Ruger #1 - 416 Rigby ?

[HodakaGA]

Friend has one for sale. I believe it's a Tropical Model. Supposed to be in very good condition and nobody would shoot one much!

Any ideas on a decent price? What are your thoughts on it? I would have no use for it except as a cast boolit gun, heck, not sure If I'm brave enough to light off a full-house load. Brass looks expensive, ammo costs way more than that.

[Shooter]

Has he any ammo/brass to go with it? They seem to go cheaper than more popular calibers.

[Potsy]

I looked at a VERY SLIGHTLY used model about 6 months ago. Seems like they had $799 or so on it.
I thought hard about offering $700 out the door and just seeing what happened but, even though that's a rifle I've kinda always wanted, I knew it would rarely get hunted and I put it back in the rack.
Considering they list somewhere around $1200 now I'd think anything under $800 would be a dang good deal.

[HodakaGA]

The story is the original owner only ever bought 2 boxes of ammo for it and there are 2 rounds left. I don't think any brass was saved and has the scope rings in the factory box.

[Doc Highwall]

Check out the price of brass, dies, and bullets along with the amount of powder per shot.

Then check out the number of bullet moulds available.

I think it will get expensive real fast for that caliber.

[redneckdan]

Is it something that you would enjoy owning? Cases are about 2 bucks each. Dies an not really any more expensive than other calibers. Accurate molds has some existing designs to choose from and could make just about anything you can come up with. I own a 375 H&H, in the 2 years I have owned it I haven't shot at anything bigger than a white tail deer. But it is my favorite rifle by far.

[HodakaGA]

The more I think about it, the more I say "thanks, but no thanks". Brass runs $2 per for Hornady and their stuff isn't great, at least in 30-06 and 223. Powder for anything but plinking cast loads would eat up some $$$ quick. I don't hunt much any more, it'd be a range toy for ocassional use. Now if I hit the lottery or something.......it sure would be an elk buster on one of those super expensive limited hunt ranches.

BTW, I can probably get it for about $600 out the door, maybe less.

[daddywpb]

If you want it, BUY IT! I have a No 1 in .375 Ruger, and it has become my favorite rifle. It's accurate, light, compact and a dream to carry in the woods. Recoil is not severe even with full house loads. It may take some getting used to, but you can master it. I did. $600 out the door? Are you kidding? Buy it!

[BruceB]

It's a wonderful rifle, and a wonderful CAST BULLET rifle as well.

Recoil and cost are decisions that are made by the handloader.

My wife and daughter gave me a #1H (Tropical) in .416 Rigby for Christmas of '95. It has fired a few hundred jacketed/monolithic bullets since that time, but also well-over 2000 rounds with the RCBS 416-350 bullet (actually 365 grains in my WW alloy). This is the ONLY mould I've used, and the only one I will ever need for the .416. It suits my rifle (and my needs) perfectly. The mould costs exactly the same as any other RCBS 2-cavity mould.

This #1 has fired loads from 1100 fps (Unique powder, RCBS bullet) up to a flat 3000 fps with a Barnes 300-grain X-bullet. THAT is an elk load "'par excellence" (French accent, there)! You want flexibility in a rifle/cartridge combination? This one has it!

The load I use most combines the RCBS 350-416 with 55.0 grains of 5744 powder. Velocity is 2050 fps. Zeroed correctly, this offers a decent trajectory out to 200 yards or so, and accuracy sufficient to place TEN rounds in a one-inch group at 100 yards (4X scope).

Brass is expensive, because it takes a LOT of material to make a case this large. However, the single-shot rifle is extremely easy on the cases, and I have yet to discard a case from wear. Check out Hornady's .416 brass, as I think it's lower-priced than most.

There's no doubt that the rifle will remind you that you're not shooting a .223. So what? A Marlin .45-70 will do the same thing....it all depends on what sort of performance you want/need on any one occasion. The difference here is that the top end of .416 Rigby loads is FAR above what almost anything else can deliver. I once tried some cast loads that were running at 2600 fps with that RCBS 365-grain bullet. The rifle handled it fine, but the shooter....we will draw a merciful curtain, if y'all don't mind.

My rifle has never even SEEN a factory load...but that's true for quite a few rifles here.

This is a rifle that I was thinking about buying for myself. I'm glad my wimminfolk took the ball out of my hands, because I likely would have dithered about it for quite a while. I may never have actually obtained it, and thus missed-out on a lot of pure entertainment.

