MarineHawk
AH senior member
I am looking at 416 caliber rifles. One is a 416 Rigby, because of the wide availability and variety of factory ammo--from fairly mild loads like this (Kynoch Ammunition 416 Rigby 410 Grain Woodleigh Welded Core Soft Point Box of 5 - MidwayUSA) to near-Weatherby loads, like this (Cor-Bon DPX Hunter Ammunition 416 Rigby 350 Grain Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullet Hollow Point Lead-Free Box of 20 - MidwayUSA). I also am considering a 416 Weatherby.
For those of you who have experience with the calibers and/or rifles listed below, could you offer any advice? I was considering (with approximate price):
$3,500: CZ 550 in 416 Rigby with the AHR Upgrade #3 listed here: American Hunting Rifles - CZ Owners
$2,900 (retail, not MSRP): Weatherby Custom Mark V Dangerous Game Rifle in 416 Wby:
I plan on using it on a Sept. 2010 Alaska brown bear hunt (possibly a lot of rain) and a June/July 2011 South African hunt (hoping to include cape buffalo if possible).
Here are my thoughts up to this point about each of the following based on the the info I have to date. Am I missing anything I should consider?:
AHR CZ 550 SAFARI:
PROS:
* More handsome. A lot more.
* Fires the Rigby: with more different factory loads available; and easier to find in far away places, like SA.
CONS:
* Probably a little less weather resistent and significantly less ding resistant.
* The ammo I want (the only 350gr factory load) is $230/box: Cor-Bon DPX Hunter Ammunition 416 Rigby 350 Grain Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullet Hollow Point Lead-Free Box of 20 - MidwayUSA
* Unknown how the AHR will recoil on me compared to the Wby.
* About $600 more expensive than Mk V.
* Not sure what response to expect if there is some problem with the gun, especially if AHR goes out of business.
WEATHERBY MK V DGR:
PROS:
* About $600 less expensive than AHR.
* Probably a little better suited to getting wet and banged up.
* I already own and revere a Mk V Accumark in 340 Wby. Familiar with the rifle/operation/maintenance.
* Mk V stock seems to fit and dampen recoil to me.
* The ammo I want (the 350gr factory load) is only $150/box: Weatherby Ammunition 416 Weatherby Magnum 350 Grain Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullet Hollow Point Lead-Free Box of 20 - MidwayUSA
* A little more powerful than the Rigby.
* Comes with proven removable factory brake (which I would not use while hunting, but maybe for "plinking").
* Weatherby will be around forever and stand by their rifles.
* I could always drop it in a walnut stock later.
CONS:
* Not as pretty.
As much as I love the AHR's looks, I think you can see which way I am leaning, but I appreciate any thoughts on what I am overlooking.
Thanks in advance for any comments.
For those of you who have experience with the calibers and/or rifles listed below, could you offer any advice? I was considering (with approximate price):
$3,500: CZ 550 in 416 Rigby with the AHR Upgrade #3 listed here: American Hunting Rifles - CZ Owners
![AHR.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi75.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi305%2FMarineHawk%2FHK%2FAHR.jpg&hash=03b3ff0953199819715337785216098a)
$2,900 (retail, not MSRP): Weatherby Custom Mark V Dangerous Game Rifle in 416 Wby:
![markv_dgr.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi75.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi305%2FMarineHawk%2FHK%2Fmarkv_dgr.jpg&hash=6a3eb279fbe38cdd3f18b2cf6ae962e5)
I plan on using it on a Sept. 2010 Alaska brown bear hunt (possibly a lot of rain) and a June/July 2011 South African hunt (hoping to include cape buffalo if possible).
Here are my thoughts up to this point about each of the following based on the the info I have to date. Am I missing anything I should consider?:
AHR CZ 550 SAFARI:
PROS:
* More handsome. A lot more.
* Fires the Rigby: with more different factory loads available; and easier to find in far away places, like SA.
CONS:
* Probably a little less weather resistent and significantly less ding resistant.
* The ammo I want (the only 350gr factory load) is $230/box: Cor-Bon DPX Hunter Ammunition 416 Rigby 350 Grain Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullet Hollow Point Lead-Free Box of 20 - MidwayUSA
* Unknown how the AHR will recoil on me compared to the Wby.
* About $600 more expensive than Mk V.
* Not sure what response to expect if there is some problem with the gun, especially if AHR goes out of business.
WEATHERBY MK V DGR:
PROS:
* About $600 less expensive than AHR.
* Probably a little better suited to getting wet and banged up.
* I already own and revere a Mk V Accumark in 340 Wby. Familiar with the rifle/operation/maintenance.
* Mk V stock seems to fit and dampen recoil to me.
* The ammo I want (the 350gr factory load) is only $150/box: Weatherby Ammunition 416 Weatherby Magnum 350 Grain Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullet Hollow Point Lead-Free Box of 20 - MidwayUSA
* A little more powerful than the Rigby.
* Comes with proven removable factory brake (which I would not use while hunting, but maybe for "plinking").
* Weatherby will be around forever and stand by their rifles.
* I could always drop it in a walnut stock later.
CONS:
* Not as pretty.
As much as I love the AHR's looks, I think you can see which way I am leaning, but I appreciate any thoughts on what I am overlooking.
Thanks in advance for any comments.