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Any 416 Ruger owners care to share their take on the cartridge ? I am battling with the decision of getting a rifle chambered in it. Unsure of trying to pick up a new one or re-barrel a possible candidate. The 350 TSX would likely be my choice bullet. Thanks.

I have 2 customs chambered for the .416 Ruger. One on a M700 action (for sale BTW), the other on a M70. So far I've only shot the factory Hornady loadings, but I do have some load info for the .416 Ruger with various Barnes bullets - TSX and Banded Solids, 350gr and 400gr - that I got from Ty @ Barnes. PM me your email addy and I'll forward what I have.

What I can say about shooting the .416 Ruger with the Hornady ammo is that the POI is nearly identical with the 400gr DGX and 400gr DGS. My groups (with scope mounted) were easily 1 1/4" @ 100yds. On the other hand, my tired eyes have difficulty with irons and groups opened up as a result.

Thanks, PM sent.

I have a 416 stainless Alaskan that I just love topped with a Leupold 2x-7x. Very accurate and reliable. Feeds well. I have shot all the verieties of 400gr Hornadys, 350gr Speer Hot Cores and Barnes 350gr TTSX in it and all are less than MOA to 100yds. The TTSX bullet is very long and takes up considerable useable case capacity requiring a slightly faster powder. Benchmark, IMR-8208, IMR-4064 and Varget are all great powders for the 416 Ruger. I like the fast handling 20" bbl but I would like to see the real world performance numbers from a 24".

Thanks for the info. I am wrestling with the decision of 416 or leaving my top end using rifles at 375 caliber. I do have a 416 Rem in a M70 and a 458 in a Mark X, but they stay at home.
I am leaning towards having a SS 416 Ruger or 416 Rem with a 22 or 23" barrel put together. Actually, "trying" to talk myself out of it, always just one rifle away from "The perfect" one. I would definitely use the 350 TSX, I have been Very pleased with 338/225 and 375/270 TSX combo's. Decisions, decisions...

WiFowler,
Thanks for the email. I know what you mean about the irons and eyes. The irons on my rifles are not used.

If you have a 416 RM...WHY would you want a 416 Ruger too??...unless you just want another rifle.

I have a 416 Taylor and have been trying to talk myself into rechambering it to 416 RM, then the Ruger when it came out or a 416 RUM...couldn't do it...the only real gain would be the RUM, but I decided to go to 50 cal instead for my BIG-GUN.

Just have the RM barrel set back a thread and rechambered...or have a 416 Ruger barrel fitted to your W70 and just swith barrels when you want to step down a bit...or just download. Seems like a waste to me tho'.

No such thing as "THE PERFECT RIFLE"...just a whole lot of "MANY PERFECT RIFLES".

Luck

Thanks, it is " the want" not the need. I am sure a 338 Win Mag or the 375 H&H or Ruger would fulfill my needs. And, I have those covered. As to the current 416 Rem, it is a M70 New Haven Safari Express and I want something in stainless for an actual using rifle. As to ballastics, the 416 Ruger or Rem, either is fine for my purpose. I agree, as too "many perfect rifles" and cartridges. About decided as I type this, to scratch the 416 idea and leave my top-end using rifles at 375 caliber and enhance them into "more perfect rifles".

Larry, We will have to sit down this winter and discuss the perfect Alaskan rifle. Dave Scovill requested that I do a feature on Alaskan rifles and I submitted it this summer but since he just fired me I doubt it will see print - at least in Rifle magazine. I sold the last 416 Ruger I had but now am considering building another. Not sure why, except that I "need" one more PERFECT ALASKAN RIFLE.
It's a form of madness.

Sorry to hear that you are parting ways with Rifle, I have always enjoyed reading you, it was nice to read articles by someone with real world experience rather than corporate hunt experience and the ensuing blather that invariably follows.

I wish that someone would fire Scovill, the magazine owner could surely find someone better than him.

drover

Phil,
I will buy or make the coffee. When you are back in the area, I look forward to the discussion. Very sorry to hear about the Scovill dealings, as I am sure Lots of Rifle magazine readers are. He impresses me, Not. Hope to see the article in another publication, and I am sure I will. You do have a large folowing of readers and supporters and deservingly so.
Hopefully, I will have those two 375 Rugers back from McMillan within the next month. I am confident they will look Much better than the last time you saw them, at least stock wise! I must say the 375 Ruger with the McMillan and factory 20" barrel and those 270gr TSX is a pleasure to carry and shoot.
"IT is a form of madness"!! The Need for One More " Perfect Alaskan Rifle"! I definitely have the itch for a stainless 416 Ruger and 350gr TSX. Pondering the barrel length now.
Larry
Below is one favorite "Perfect Alaskan Rifle".

