- Location
- gormley ontario
I bought a 416 rigby it came with some 400gn cartridges. Is there any other options for this gun. Like 250 or 300 gn. Thanks
416 rigby
- Thread starter cheaplaughs
- Start date
- Location
- Saskatchewan
The .416 Rigby was designed as a stopping rifle for dangerous game, with a reasonably flat trajectory compared to the 45's and bigger bores. Bullets lighter than 400 grains do not fulfil that role, so the lightweights are not offered for it as far as I know.
If I had a 416 Rigby and wanted to shoot it a lot and do some hunting in Canada the first thing I would do is slug the barrel with a pure lead slug to establish a micrometered groove diameter. Next I would contact Tom at Accurate Molds and get a gas checked type mould made that cast bullets .002-.003 larger than groove diameter in whatever weight you want. I think 350 grains is about as low as I would consider for that cartridge. Then, learn how to combine slow burning powders with appropriate over filler and think in terms of 1800-2000 FPS as about right with a relatively soft bullet for hunting. Straight target practice could be loads that are quite a bit slower than that and powder used would change and filler could likely be eliminated.. You could keep yourself busy for a couple of years working on load development if you were inclined.
I doubt anything walks in Canada that combination wouldn't drop and it will be both cheaper in the long run and a lot easier on your shoulder for sustained practice.
I doubt anything walks in Canada that combination wouldn't drop and it will be both cheaper in the long run and a lot easier on your shoulder for sustained practice.
"...any other options..." You reloading? Hodgdon's site shows 300 and 350 grain bullet data. Reloader's Nest shows a bunch of lighter bullets. 154's and 325's for example. The 350's and 400's seem to be the most common, but a net search turns up several sites. Finding the bullets may be an issue though.
"...slug the barrel with a pure lead slug to establish a micrometered groove diameter..." No need it uses a .416" bullet. Cast bullets are usually a thou or two bigger.
"...slug the barrel with a pure lead slug to establish a micrometered groove diameter..." No need it uses a .416" bullet. Cast bullets are usually a thou or two bigger.
sunray: Just because available bullets may come in a certain size is no assurance that your barrel actually matches the size of the bullet precisely. Just look at the 303 Brit or the 38-55 and you can find variances as high as .005 from cartridge specification. When you shell out the coin for a custom mold you might as well get off on the right foot.
The 416 Rigby is a general purpose cartridge which does give better stopping power than the 375 H&H, but to be able to use it better as a general purpose rifle, you will have to reload for it.
The excellent book by Pierre van der Walt, "African Dangerous Game Cartridges" (Safari Press) lists more than 30 loads with 350gr bullets (about 2500-2600ft/s), and more than 40 loads with bullets lighter than 350gr (340 - 300gr. These loads are listed with source references, using more than 15 different powder types.
An even more versatile bullet is the excellent Gerhard Schultz HV ("www.gscustom.co.za") of 245gr loaded to about 3000ft/s, or his 330gr HV loaded to about 2600-2700ft/s. These are pure copper (mono-metal) bullets and can be used on any animal on the American continent. If Africa is also on your list, you may want to consider his FP (flat point) solids of 380gr loaded to about 2500ft/s.
The experienced PH' love the 416 Rigby, but it is by no means a charge stopper, in the same class as the 458 Lott and bigger. Many saw it as ideal for lion.
The excellent book by Pierre van der Walt, "African Dangerous Game Cartridges" (Safari Press) lists more than 30 loads with 350gr bullets (about 2500-2600ft/s), and more than 40 loads with bullets lighter than 350gr (340 - 300gr. These loads are listed with source references, using more than 15 different powder types.
An even more versatile bullet is the excellent Gerhard Schultz HV ("www.gscustom.co.za") of 245gr loaded to about 3000ft/s, or his 330gr HV loaded to about 2600-2700ft/s. These are pure copper (mono-metal) bullets and can be used on any animal on the American continent. If Africa is also on your list, you may want to consider his FP (flat point) solids of 380gr loaded to about 2500ft/s.
The experienced PH' love the 416 Rigby, but it is by no means a charge stopper, in the same class as the 458 Lott and bigger. Many saw it as ideal for lion.
- Location
- gormley ontario
Thanks very much for the info. I'm looking forward to trying some of these suggestions
Republic of Alberta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- ,location, location
There is the 350g Speer mag tip and the 340g Woodleigh weldcore. Barns also made a 300g and a 350g X bullet at one time don't know if they still do.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
My go to components when I had a Ruger #1 in .416 Rigby was Norma brass, either the 350 gr Speer MagTip or a Barnes 350 gr X, backed with a large helping of 4350, lit up with a Federal 215 primer. These were giving me somewhere between 2800 and 2850 IIRC. I tried a few different 400 gr bullets, but I saw no advantage to using them over the 350s.
