My father was a PH a long time ago... He brought me a 416 Rigby for my 21st birthday. He loved the caliber & was still shooting it in his 80s. Every time I take that old girl for a walk, it reminds me of him...
That's a beautiful rifle. Thanks Ron. I turned 50 this year and bought myself an o/u shotgun. It came with a beautiful Turkish fiddleback walnut stock. So your viewers will know. I ordered a two screw sling stud from Tally for $30. It comes with two pieces. I drilled and used a few small chisels to make it flush. It ads a touch of class.👍
The best part of that rifles is that it's american-made by a bunch of great people at Parkwest arms! I recently visited them to have them work on a older Dakota that was having some feeding issues and the guys happily fixed the problem I was having and replace the firing pin spring. If it wasn't for the fact I have a Cape buffalo hunt to pay for next year, I would have went home with a brand-new 416 Rigby. They're awesome people that make an awesome Rifle!
I went hunting in the Czech Republic in the 90s with a Ruger No. 1 with Mannlicher stock and 20" barrel and caliber 7x57mm. I shot a roe buck there at 180 m. 7x57 is a good hunting cartridge. I also had a pre-war Mauser in 7x57 (1937) and an FN Mauser in 9.3x62 caliber. Sako are good weapons too. Back then, I had a Sako 375 H&H converted to the 404 Jeffery caliber by a Nuremberg gunsmith. I had a Ruger #1 in .416 Rigby too. I am a German from Franconia and now live in Thailand.
I too own this very rifle with the full Mannlicher stock. Another Ruger #1 that I own is the Tropical model in .416 Rigby. The only animals I’ve taken with it are wild hogs in Central California.
I sure miss Dr. Howell. I got to know him in his later years when he was living in Quemado, NM. Before he passed away, he gave me a few gifts. I surely appreciate the one on one conversations I had with him. Thanks for the reminder Ron.
There’s a video of Billy Rolles, a game guide, being guided by John Andersonn somewhere in Alaska, and the actual clients are husband and wife, and her dad. She shoots a grizzly bear that runs into the thick 8’ tall brush, and no blood trail for the first hundred yards. When Andersonn finally locates the bear, he steps into right where the sow was lying down and she charges him. He was 5’ or less from her, but he was ready. Big medicine .458 Lott style. You don’t necessarily have to go to Africa if you thrive on dangerous game.
That is a beautiful rifle. I don't have anything close but I do have a Remington 798 in .375 HH Mag. I changed out the stock trigger for a better one. I don't remember the name of the trigger as it was almost 20 years ago. I have a 1-5 scope on it. It is fun to shoot standing. It is not fun to shoot from a bench rest.
That's the remington imported from zastava right? If so as I think they are really nice firearms. Mauser action and great build quality! Never shot a 375 HH Mag but have a 30 06 and a 7mm Rem Mag
@@wellohello-p5d It is a very nice rifle. I was not happy with the trigger but otherwise it is a well made firearm. I installed a Boyds trigger and it has been great. Sadly, that trigger is no longer available for Mauser actions.
I find your videos very interesting and educational. Am especially interested in how you have explained BC and related relevant data about numerous calibers. This episode on the 416 Rigby is especially good. The rifle is one of the most beautiful, practical examples of craftsmanship I have ever seen. It's actually my favorite big bore caliber I would love to have in my arsenal. The example you hold in your hands is truly a work of art. Almost to beautiful to shoot. Thank you for doing what you do. I have actually purchased some of my rifles because of the data you have provided. Thanks again. J.Au-en
The .416 Rigby was good enough for Harry Selby, and he killed a lot of big game with nothing more than a custom Mauser in that caliber. I always wanted a .416 Rigby, you can load it down some to take some of the starch out of it.
You can get a Ruger African in .416 Ruger for less than $2k, and their investment cast action is way more robust than those old Mausers built with mild steel. I like Mausers, but since learning that, my respect for Ruger has really been on air. Those components aren’t just cast, they are lost wax cast in a centerfige with 4140 cast steel. I don’t personally know of any action as stout as the M77 Mk II or even Hawkeye. Or there’s the Model 70.
I have Ruger Hawkeye in 375 Ruger. It is very accurate, feeds like a dream and made several one-shot kills on game in Africa last month. Cannot recommend that rifle highly enough.
I have a bit of a holy grail version of the Rugers. Mine is a #1T in .458 Winchester Magnum. It was built in 1976. That's a bit special to Ruger aficionados. So, power beyond comfortable if one wants. Handloads can run from super mild to lightning bolts. Falling block can be operated quickly with a little practice. As an alternative, I have its little brother, a #3 in .45-70 Gov't that is almost as versatile in a much lighter package. Bicentennial thunder and lightning. Love 'em.
You mean the constant battle with iphones trying to type anything that doesn’t get skewed? Here you go: C e n t r i f u g e, as in spinning quickly. Don’t know the RPMs. But grain orientation in this process exceeds even the hot drop forging process. You can research the rest yourself, being in the comment bin.
The stock alone probably cost more than any of my rifles. Not heading to Africa anytime ever. The finish on the rifle action and rings is beauty, also.
