AH induced indecision

[Pheroze]

Last year I finally pulled together all the pieces to build a 400 H&H - Brno ZKK 602, Douglas barrel, enough brass to start a war, bullets, reamer and wood blank. Then I had to pause my projects for a financial timeout. The plan was to have a 308 Norma and 400 H&H as a two gun hunt everything and leave them to my grandkids kind-of-thing. I have a fetish for the unusual.

But something sinister has happened during the delay - I have been on this website.

Now I am thinking a 450 Rigby would actually be a better match pair...

Pros
Not an odd caliber for bullets;
Bigger for big things but also fine with a smaller bullet;
low pressure for such a big/faster round;

Cons
I don't have anything except a donor action and a fine piece of wood;
much bigger recoil (maybe I won't like that?)
Overkill for moose - so really, how practical is it anyways?

I am learning to fear this website. Thoughts? Stick with the game plan or allow passions and impulses to govern.

 

[Ridgewalker]

JMO, but stick with the plan. You’re almost there! If it doesn’t work out in the future, you will have had a good experiment!

 

[tarbe]

JMO, but stick with the plan. You’re almost there! If it doesn’t work out in the future, you will have had a good experiment!

My first gut reaction was the opposite!

Without passion and impulse, we may as well just sit home and passively watch TV!

Never just stick with a plan because it is convenient!

As far as recoil - as a handloader you have complete control.

A 350gr A-Frame out of your Rigby at 2,300 - 2,400 FPS mv will make a great Moose load.

Rigby! Just repeat that 20 times and you will be sold!

Kinda tongue-in-cheek....but not really. Lol

 

[BC.Pat]

I have a 450 Rigby that I built on a RSM action, I still have the reamer some where if you needed it. ( only used once) free to borrow
Regards
Pat

 

[tarbe]

I have a 450 Rigby that I built on a RSM action, I still have the reamer some where if you needed it. ( only used once) free to borrow
Regards
Pat

Dang - now you have me thinking!

 

[BC.Pat]

Dang - now you have me thinking!

any time

 

[Velo Dog]

One rifle in .404 Jeffery.
One in .300 H&H.

 

[Pheroze]

Love this website! it's like going to an AA meeting where they have an open bar

 

[ActionBob]

One rifle in .404 Jeffery.
One in .300 H&H.

Dammit now you have me thinking you darned old Dog

I have the basics to build that 404 Jeffrey on a RSM rifle, but of course I want to re-bore a RSM barrel to keep that wonderful factory quarter rib.

I also have a collection of the little brothers to the RSM, the Express rifles from Ruger. Got one in 338 Win Mag, 270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag... All of which I have only fired at the range. And a very svelte 300 Win Mag I hunt now and then and have shot Mule and White tail deer with, and not two but 3 in 30-06, one of which is a Ruger executive serial number gun, one a NRA Witworth that has been to Africa and taken several critters, and one I recently picked up just because it was there in front of me

So a question; How tough would it be to Rechamber a 30-o6 Ruger express to a 300 H&H and how cool would that be?

 

[sierraone]

One rifle in .404 Jeffery.
One in .300 H&H.

Since I have one of each of these, I would vote for RIG-by... RIG-by... RIG-by!!!

 

[sierraone]

So a question; How tough would it be to Rechamber a 30-o6 Ruger express to a 300 H&H and how cool would that be?

That would be a very valuable rifle to many of us!

 

[Velo Dog]

Dammit now you have me thinking you darned old Dog

I have the basics to build that 404 Jeffrey on a RSM rifle, but of course I want to re-bore a RSM barrel to keep that wonderful factory quarter rib.

I also have a collection of the little brothers to the RSM, the Express rifles from Ruger. Got one in 338 Win Mag, 270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag... All of which I have only fired at the range. And a very svelte 300 Win Mag I hunt now and then and have shot Mule and White tail deer with, and not two but 3 in 30-06, one of which is a Ruger executive serial number gun, one a NRA Witworth that has been to Africa and taken several critters, and one I recently picked up just because it was there in front of me

So a question; How tough would it be to Rechamber a 30-o6 Ruger express to a 300 H&H and how cool would that be?

