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

If you were going to buy a 416 rifle and had to choose from these three choices, which would you go with and why. 1. CZ 550 Safari Magnum in 416 Rigby. 2. Ruger Hawkeye African in 416 Ruger. 3. Winchester Model 70 Safari Express in 416 Remington. Would the rifle or the cartridge drive the decision? These 3 were picked because they are standard offerings and priced below $1,600.00. If you didn't want one of these, what rifle and cartridge would you choose?

Ruger RSM in 416 Rigby

Seems there's one here on the Fire that's for sale, IIRC, ask is around $ 2K..

.416 Rigby RSM's tend to go for more than $1,600.

DF

Found the link.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...4611/re-ruger-416-rigby-wts#Post15134611

The Ruger I was referring to is the Ruger Hawkeye in 416 Ruger. The Ruger RSM in 416 Rigby is no longer in production.

They can be had used, one of the best.

DF

Here's one that scored a 41" cape buff in Zim. One 400 gr TSX did the trick. The seller in the above link has 400 TSX's to include with the deal.

The RSM is a lot gun for the buck... Cost to manufacture that one had to be pretty high, maybe why it's no longer offered.

DF

I have a New Haven Model 70 Safari Express in .416 Rem Mag that is a pretty nice outfit. I’d recommend it. No flies in the Ruger RSM either, and in that caliber (.416 Rigby), it’s a gem.

New Haven .375 H&H, chopped and fluted. I like it; it's a keeper.

DF

Winchester M 70 .416 Remington.

In all honesty either the CZ or Winchester would be my choice. I like both the Rigby and Remington cartridges.

I think SAKO does -- or did -- chamber the .416 something, maybe Rigby, in one of their models...

Just a thought...

-Chris

I sold my Dakota 416 Rigby and bought a NH M70 416 Rem. I tweaked it some and took it to Zimbabwe loaded with the 350 gr TSX. The M70 is a much lighter rifle and ammo and brass is pretty easy to find.

Yes, SAKO apparently did both .416 Rigby and .416 Remington at one time or other.

-Chris

Bought a CZ550 in 416 Rigby. Nice rifle but very heavy. While practicing for Cape buffalo hunt discovered I had to twist the left hand on the forearm to get the bolt to clear my face. Not a fan of the euro hogback stock. Someone described that handling a CZ550 Magnum was like driving a garbage truck. I concur. Sold it and bought a Ruger Alaskan in 416 Ruger. Shot 4 buffalo with that rifle. Superior in every way except for ammo availability. Better hope that your ammo makes it to Africa or you are screwed. 416 Ruger 2000 MR powder 400 grain Swift A Frame or 400 grain Sledgehammer solid 2400 fps in 20" barrel.
Ruger needs a little work. I like the Hogue overmolded stock because it is so quiet in brush. One day in the African bush dust will remove the stickiness of the rubber stock coating. Smooth up action: sharp edge on magazine box, bottom edge of feed rails, cartridge follower and slot for ejector. Polish barrel feed ramp and break sharp edge on chamber. Trigger smooth up as per readily available instructions on web. Buy a NECG receiver sight that clamps to integral scope base on Ruger receiver for scope backup.. Needs higher front sight for receiver sight. Added bonus stainless metal with receiver sight a confidence building bear gun in Alaska bush.

I've only had a couple 416's. Go handle the ones you might want. Pick the one that feels best, where the bolt feels like it's in the right place and the safety is where you automatically go for it. I fell for 'it's a classic' on one. Didn't have it six months. Lovely gun, classic, but felt like a 2x8 to me. I spent the money to get the stock fitted to me on my last one. It was the best thing I did. Reduced the recoil and made it come up like a shotgun and point where I was looking. That is what I consider the important part.
Wish you luck on your search, it's a lot of fun.
Bfly

I recently picked up the CZ in the Rigby. I just love that huge Rigby cartridge. Beautiful American stock. I can fit four of those big cartridges in the magazine. The rifle shoots well, as all my cz do. The double square bridge is superb for mouting optics.

I have hunted with a CZ in 375 for many years, and have one on 458 Lott as well.

They all fit me great. Looking at one in 505 Gibbs right now , it has been worked on a bit, and is a beauty!

Door number 3 please.
Winchester Model 70 Safari Express in 416 Remington

Have one at the gunsmith's right now getting Dakota Arms open sights on it.

Have had the CZ 550 in 416 Rigby and 375 H&H. Pass the Model 70 please.
Not much of Ruger fan and have only handled the RSM in Rigby. Pass the Model 70 please.

Ruger Africans in 416 Ruger handle much better IMO, and would be choice number 2.

My favorites are the 416 Ruger in the older Alaskan and a re-barrel M70 stainless Classic in 416 Remington. For North America a 350 TSX. The TTSX version may become the favorite, if I ever hand load them.

I have a couple of CZ550 magnums but not in 416Rigby. They are big and heavy. I fired a friends Ruger Safari (?) in 416RemMag and was impressed. It was lighter than my CZ 458WM but was still very comfortable to shoot.

I have one for sale in the classifieds.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...4611/re-ruger-416-rigby-wts#Post15134611

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