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

[big zed]

I had the CZ 550 in 416. Excellent rifle and very accurate! Maybe I’m getting old but the recoil was little to much for me and I ended selling it. My CZ 602 in 375 H&H will stay with me to my end. I’m not using any more but just like the old classic.

 

[New Camper]

I'm glad no one has wrecked this thread with "behold the .416 Supah dupah faster than this, slower than that, hits like train yet recoils like a BB gun unbelted perfectly straight bodied rimless KING that just came off the line yesterday, but because a major manufacturer is pushing it, heavily financing a loud mouth tv personality to feature it therefore we should all know and adore it, ignoring the very accomplished classics because let's face it they're old and outdated but fortunately not as outdated as the metallurgy used in our actions and barrels but outdated anyway."



I've been interested in .416" for a long time and it'll be a hard choice between the Rigby and 375H&H if I ever hunt dangerous game. I therefore follow these threads out of curiosity.

 

[Mumbles Marble Mouth]

I have been donated an FN Mauser action and a stock with the suggestion to build my own rifle. At first I wasn't up to it but after thinking about it for awhile it really got my gears turning. The smith that is going to help me build it will be after the busy season is over which is after hunting season. He already owns the reamer for .416 Remington so that's what were going to build it in. I already help him a lot around his shop when he is too busy to handle simple jobs like scope mounting, recoil pad grinding, strip cleans, pistol sight install, drill and tap base screws to 8/40 threads, and oil rubbed stock refinish jobs. I'm delighted that he has offered to help me build my own rifle. There will be a significant sentimental value to the rifle once its complete. The stock he has donated too has some nice grain in it hiding under the ####ty glossy finish it has now. He is currently trying to source a .416 caliber barrel for me. If anyone has suggestions where to look to get barrels please let me know as he couldn't find any .416 barrels from his usually suppliers. He also suggested I buy an read a book about custom rifle building on the FN Mauser action for the winter before we start.

This is the lock and stock I've been donated by the smith.

Probably won't look this beautiful when its done, but this is the style I'll be aiming for.

 

[conor_90]

Nice! You will have to keep us updated out here.

I recently got a .458 s/s blank from Bob Jury, fast turn around. He only does stainless afaik but might be worth a call

 

[remington jim]

I got my SS #5 contour barrel from Bob Jury to build my 416 Taylor ! RJ

 

[Mumbles Marble Mouth]

I guess I could always matte cerakote the stainless barrel and do a matte rust blue finish to the receiver. Or just cerakote the whole thing. The smith that is gonna help me build it built a 6.5x55 full stock off an FN Mauser not long ago and he got me to matte black cerakote the floor plate and trigger guard and he did a matte rust blue finish to the rest of it and it all blended in very well. Especially with the non gloss oil rubbed finish stock. I will ask him about cerakote the stainless barrel and see what he says. If all seems fine I’ll be getting in touch with Bob Jury.

 

[remington jim]

im getting older and i do think a 404 or 458 is better than a 416 especially when the 375 can get 350 grains bullet ...

That's JUST Silly thinking ! RJ

 

[Slimbo]

I guess I could always matte cerakote the stainless barrel and do a matte rust blue finish to the receiver. Or just cerakote the whole thing. The smith that is gonna help me build it built a 6.5x55 full stock off an FN Mauser not long ago and he got me to matte black cerakote the floor plate and trigger guard and he did a matte rust blue finish to the rest of it and it all blended in very well. Especially with the non gloss oil rubbed finish stock. I will ask him about cerakote the stainless barrel and see what he says. If all seems fine I’ll be getting in touch with Bob Jury.

Mitch Kendall and apply gunkote that looks a lot like nice rich blueing.

 

[littlehughey]

For barrels you could always try RKS Enterprises, Ron Smith is the owner, hes the feller that made an accurate barrel out of a piece of rebar.

