Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only The big 40+ calibers. What's your favorite?

Mutt and Jeff:





Mutt is over 3 lbs heavier than Jeff.
Put Jeff in a 1.25 lbs stock instead of the 1.5 to 2 lbs stocks
and the difference would be 4 lbs.
Same scope and rings, same weights field ready except .416 Rigby ammo is a wee bit heavier than .416 Ruger (brass and powder),
for 4 rounds each, 3+1.

They may have the same muzzle whomps, but very different butt whumps.

The final Gen 3 RSMs had skinnier barrels shortened to 23".
The .416 Rigby then weighed about 9.5 lbs,
almost as light and lively as the 25"-barreled CZ 550 Magnum in Lux Euro-Hogback walnut,
almost as light and lively as Harry Selby's and Ronnie McFarlane's twin .416 Rigby rifles.

I left Ronnie my .416 Rigby ammo loaded with GSC FN 380-grainers at just over 2500 fps from my 24" Ruger RSM.
It was a bugholer and impressive on cape buffalo, so he heard from PH-appy.
He liked the South African make of the bullets, he was familiar with the Gerard Shultz product.
That .416 Rigby of his was stout in the barrel shank, ".416 Rigby For Big Game,"
and it was a standard M98 Mauser opened up at both ends.

Mule Deer,

Hope you post Luke Samaras’ Rigby. It is always interesting to see the DGRs PHs use as tools in their work.

The Nickudu Files at Nitro Express Forums has the excellent
Layne Simpson article
"Harry Selby's .416 Rigby Out of Africa"

http://ezine.nitroexpress.info/NickuduFiles/Africa-PDF/Africa317.pdf

From my paper files and the internet:













In Harry Selby's own words, recalling the "Kwaheri (farewell) Safari" of 1962 with Robert Ruark:

From the Layne Simpson article"

Harry quit using softs in his .416 Rigby, says the solids did a good job of stopping lion too.
The GSC FN 380-grainer from my monster Ruger that was 1.5 pounds heavier than Harry's
might have made it into Namibia from the Okavango after passing through a cape buffalo.

In Ron's first reply to this thread, he mentioned that finding a LH rifle based on a 375 H&H parent case would make a good candidate for re-barreling up to a 458 Win Mag:


While doing my usual early morning rifle searching, I came across something that I don't see every day: A LH rifle in 7mm RUM. Since the RUM series of cartridges was based off of the 404 Jeffery, then the question that popped into my mind was "Are there any caveats to re-barreling a LH RUM rifle up to a 404 Jeffery? Does the same advice that applies to 375 H&H parent case rifles apply to RUM rifles?".

The "problem" with the rifle I saw this morning was that it was a Remington 700. In another thread on a 9.2x62 v .375 Whelen variant for a build, Ron had advised against this particular model without going into detail about the basis of that recommendation.


So the next question to ask is "When considering rifles for rebuilds to a 4** caliber level rifle to take to Africa, are there some models that are preferred & some models to be avoided?".

LH rifles to build up from are often found in 70, 77, 700, Sako, Weatherby, Browning A-Bolt / X-Bolt, etc. I think the only CZ or Zastava that is chambered in a suitable caliber for upsizing is the 375 H&H. They usually carry a premium price because LH shooters are fond of them & they don't appear very often. My inclination would probably be to just keep one of those as its original 375 H&H if I found one.

PS - Ron, I haven't been replying to each of your posts about various big game hunts using the rifles I'm curious about but I have been reading each one in detail & I appreciate you sharing the info & photos.

After having owned a couple of 416 Rigby's, a 404 Jeffery, and now a 416 Remington. I am in the Remington camp.

The Rigby's (both CZ 550's) gave me headaches after 6-10 rounds. The 404 (converted RUM) was good for about thirty rounds. I have not reached a round count limit with the Remington (Model 70) shooting 350gr TSX's at 2590 fps. I have shot 50 plus rounds multiple times at the range.

I do not have any pics of it. But will get some up this week.

Here's a couple of images, one close-up of the action area of Luke's .416, and another with the .416 to the right of his .470 double, which as I recall was a Westley-Richards. (Will check my hunting notes on that.)

