CZ 416 Rigby

[CTDolan]

They are, although I can't count the number of times I've thought of a 416 Ruger instead, especially the Guide Gun. It's bullet-proof, comes at half the cost, and carries roughly the same ballistics. I'd love a beautiful rifle, lovely wood and all, but most important is reliability. As for caliber, 375 is plenty sufficient and infinitely superior, but I've had a few of those and would like to give a 416 a try, this time around.

 

[CTDolan]

Then there's always this option, in 416 Rem Mag (375 H&H, for the more practically-minded, those so inclined). I hear the plant in Ogden is turning out some pretty good work.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Legendary rifle in cool calibre CTDolan.
Witold

 

[CTDolan]

Agreed.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

We like the same rifles CTDolan.
Witold

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Thank you CTDolan.
Witold

 

[colorado]

Both are great looking rifles.

For medium bores lol

 

[CAustin]

CTDolan I have the Ruger 416 Guide Gun and I love it! 400 grain round at 2300 ft/sec gets the job done.

 

[50lawman]

I would suggest that you leave the CZ as is and come and hunt in Namibia with the money saved. My 416 Rigby with a nice Biltong Eland cow shot on Tuesday…..

View attachment 43016

Beautiful rifle, oh yeah nice Eland too! I just started throwing some rounds down range to get used to the kick. Might change the front sight but then again why since I plan to put on the Leupold VXR6. What scope are you using?

 

[CTDolan]

Not a CZ, not a 416, but a classic rifle in a classic caliber all the same:

http://www.realguns.com/articles/550.htm

Joe's write-ups are alright. Sometimes he misses it on the technical side (minor misunderstandings to do with the rifles themselves), but I like his style.

 

[CTDolan]

If I were smart, that M70 in 375 is exactly what I'd buy. But, I'm not always so smart. One thing I do like about the new Winchesters, though, is this:

 

[CTDolan]

MRC needs to do the same with their heavies, most notably the 505.

 

[enysse]

Well the .416 Rem is a hell of a deal when you really think about it, it's not as traditional at the 416 Rigby but it's hell of a lot cheaper too. Just as function too, I own one, I love mine to tell you the truth.

 

[colorado]

All beautiful rifles. If I was taking it to Alaska I'd probably get the Ruger, Africa the Winchester in 416 Rem or the CZ or RSM in 416 Rigby. The CZ really comes into it's own with the 450 Rigby, 505 Gibbs and 500 Jeffery. For lighter kicking rounds the M70 might be a better choice (lighter, less finishing work needed).

All really nice rifles.

Best Regards,

Chuck

 

[spike.t]

All beautiful rifles. If I was taking it to Alaska I'd probably get the Ruger, Africa the Winchester in 416 Rem or the CZ or RSM in 416 Rigby. The CZ really comes into it's own with the 450 Rigby, 505 Gibbs and 500 Jeffery. For lighter kicking rounds the M70 might be a better choice (lighter, less finishing work needed).

All really nice rifles.

Best Regards,

Chuck

hey howzit? now after all those choices i would just go for this....http://www.dsarms.com/p-12491-fal-sa58-elite-compact-rifle-13-barrel.aspx...then you could cull most things

 

[AFRICADEE]

Hi 50lawman.

My rifle is a CZ 550 Magnum De Lux 416 Rigby. I only stripped of the varnish from the stock and made it into an oil finish. The scope is a Zeiss Duralyte 1.2-5 x 36, quite good for up to 200 meters. It was a smallish Eland cow, slaughtered weight 180kgs

 

[CTDolan]

CTDolan I have the Ruger 416 Guide Gun and I love it! 400 grain round at 2300 ft/sec gets the job done.

The way I view the Guide Gun in 416 is as a modern day 450/400. One can easily drive 400 grains to 2,200 fps (even 2,250 fps), which adds about 100 fps to the 450/400, in a very compact package. Started a thread about the same, a week or so ago, here:

http://www.africahunting.com/threads/416-ruger-the-modern-day-450-400-ne.22705/

Also, as is well known, the Rigby likely didn't do much better with regard to actual ballistics, back in the day.

There seems to be some perfect balance points (caliber, velocity, bullet weight) with regard to performance in the field, the most notable examples (in my opinion) being the 375 H&H (many have written that to go beyond 2,500 fps with the 300 grain bullet is to diminish performance in the field) and the 450/400 NE (which plods along at a modest 2,050-2,100 fps, but seems to be quite disproportionately good at getting the job done).

 

[ActionBob]

If you want downright tough and cheap, yet a very capable and accurate killer that will stand up to anything, I think the Ruger Guide gun stands on it's own, or the longer barreled laminate/stainless options... Although in 375 Ruger there are options from Savage and Mossberg now. However it does sound like you want to stick with a 416.

So if reasonable price and perhaps the best combination of price, looks, performance and reliability, AND a buttery smooth action right out of the box... Along with economical and reasonably available ammo around the World.... You want a Winchester M70 in 416 Rem Mag.... Or possibly a CZ in 416 Rigby if you can get lucky enough to find one that runs well out of the box? And the ammo will cost more.

