Time To Join The .416 Club. Battle of the .416

Mumbles Marble Mouth

Mumbles Marble Mouth

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I’ve decided that my .375H&H isn’t enough abuse and that I need.... “Need” to get a .416. There is three pretty good options that all similar but all different if that makes sense. The three rifles up for consideration are,

1: CZ 550 Safari .416 Rigby.

2: Winchester M70 African Safari .416 Remington

3: Ruger Hawkeye African .416 Ruger.

The CZ 550 I have in .375 H&H. I’ve owned 4 .375H&H rifles and this CZ 550 has by far been the best one which is what makes me consider the .416 Rigby 550 Safari.

The Winchester M70 is the riflemens rifle. There isn’t much that needs to be explained. It’s loved by many and the .416 Remington would use the same shell holder as my .375H&H.

The Ruger Hawkeye M77 is very much like the three with a claw control feed action. It was recently introduced in the new .416 Ruger that matches .416 Rigby performances in a shorter cartridge.

All three of these rifles hold 3rds, all three are a control feed design. All three rifles have a great track record and have their fans for good reasons. If you where on the market for a .416 rifle, for up to $2000 price point, which one would you go with? The dream is Africa but, like my .375H&H, it will likely be used locally for moose and bison.

[From Left to Right]

.416 Ruger, .416 Rigby, .416 Remington

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The .416 Rigby is awesome, a buddy of mine used his on a Zambezi valley hunt and successfully took a nice buff and tuskless elephant. Recoil is stout.
 
The CZ because its chambering. The shellholder is the price of two factory rounds, a non factor.

If Africa is the agenda, the Ruger RSM is well respected, the M77 is a good action but not in that league. I believe CZ are common there. The M70 is a classic.

IMO the most likely ammo to find there would be the Rigby, least likely Ruger. Three great platforms, two established calibers and a newcomer. There are a lot of new calibers in the last 20 years, not all hit, even within a parent case family. Think of WSM, Rum, Ruger, WSSM cases, one bore hits, the rest are rather obscure. Everyone is a reloader proposition, none of the headstamps are common. Perhaps in the future Ruger brass would be available because of the popularity of the 375 ruger, but Rigby could also be reformed using its child the 338 NM.
Just see the Rigby as being a pip ahead, and the OP likes the same rifle in 375.
 
416 rigby, also the CZ is awesome

im going 404 jeffery or 416 rigby on my next rifle, probably it will be a cz in 416 rigby. i need something to settle in with my 375 H&H, 460 weatherby and 500 jeffery, a 416 should round it out
 
If you want a CZ550 then hurry up about it. I believe they've stopped producing them?

Out of all the options you've listed I wouldn't buy the Ruger. Not chambered in the Ruger cartridge anyway. The other two are much easier to find ammo and consumables for, especially the Rem. I have a .416 Rigby CZ, it's a nice rifle.
 
First - check with your dentist and make sure there are no loose fillings...

I built a fairly light .416 Remington on an older Sako action and stock... it was brutal.
 
There was a CZ in .416 Rigby on the EE a couple of weeks ago. Luckily someone else scooped it up and removed the temptation.

Were I seriously in the market, I would pick the .416 Rigby. It has a history and panache the others just can't match. It runs at a much lower chamber pressure, which is beneficial for case life and positive extraction in the heat.
 
9.3mauser said:
There was a CZ in .416 Rigby on the EE a couple of weeks ago. Luckily someone else scooped it up and removed the temptation.

Were I seriously in the market, I would pick the .416 Rigby. It has a history and panache the others just can't match. It runs at a much lower chamber pressure, which is beneficial for case life and positive extraction in the heat.
Click to expand...

Regarding pressure you beat me to pointing that out.
You can go to 2400 FPS in a Rigby without breaking a sweat.
When lobbing 400 grain bullets I’m unsure of trying to pull another 100-200 FPS out of your rifle and load.
Rigby 2400 FPS /Weatherby 2700 FPS but at a big price.
 
I went with option 3 the 416 ruger Hawkeye African...very happy with it...next for me I'd like the CZ 550 in 458 Lott :)
 
Might as well toss the 416 Taylor on that list as well.

Whilst I'm not shooting many magnums or larger bores these days, a 404Jeffery would be much more interesting than any 416.
 
I’d say go for the M70

The Cz is a pig to wield and ammo is stupid expensive

M77 is a bit light and comes with a ridiculously ugly muzzle wart

M70 is the goldilocks, with brass easily formed from your stash of 375
 
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If you’ve already got a CZ550 and know you like them, why rock the boat? Go with what you know, get the CZ.
 
I like all the 416 cartridge choices. The Ruger African hawk-i describes sounds pretty good to me.
416 Ruger brass is likely the easiest to source.
 
I would go with the 416 Ruger personally, but if you love your CZ you may want to just duplicate your H&H rifle with a 416. Although Rigby ammunition is expensive and the brass is not really common either.
 
Have not tried the rigby but out of the Remington (sako Tg) and ruger(Alaskan). Ruger is the easiest to shoot with mild recoil. Remington version does increase recoil
 
I have the CZ416 Rigby, 400 gr Partition, Hornady,cast lead from a 350 gr. Noe mold, and 458 round ball sized to .418. 378 Weatherby brass with the belt removed can also be used . That said i have also thought about getting the Winchester, and or the Ruger. I have . 375 in the 3 makes, so like how they handle each differently.
 
Personally I would pick the M70, but only because the LGS had a few bags of .416 RM brass and a selection of bullets last time I was in, nothing much in terms of loaded rounds for any of them.
 
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