CZ 550 American 416 Rigby

[Rule 303]

As your stock has two cross bolts and is relieved behind the tang all I would do is get a pin through the wrist. With all that it should take an Elephant or Hippo to fall on it to crack it. Hint, get close to them when shooting but not that close.

 

[BJH65]

As your stock has two cross bolts and is relieved behind the tang all I would do is get a pin through the wrist. With all that it should take an Elephant or Hippo to fall on it to crack it. Hint, get close to them when shooting but not that close.

Thanks for the advice. I will take it to Champlin Firearms and have JJ Perodeau install the pin. It’s only a couple hours away in Enid, Oklahoma. I can also drool over their bespoke quality big bore doubles and bolt action rifles while there.

Regards,

Brendon

PS- Have taken hippo in water but one on land is on my bucket list! Perhaps I should add one, it’s only $, can’t take it with you!

 

[PARA45]

Thanks! I hope you can get one soon.

Thank you and I hope so too. I have a 416 Rem Mag, but for some reason the 416 Rigby keeps calling my name. May have to thin the heard a bit to get one.

I'm looking at retiring this June, so I've been saving for when that moment comes. Working for the government has its pluses, but them paying you is not one of them. Oh, and my wife who is my biggest fan and supporter of my hobby may have a fit if I bought a new gun now

 

[BJH65]

Thank you and I hope so too. I have a 416 Rem Mag, but for some reason the 416 Rigby keeps calling my name. May have to thin the heard a bit to get one.

I'm looking at retiring this June, so I've been saving for when that moment comes. Working for the government has its pluses, but them paying you is not one of them. Oh, and my wife who is my biggest fan and supporter of my hobby may have a fit if I bought a new gun now

No flies on the 416 Rem Mag. Had a nice Winchester M70 Safari Express in 416 Rem Mag on our first African hunt many years ago, traded it to our PH for an eland back then when that could be done! The recoil on my CZ 416 Rigby feels slightly less than that Winchester 416 Rem Mag, but that was 29 years ago, and I’m um packing a little more weight these days!

I am a retired civil servant myself. Well I know the drill, sell a gun to buy a gun for much of my adult life perhaps until recently. The siren song and allure of the 416 Rigby was too much. The writings of Ruark and O’Connor fresh in my mind. Yes, Jack O’Connor of 270 Win fame, favored a 375 H&H and 416 Rigby for Africa! I simply had to have one, although I admit in a moment of frustration, and impatience, when I couldn’t locate a CZ 416 Rigby, I did bid on a BRNO ZKK 602 458 Lott and a CZ 550 458 Lott but I was unsuccessful, I was meant to have a 416 Rigby!

PS-Congratulations on your upcoming well deserved retirement! Sounds like a 416 Rigby would make an excellent retirement gift!

 

[Northern Shooter]

Congrats! Beautiful rifle.

I also just picked up a CZ550 in 416 Rigby but the wood is much nicer on yours.

Mine also came with a Bell & Carlson stock and Leupold VX-6 1-6x.

My new favourite rifle.

 

[BJH65]

Congrats! Beautiful rifle.

I also just picked up a CZ550 in 416 Rigby but the wood is much nicer on yours.

Mine also came with a Bell & Carlson stock and Leupold VX-6 1-6x.

My new favourite rifle.

Thanks! Seems you have a great set up too, perfect scope!

 

[BJH65]

WOW WOW WOW!! Beautiful rifle!!

Thanks sir, great profile pic!

 

[BJH65]

Gorgeous wood, flawless feeding, and a shooter. You hit the CZ550 Jackpot! Nice rifle and happy hunting!

Thanks sir, I’ve been nothing but pleased with this rifle, just needs to be baptized in blood now!

 

[Neil Molendyk]

Congratulations on your new acquisition, Except for the grade of wood its identical.You have a true classic calibre in a fine rifle. I had mine glass bedded on the action and ensured that the barrel was free floated, then spent hours working the action while watching buff hunting videos. Mine did not like Hornady DGS or DGX 400 gr bullets but loved the 400 gr Swift AFrame and Swift Breakaway solids.When building a load I was advised by Swift to reduce the load used on the Frames by one grain for the solids and the POI would be identical. It was true

 

[BJH65]

Congratulations on your new acquisition, Except for the grade of wood it’s identical.You have a true classic calibre in a fine rifle. I had mine glass bedded on the action and ensured that the barrel was free floated, then spent hours working the action while watching buff hunting videos. Mine did not like Hornady DGS or DGX 400 gr bullets but loved the 400 gr Swift AFrame and Swift Breakaway solids.When building a load I was advised by Swift to reduce the load used on the Frames by one grain for the solids and the POI would be identical. It was true

Thanks Neil,

Since I’m getting great accuracy, I may forego glass bedding for now, I don’t like to mess with a rifle if it’s shooting well! I’m quite pleased with the accuracy of factory Barnes 400 grain TSX and as far as available factory rounds, it’s mostly Barnes TSX or Hornady, so I prefer the Barnes TSX. It seems more than a few 416 Rigby owners handload, so I may very well obtain some dies and handload, especially if I want to use the excellent 400 grain Swift A Frame, just don’t see it currently available in factory rounds. Still, at this point, I’m inclined to use the factory Barnes 400 grain TSX for Cape Buffalo.

Brendon

 

[Rare Breed]

Picked up my BNIB CZ 550 Safari Magnum American 416 Rigby. Thanks Krish! He had exactly what I wanted and was great to deal with!

I previously bid on a couple of CZ 458 Lott rifles on online auctions but was unsuccessful. Still in the back of my mind, I had a preference for the 416 Rigby round.