 

[BurlewLLB]

The Winchester M70 in 416 Remington has a sharp hard kick. You have to be ready to tame this recoil. When you make your decision on which gun go for the one that fits you best. Having the barrel as close to the same horizontal axis as your shoulder is a big help in controlling recoil. Each stock will be different as we are different, So try a couple out before you own one. You may find your buddies have 416 in the back of their safes because they did not like the recoil Try their gun out. Any of the 416 are more than adequate for hunting any game. Good luck in your search.

 

[fuzzy39]

I traded a fellow on CGN my Ruger No 1 in 9.3x62 for his Remington 700 416 Rem Mag a few years back. I think it was one from the custom shop as it came in the HS Precision stock. Actually, I had purchased about 6 boxes of 416 Rem Mag ammo over a few months when the local cabelas was selling some of its obscure ammo for cheap. I was able to get the boxes of 400 grain A-frames for $55 a box. I put a Leupold 2-7 on it and my first group of 3 was about 1.5 inches at 100. I shot it on bags (no lead sled) and was surprised that it was not as obnoxious as I was expecting. Funny, my handloads have not been able to duplicate the factory accuracy yet at I’m getting about 2 inch groups. Who. Ares though as that is more than solid with a 416. Anyway, point is to not overlook the 700s. Sure it’s not a controlled feed but they are light and nimble for a big thumper and for me at least, for real nice to reduce the recoil.

 

[WhelanLad]

is a 400 Whelen out of the Question> no big enough?

 

[machinistbutler]

Fired my new 458 Lott a bit this week. It was great fun. I still need to try a 416 and a 404 .

 

[BigUglyMan]

When I joined the club, it was before Ruger ever had the notion of their proprietary 416 so it was between the Winchester and the Rigby. To me, there was no contest. Rigby wins in almost every category, with the exception of magazine capacity...most Winchesters hold one more down in the mag. That being said, I went with the Rigby and, in the Ruger RSM platform it is possible for the extractor to jump the rim which allows you to carry the rifle with 4 rounds therein. That's probably enough for all but the most off-the-rails situations. More attractive is the fact that the Rigby does, at a comfortable cruising speed, what the Remington does with the pedal mashed to the floor. Sure, you can haul a cord of firewood in a Honda Civic, but you would be better served with a F350.

Plus there is always the nostalgia factor when a serious gun nut is making this sort of decision. The Rigby has it. Remmy, not so much.

 

[westcoaster]

I bought a CZ550 in 416 Rigby about 10 years ago. Damn thing was on order for about a year before it got here. This one did not have cross bolts for some reason so I had them installed and if IIRC Williams bottom metal which increased magazine capacity to 5. I also had a very good recoil pad fitted (highly recommended). Not sure about clunky handling, seems pretty handy to me but I like a longer barreled rifle. I practice with 350 grain Speers with 95 grains of H4831sc. I hunt with 400 grain Swift AFrames over 110 grains of H4831sc. This load WILL get your attention. The CZ has proven to be a very accurate rifle.

On some of my bear hunts I've experienced bears taking 2 or 3 250grain 338 AFrames in the chest and slowly die over about a minute. This does not happen with the 416 Rigby - they just drop.

The CZ550 is an excellent rifle I would highly recommend it. I also have several Winchester Model 70's, they are also excellent rifles. I don't have a 77, but I have heard they are a great rifle as well. My point here is that they are all good. And for what it's worth I don't think there is a meaningful difference in terminal performance of the three cartridges mentioned. I think - I don't know - that the Rigby can be loaded up more, that's a big case.

All three of these cartridges are not readily available. The Rigby is probably the most expensive if you don't handload. I bought one box of Federal Safaris for about $200 to get started while my brass and bullets were on order.

When I bought mine I chose the Rigby, partly for the history, partly for that huge case, and the CZ is a fine rifle.

 

[medvedqc]

When I joined the club, it was before Ruger ever had the notion of their proprietary 416 so it was between the Winchester and the Rigby. To me, there was no contest. Rigby wins in almost every category, with the exception of magazine capacity...most Winchesters hold one more down in the mag. That being said, I went with the Rigby and, in the Ruger RSM platform it is possible for the extractor to jump the rim which allows you to carry the rifle with 4 rounds therein. That's probably enough for all but the most off-the-rails situations. More attractive is the fact that the Rigby does, at a comfortable cruising speed, what the Remington does with the pedal mashed to the floor. Sure, you can haul a cord of firewood in a Honda Civic, but you would be better served with a F350.

