classic 416 Remington and a Ruger Hawkeye African in 404-375 Ruger - ballistically equivalent to the 416 Ruger. I don’t have any experience with the CZ.

Of the ones mentioned, the right choice all depends on what your looking for from the rifle. The RSM is by far the most classical for a DG African safari, but it’s heavier than needed in 416 Rigby. I prefer the RSM in the 450 Rigby Rimless Magnum cartridge as the weight and recoil are better balanced. So I’ve had one of the RSM 416s rebored for that cartridge. If I make it back to Africa for elephant, this rifle will be with me. The RSM is at its best as a heavy caliber DGR rather than a medium caliber rifle. It also works very well in 458 Lott.

The Win M-70 in 416 Remington is a nicely balanced rifle. Adequate weight to tame the recoil, and with the 24” barrel I had fitted, lively and easy to handle for repeat shots. A very reliable, good heavy medium.

Finally, the Ruger Hawkeye. The lightest, so it has the fastest recoil velocity. Easy to handle, very fast to point and shoot. A very good choice for running shots and close quarter follow ups. It’s recoil with a 400 grain solid at 2400 FPS MV is significant and it is a rifle for the experienced shooter.

All great choices. IMHO it all depends on what you’re planning for the rifle.

I have had the privilege of owning a Dakota 76 African in .416 Rigby for a number of years. It was built to my specs and has accompanied me on multiple DG safaris. The rifle is incredibly accurate, totally reliable with a slick and smooth action. and a thing of beauty. Highly recommended.

I've owned two Rigbys (RSM and CZ) . The "romantic" choice is the Rigby, the practical choice is the 416 RM Model 70. Why? the Rigby is a very long action and my view is if you're going to carry a huge action, then get a bigger caliber. The 416Remington does everything the Rigby does in a more compact action. The RSMs are heavy. The CZ' does have greater capacity than the other two. As to the Ruger 416, no experience.

True in terms of down range performance, but the Rigby does the job at a considerably lower chamber pressure. The .416 RM is an 8mm RM necked up to .416 and operates with a compressed powder charge at considerably higher chamber pressure.

IIRC, there were pressure issues from the heat when the .416 Rem first went to Africa. Guess they loaded it a back a bit, or maybe used more temp stable powder? You don't hear about that so much now.

The old Rigby is a hoss, no doubt. Those guns do tend to be a bit heavier, bigger, fatter round needs a bigger action.

DF

Bottom line is the 416 RM matches the Rigby's performance in a lighter, trimmer action. Initial Remington loadings did have pressure issues but those have been long resolved.As to chamber pressure, I have to be frank and say, I really don't notice that when I shoot...

That arguement doesn't hold water, plenty of cartridges operate at the same pressure as does the 416 Rem

I really wanted to be a romantic and shoot a 416 Rigby, but after about 6-8 rounds I was done when I owned mine. I tried both Euro and American stocks in the CZ. The CZ's were clubs to me.

I then bought a 375 H&H in a Model 70. I can shoot that all day with no issues.

After fiddle farting around trying to build a couple 404 Jeffery's on Model RUM actions, I gave up. Love the 404 Jeffery Cartridge and took a buffalo in Africa with one. I can shoot about 40-60 rounds a day in one until it get's punchy. I sold it thinking I would never go after buffalo again and was content with a 375 as my big gun. That is until I came across a NIB Model 70 classic in 416 Remington. Put a bottom bid on it and got it.

The rifle is now at my smith's getting a bedding job and some Dakota open sights. Really excited to start playing with it. Planning on 350gr T/TSX's at whatever charge shoots the best. Velocity from 2400-2600fps is fine with me. I also have a bunch of Speer 350gr for plinking. Maybe buffalo is in my future again. I know wacking steel plates with a big bore is definitely in my future.

I’ve owned rifles in 416 Rigby, Weatherby, Hoffman Remington and by far prefer the Remington over the others. Hunted with a Rigby several trips to Africa and grew very tired of lugging it’s 11 pounds around all day in the heat. The Weatherby is more of the same plus greatly increased recoil. A M70 can weigh 9lbs ready to hunt and is far nicer to carry. Rigby ballistics are easy to match at normal pressures and ammo is much cheaper and lighter. Something to consider when you have a 5 kg weight limit on ammo.

Of the three mentioned, 416 Remington.
I would consider the 416 Ruger cartridge but not in the Ruger factory rifle. If I went custom I would use a 98 type action and make it the 416 Taylor. Norma makes cases and ammo for the Taylor.

Well my Ruger Rigby is still for sale.

Rigby, you only live once.

I've shot the 416 Rigby and 375H&H in the CZ. It's a big heavy rifle, bigger than I want for a 375 and plenty big for the Rigby.

I'd go with a M70 or a 98 in 416 and the Ruger case just for practicality. Maybe a CZ550 Medium if you could get the Ruger to feed. Seems like you should be able to?

I just happened into a .416 Ruger Guide Gun the other day, and it's an interesting little package. Handles great and the Ruger brake is the least loud brake I've ever fired, and this seems to especially apply to the .416 as I fired it next to a .375 with the same brake. I doubt that cartridge and rifle with a 20" barrel will do 2400 with a 400 but I suspect it will do enough. Recoil is really mild in that combo for a .40 plus. Ruger guns tend to be stout and not break. My initial impression after firing it half a dozed rounds is that it may end up being a an excellent rifle. I think I have a couple of Leupold 2.5x scopes laying around. Not a huge fan of Leup reliability but the 2.5x's have a good reputation. I may get some low mounts and stick one of those on.

FWIW, I found my New Haven Model 70 Safari Express to be a bit more nose heavy than I like. To give it better handling, I installed about 4 1/2 oz of lead in the buttstock; felt like a much different rifle and handles much better. Still comes in under 10# with scope and mounts.

I found an interesting and effective way to add the weight - I cut the front end off of four 12 gauge shotgun shells (1 1/8 oz of shot each), being careful to keep part of the wad to hold the shot, taped the ends of each. Fitted them in the hole bored to accept a mercury reducer, added a small piece of plastic to make a snug fit, put pad back on. Works great. You can add or subtract, of course, to suit your preference. I also like that there is no vibration, as the lead stays put. I hate the sloshing of the mercury reducers.

I swapped the factory stock on my NH 416 Rem M70 for a magnum fill McM Express stock and dropped 8 oz on the rifle. Mine wears a NECG banded front sight and a Wisner Winchester Express rear. My PH in Zimbabwe thought highly of it though he used a custom 416 Rigby built on a Vector action. A beautiful but heavy rifle. My 416 is fairly light and the McM stock allows, with a little head movement, easy use of the open sights or scope. I had Accu-TIG weld the bolt handle to the bolt body as well. Once the dust settles with clear travel and open countries it will head back to Africa.

Get the Rigby......name her Eleanor! memtb