Depends on how big the 'big' game is. 375 Ruger fits the bill for me 90% of the time. Need more - tis 458 Lott. Mine are barrel/bolt/magazine combinations which fit two of my three Schultz & Larsen rifles. Can't say recoil's an issue for me, as I only ever notice it's results in the mirror. I'll stick with detachable magazines thanks - never unintentionally dropped one in 47 years of war & peace.
I know the preference in the US is for rifles that kick straight back. As an old timer from India, I learned to shoot in a way that would be blasphemous over here, from even older timers who had hunted during the golden days of Indian hunting. I was taught to face the target with my knees slightly bent, to allow the rifle to kick up and rise and disperse some of the recoil energy when it went upwards, to operate the bolt handle while it kicked upwards and to bring it back down onto the target with the forearm and with the bolt back into battery. It is very easy and effortless and doesn't take time as I've been told here by many excellent hunters and shooters. Just a little different... PS I was told here that the Brits rifled their barrels so that they rolled away from the shooter's face - I never checked, but I didn't feel the slap on the face that sometimes hurts new and learning shooters here. Like driving on the right or the left, I guess there's different ways to skin a cat. And, I hope you got yourself a nice big cat trophy on your hunt. Good hunting, sir!
* One other point about the level comb on a dangerous game rifle, not only does it help with the recoil, but the shooter's sight picture will remain the same no matter where he may cheek his rifle. The only decision would be, does the owner want the sight picture to work best for the scope or the iron sights.
I will never be able to afford a full custom rifle, but i can sure appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship. I am guessing that rifle is $10k+. Good to see an American company putting out such a high quality product.
Shouldve kept the Dakota name. Recoil reducer belongs in the buttstock to balance weight of the barrel. Silver's pad is a must for a classic look. My Heym Express holds 6 big Rigby's.
That's a really nice looking rifle. Great tweaks too. Mercury recoil retarder? It's the first time i've ever heard of that. I've got a feeling that sucker cost a buck or two.
Hunted buffalo in South Africa in really thick stuff and involved crawling to get in position- with 24 inch CZ. When I came home I had that barrel bobbed to 20 inch. Old length hung up on everything.
The 416 Rigby is a superb DG calibre. My PH friend, with over 40yrs experience, has a bolt action 416 Rigby as his DG rifle. He recently sent me photos of an enraged, wounded, charging elephant he brained at 10yds - with a frontal shot - after his clent had screwed up both shots. IMHO the .416 Rigby has more authority, and is therefore a better calibre for DG. 👍
The affordable Winchester Model 70 Safari Express ($1,800) is the best big game rifle as it has a Mauser type CRF action with claw extractor, three-position side-swing safety, coned breach, and iron sights. Even the Mauser 98 Magnum Diplomat ($16,146) doesn't have a coned breech.
As a gunmaker I wonder if you ever pulled the brl on any of your Winchester 70 brl’ed actions and point you out one of the weaknesses of their ‘controlled round-feed’ Win.70 post or pre 64 and other similar clones for the likes of Kimber, Dakota & others, if compared to the flat-breech Msr 98 design! For one: the Msr 98 & its clones don’t need the cone on the breech as they usually feed fine the way they are if properly built & reworked for the particular chambered caliber and that way always keep a full & intact treaded tenon! Your ‘coned-breech’ Winchester on the other hand had to cut into at least 1/2 of the tread-tenon to allow the extractor sliding in far enough for the bolt-face to properly head-space; essentially reducing the effective tread-tenon length to 1/2 that of the Msr 98! So which design do you think is the strongest & safest option?
@@johanneskolenbrander8288 Didn't say the M70 had the strongest action (the Weatherby Mark V is stronger than any Mauser 98 variant), but it's strong enough. The coned breech makes the M70 more feed reliable in adverse conditions and preserves accuracy by preventing damage to soft-point bullet tips.
@@Lutz101 Well, I’m not going to further argue the Win70-M98 issues, as obviously your mind is set on that! I guess all gunmakers and dangerous game hunters are and always have been wrong for over a century? At least let my educate you here a bit on that particular misguided Wby subject ? During my 48 yrs of gunmaking/gunsmithing trade experiences, were too many times I’ve heard Roy’s favourite & rather ludricous claim, aswell as their factory favourite sales-pitch! It is in actual fact a total sham & largely hear-say wives tales, increasingly spread even further over these past decades usually by mostly the inexperienced, paper-pushing ‘wannabee’ connoisseurs & hobbyists inside this industry! I guess you own a few of them? If so and if well used, then just check closely at any Wby bolt as in actually how many of their ‘micro-lugs’ are actually touching/bearing (ie lugs which show actual wear marks and which usually take all of the pressure) and you’ll soon notice that mostly only 2-3 lugs are touching, if that! In my time, I’ve come across several were 1 or 2 lugs (3 in one case) were sheared off after firing: most likely after firing hotter handloads, but depending on which lugs, most of the time the guns still operate, so go figure! A bolt properly set up in a lathe, while using a micrometer dial gauge, will tell you the story! Next they have one of the weakest extractors in the industry: prone to break on regular occasions with only the slightest resistance! This is especially problematic amongst their so-called dangerous game rifles chambered for standard magnums and especially so for their bigger magnums, including their .378/ .460Wby line, with their skinny extractors to cater for that huge battle tank case-rimm size! Most common users to get into trouble are either the handloaders, while using cases which aren’t properly full-sized and are subsequently harder to chamber! Once chambered with some force & especially combined with an aged rifle not properly maintained, which have rough/damaged/dirty chamber-walls, the extraction will usually fail with both unfired rnds or fired cases as usually the extractor-rimm is prone to brake and leave you with a stuck case! Over the years, I can’t even recall how many rifles I had through my shop with those particular problems! Maybe need to rethink it as for which purposes to use such rifle and definitely not the ideal rifle for those who lack the necessary expertise in hand-loading & or are slack in their gun-maintenance by taking their buddies advice that rifle-bores don’t need cleaning and shoot way better if left alone! Just my 2 cents worth: take it or leave it!
