No, that is a false narrative. It gets told and retold, but it isn't the case. Take away Robert Ruark and the 416 Rigby is entirely forgotten. There were not arms OR ammo being sold for it for a couple decades. Only the release of the 416Rem in the late 80s revived it from its death throes. In the meanwhile, many other DG calibers sold very well. Thousands upon thousands of 458 Win Mag and 375 H&H managed to get produced, and the converted BPE cartridges that became the Nitro Express series continued to have strong sales all along. The Jeffery was for labor, but continued to sell.
I guess that makes the 458 Win Mag, the cartridge nobody wants to love, the true icon? It has outsold any other DG cartridge.
Greetings akrifleman,
We might be neighbors of a sort, as presuming by your screen name, you live in Alaska.
I live in Anchorage (Rabbit Creek drainage).
Anyway and be that as it may, my opinion respectfully differs from yours, on some of your comments …..
1.
IE: “Take away Robert Ruark and the .416 Rigby is entirely forgotten”.
In my opinion, back in my teenage years (late 1960’s) while reading about this cartridge in Outdoor Life magazine, I am one person who definitely has not “entirely forgotten” it.
Also worth mentioning, Ruark was not the only noteworthy person, from the past who spoke highly of the .416 Rigby.
There definitely were some other, equally notable and historically significant people who, favored owned and repeatedly used this caliber, in Africa.
A.
Well known Author, Jack O’Connor had one built on a splendid Brevex Magnum Mauser action and used it in Africa.
My foggy old man memory has it that he had to turn the belt off of .460 Weatherby brass and then re-form it in a custom (RCBS ?) made die for the .416 Rigby cartridge, as proper brass was near impossible to simply impossible find, in those days.
I do not recall what he wrote about the projectiles he loaded for his particular rifle.
But, I suspect finding them and / or making them was not exactly a simple affair either.
But, “where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
So, O’Connor was able to hand load for and hunt with his .416 Mauser.
B.
Famous PH and also well known Author, John A. Hunter owned and often used what I believe was an original Rigby built one, on the very desirable, square bridge Oberndorf Magnum Mauser action.
About the time I was finally realizing that I would not likely find an affordable .404 Jeffery, I was also coincidentally reading his great book “Hunter” by J.A. Hunter.
His account of piling up an impressive stack of problem lions, throughout one single remarkable night, via his .416 Rigby repeater, inspired me to abandon my several year long quest for a Magnum Mauser in caliber .404 Jeffery then, to instead focus on the .416 Rigby cartridge.
Pictured below is my own, not so famous .416 Rigby caliber rifle.
It is primarily a CZ brand Model 550 Magnum.
I bought it for $800. USA dollars, more than 10 years ago, in Rogers, Minnesota.
Then, I had a professional Gunsmith cut the barrel to 24”, install a front sight to my liking, a barrel band sling swivel stud, reinforce the stock against splitting, install a gel type anti-recoil pad, weld on a larger bolt handle, install a Model 70 style “safety” shroud and tab plus, one or two other minor things that I don’t remember right now.
Someday I’d like to re-shape the cheek piece from the present tear drop shape into the classic oval shape and slim the forend just a tad as well.
Anyway, the only things I’ve shot with it so far are inanimate targets.
However, with good old original Hornady round nose 400 grainers, it is as accurate as any of the several .30-06 rifles that have come and gone from my possession, over this longass lifetime of mine so far.
C.
Another notable Author, John “Pondoro” Taylor wrote nothing but glowing accounts of how well suited this cartridge and the malleable steel jacket / lead core 410 grain bullets made for it were excellent for heavy dangerous game.
He mentioned also that the blunt shaped bullet with plenty of lead showing at the tip was an impressive one for the swift and sure crumpling of charging lions.
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2.
“Only the release of the .416Rem in the late 80s revived it from its death throes”.
My recollection is that it actually was Bill Ruger who revived the .416 Rigby cartridge, by introducing his true magnum sized bolt action repeater, in that wonderfully powerful and what I contend is an iconic African cartridge.
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3.
“and the converted BPE cartridges that became the Nitro Express series continued to have strong sales all along”.
I remember from back in the 1970’s and well into 1980’s that, there seemed to be nobody selling ammunition for most if not all of the flanged British nitro cartridges, (the .303 being a noted exception), nor any of the old British original .40 and larger bore rimless ones either (including the .416 Rigby).
At least the two areas where I lived at that time showed no ammunition for pretty much any of those wonderful old, time machines, on local retail shelves.
Also during those sad years, I recall seeing some very splendid, London and Birmingham built double rifles, in various large bore classic nitro calibers for sale, at ridiculously low prices, perhaps due to live ammunition and hand loading components both, having become difficult to impossible to find during those years.
If I wasn’t held back by the folly of my youthful foolishness during those times, I could have taken out a bank loan and bought some of those rifles.
By waiting until now to sell them, I could’ve been a free man today. LoL
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4.
“The Jeffery was for labor, but continued to sell”.
This one statement of yours that I have quoted as #4 here, is difficult for me to understand.
I fully realize that I’m not the smartest guy around and so, it may be that my thick skull is to blame.
Nonetheless, I don’t understand what that particular sentence means.
Well anywhooo, I mean no disrespect.
It’s just that my experiences and observations in this topic apparently are significantly different than yours.
Also, I can’t figure out the one where you said—> “The Jeffery was made for labor” etc., etc.
No offense intended but, I just don’t understand that one.
I suppose I’ve rambled on more than perhaps I should’ve.
And so with that, I will stop here and be quiet for at least 15 or 20 seconds.
Kind Regards,
Velo Dog.