Larry, After last season I went back with my #1 perfect Alaskan rifle - and was glad I did as I had to sort out another wounded boar in thick, thick stuff

Phil, LMAO, "Ole Ugly" rides again! I am sure, not only caliber wise, but familiarity wise of the hours and miles that you have carried that rifle is most comforting when in the Thick of things being brush and situation!
Hmmm, did you freshen up the fall camo ? Blends in very well. What bullet did you use this year, 450 TSX ?

While I still prefer the 500 RN Hornady bullets - especially the old/new brass Interbonds that all the African gurus seemed to hate - I was trying some of the Norma loads with 500 Swift A-Frames.
The 458 Win may actually be the perfect 416 as it also works great with 350 and 400 gr bullets

I hope to read/hear about the latest "sorting out " of that wounded boar.
I do have one of "Ole Ugly's" siblings, have given some thought to the 458. But, since Barnes will not make a 400 TSX, thought was all. Just a little leary of a 350 grainer and pretty sure I do not want the recoil of the 500 grainers.
I have fired some of the Federal 400 Trophy Bonded, and think that would be awesome load. But, have not seen the bullet in stock to order anywhere. - Another topic for discussion, Is the 458 Win Mag the perfect 416 ?? -

Larry, The "sorting out" fortunately turned out to be a non-event. As soon as the barrage from the hunters began the boar headed into a thick willow patch along the creek bottom. The stuff was incredibly thick, so much so that I had to hold the rifle close and if it came at me from the side there was no way I could swing the rifle, much less fire it from the shoulder. - I love it when all the experts on these forums claim that a 24 inch barrel is just as quick - fortunately there were some more open patches scattered around so when the trail would head into the really thick stuff I would back out and work around to the side.
By doing thisI found three places where the bear had doubled back on it's trail and layed down. Finally the trail headed into another thick patch of real pucker brush at the base of a hill and while I was trying to figure out how to maneuver around it I saw the bear raise up to look and see where I was. He was maybe thirty yards away and I hit him in the near shoulder. he rolled down toward me and tried to get up but I could tell he was done. Still, by the time I worked my way around and above him he was still moving his head.

I love the way a 500 gr bullet @ 2000 + fps puts things down. I have only had to shoot one bear with the 416 and - from a sample size of one - was not as impressed as those I have had to put down with the 458.
The 416 splits the difference between the 375 and the 458. In the real world the 375 shoots a 300 gr bullet around 2550fps, the 416 a 400 gr bullet @ 2350 fps and the 458 a 500 gr bullet 2150 fps.
It is not the stopper the 458 is, and does not shoot as flat as the 375, but it is not far off of either.

"Barrage", I have heard a few of those during moose season. That type non-event, would be pretty eventful in my book! I certainly have a heap of respect for the bears, wounded or not. Trying to merely make ones way through a willow tangle is hell, if not the upper stalks/limbs hanging you up, the slick intertwined knarly roots/bases are tripping you up. And those tangles never look as tall, until you are in them.
I bet that 500 grainer does put things down quick. I am wanting to give the 416 350gr a whirl, and/or a good 400gr in the 458. Though, it may be hard to leave the 375 Ruger and 270gr TSX's at home. I am Very paritial to stainless/synthetic rifles and neither 416 Rem or 458 Win are. Obviously proven by "Ole Ugly" SS/Syn is not a have to have to perform.
I also got a respect for size and toughness of those moose vertebrates and other bone structure. Looks like next year, I will be hunting the same area as this year. And pretty sure, if I am fortune enough to get a shot, it will be be close and not the text book broad side. And this has got me considering the 416. I suppose, to be honest, I just like using different calibers/rifle combo's. I really do not foresee taking a shot at more than 200 yards, more likely 20 than 200. I think, I am getting more like Elmer in my somewhat mature years (age wise).

Sweet .458 Phil

This makes for some really good reading thanks guys. Only problem is these silly TV shows (there was one of a bearded fella with his pet bear) that always leaves the impression that bears are docile and friendly characters.