Luke Samara's rifle differs from Harry Selby's, obviously.
Magnum action instead of standard M98, obviously.
Slightly longer barrel ... is it just 24" or did it go 25" like a CZ 550 Magnum and the SIG Magnum M98 ?
Has quarter rib instead of Selby's sleeve on the shank as a sight base: Shorter sight radius on the Magnum than the standard M98.
just to name a few differences.
It surely must weigh a bit more than Harry's,
but it surely looks just as well balanced and lively.
Harry's Mauser extractor was reshaped to allow push-feeding directly into the chamber, and CRF-ing the three rounds down in the box.
Luke's rifle probably holds 4 down in the box.

Harry Selby's muzzle diameter at 23.5" barrel length (11/16" or 0.6875") would,
if taper continued to 25" length barrel muzzle,
have a diameter about identical to the CZ 550 Magnum's 25" barrel on the factory .416 Rigby, 0.670" on one I measured,
the 9.25-pounder .416 Rigby from CZ.

Same contour was used on the .375, .416 and .458 CZ 550 Magnum rifles
with the hammer forged barrels from the Czech Republic.

The odd-ball calibers that CZ USA offered had barrels made by McGowen, button-rifled and duplicating the "dognut"
on the barrels for integral sight base and barrel recoil lug contraption.
The .404 Jeffery and .505 Gibbs barrels, both had 1:10" twist, NOT C.I.P. TWISTS

Hi odonata,

Of course the left-hand Remington M700 RUM rifles are going to be easier to find.
All the M70 Winchester RUM actions are highly valued for the ease of converting to .404 Jeffery.
I have taken 300 RUM barrels off three of them, for the .404 Jeffery, .416 Dakota,
and even a .338 Lapua Magnum wildcat (.500-caliber).
The latter also used a Sunny Hill drop bottom metal and the McMillan stock meant for that. Nice combo.



Using the M700 RUM action is fine, except it is not CRF.
The only action I've had that shaved brass and gummed up the plunger ejector into nonfunction
was because of that M700 pinky-finger-nail-like extractor.

So Win M70, Ruger, Dakota (ParkWest) CRF actions are better.
Insert lingo from ParkWest web site here:



https://parkwestarms.com/pages/catalog

CZ 550 Magnum retains the "Controlled Round Extraction" just like a true military M98,
and the proper Magnum M98.
The other commercial Mausers like Whitworth Mk X mostly do too, IIRC.
Not hard to check by looking at the side of the bolt where the extractor tongue rides in the groove.

So most of the CRF actions are not CRF & CRE like the true Mauser.
The Remington M700 is neither CRF nor CRE.

I can live with the CRF-only rifles, though a purist would insist that CRF+CRE only need apply for DGR use.

Hey, Ross Seyfried used a Remington M700 .416 Remington as his PH rifle.
Ross also went insane and "Denied" the .458 Winchester Magnum.
I own the Remington M700 in .375 RUM, .300 WbyMag and 7mm STW.
Good enough for rat guns.









Though Ross "denied" the .458 WinMag, he liked posing it at short COL
next to the .416 Taylor at Long COL.
And the .416 Taylor was used in a Blaser !
That is sick.

Ross said he turned a factory Remington M700 in .416 RemMag into a 2-pounds lighter working rifle
by having the barrel turned down and switching the walnut to fiberglass.
Brown Pounders are "one-pound" stock blanks, IIRC, before the recoil pad, paint and Bondo are heaped on.

What I learned from Ross:

1) Forend-tip swivel stud instead of barrel band. Lighter and does not affect POI as much if using sling for shooting aid.

2) If you must have a two-piece scope base stick out over the loading/ejection port, make it the rear one.
I call this the Single Seyfried Schtick. If both bases have hangover, it becomes a Double Seyfried Schtick.

I forgot to add the scope bases into the weight of the .416 RemMag above: Mighty close to 9.5 pounds.

About 1-3/4 pounds lighter as a .458 WinMag:



7#11-oz with scope bases, front sight and red dot sight on front scope base.
A receiver peep from NECG on the rear base would make it heavier than with the red dot.









Horizontal split rings with independent main mount to bases: Stronger,
especially with 4 to 6 screws holding each ring top, torqued to 18 inch pounds and checked frequently,
and a good, square recoil stop at ring-base joint,
and main mounting screw/bolt torque-able to 65 inch-pounds, or more, and checked frequently.

Barrels for .40- to .458-cal. rifles:
No. 4 sporter for light,
No. 5 sporter for Goldilocks, just right.





