My thoughts after shooting my new .416 for a couple of months

[bruce moulds]

follow through.
it is all about follow through.
bruce.

 

[Philip Glass]

njc, what load did you settle on for your target work? What position are you shooting from? Have you started using a Past Recoil shield yet?

Past is a great idea as well as the Shockeater shirts or the Cabelas equivalent. Past pad for range time then the pad shirts for hunting.
Philip

 

[bruce moulds]

more on follow through.
for training, dry firing is a big help.
dry fire aiming a good shot and count to 3 after the click STIIL AIMING AND HOLDING.
do this 10 times every day forever.
whem practicing with ammo, still do the count to 3 thing , aiming at the target after the shot.
this ha helped me a lot with recoil management and shooting in general.
with regards slip on recoil pads, strap on devices, and wearable devices, how will you shoot the rifle in the field?
they all lengthen the pull, and will this length of pull be the same when you hunt?
assuming you can still get the same recoil shirt or whatever when you get to Africa, you might need to have length of pull adjusted on the rifle to suit, as well as how far forward or back you mount the scope.
you need a full picture, but no a wack in the head.
these big rifles might have to be shot fast, and need to be set up for perfect fit to do so.
not only this, but how you practise is ho you should shoot.
bruce.

 

[Shootist43]

I have been using my Past Recoil Shield in the field for years without any issues. I hardly even know it is there.

 

[CoElkHunter]

As some of you know, my recent purchase of a CZ .416 Rigby was my first step into the world of .40+ rifles. I thought for anyone coming into this without experience of such a thing it would be worth posting up how I've got on, as well as to update those of you who've helped me along the way.

I'm no stranger to firearms that have a reasonable recoil. I have or have had .338 Win Mag, .45-70 and .375H&H and all of those can offer up a fair punch with a ligt rifle and heavy load. As I was told when I first mentioned it here, the .40 magnums are another level entirely. There is some real truth in the saying that not everyone can shoot a big bore well - I'm one of those people, but I'm getting there! When I bought my .416 I thought that if I could shoot a .375 then I could shoot a .416. It's not a big step, right?...

Well as it happens, for me at least, it is. I've really been struggling with it. I can get it on paper, I'd be confident of braining a charging buff at 20 paces. But sticking a group into a target at 100m or more as you would on a plains game hunt, so far so not good! My thumbnail groups with my .375 hve turned into milk jug groups with the .416. It really is a sod to hold onto and although I'm pulling them in slowly, don't be fooled into thinking you can just pick one of these things up and go out and shoot it. Likely story is it isn't going to happen!

After a day's coaching from a really decent local instructor I've learned a few tips. Don't go out and try to fire 20+ rounds into paper straight off, you'll just tender up your shoulder and gain very little. He's taken me back to basics - scope off, two or three shots into a target then stand and chat about my technique. I hadn't really noticed at the time but he was intentionally taking my mind off of the shooting, relaxing my muscles and giving them ten minutes or so between shot strings to get over the previous battering! That technique worked wonders and with a few pointers he had my shots landing considerably better than I'd managed so far.

It'll be a long road learning to shoot this thing but I'll get there. Just don't go buying a rifle and jumping straight on a plane to Africa - you'll more than likely regret it.

Buy a LARGE Limbsaver (Sims Laboratory) slip-on recoil pad and you will be happy! I put one on my CZ .458WM and the recoil is less than my .375 h an h with it’s factory pad! Go forth and shoot!

 

[John J]

Nope. Not going to, you can't make me!

I can learn to shoot it. I'm not scared of it and the first ten shots or so don't hurt me. It'll just take a bit of time to consistently control the recoil every time. The chap I went to for some instruction is very experienced in big bores, he looked at my technique and said that actually I'm doing pretty well and have the basics right, I just need to work with it a bit to pull my groups in. I can do that - Rome wasn't built in a day.

Good for you. I sold my CZ 416 Rigby, it knocked the heck out of me. I sold it after buying my 500 MDM. It was more pleasant to shoot.

 

[njc110381]

njc, what load did you settle on for your target work? What position are you shooting from? Have you started using a Past Recoil shield yet?

Sorry, I missed this earlier.

I bought a recoil shield. Figured it would be a good way to shoot whilst developing loads as it'll probably help me get a few more shots off before I give up. I bought the thickest Past - I think it's 1".

I haven't settled on a load yet, I'm still developing them. Most of my shooting is from sticks but now the recoil shield has arrived I'll probably stick a bipod on it and shoot it from a bench.

 

[bruce moulds]

njc,
when making a stock, 1/8" is a big change to length of pull.
your thing at 1 full inch is massive.
do not get used to shooting with that unless you intend using it all the time.
then you will need to move the scope back.
then you will get hit in the head if you take the thing off .
a better option might be to have a decent recoil pad fitted to correct length of pull by a gunsmith and set the whole thing up properly once and for all.
bruce.

 

[Buckdog]

be careful with lead sleds off the bench they can wreck a scope. I suggest once it is sighted in shoot off sticks and offhand. no more than 10rds of the big boys at a session. then once you are comfortable with controlled 1 round at a time fire. start practicing shooting strings as fast as you can while staying on accurately on target. I suggest you run the gun like that first dry firing getting a feel for the action and developing good technique before you run a string of 40+ caliber. Personally when I run a string of 40+ caliber as fast as I can and still be accurate I set the gun down for at least a 1/2 hour before I run another of the bad boys!

 

[njc110381]

njc,
when making a stock, 1/8" is a big change to length of pull.
your thing at 1 full inch is massive.
do not get used to shooting with that unless you intend using it all the time.
then you will need to move the scope back.
then you will get hit in the head if you take the thing off .
a better option might be to have a decent recoil pad fitted to correct length of pull by a gunsmith and set the whole thing up properly once and for all.
bruce.