More of an "attention to detail" than quality item but i appreciated that it appeared the knurling on the bolt handle was the same lines per inch as the stock checkering.
Seeing as youve handled a bunch of high end rifles, id love to hear your thoughts on how a savage impulse compares to the classic European straight pull rifles. Obviously the Blasers and the like sre much prettier and ooze quality, but is the performance THAT much better?
There was a bank back in the 80's that instead of paying interest for a 510 year CD...would let you get a Weatherby.. I got a safari grade Weatherby chambered in 416 Rigby...because it was different. Had to load my own ammo because no one had any.
I was thinking about the 3 times he opened the floor plate! On a rifle like that I'd never slam it back closed. I'd hold the button closed while I put the floor plate back down so it didn't mar up the floor plate where it latches! A lot of people don't even think of this tho and some might say it's anal but that's how I treat all my firearms even cheap ones!
Never shot an elephant rifle (although I own a black powder elephant pistol. Still the .416 Rigby seems like the perfect balance of a competent dangerous game gun. The 400 grain brass penetrates insanely well. Or even goes through level 4 body armor that stops a .30-06 armor piercing round. So if your up against a fair buffalo Witt body armor on you should be good???
@@blairsimpkins3505well I haven’t shot either so what do I know??? There close, however looking at the numbers, there ballistic twins from everything I can see? I mean 400 grain bullet around 2,300 on the max end heavier 450 grain at 4,150 or so. The .416 has slightly higher SD. So I guess I feel Ike we mine as we’ll be talking about the sane cartridge? So I feel we agree.
I could watch you present beautiful custom rifles all day. Please make this a regular feature especially the post war, both 1&2, when some beautiful high quality sporters were made from surplus rifles and aren't usually included. Thanks for your work, I grew up with Keith and company so I especially enjoy your channel, it harkens back to simpler days.
I was thinking about the 3 times he opened the floor plate! On a rifle like that I'd never slam it back closed. I'd hold the button closed while I put the floor plate back down so it didn't mar up the floor plate where it latches! A lot of people don't even think of this tho and some might say it's anal but that's how I treat all my firearms even cheap ones!
I don't believe Ron has ever in his life dropped a rifle,and second the floor plate is ment to be closed like you mean it ,you may find out the hard way some day when you don't close it hard and let it latch properly and the floor plate pops open and dumps your cartridges on the ground with the recoil of the one you fired,,,it's a tool to be used, if you think your rifle is a Picasso ,that you have to protect from proper use ,,you should have got a picture of the thing and hung it on the wall to look at
@@keithbelz2952 ... Here's a completely free word for you to use from this moment forward. It's the past tense of mean. No, it's not meaned. And it's not "ment". Here it is, just like it appears in another comment: meant.
Nice rifle, just a big negative on the Ruger-like rubber butt pad. Those things are basically worthless. If you're going to shoot this one at all, replace it with something workable.
How many months of income for the average hunter ? I have a Tiger in 9.3 x62, scoped and out the door for less than a third of the stock... not as pretty but more than adequate.
Does it do a better job than the current Winchester Model 70 Safari Express for $1750? Beautiful stock for sure but pretty stocks don't bring the game home better than a plainer stock. The bolt release seems overly complicated compared to the Model 70.
Nick, yours is a universal question that applies to many, if not most tools. Is the most expensive tool significantly better than the least? Is the top model truck get better mileage than the basic, entry level truck? Do leather seats increase engine torque? Some buyers/hunters appreciate refinement more than others, some dote on precision tolerances, top quality materials, and first class workmanship. The excellent M70 Winchester can function as reliably and shoot as accurately as the most expensive Parkwest Arms SD76. The good news is that we have options. As US citizens we get to choose what WE like, not what others insist we like. Rather than denigrate the most or least expensive or fancy rifles, we should celebrate our options and appreciate all for what they offer. Whether our economic status limits us to basic "starter" rifles or allows us to splurge on something extra special, we can find them!
Roughly 8 to 12 thousand minimum depending on cartridge and maker. Probably more. Saw a Browning bolt action in 375 H&H for $900, but it was a bare-bones design.
