416 Rigby came home in a CZ 550

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TTundra

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Just really excited about this one. I've been a fan and owner of big bores for a while now. But just something about owning a rifle linked to the name "Rigby" be it by cartridge, just is exciting.

Also first CZ 550. Love the single set trigger, crisp 3.25 lbs and choice of setting at 1 lb for sight in when needed, love it. Very happy with their Aramid stock as well. It is going to Wayne at AHR to get the Bolt straighten and filled and then a Ceracote finish.

Heading to SA in May for a plains game and hoping I can get this scoped and enough time behind it to take it with to possibly add something big to the list. Anyway, hope this shoots as well as it feels and looks.

CZ550 Rigby.jpg
 
nice :cool:
hurts my shoulder just looking at it
I'd skip the scope, or go low power Scout style.
<jealous>
 
Nice! I handled one recently, and I loved the Express sights. I'd probably leave it iron sighted...
 
One thing that always puzzled me about the .416 Rigby- why do the ammo companys load it to much lower pressure than the .416 WBY? Same with the loading manuals. Their the same case, just that one has a belt.
 
jim in Anchorage said:
One thing that always puzzled me about the .416 Rigby- why do the ammo companys load it to much lower pressure than the .416 WBY? Same with the loading manuals. Their the same case, just that one has a belt.
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The .416 Right dates to 1911, when British propellants (like cordite) were way more susceptible to pressure excursions based on ambient temperature. In order to ensure positive case extraction in the extreme heat of the empire, the loading was on the lighter side compared to what is "possible" with more modern powders.
 
.455_Hunter said:
The .416 Right dates to 1911, when British propellants (like cordite) were way more susceptible to pressure excursions based on ambient temperature. In order to ensure positive case extraction in the extreme heat of the empire, the loading was on the lighter side compared to what is "possible" with more modern powders.
Click to expand...
True the 450 No 2 nitro express [3 1/2" case] was loaded to the same ballistics as the older 500/450 magnum nitro express [3 1/4" case] appearently to reduce pressure.
But this is today. Why is Hogdon for example showing a max load of 43,000 CUP for the .416 Rigby with modern guns and powders?
43,000 is pretty low by todays standards.
 
Iron sights kind of hamstring it as a dangerous game only rifle. With a good, low powered variable, the .416 easily does dual duty for plains game out to 300yds.


Why is Hogdon for example showing a max load of 43,000 CUP for the .416 Rigby with modern guns and powders?
Click to expand...
Because they can't guarantee it won't be used in an old rifle. Would you want to be held responsible for the destruction of a $50,000 100yr old rifle that blew in a millionaire's face as he drew a bead on a $50,000 toothy African critter? Why do you think Weatherby added a belt, rather than just using the existing case?
 
CraigC said:
Iron sights kind of hamstring it as a dangerous game only rifle. With a good, low powered variable, the .416 easily does dual duty for plains game out to 300yds.



Because they can't guarantee it won't be used in an old rifle. Would you want to be held responsible for the destruction of a $50,000 100yr old rifle that blew in a millionaire's face as he drew a bead on a $50,000 toothy African critter? Why do you think Weatherby added a belt, rather than just using the existing case?
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Weatherby added a belt so they could call it a Weatherby.
Hogdan lists a 50.000 CUP load [7,000 more] for the equally old .375.
Besides I never heard the Magnum Mauser used by Rigby described as weak.
 
CIP CUP for .416 Rigby is 41000
CIP piezo psi 47000, SAAMI piezo psi 52000

The .416 has a bigger case diameter than .375, more bolt thrust per psi.
 
The old wives tail was the African calibers were loaded to lower pressure back in the day due to Cordite powder used then.

Cordite and blazing hot African sun does not play well together.

Besides that, the .375 H&H has a lot more case taper then the .416 Rigby case.

And is easier to extract when pressure exceeds expections in the hot African sun.

Besides that, even the best of the old had made double rifles were not as strong as a modern bolt action.

rc
 
To my knowledge the .416 was never chambered in a double rifle being a rimless case.
Regards the larger base vs .375 it's a very small amount. Particularly compared to the huge .505 Gibbs .635 base that was also chambered in the magnum Mauser.
I believe the loads are kept at the original 1912 levels for tradition more than anything else. A .416 Rigby is just supposed to shoot a 410 gr bullet at 2300 fps.
 