With all the negative comments about lead sleds I bought it so as I can shoot the rifle from a bad but more stable position to achieve good groups when load developing. The way a rifle shoots prone isn't always the way it will shoot from sticks so with my hunting rifles I generally load develop from bags and then zero on sticks. It matters not where the bullets land when checking a group - if it's six inches off but all through the same hole that's fine. Then I set up the zero from the positions I'll be shooting. Chances are it won't be one hole but as long as the scope or sights are set to be in the centre of that grouping, the sights are right for that position.

I talked about fitting at my range session. There's a chap local to me who I plan to visit fairly soon. My LOP is too long on this rifle, I'm only 5'6 and have fairly short arms.

 

[Shootist43]

njc, I have a shooting buddy that is your size, he too has a penchant for big bores. His largest being a 460 Weatherby. One thing that I've noticed, is that when his big boys go to the range he only takes a couple of shots with them.

 

[Pheroze]

With all the negative comments about lead sleds I bought it so as I can shoot the rifle from a bad but more stable position to achieve good groups when load developing. The way a rifle shoots prone isn't always the way it will shoot from sticks so with my hunting rifles I generally load develop from bags and then zero on sticks. It matters not where the bullets land when checking a group - if it's six inches off but all through the same hole that's fine. Then I set up the zero from the positions I'll be shooting. Chances are it won't be one hole but as long as the scope or sights are set to be in the centre of that grouping, the sights are right for that position.

I talked about fitting at my range session. There's a chap local to me who I plan to visit fairly soon. My LOP is too long on this rifle, I'm only 5'6 and have fairly short arms.

I believe you will find a properly fitted rifle to be a huge change to your felt recoil! Thanks for starting the very interesting thread!

 

[CoElkHunter]

I believe you will find a properly fitted rifle to be a huge change to your felt recoil! Thanks for starting the very interesting thread!

No .465 h and h cartridges yet? Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

[Chago]

I'll whisper this so all the old guys who lost their hearing don't hear me. Muzzle brake...... Lol

All kidding aside. I respect the fact your actually out there putting lead down range. A lot of guys buy a gun. Sight it in. Leave in locker until there in the field. Then they make a bad shot and say polymer tip bullets don't work, x caliber was not enough etc etc.

Keep at it. But as many of the other have already said. Look at pads on the stock and wearable shoulder pads. Especially for range days. As hunting scenario will only be 1 shot, maybe a follow up. So recoil won't be as much as an issue.

 

[bruce moulds]

so chago,
how do you practise well with varying lengths of pull,
or
how do you maintain the same length of pull.
you cannot have both.
bruce.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I'll whisper this so all the old guys who lost their hearing don't hear me. Muzzle brake...... Lol

All kidding aside. I respect the fact your actually out there putting lead down range. A lot of guys buy a gun. Sight it in. Leave in locker until there in the field. Then they make a bad shot and say polymer tip bullets don't work, x caliber was not enough etc etc.

Keep at it. But as many of the other have already said. Look at pads on the stock and wearable shoulder pads. Especially for range days. As hunting scenario will only be 1 shot, maybe a follow up. So recoil won't be as much as an issue.

At 62 yoa, shooting my .375 h and h and .458 WM every chance I get! WITH ear valves and muffs for double hearing protection! With slip on Limbsaver recoil pads, recoil for ME isn’t an issue, it’s seeing the front bead sight! I recently bought some “neon pop” fluorescent orange nail polish, which I’m going to put on the front beads. My granddaughter can have the rest of the bottle for her nails! SHOOT ON! Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

[bruce moulds]

still people suggest altering length of pull to practise.
bruce.

 

[Chago]

so chago,
how do you practise well with varying lengths of pull,
or
how do you maintain the same length of pull.
you cannot have both.
bruce.

I personally don't use either. But if the OP is struggling with recoil. The stock pad I would leave on for both hunting and range days. The shoulder pad may not be realistic for actual hunting (although it could be I suppose). I would say if your banging 50 rounds off on a range day, go ahead and wear the pad. To build confidence in the rifle and get the flinch out of you. Then end every practice with 3 or 4 without the shoulder pad. The difference in LOP would be about less than 1". Especially since you compress it into your shoulder when shouldering a rifle. If your eye relief is the same (assuming you have a good scope which has more eye relief) Then I don't see a problem. We are talking about a DG rifle here where shots will be within 100 yards. Cheek weld for that small of a difference won't be that drastic. Yes if your trying to print sub moa groups on a paper target at 100. OR if your shooting long range, then a fraction of a inch will make a huge impact. But shooting a animal with a 12" kill zone at 50 yards. Its not going to be huge problem.

But again all of the above would not be my approach. Mine would be a muzzle brake, some good ear protection. And blast away without any pads.

 

[njc110381]

I bought a thick pad to help with load development and zeroing at the range. Once that is done though I think (and the guy coaching me also) that the best approach is to only shoot the rifle a few times on each visit. In his words "If you've fired it enough times to make you uncomfortable, you've fired it too much". That makes perfect sense. Shoot it half a dozen times with a break in between then call it a day with the big gun. Shooting it until it hurts will just make a guy pull his shots. Most of us can have one or two shots with almost anything and shoot it well. I'd go as far as saying the first shot with a rifle that can break your shoulder would be good as long as you didn't know it could break your shoulder. Bad habits cause bad shooting, and bad habits with DG rifles are often caused by a fear of pain!

 

[Bullthrower338]

BBBBigggggg. Gggguuuns hahahavventtt affffeccccted mmmmmeee iiinn the lllleassstt!