Plus there is always the nostalgia factor when a serious gun nut is making this sort of decision. The Rigby has it. Remmy, not so much.

and you need to add the 416 remington suffered high pressure issues when first out ... and dealing with heat over +35c ...

 

[medvedqc]

That's JUST Silly thinking ! RJ

getting older has some advantage lol ...

 

[CanadaBoy]

and you need to add the 416 remington suffered high pressure issues when first out ... and dealing with heat over +35c ...

On the flip side, pressure issues with the .416 Remington ceased to be a problem decades ago. With modem powders the Remington easily matches the performance that made the Rigby famous without pressure issues, and it holds more rounds in the magazine. It might not be as nostalgic, but it does seem more practical. The Rigby case was designed for Cordite so it’s bigger than needed by a fair bit today. Although I do think the Rigby case is still useful, especially if if you neck it up to .450 and load it with 550 grain bullets.

I think a new Winchester model 70 in .416 Rem would be great. I had one in .375 H&H but found it heavier than necessary for a .375. I think the .416 would be a better fit for that rifle.

In the end any of the three 416s mentioned will do the job equally well. I’ve been looking at a few lately myself but now I’m leaning towards a .404 Jeffery instead.

 

[Mumbles Marble Mouth]

I bought a CZ550 in 416 Rigby about 10 years ago. Damn thing was on order for about a year before it got here. This one did not have cross bolts for some reason so I had them installed and if IIRC Williams bottom metal which increased magazine capacity to 5. I also had a very good recoil pad fitted (highly recommended). Not sure about clunky handling, seems pretty handy to me but I like a longer barreled rifle. I practice with 350 grain Speers with 95 grains of H4831sc. I hunt with 400 grain Swift AFrames over 110 grains of H4831sc. This load WILL get your attention. The CZ has proven to be a very accurate rifle.

On some of my bear hunts I've experienced bears taking 2 or 3 250grain 338 AFrames in the chest and slowly die over about a minute. This does not happen with the 416 Rigby - they just drop.

The CZ550 is an excellent rifle I would highly recommend it. I also have several Winchester Model 70's, they are also excellent rifles. I don't have a 77, but I have heard they are a great rifle as well. My point here is that they are all good. And for what it's worth I don't think there is a meaningful difference in terminal performance of the three cartridges mentioned. I think - I don't know - that the Rigby can be loaded up more, that's a big case.

All three of these cartridges are not readily available. The Rigby is probably the most expensive if you don't handload. I bought one box of Federal Safaris for about $200 to get started while my brass and bullets were on order.

When I bought mine I chose the Rigby, partly for the history, partly for that huge case, and the CZ is a fine rifle.

The CZ without the stock cross bolts will not split. The only reason why you would need stock cross bolts installed is if you wanted to free float the barrel. They have been using that design successfully since the ZKK602. Was never a problem then. Weatherby doesn’t put stock cross bolts in their guns. Was never an issue for them and a .460wby makes a .416rigby seem like child’s play in terms of recoil.

 

[medvedqc]

On the flip side, pressure issues with the .416 Remington ceased to be a problem decades ago. With modem powders the Remington easily matches the performance that made the Rigby famous without pressure issues, and it holds more rounds in the magazine. It might not be as nostalgic, but it does seem more practical. The Rigby case was designed for Cordite so it’s bigger than needed by a fair bit today. Although I do think the Rigby case is still useful, especially if if you neck it up to .450 and load it with 550 grain bullets.

I think a new Winchester model 70 in .416 Rem would be great. I had one in .375 H&H but found it heavier than necessary for a .375. I think the .416 would be a better fit for that rifle.

In the end any of the three 416s mentioned will do the job equally well. I’ve been looking at a few lately myself but now I’m leaning towards a .404 Jeffery instead.

the 404 is for one who knows lol i do agree one of the best caliber ever invented after the 9.3x62 ...