Sako 85 Brown Bear 416 Rigby

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Hi

Nice looking rifle
I think it would look great propped up on a elephant
I have a couple rifles with laminated stocks. Like them and think it's a good way to go
Ideas on a scope yet?

Hi Todby,

I will not say anything about you selling the .404J, but now that have the .416 Rigby 85 Brown Bear i would like to make the following comments.

I just finsished doing quite a bit of work non the exact model for the Chief License Examiner for Zimbabwe.
Here is my impression. Great trigger. The rifle is well made, but a bit on the light side, I never weighed the rifle, but shot it enough to know it was a bit on the light side and I still need to add a better (kick eez or limbsaver) recoil pad, which will also add 1/4" to LOP. When the rifle was brought to me most of the front sight parts were missing. The front sight was adjustable to height and replacement blades. The cross pin had came out and then the rest of the parts were history. It took me the best part of a year to aquire secure parts. In the meantime I build what i believe is a better front sight.

After all of the front sight hastle he decided he liked the Aimpoint mini H-2/ The rifle holds 1" groups at 75 meters.

On the down side it is not controlled feed LIKE YOUR X.404J HEYM!

Cheers, Lon

 

[TOBY458]

You know folks go to hell for lying right?

You guys have got me all wrong! I have a safe full of guns that I've had for years! I just have one slot that I rotate kind of often! Haha! I figure it takes around 5 guns per keeper. So in order to keep one, you have to go through 4 others in the process.

 

[TOBY458]

Hi

Hi Todby,

I will not say anything about you selling the .404J, but now that have the .416 Rigby 85 Brown Bear i would like to make the following comments.

I just finsished doing quite a bit of work non the exact model for the Chief License Examiner for Zimbabwe.
Here is my impression. Great trigger. The rifle is well made, but a bit on the light side, I never weighed the rifle, but shot it enough to know it was a bit on the light side and I still need to add a better (kick eez or limbsaver) recoil pad, which will also add 1/4" to LOP. When the rifle was brought to me most of the front sight parts were missing. The front sight was adjustable to height and replacement blades. The cross pin had came out and then the rest of the parts were history. It took me the best part of a year to aquire secure parts. In the meantime I build what i believe is a better front sight.

After all of the front sight hastle he decided he liked the Aimpoint mini H-2/ The rifle holds 1" groups at 75 meters.

On the down side it is not controlled feed LIKE YOUR X.404J HEYM!

Cheers, Lon

Lon
I appreciate the input! Hopefully the front sight ussue was an exception and not the rule! I have the same sight on my Sako 375, and it's never given me any issues. As for the controlled round feed, I see these as kind of a hybrid action. They definitely grab the rim of the cartridge before it is fully chambered, but lack the large mauser extractor. However, I believe extraction should never be an issue on these heavily tapered, low pressure cartridges such as the 416 Rigby. My 375 Sako did have an issue of ejecting the spent brass up into the scope turret, but I solved that by turning the scope 90° to the left. This also opens up the loading port for easier access. Once I get some ammo, I'll give a full report.

 

[Red Leg]

I always thought I was the worst gun "manager" that had perhaps ever existed. I could walk into a gun show with a lovely birmingham SxS or pristine Colt and come out with some beat to hell old classic that would cost me another $1500 - 2500 to make right and never be worth my total investment. But to the best of my knowledge, I never traded a .404 J Heym for a Sako anything. Boys and their toys!

 

[sierraone]

You guys have got me all wrong! I have a safe full of guns that I've had for years! I just have one slot that I rotate kind of often! Haha! I figure it takes around 5 guns per keeper. So in order to keep one, you have to go through 4 others in the process.

??? I think Led Zeppelin said it best. Dazed and Confused.

 

[Royal27]

@TOBY458

How much do you want for it and are you open to trades?

Just want to ask now in case I'm busy next week and miss the For Sale post.

 

[TOBY458]

I always thought I was the worst gun "manager" that had perhaps ever existed. I could walk into a gun show with a lovely birmingham SxS or pristine Colt and come out with some beat to hell old classic that would cost me another $1500 - 2500 to make right and never be worth my total investment. But to the best of my knowledge, I never traded a .404 J Heym for a Sako anything. Boys and their toys!

Not quite a fair assessment. I could buy 5 Sakos for the cost of one Heym! So I traded a Heym 404 for one Sako and a bunch of safari money.....