Then going up incrementally in price, a good used RSM, which in my opinion is for the money the best thing available in 416 Rigby... And my further opinion is that the 416 is the best cartridge in a RSM... Nothing wrong with a 375 or a 458 Lott... But the Rigby cartridge just fits and feeds so well in that gun that I believe it might have been designed around it and then made to work for the others. And if you look, they are available out there.. I have two and they were not hard to get.

A CZ is a very good rifle, and has the biggest box of the bunch. And the biggest, bulkiest stock... But that may make it fit the best and have the least felt recoil? But may likely need work done as you are aware... So it will likely be the most expensive of these choices... if you get lucky and find a deal on a Custom Safari model, they can have some great wood and come with things like a barrel band sling mount, etc. Things you need to pay extra for on the standard models, making them costlier.

In any case, a 416, be it a Ruger, Rem Mag, or Rigby.. Is as fine a compromise as you will find between really big bores and 375's.... And it will suffice to kill anything on the planet!

 

[CTDolan]

I once had a M70 458 Win Mag (post-64 action, Super Grade). The rifle sported a 22" barrel. Wish I would've kept it. The ramp needed some work to feed the 510-grain factory load, but other than this it was a sweet rifle (and I wasn't bothered by the lack of a Mauser-style extractor, but today of course I would choose such (pre-64 style), first and foremost). So, this fond memory has caused the M70 in 416 Rem Mag to become somewhat desirable.

The Ruger RSM...what more must one say? In 416 Rigby, for the money, it is a very good option. And I agree, the rifle seems to have been designed around the big Rigby, and then adapted to the others (the 375 H&H, 404 Jeffrey (too bad they botched the chamber), 458 Lott...am I forgetting any?).

The Ruger Guide Gun is a very straightforward offering...20" barrel, laminated stock, 3 rounds in the box, stainless steel, two cross bolts (helps address splitting behind the magazine box, common on the RSM and original Hawkeye 375). It also happens to be the least costly (to buy, and shoot). As for the new Ruger African (23" barrel with brake/weight/cap), this in 416 Ruger is another option, although not as bullet-proof as the Guide Gun.

The CZ, 416 Rigby (the rifle which started this thread), if done up right (rifle + post-factory work = approximately $2,300) is another contender, but also the most costly.

I cannot afford beauty (true beauty, such as a Rigby 416, made by Rigby), so I am going with function, first and foremost. In this regard, the Guide Gun kinda makes the most sense (stainless, laminated stock, short and sweet, plenty powerful, etc.). Also, given that I will spend more time in Alaska than Africa (it all comes down to cost...would hunt Africa above all else, but as we all know it does come at a dear price), the Guide Gun makes sense (especially in 375 Ruger, but I am definitely going with a 416 as it's one caliber I have not yet had the opportunity to use).

 

[Velo Dog]

I once had a M70 458 Win Mag (post-64 action, Super Grade). The rifle sported a 22" barrel. Wish I would've kept it. The ramp needed some work to feed the 510-grain factory load, but other than this it was a sweet rifle (and I wasn't bothered by the lack of a Mauser-style extractor, but today of course I would choose such (pre-64 style), first and foremost). So, this fond memory has caused the M70 in 416 Rem Mag to become somewhat desirable.

The Ruger RSM...what more must one say? In 416 Rigby, for the money, it is a very good option. And I agree, the rifle seems to have been designed around the big Rigby, and then adapted to the others (the 375 H&H, 404 Jeffrey (too bad they botched the chamber), 458 Lott...am I forgetting any?).

The Ruger Guide Gun is a very straightforward offering...20" barrel, laminated stock, 3 rounds in the box, stainless steel, two cross bolts (helps address splitting behind the magazine box, common on the RSM and original Hawkeye 375). It also happens to be the least costly (to buy, and shoot). As for the new Ruger African (23" barrel with brake/weight/cap), this in 416 Ruger is another option, although not as bullet-proof as the Guide Gun.

The CZ, 416 Rigby (the rifle which started this thread), if done up right (rifle + post-factory work = approximately $2,300) is another contender, but also the most costly.

I cannot afford beauty (true beauty, such as a Rigby 416, made by Rigby), so I am going with function, first and foremost. In this regard, the Guide Gun kinda makes the most sense (stainless, laminated stock, short and sweet, plenty powerful, etc.). Also, given that I will spend more time in Alaska than Africa (it all comes down to cost...would hunt Africa above all else, but as we all know it does come at a dear price), the Guide Gun makes sense (especially in 375 Ruger, but I am definitely going with a 416 as it's one caliber I have not yet had the opportunity to use).

Alaska cheaper to hunt than Africa ?
You must not be hiring a Guide up here which, is perfectly legal for hunting most species.
If you generally pass through Anchorage in transit to the bush, and you ever have a couple hours to spare, please look me up.
Lunch is on me.