Yes,
I'm up the road from you.
Designed from the ground up by William Rigby of the British firm John Rigby & Co., the .416 Rigby matched the power of the .404 Jeffery while also being compatible with bolt-action feed systems.
www.americanrifleman.org
Good memory if you recall the article. This will refresh your memory about the O'Connor rifle. Even his article didn't stop the production of the ammo, despite his being credited with reviving it. In truth, (O'Connor) gave birth to the idea that ended up being the 416 Rem. It wasn't until after the 416 Rem that anyone started producing rifles or ammunition for the Rigby.
Yes, I already said Robert Ruark (who's book is about Harry Selby). Without his book Horn of the Hunter, the 416 Rigby doesn't end up on Jack O'Connor's desk.
Coincidentally, this is what I had posted. When the 416 Rem came out, it spurred Bill Ruger to release the 416 Rigby in the RSM in 1991. Two years after the 416Rem caught fire. Some folks who can't read then accused me of introducing the 416 Ruger into the conversation. I suspect they didn't know that somebody named Ruger can sell a cartridge named Rigby.
In the US 60s and 70s, all Safari ammo sales lagged, except the 458 Win, 375 H&H, and some Weatherby cartridges. Worldwide, that varied. But in 59 years, the 416 Rigby was 364 rifles, total.
Actually, everything was that way in the USA. Most historic calibers were very difficult to come by.
People hoarded old boxes of Union Metallic, Peters, and US Cartridge Co. Now, there is fresh brass available for even the rarest and most forgotten calibers.
The 404 Jeffery was the workman, sold and used a ton. It was the working rifle given to park rangers and anyone that didn't have a choice in the matter. Which is a bit ironic. Labor. Not great white hunters. Now of course, its become a darling.
I also have a 416 Rigby CZ550. I'm very pleased with it.
Perhaps we'll have to get a beer sometime.
No worries,
AK
Hello again Neighbor,
Thank you for the clarification.
I’m a little slow but now I understand.
Perhaps we after all, agree at least as much as we disagree, as is the case with most people who know each other.
And thank you for the excellent article reprint.
Since I am a shade tree fancier of global history (my wife is as well), I seriously enjoyed reading that bit of Rigby history.
On that note, although Rigby records indicate that they only built 169 Mausers in .416 Caliber before WW-II, and another 364 after the war = 533 total nonetheless, my opinion has it that their original .416 is an important part of Africa big game hunting history.
It compares to the concept that maybe only a few famous old west American Lawmen and Bandits alike, wore particularly large mustaches.
Even so, such whisker style is an icon of the remarkable characters who remain famous today.
I do not know the exact number of famous old west characters who groomed their whiskers just so.
But, I will guess less than 20 of them, perhaps much less ?
Anyway, that specific whisker style has become known as a “Gunfighter’s Mustache”.
Perhaps the .416 Rigby is to Africa big game hunting history what the gunfighter’s mustache is to the USA old west history.
With all that drivel, I do apologize to the OP and to all readers for my part in helping to derail this thread.
And with that, back to the Ruger vs the original H&H .375 Magnum.
My Parting Shot as it were:
If (huge “IF”) the original .375 H&H Magnum has a flaw, IMO it is that all 300 grain factory ammunition seems to be loaded a bit too fast @ around 2,550 fps, from 24” barrels.
I have shot this cartridge extensively over the many years that I have owned various rifles chambered for it, including several repeaters, one single shot and two double rifles.
Perhaps I’m just a wimpy flincher or perhaps at slightly lower velocity, there are less accuracy interfering vibrations.
But whatever the cause, I have found this remarkable cartridge to usually (usually) shoot tighter groups with 300 grainers leaving the muzzle at about 2400 fps than the same bullet loaded up to about 2,500 fps.
Reducing the velocity by 150 fps has made a noticeable improvement in accuracy and ever so slight reduction in recoil, in my experiences.
I have hunted in both Alaska and South Africa while using the 2,400 fps - 300 gr load, with nothing but perfect success.
Apparently the critters I’ve shot with it have all been unaware that I used slightly reduced velocity ammunition for them.
It is therefore that my opinion remains unwavering, in that the Ruger cartridge drives 300 grain bullets now 250 fps faster than necessary.
And so, I for one do not regard the Ruger cartridge as an improvement on the H&H cartridge.
But instead, I regard it as nothing more than an advertising success, however slight that success has boiled down to.
Be all of that as it may, perhaps one day we will meet in person and wether we agree or disagree, we can hopefully spend some time solving the world’s problems.
Cheers for now,
Elmer Dog.
