Is anyone using the Ruger Magnum .375/.416/.458 rifle?

I want to check out some operation of the action with a user without buying one.

thanks...jim

I do Jim, in 416 Rigby. I've had it tuned by Mark Penrod though so I don't know if that changes anything wrt your testing protocol. jorge

I have one ea and the only one I haven't glassbedded is the 375. The others I've had a smith smooth out all the tiny burs in the extractor hook, the pop-up ejector alongside a stronger spring and stronger magazine spring. Other than that, they'll go a long ways with these simple mods. The triggers on mine have all been 3 1/4-3 1/2#, just lucky that way. Of course, if you don't have the time to send it to a smith, you could shoot it in to smooth everything out but that takes a bit of ammo.

BTW, just working the action back and forth will smooth out the bolt travel some.

Jorge & 475 Guy,

Thanks for posting, and PMs sent.

I have kept the rifle stock, but I am operating the bolt and safety off and on during dry practice (something to do in front of the TV). I would say I have about 4 hours of operation so far, and things are working in. Also I have been shooting factory ammunition.

The trigger pull is now much more consistent, and the avarage is lighter: 4 pounds 12 oz. average.

thanks for your comments...jim

I have one in 416 Rigby, and wouldn't trade it for the world. The trigger came from the factory at 3 1/2 pounds, with no creep. The bolt was a trifle rough at first, but, cycling the action several hundred times has smoothed it out. I replaced the recoil pad with a Pacmeyer, and also replaced the front sight with a red fiber optic one from NECG. The grain through the wrist is very straight, so I haven't had a need to glass bed it. It shoots 3 different factory loads, and 1 handload into 1 hole at 75 yards.(By that I mean it shoots 4, 3 shot groups into the same hole 3/4" in height, and 1/2" wide)

Jim,
I've had a total of 5, all 416s. Still have 3 of them. What would you like to know?

SOS

3 Ruger 416's? Damn, I guess you must luv the caliber and the RSM's.

I am working with a Ruger African .375 Ruger. Part of that entails dry practice in front of the TV ; I engage any number zero or letter oh that appears on teh screen from ready. Move safety to off, trip trigger, run bolt, then repeat as available.

I notice that the Ruger safety needs to be moved from its lock position to the mid position, then forward to the off position. I was wondering how other Ruger users handled safety operation?

By contrast the M70 style safety goes from its lock position to fire with one motion of the thumb. Ditto with the shotgun style safety on my Steyr .376.

jim

HunterJim - My RSM in .375 operates the same way. I've had the action smoothed and trigger worked on and lightened to 3 1/2 pounds. I do the same thing you do with mine but I use snap caps in mine to avoid damaging the firing pin..

After you smooth out the safety, it'll stop sticking like that. Once it's polished a bit, you can operate the safety with one motion. Only thing I don't like about it is that the safety "tab" is a wee bit small. I've been looking into getting a bigger part put on.

Yep, same issues I experienced. My safety was also worked on by Penrod and it's pretty slick althogh like others here, I wished it would be bigger. jorge

I thought there was a guy in North Carolina making a larger Ruger safety. I have not been able to run that down though.

jim

If all else fails, you gotta get a REAL smith who can actually work with metal, that is, grind down the offending part and tig or mig weld a larger piece without ruining the temper. He'll also need to re-shape and chamfer or otherwise round off all sharp corners, checker or groove it and refinish it. Sounds like a lot of work. Iffn he be a good one, you ain't getting it back anytime soon.

Mine does the same thing. I get around it by not having the safety back in the rear position while stalking. I suppose I could get it fixed, but I don't see the need.

Have you noticed that the bolt moves out of fully shut action position when you do this?...thanks...,jim

I like the RSM in .416. It is a bit heavy for a .375 however. I have never seen one that did not shoot well either. I haven't bedded mine, or otherwise modified it other than a home trigger job. The bolt isn't locked down when in the middle position, so it can move. I don't have any problem with the safety, yes it is a little short. I've spent so much time with a MkII in 7x57 that it is no problem in the field for me.

Jim,
I couln't wait for the 416/Ruger 375 to come out so I just built one on a Mauser action..The metal work is done, now for a stock and I think I found a nice English style stock for it, so will glass that one on...Probably sell this one and make another in 404/375 Ruger..Ruger is going to make this caliber btw at some point, but you know how that goes.

I've got one in 416 and one in 458. They are very stout and well made. I didn't get the 375H&H, went with the 375 Ruger instead. Happy with all 3.

I really think for the money, the Ruger Safari big bores are the finest factory big bore rifles to come along in years. Integral quarter rib, barrel band swivel, barrel band front sight..I mean thats custom work and on a custom rifle it would stick you the cost of Ruger just for the barrel, so how can you go wrong...

I just built a 416/375 Ruger caliber on a Mauser action..I couldn't wait for Ruger to come out with it..maybe I'll sell this one and make another in 404/375 Ruger caliber..wish I had thought of that in the first place.

This is all quite true. Unfortuantely there is a snob value in custom work which is why the name of the 'smith is usually in the anouncement. If he is known, all the better.

The reality always has been that there are examples of many fctory rifles that fit wood to metal precisely, have fine accuracy and with a scope fitted by someone who knows what they are doing, in the right mounts for the action and, perhaps a bedding job, are fully the equal in quality to something more substantial in price range.


AGW

AGW you're spot on! One of the most accurate rifles I own is a Win mdl 43 218Bee that I bought back in the 50s. I mounted a $24.99 scope on it right from the box and still use that rig today to shoot chucks out to 250 yds. With my handloads I've shot so many 1 hole groups at 100yds it is almost borish.
Another is a purely stock $500 Daley/Mauser .458 with a used 2-7 Burris mounted on it. My full boat handloads of 450gr TSX shoot 1 hole groups out to 100 yds at every bench session.
Sure I have a safe full of fine walnut that were built for me but none shoot better or kill any deader than those 2 cheap rigs.