Test target was June of 2020 and appears to one of the last ones made in 2020 before CZ discontinued the Safari Magnums. The rifle feels great in my hands, shoulders and points very well. I really look forward to testing it out in my backyard range.

This will be my designated Cape Buffalo rifle for our 2026 hunt. I had previously written about using my 375 RUM, which would be perfectly fine, but I had a CZ 416 Rigby inside my head that I just couldn’t get out! I did previously desire a CZ with a “hogback” stock for no other reason than I liked the look, but when I looked upon this particular rifle and the wood, I knew this was the one!

I had a Zeiss 3-9x40 Conquest with plex reticle laying around, and instead of playing musical chairs with some of my other scopes already mounted on other rifles, I decided to try the Zeiss with Warne Medium QD rings for a CZ 550. I had concerns that the bolt knob might make contact with the scope ocular housing but it did not thankfully! Just enough clearance so worked out great!

I know many here will eschew a 3-9 scope on a 416 Rigby but it’s what I have right now and the scope can easily be removed to use the iron sights in a pinch. I’ll be shooting it with both scope and irons in preparation. I have a box of Barnes 400 grain TSX, just need to acquire more it’s not cheap! I really wanted a “proper” buffalo rifle and a feel this CZ 416 Rigby fits the bill!

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Nicely done and smart buy!!! Beautiful rifle! Krish is one of our very best!!!

 

[Rule 303]

Re loads, I use 96 grains of AR2209 and 410 grain Woodleigh SN, 400 grain Bertram SN (for practice) and 400 grain Hydros. They all go to same POI out to 100mts, have not compared them past this. Velocity with the SN is 2450fps and the Hydro's is 2550 fps. Go figure.

For home loading I do recommend using the Lee Factory crimp die for crimping. It is very easy to buckle a 416 Rigby case neck with standard crimps in bullet seating dies.

 

[BJH65]

Nicely done and smart buy!!! Beautiful rifle! Krish is one of our very best!!!

Thanks! Yes, Krish is a fine gentleman!

 

[BJH65]

Re loads, I use 96 grains of AR2209 and 410 grain Woodleigh SN, 400 grain Bertram SN (for practice) and 400 grain Hydros. They all go to same POI out to 100mts, have not compared them past this. Velocity with the SN is 2450fps and the Hydro's is 2550 fps. Go figure.

For home loading I do recommend using the Lee Factory crimp die for crimping. It is very easy to buckle a 416 Rigby case neck with standard crimps in bullet seating dies.

Thanks for the information. Wow, you’re getting great velocity with the Hydros, not that it’s needed.

 

[Rule 303]

Thanks for the information. Wow, you’re getting great velocity with the Hydros, not that it’s needed.

I figured that as they all go to same POI I wouldn't change anything and stay with the one load.
Meant to add AR2209 is rebadged in the US as H4350. 414 and IMR 4350 are either rebadged 2209 or that close to it the data is interchangeable as per the reloading manuals.

We can use AR2213SC (H4831) but need about 10 grains more powder and the recoil is somewhat sharper.

 

[BJH65]

I figured that as they all go to same POI I wouldn't change anything and stay with the one load.
Meant to add AR2209 is rebadged in the US as H4350. 414 and IMR 4350 are either rebadged 2209 or that close to it the data is interchangeable as per the reloading manuals.

We can use AR2213SC (H4831) but need about 10 grains more powder and the recoil is somewhat sharper.

Ah, i actually have H4350 which I’ve used for 375 RUM.

 

[BJH65]

Got these 3 inert snap cap 416 Rigby rounds for $35.99 from ebay. They are blackened, rattle and have the rubber insert. Great training aid as I walk around outside pretending to shoot Cape Buffalo!

 

[BJH65]

Got some Primos tripod shooting sticks to practice with the CZ 416 Rigby. Not sure what type the PH has, I’ll ask. I’ve not really used shooting sticks through most of my hunting career, just an old set of Stoney Point bipod sticks I’ve used a few times, very effectively I might add, only while sitting. Even our first hunt in Africa (1997) no shooting sticks, although my assistant PH in Mozambique offered to make me some! I’ve always utilized nearby trees, terrain, sitting, kneeling and prone primarily. Only offhand for close shots and no time for a rest.

Anyhow, it seems most shooting in Africa is done standing off of sticks and our PH confirmed that’s how they shoot buffalo, so took a few practice shots at 50 yards and then dry fire practice with snap caps at various locations on the property. Soon we’ll do wild pig hunt.

 

[BJH65]

I just mounted a Leupold VX3 1.5-5 30mm Illuminated scope on Warne QD rings to my CZ 416 Rigby. This will be my rig for an upcoming Cape buffalo hunt.

Originally I had my Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 mounted to my recently acquired CZ 416 Rigby. It was an extra scope I had at the time so I mounted it with Warne QD rings to the CZ and proceeded to put it through it’s paces but the vast majority of feedback from AH forum members was to go with a Swarovski or Zeiss 1-6 scope or lower power variable scope. Most were opposed to a 3-9 scope on a DG rifle for Cape buffalo. My thoughts were I never needed lower power than 3X even at close range (10 yards) and I could always removed the scope instantly if necessary but I admit it’s been bothering me.

So I got an excellent deal on the Leupold and mounted, bore sighted and sighted in yesterday. This will now be a more appropriate setup for Cape buffalo and I can still bring the Zeiss 3-9 as an extra backup scope or use for plains game.

 

[Neil Molendyk]

Great setup BJH65. Two people will be very happy with it, you and your PH. One old bull won't be. Enjoy your hunt