Hi Bob,

Re-chambering a .30-06 to .300 H&H is a very simple matter.
However, most .30-06 magazines are too short so, you’d probably end up with a single shot.
Often the ejection port is a whisker short as well, making it problematic to eject a live round.

Bolt face would need opening slightly and likely rails would need a little filing, possibly a little re-shaping of the follower as well (maybe).
All these can be corrected by a professional and skilled Gunsmith but, it’s generally cheaper to just buy a completed rifle in your desired caliber to begin with.

Of course one exception might be to re-barrel an existing .375 H&H to .300 H&H.
In theory, there should be no action / magazine work required (Murphy’s Law not withstanding).

Cheers,
Paul.

 

[tarbe]

So a question; How tough would it be to Rechamber a 30-o6 Ruger express to a 300 H&H and how cool would that be?

What is the barrel length on that ‘06 Bob?

 

[Pheroze]

Dammit now you have me thinking you darned old Dog

I have the basics to build that 404 Jeffrey on a RSM rifle, but of course I want to re-bore a RSM barrel to keep that wonderful factory quarter rib.

I also have a collection of the little brothers to the RSM, the Express rifles from Ruger. Got one in 338 Win Mag, 270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag... All of which I have only fired at the range. And a very svelte 300 Win Mag I hunt now and then and have shot Mule and White tail deer with, and not two but 3 in 30-06, one of which is a Ruger executive serial number gun, one a NRA Witworth that has been to Africa and taken several critters, and one I recently picked up just because it was there in front of me

So a question; How tough would it be to Rechamber a 30-o6 Ruger express to a 300 H&H and how cool would that be?

I understood the appeal of the 308 NM was it was the maximum that could be fit into a 30-06 action.

 

[tarbe]

I understood the appeal of the 308 NM was it was the maximum that could be fit into a 30-06 action.

Right. Winchester thought they would one-up the Norma, but they ended up with a short neck suitable only for a wrestler.

And of course, the Super 30 is on the full-length case, making it unsuitable for ‘06 length actions.

 

[ActionBob]

Last year I finally pulled together all the pieces to build a 400 H&H - Brno ZKK 602, Douglas barrel, enough brass to start a war, bullets, reamer and wood blank. Then I had to pause my projects for a financial timeout. The plan was to have a 308 Norma and 400 H&H as a two gun hunt everything and leave them to my grandkids kind-of-thing. I have a fetish for the unusual.

But something sinister has happened during the delay - I have been on this website.

Now I am thinking a 450 Rigby would actually be a better match pair...

Pros
Not an odd caliber for bullets;
Bigger for big things but also fine with a smaller bullet;
low pressure for such a big/faster round;

Cons
I don't have anything except a donor action and a fine piece of wood;
much bigger recoil (maybe I won't like that?)
Overkill for moose - so really, how practical is it anyways?

I am learning to fear this website. Thoughts? Stick with the game plan or allow passions and impulses to govern.

My practical side says you have all the components and the barrel so finish what you started. On the other hand the ridiculous advise offere by @tarbe has such a level of simplistic human practicality as to warrent serious consideration

 

[ActionBob]

What is the barrel length on that ‘06 Bob?

Not positive but shorter than the magnums, I think about 22". I need to get home and measure those guns up... Wondering if they may have used the same actions on all Expresses?

 

[sierraone]

My practical side says you have all the components and the barrel so finish what you started. On the other hand the ridiculous advise offere by @tarbe has such a level of simplistic human practicality as to warrent serious consideration

?

 

[tarbe]

Rigby! Rigby! Rigby!

 

[Pheroze]

Rigby! Rigby! Rigby!

But then, half way through the Rigby build, I will realize I have all this useful 400 H&H stuff kicking around!