Great fun, and there won't often be another one on the next bench at the range. (ALWAYS keep a few full-power loads handy for those who just HAVE to try it. We don't want to disappoint our admiring public..... do we???)

[elk hunter]

I talked with a gun dealer in Idaho a few years ago that was making good money off a Ruger #1 in 416 Rigby that he would sell then buy back and sell again. Apparently most folks didn't like the rifle near as much as they thought they would. Unlike those folks, and like Bruce, I love my 416 Rigby, mine is on a P-14 action. And yes, it's a dandy elk rifle, I shot a spike with mine last season. Sure it burns powder by the tea cup full and brass and factory jacketed bullets are expensive, but again as per Bruce, there usually isn't another one on the bench next to you. Anyway they're fun to shoot and I just can't get excited about a 7MM or 30 caliber magnum. I do have an NEI 400 grain mould for mine, but have only fired a few rounds of cast through it. I have other rifles I prefer to shoot cast in. I make a 400 grain jacketed bullet for mine using 30-30 brass for the jacket, that combined with 95 grains of surplus 4831 that I bought years ago makes it very reasonable to shoot. Cast bullets would be cheaper yet.

You should try it, you just might find you like it.

[cowboy]

Howdy=
Back when I was a bit younger, I thought I'd go on a safari in Africa, and became fascinated at the prospect of using a .416 Rigby in such a trip. I bought the first such rifle I saw locally- Ruger #1 Tropical. A CZ 550 in 416 Rigby followed. In either gun Factory ( Federal) loads were stout, to say the least. GREAT guns for cast bullets. The RCBS mold mentioned previously is an excellent choice, and big doses of 5744 work well. Hornady brass is fine ( BELL being out of production for some years) and another company called Jamison turns out cases domestically.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I weighed all the cost factors about the Rigby before deciding on having a .416 Taylor done. It makes more sense to me every time I use it. I am fortunate to have gotten a BRP mold that throws a 400 gr. slug as well as my RCBS mold that I had "Buckshot" do his magic on hollow pointing it. I still have "J" bullets for it, but right now don`t see a need for them.Robert

[Potsy]

For $600 out the door I'd think I'd have to buy it just to speculate on.

I used to want a .416 Rigby something awful. Guess I read "Horn of the Hunter"when I was way to young and the whole Harry Selby thing screwed me up for life.
Being a #1 fan, the one I saw at a shop some months ago really appealed to me.

Until I picked it up and it felt nothing like my #1A 7x57 or my #1 .45-70. It pointed nothing like them, and felt like it needed wheels. The older I get, the more I yearn for lighter, not heavier.

It was still a way cool gun though.........

[Four Fingers of Death]

The cost of a new Ruger No 1 is about the same as 100 rounds of factory ammo. So make sure you are prepared to pay big time for it.

I bought mine from a friend, he told me about it and I have always been fascinated by the Rigby. The new rifles sell for $1400 odd here. I went and had a look at it and found that there was three boxes of ammo with it and a box with about 15 out of it. The ammo was 10 years old and showed a price of $187 for a box of twenty. They are not the sort of rifle you are going to be doing a lot of plinking with, so a couple of boxes of brass would probably do you.

The Ruger in 416 is a bit unbalanced as the Bbl is like a big old waterpipe and the rifle is a bit front heavy. Great stuff sliding those big cases into the chamber! Sort of liek dropping 45s into single action, they are so big, just throw them in! schlooonK!

Great stuff. Interesting watching the powder measure drop a quarter to a half inch with each cycle of the handle!

[Lloyd Smale]

great round in a great gun. If you looking for a big bore #1 it would sure serve the purpose. Personaly id grab any #1 that was in at least fair condition for 600 bucks!!