 

[TOBY458]

@TOBY458

How much do you want for it and are you open to trades?

Just want to ask now in case I'm busy next week and miss the For Sale post.

I'll take $8K. And yes. I will trade it for a Buffalo hunt of your choosing!

 

[Art Lambart II]

@TOBY458 Congrats on the 416 Rigby, I have one in a Ruger #1, it's my favorite and only DG rifle. Thanks to lots of work by @tarbe (the original owner) and my Dad's reloading skill my 416 shoots 3 shot clover leaves at 100 yards with 400-grain A-Frames (send a PM to @Shootist43 I'm sure he will share the load with you). The recoil on my 416 is easy to manage but it does weigh 11-1/2 pounds and is equipped with a mercury recoil reducer, all that weight makes it easy to shot but its no fun to carry without a sling.

 

[USMA84DAB]

Toby doesn't know what a keeper is - LOL!!!!!

 

[Royal27]

Toby doesn't know what a keeper is - LOL!!!!!

Toby and keeper....

 

[TOBY458]

Toby doesn't know what a keeper is - LOL!!!!!

Guns are like women. You never wear them out. But sometimes they wear out their welcome.

 

[TOBY458]

@TOBY458 Congrats on the 416 Rigby, I have one in a Ruger #1, it's my favorite and only DG rifle. Thanks to lots of work by @tarbe (the original owner) and my Dad's reloading skill my 416 shoots 3 shot clover leaves at 100 yards with 400-grain A-Frames (send a PM to @Shootist43 I'm sure he will share the load with you). The recoil on my 416 is easy to manage but it does weigh 11-1/2 pounds and is equipped with a mercury recoil reducer, all that weight makes it easy to shot but its no fun to carry without a sling.

Sounds like you've got her dialed in! Yes that 11.5lbs would definitely be a handful to carry. I'm hoping to keep this one around 10lbs if possible. Do you know what powder your dad uses?

 

[Mike Van Horn]

Not sure about a scope yet. Due to the long receiver, I'm not sure my usual Leupold VX3 1.5-5×20 will work. They are relatively short scopes. I definitely want to try and stay with something as lightweight as possible. Any suggestions?

I went with a VXR 2-7x33 on my 375 Zastava. There is a little room to spare with QD mounts.
You are right with the longer actions you have check to be sure they will fit. If you get a straight power you have more room

 

[BeeMaa]

Not sure about a scope yet. Due to the long receiver, I'm not sure my usual Leupold VX3 1.5-5×20 will work. They are relatively short scopes. I definitely want to try and stay with something as lightweight as possible. Any suggestions?

I had the very same VX3 1.5-5x20 scope on my CZ550 in 375H&H magnum action with no problem.
As long as you can keep the eye relief in the right spot, I don't see why you can't give it a go.

 

[Red Leg]

This is very disturbing. Our friend had the opportunity to right a buffalo wrong with one of the finest production rifles ever produced, perfectly emulating the classic British dangerous game rifle. Now, he would go forth into the world, seeking a reckoning (see Tombstone) with a Scandinavian ersatz thing with a plywood stock and a very non Mauser action. And all because he claims it saves him filthy lucre. The story of our times.

With a plywood stocked Sako. Sigh.

 

[Travis2282]

Damn Toby, you gonna let him talk about your fine rifle like that? Haha plywood stock! Man I would just give it to me and move on! Haha

 

[TOBY458]

Damn Toby, you gonna let him talk about your fine rifle like that? Haha plywood stock! Man I would just give it to me and move on! Haha

What you must remember is.....The man who is making disparaging remarks about my new Sako, is also a proponent of the Blaser R8. A rifle that is as far away from a traditional Mauser as one could get. So don't take this kind of thing seriously!

 

[Shootist43]

Redleg I had to chuckle at your aptly "renamed" plywood stock. I have a Boyd's Laminated stock on one of my 35 Whelens. For sure it isn't the prettiest thing in the world, stated more clearly it could be considered downright ugly, but it is durable. We all know Toby 458 has an incurable fascination with firearms. The trouble is that he is "silver tongued" and or slick enough with words to justify his actions. With no hunting stories or reports to read, Toby antics give us something to reflect upon.

 

[chashardy]

Congratulations on the 416 Rigby from a fellow Rigby owner. Be warned, 416 ammo is expensive!