I have a Whitworth Express Rifle based on a Zastava receiver in .458 Win Mag and love it. Turkish walnut, gum rubber butt pad, flame blued trigger and trim . . .

Mike
 
To my knowledge the .416 was never chambered in a double rifle being a rimless case
Click to expand...

As far as can be told, the first .416 Rigby double rifle was made by Westley Richards. They were very confident in their rimless extractor, also their single trigger.
That was not good enough for one wealthy enthusiast who nagged Rigby into making a .416 double. So there is such a thing, if you can find it.

Particularly compared to the huge .505 Gibbs .635 base that was also chambered in the magnum Mauser.
Click to expand...

Maximum chamber pressure for .505 is 35000 CIP CUP or 39000 CIP psi.
If you want a relatively hot loaded big case safari gun, look at .500 Jeffery at 48000 psi.
 
As far as can be told, the first .416 Rigby double rifle was made by Westley Richards. They were very confident in their rimless extractor, also their single trigger.
That was not good enough for one wealthy enthusiast who nagged Rigby into making a .416 double. So there is such a thing, if you can find it.
Click to expand...

I believe that is where the .500/416 from Krieghoff came. Wanted to efficiently put the 416 Rigby into a double.

I'll definitely be going with a Leupold. Most likely the 1-6 VX6. Guys over in Africanhunting.com praise the Warne QD for the CZ550, so that will be my safety if I ever prefer the express sights.

Side note, I don't think(or hope to) I'll ever see a scope fail, but i do believe the time may come on a DG hunt that i may be in an environment, ie tall grass, where I might personally elect to use the irons over a optic even at 1x.

I think I cycled the snap caps over 300 times. Something so formidable about seeing that massive round enter the chamber.
 
I used Talley rings. I just got the rifle late last year and have been sick on and off for the last four months. Haven't had a chance to test it yet.
 
Jim Watson said:
As far as can be told, the first .416 Rigby double rifle was made by Westley Richards. They were very confident in their rimless extractor, also their single trigger.
That was not good enough for one wealthy enthusiast who nagged Rigby into making a .416 double. So there is such a thing, if you can find it.



Maximum chamber pressure for .505 is 35000 CIP CUP or 39000 CIP psi.
If you want a relatively hot loaded big case safari gun, look at .500 Jeffery at 48000 psi.
Click to expand...
I thought there might be a few .416 double rifles made, but they must be extremely rare. It would be like if the only loading data available for the 30-06 was developed with the low numbered 1903 Springfield's in mind.
So I called the Hogden technical hotline today to find out about this .416R vs .416W thing.

Me-"So why do you load the .416R to lower pressure then the .416W?

Hogdon technician[whom I will now call HT]- "Um well um..."

It looks like this is going nowhere, so I lead him. "Is it because of older guns?"

HT- "Um yeah thats it. We always develop loads to the original specs."

Me-"So why are there Ruger only loads for the .45 Colt?"

HT-"Um ah yeah. like the .45-70."

This exchange went on for a bit more in this fashion, and I didn't want to grill the guy over something he plainly didn't know, so I thanked him for his time and said good by.
I my self would not hesitate to load a original 1911 Rigby magnum Mauser to WBY specs. Not a lot older then the 1917 Enfield that has been used for generations for big magnums.
 
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You are more than welcome to take that leap but I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Personally, i don't think you're qualified to make these generalizations.
 
Nice! Congrats! I still wouldn't mind having a .416, though there's nothing it'll do that my .375 RUM won't, so it's difficult to justify.

hurts my shoulder just looking at it
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They're not that bad, especially in a rifle that weighs 9 or 10 lbs. It's a relatively low pressure, low velocity cartridge. My 7 pound 700 BDL SS .375 RUM hits much harder on the back end; shooting a friend's CZ 550 Safari .416 after touching off some of my 300 gr. 2,970 FPS handloads in the RUM made the .416 seem like a total pussycat.
 
CraigC said:
You are more than welcome to take that leap but I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Personally, i don't think you're qualified to make these generalizations.
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Well you don't know my qualifications so I'll leave that alone. But since you are apparently qualified will you tell me why a 1912 production Magnum Mauser will not take .416 WBY pressure?
 
Unfortunately .416 Weatherby is not on either of my charts, but .378 and .460 are and they are on the same case; pretty much a .416 Rigby Belted.
55000 CIP CUP 64000 CIP psi.
But Ol' Roy wasn't using any pre WWI Magnum Mauser actions.
 
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