416 Taylor build

[Jefferry404]

All the 416 Taylor threads got me worked up and my brain moving.
thinking of cost effective rifle (well, maybe not but with some upgrades.
Starting with Ruger Hawkeye in 416 Ruger, then Douglas barrel of appropriate contour matched to the Ruger barrel channel, Alaskan Arms drop floorplate and QD 30mm rings, Manson std reamer (matches Norma brass and Redding die), quarter rib, banded sling and banded front sight, weight added for balance and weight to get to ~10lbs.
Anyhow, thought folks here might be interested in this and maybe with 3 or so builds, get better pricing on the components. Let me know the interest. Thanks
Steve

 

[Mekaniks]

I am a Taylor fan for sure… But if you have a 416 Ruger already, why make it a Taylor?? The ruger action will definitely work, but I don’t see a lot of benefit except that you get to build a cool custom gun… which is all right in my book… So I say build away!! And keep us updated

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Imagibe it must be hard to find stamped brass?

 

[9Point3]

I will take a swing at this. Get the popcorn as this may make you laugh, groan or ban me. The goal was a field grade, proof of concept, functional rifle.

Wait, he’s gonna do what? Front row seats to the show, we’re in.

I had a budget barreled action that I wished shot better… Howa 1500 in 300 Win Mag. The plus side was cost, long action w/ mag bolt face and to my utter surprise a flat magazine follower. I had my gunsmith pop the barrel off (after grinding a flat in the old barrel so he could get a bite on it to remove from the action). My smith’s response,” You need a tire iron?”

After much arm chair searching and engineering…

I took the opportunity to replace the factory trigger with a Timney trigger, with the trigger at about half the cost of the barreled action.

In search of a barrel now. It was easier than imagined. Shilen, Pac-Nor and McGowen (hmm, barrel nut system?) offer turnkey chambered barrels for the Howa action. Contour was a Douglas 5A for weight given the .416 bore … mass loading, that helps.

Dies available from Midway USA (at the time of buy) and previously posted here. They can be ordered from Redding as well. Headstamped Norma brass from Raven Rocks Precision. Hey, this might actually work.

While waiting on the barrel, I turned my attention to the stock. Howa 1500 LA with a #5 contour. I was orginally thinking laminate to keep the weight up but low a behold Stocky’s Stocks had a $299 sale on 100% carbon fiber stocks. I bit and got a varmint contour in the barrel channel giving me less barrel channeling to do myself. The stock arrived and I waited for the barrel. Fast forward and …

Removed the 30 oz Trijicon Credo HX in 1-8x28 and replaced with a Trijicon SRO, I lost weight. Get QD rings and keep the scope handy.

Run, run away, he may have something here.

Fun project and still playing with 300gr - 400gr bullets. Thinking about the CEB 210gr FB Raptors for PG.

Now the search for a proper wood stock.

 

[9Point3]

My project advisers.

 

[Jefferry404]

The reason to make the change is the supply of Ruger brass is nonexistent( I am one of those that stress out about component supply) whereas Raven Rocks has a large inventory of Norma 416 Taylor brass.
I would still make the same upgrades for the Ruger whereas for the Taylor, just the added cost a new barrel.
The Taylor has been around 50 years and can still get components whereas the Ruger, after 15 years…
So, they have my support.
Anyhow, if anyone is interested, let me know this week. Thanks
Steve

 

[Boyd Brooks]

The reason to make the change is the supply of Ruger brass is nonexistent( I am one of those that stress out about component supply) whereas Raven Rocks has a large inventory of Norma 416 Taylor brass.
I would still make the same upgrades for the Ruger whereas for the Taylor, just the added cost a new barrel.
The Taylor has been around 50 years and can still get components whereas the Ruger, after 15 years…
So, they have my support.
Anyhow, if anyone is interested, let me know this week. Thanks
Steve

Another great thing is you can make brass for the Taylor from a wide range of other belted magnums, for target and home use. You really only need the proper headstamp if you are travelling to a place that requires it.

 

[buckstix]

My Custom Lawson in 416 Taylor. I love this cartridge.

 

[Odinsraven]

I had never read about the 416 Taylor until a couple of months ago - skulking around a Euripean Auction I spotted a Huaqvarna in said calibre - with an aimpoint 2000 scope attached ! Out the door for beer money - just waiting on it arriving to Iceland - managed to get a set of dies for it - so good to go - a nice range plaything. I have a CZ550 in 416 Rigby - so will be fun to see how it shoots !

 

[Jefferry404]

@Odinsraven
Great deal for beer money!
This Ruger conversion to 416 Taylor is quite a few Friday’s of beer money
But if someone is wanting a 416 Caliber DGR in std length action and with bells and whistles and does not mind starting with Ruger platform, might be a good way to go.
I see one Taylor for sale at ~10k, abet by master gunsmith and an original Factory Ruger Taylor that sold for ~5.1k, a collector piece.

 

[Nhoro]

Can a smith not cut the existing barrel and rechamber? I assume you are not changing the barrel to make a sniper rifle !

 

[Jefferry404]

the ruger body is 60/1000 longer with a 24/1000 larger shoulder.

 

[9Point3]

All animation aside, I looked into it quite a bit.
I went the Taylor route due to brass availability thanks to Bill at Raven Rocks. Dies are a bit more but a one time cost. Powders can be different between the pet loads found on this site for the Taylor and current offerings. I have a smidgen of IMR 4064 but playing with Accurate 4064 now.

 

[CoElkHunter]

My Custom Lawson in 416 Taylor. I love this cartridge.

That wood is almost surreal. Beautiful!

 

[CoElkHunter]

The Ruger Hawkeyes are great rifles at their price point. I have .375 and .416 Guide Guns. I also have a custom Interarms Whitworth .416 Taylor. Great, lower recoiling .416 cartridge. I would REALLY like to build a CZ550 .416 Taylor. Probably won’t happen but one can dream.

 

[Jefferry404]

@CoElkHunter
Is the Ruger action same length as the CZ559 magnum? And shorter bolt throw?I would think so since std cartridge, I thought the Ruger would be similar to the CZ500 medium?
If the Ruger is the same as the cz magnum,
Maybe makes since to go the CZ route.
Steve

 

[CoElkHunter]

The CZ550 has a magnum length action to accommodate the longer magnum cartridges, while the Ruger Hawkeye models have "long" actions for their and others 3.340 COAL and shorter cartridges. Bolt throw is the same.

 

[Jefferry404]

Thanks. I like the long action of the Ruger.
But having 2nd thoughts. Comparing the Riger and Taylor, almost same case design with the Ruger about 6gns more space.
Looked at Ruger ammo to get the brass vs Taylor total reload cost (240 rounds) and the Ruger was only ~$300 more!
So, sounds like Ruger should stay Ruger.
Now considering CZ550 7mm remmag medium action, etc or Model 70 338 winmag or 458 morphed to the 416 Taylor.
Steve

 

[John Telford]

According to my gunsmith my Taylor is about a week from being finished! I have dies, brass and a bunch of .400 grn Speer bullets solids and softs just waiting to be loaded. I have changed the stock and the action from the original build. What started out on a 1907 Argentine Mauser and walnut stock has become a laminated stock with a chromed 1937 Portuguese M98 action. Only the barrel is the same - Douglas.