416 Ruger, the modern day 450/400 NE

[CTDolan]

This is the ideal role I see for the 416 Ruger...a modern version of the justly famous and lauded 450/400 NE (rather than a direct replacement for the 416 Rigby or Rem Mag). The ballistics are right in there, even with a 20" barrel. Load to 2,150-2,200 (maybe 2,250) with a 400 grain bullet, and call it good. In other words, get yourself a Ruger Guide Gun (or Alaskan, if you can find one), and go hunting!

Chris

By the way, I'm sharing an image which came to us courtesy of CAustin. Thank you, sir!

 

[CAustin]

CT that buff was a thrilling hunt, but almost as thrilling was getting my hands on the Ruger Guide Gun. It's compact so for a short guy like me the length of pull is perfect. In fact I've never had a rifle that fit me so well . One can adjust that with spacers that go between the stock and butt plate if needed. I shoot this rifle very well and feel very good about the upcoming elephant hunt.
I think Action Bob has a couple of these In His safe! Or maybe I'm thinking of someone else on the forum who has two.

 

[ActionBob]

Got one in 30-06 and one in 375 Ruger. They were bought for my wife, she is 5'3".... However I will put the spacers in and take them to AK myself one of these days! My other guns are just to pretty so they probably need to stay home from that trip.

 

[CTDolan]

To be honest, I'm not sure why other manufacturers are not picking up on the 416 Ruger. The mertis of the 375 Ruger are more than obvious (in my opinion, it's the finest cartridge to see the light of day since the 338 Win Mag, as spoken of here: http://www.africahunting.com/threads/375-ruger.22204/), but the 416 Ruger deserves equal consideration. It is everything the 416 Taylor (a cartridge which came darn close to being "legitimized", on more than one occasion) wanted to be (or should have been).

As for the Guide Gun, when it comes to a rifle that can take it, and dish it out, the Guide Gun seems the ideal platform.

 

[CAustin]

Come on folks show off your Ruger Guide Guns and the trophies you have taken with them.
Great looking zebra Bob!

 

[CAustin]

This big girl flipped over my guide gun! Really!

 

[JWB300]

I indeed share CT Dolans sentiments of the Guide Gun and the 375R and 416R. Here are a few with my 375R Guide Gun... nothing compared to your beautiful trophies above

 

[CAustin]

I think they are great looking trophies JWB! Did you take both with the 375?

 

[JWB300]

Yeah both with the 375R - 235gr TSX's.

 

[CAustin]

What scope do you have mounted?

 

[Panielsen]

Never shot the .416 Ruger, but own the .375 Ruger and love the darn thing! Thought long and hard about the .416 version of the African, but talked myself into the Winchester Safari in .458 WM..... Great guns those Rugers! Great cartridges' as well! Yes, another Hornady product......

 

[JWB300]

A Zeiss Duralyt 2-8x42 Illuminated - I posted a review here a while ago.

http://www.africahunting.com/threads/ruger-guide-gun-review.21873/

Cheers,
JWB300

 

[JacquesVR]

I am based in South Africa and recently bought a 416 Ruger (Alaskan) , took me some time to get the load sorted but now using barnes 350grn TSX at a speed of 2360Fps - Went hunting last week and took a Waterbuck Cow and Blue Wildebeest with the "Little" Ruger - Great rifle , nice & compact for bush work , accurate and it hit the Blue Wildebeest like a sledge hammer - I like it!!!

 

[CTDolan]

The Alaskan, especially in 416, has become extremely difficult to find on this end. Maybe every 6 months or so one will show up online, and that's about it. Other than this, it's luck of the draw (walking into a local gunshop and finding one in the rack...hasn't happened, yet, for me).

 

[JacquesVR]

Yeah I was very lucky in finding the Alaskan & it seems the 416 , the 375 Ruger is very popular - I was informed that Ruger has stopped production of the Alaskan (Not sure how true that would be). I sawthe Alaskan at a dealer , called back the next day and it ws sold - six months later I found another

 

[CTDolan]

The quit making the Alaskan a number of years ago. Its replacement is the Guide Gun, which is a good offering as well.

 

[JacquesVR]

Indeed - number of hunting buddies have the guide version in 375R , must admit not a fan of the porting / break integrated although it does work well especially for muzzle flip which is certainly a challenge on the Alaskan with the short barrel. Cannot really say whether it counters recoil as shooting some larger cal's (Lott specifcally) has kind of skewed my perception of smaller calibers recoil ability.

 

[CTDolan]

Muzzle brakes work by re-directing exhaust gases (which is obvious, I suppose); therefore, the weight of the powder charge relative to that of the bullet is an important factor. So, as a general rule, the heavier the caliber, the less effective will be the brake (the lower the percent reduction). It doesn't mean they won't work, of course, but they won't do for a 458 Lott what they can for a 300 Weatherby.

 

[CTDolan]

Given this, one does need to consider, is the reduction in physical recoil sufficient to counter an increase in muzzle blast? Sometimes, the concussion from the blast (with a muzzle brake) rattles the nerves more than the shove itself. This is especially true of heavy caliber revolvers (44 Mag, on up).

 

[ActionBob]

The cool thing about the Guide gun is that it is easy to remove the brake and you have the option of the light thread protector or the weight/extension.

The un-cool is that last winter I had a thick stocking hat on and was in a hurry to get some rounds down range, I just plain forgot plugs and muffs (I normally use both if a brake is one). I squeezed the trigger on the 375 R Guide gun and I still have an issue with that left ear... Probably permanent damage... And it is my wife's gun She was a great shot with her 30-06 Guide Gun. I pushed the idea of having the brake to reduce recoil (she insisted on having it removed when new on the 30-06, never shot it with it)... Well that 375 with the brake has felt recoil like the 06 but the muzzle blast is terrible. She developed such a flinch she won't shoot at an animal anymore because she is afraid of making a bad shot.

If I can get her interested again, I think she will have to work back up from a .22.

Damned brakes