Sort of like proof that the CZ 550 Magnum .416 Rigby barrel contour was a lot like Harry Selby's .416 Rigby,
which was 11/16" diameter at 23.5" length, equivalent to about 0.670" diameter at 25" length.
A perfect contour for a .416-caliber rifle.
Just a tad fatter than the McGowen No. 4 sporter which has diameter of 0.670" at 23.5" length if not shortened any at the breech end.
That would be about 0.655" diameter at 25" length.
The CZ barrel is a tad fatter than the McGowen No. 4 Sporter Contour, just about identical to the "Harry 1949 Selby" rifle.
The integral "dognut" for rear sight and recoil lug contraption in forearm with steel F-block on the CZ
come pretty close to making effective weight of the barrel overall like Harry's more aesthetic Rigby contour.
Action weight differences and stock weight difference could then be worked to make good balance.
Both rifles weighed 9.25 pounds, 25"-barreld CZ 550 Magnum and 23.5"-barreled standard M98 opened up and given Magnum bottom metal.
Easy to understand, not so easy to accomplish in wood and steel.

More ideas:
The Yugoslav M98 Mausers have been available in .300 WinMag and such.
Were they available in left-handed actions after Remington, etc, started offering them ?

The Montana Rifle Company did M1999 rifles and actions for lefties, I am sure.
I like them, sad they are gone too, the way of the CZ 550 Magnum.
The 26 Nosler (having rebated rim) might be considered a derivative of the .404 Jeffery.
Fitting .532" rim instead of bigger Jeffery rim (~0.542")
it might take some bolt face work to fit the .404 Jeffery, but the magazine box below on the MRC works for 3+1 in fat-cased 26 Nosler.
The MRC M1999 action is roomier than a Pre-'64 Winchester M70 before it was factory-opened to hold 4+1 of .375 H&H.
Either one would make a great .458 WinMag.



With a red dot the .395 H&H is about 7 pounds even.

If you must be sensible, this is hard to beat:





That Stainless Laminate one would deserve re-chambering to .375 Weatherby Magnum.

Crank: The grainy picture above of whom I believe to be Seyfried performing a bolt flick with a magnum length action reminded me of another reason that I sold my CZ 550 416 Rigby. Because of the extra length of the bolt I had to twist my hand on the forearm to cant the rifle so that the bolt cleared my check while maintaining my check weld. This is not necessary for me with the 30/06 length 416 Ruger.

bobmn,

Gotta have a .30-06 action length, eh ?
That's OK.
The CZ 550 Magnum take-off barrel has threads with minor diameter same as the major diameter
of the barrel threads on a Pre-'64 M70.
A CZ 550 Magnum may not be totally useless to you.

I had one take-off barrel that went from 25" length to 24-7/8" when installed on a Pre-'64 M70 that started life as a .30-06
before someone re-barreled it to .300 WinMag.



Only had to be shortened by 1/8" at breech end to head space and time the sights to Goldilocks standards on the M70.
Remnant chamber was cleaned up with a SAAMI .458 WinMag reamer.
Same chamber as on the original factory CZ.



Parts is parts and that rifle is a bugholer with 500-gr TSX at 2250 fps, almost as accurate at +2300 fps,
loaded long COL.
More pleasant load to work as mag box repeater is 404-gr Shock Hammer at 2500 fps.

For odonata, in case I was not clear on the meaning of Controlled Round Extraction (CRE):

The CZ 550 Magnum has true M98 CRF & CRE:







Winchester M70 Classic opened up for the .338 Lapua/.416 Rigby bolt face on a .500/.338 Lapua Magnum Improved:



A CZ 550 Magnum bolt face for .416 Rigby, now a .510/.470 Mbogo,
claw face has been contoured to allow push-feeding but it is still CRF & CRE.
This makes it like Harry Selby's .416 Rigby in that feeding ability:



Compare to the claw face on the .505 Gibbs CZ 550 Magnum of first image in this post.
That one does not allow pushfeeding without a manual squeeze to the side of the extractor amidship,
which gives me the willies everytime I do it: Is the extractor properly tempered to spring back from such abuse ?

I have a CZ550 in 416 Rigby that l would love to turn into a 470 Mbogo

Harry Selby's .416 Rigby M98 is a 1949 model, restored by Rigby and re-barreled.
My .458 WinMag M70 is a 1950 model, not restored by Rigby, but it was re-barreled twice.