[Greg Mercurio]

I have one and it is a ton of fun to shoot. With Trailboss and 400 grain gas-checked bullets, at 25 yards groups are a single ragged hole. With open sights. With full power loads, well, recoil is subjective, but I'd recommend a PAST Magun recoil shield be worn. It's not vicious, but certainly stout. But I bought it for fun, and because well, I WANTED IT. It gets shot a lot more than my .375 H&H. I bid low at around $600 on Gunbroker.com and was surprised that I won it. It's beautiful and will be in the family forever. :bigsmyl2:

[smoked turkey]

I would buy the .416 Rigby in a heartbeat. I would LOVE to have one. When my son and I were walking around the gun show in Tulsa a few years back we ran into one in a Ruger No.1. I really wanted it but so did my son, so I deferred to him. I'll admit that it is expensive to get set up for handloading for it. Actually from a handloaders prospective it is only a little more than say a .458 Lott. After your investment in supplies it is like about any other big rifle. I do enjoy shooting it with reduced loads. I would buy it if I knew where it was. (don't tell me!). Meanwhile you need to buy it.

[Intel6]

I picked up a #1H in .458 Win Mag and then had it rechambered out to .460 Weatherby Mag. Brass is available and it is in a common caliber with lots of choices for bullets.

I shoot both cast and jacketed bullets out of mine, great rifle.

I also have a #1B in .22 Hornet that I choost cast out of also. I guess I have both ends of the spectrum in #1's.

Neal in AZ

[94Doug]

....one of my favorite stories. I wanted a Trapdoor real bad quite a few years ago, and I planned to pay from $400 to $450 for one. I had 3 shows to go to in 4 weeks time. The first one I didn't have the funds, there were a lot of them, some around $300. Next, I had money, and there wasn't a Trapdoor to be found. However a new in the box Ruger number 1 in 416 Rigby called my name. They were asking $350 for it. I managed to drive the voices from my head and leave with nothing. The following week, I walked into the show, and it was there on the first table. I knew if I didn't find the Trapdoor, this baby was going home with me. Lucky for me, there was a nice 45-70 for $400 there. I found out how much ammo was that afternoon at a local shop. Still, I suspect the basic brass would have been cheaper back then, and I would be shooting cast boolits out of it now.


Doug

[Four Fingers of Death]

I picked up a #1H in .458 Win Mag and then had it rechambered out to .460 Weatherby Mag. Brass is available and it is in a common caliber with lots of choices for bullets.

I shoot both cast and jacketed bullets out of mine, great rifle.

I also have a #1B in .22 Hornet that I choost cast out of also. I guess I have both ends of the spectrum in #1's.

Neal in AZ

Mumma Mia!!!!! That would hurt with full or factory loads, :(

[bydand]

apparently some folks are masochists;-)

[Aaron]

Once you have the cases, they last forever, AND WC 867, available for $49 for eight pounds, easily makes 400 grain bullets do 2400 FPS. There is enough case room to do 2600+ fps, if one cares to do so.

Thanks

Aaron

[Four Fingers of Death]

:( $49 for 8lbs, $42 a pound here for Aussie made ADI (Hodgson), Winchester Powders are $54Lb and Alliant Powders are $39 (the guy sounded like he didn't really have a clue, so I wouldn't be too confident of getting it for that, probably gave me the wholesale price).

[Greg B.]

Back in the early 90's I bought a Ruger Magnum Rifle in .416 Rigby. This was for a trip to Africa which didn't happen. While this cartridge might appear to be somewhat large for North Americain game I couldn't help but wonder after reading Taylor's Africain Rifles and Cartridges. He had a a high regard for this cartridge when hunting lions amongst others. Maybe a decent lion weighs 425 lbs? Well our grizzley and brown bears go from 600 to 1000 lbs. and you Austrailians have those water buffalo. I think the old Rigby would be a fine match for any of these animals.

In terms of recoil I took the .416 and a Ruger #1 in .338 WM to the range using factory equivalent jacketed handloads. Only difference was the .338 was loaded with the old Speer 275 gr. bullet. I survived eight shots each. If there was any difference in recoil I couldn't tell. Perhaps the slight variance in rifle weights and stock design evened things out.

Anyway I enjoy having a rifle in one of the classic Africain calibres with it's associated history of champaign safaries and adventure.

Greg B.

[pls1911]

I sent a .416 Rigby back when it was shipped in lieu of a .416 Remington. Wish now I had just re oredered.
I love the #1 .416 remington because Ruger replaced the wood with a magificent piece, truely museum quality. I bought 500 cases on sale, and of course most will never be used... but I'll never run low either.
Great gun, great round, shoots the RCBS 350 grain like factory when heat treated.

Would love to find a Rigby with a bag of brass to go with it.
Normally on the rack due to 45/70 lever's use for rough country excursions....

[6pt-sika]

I sent a .416 Rigby back when it was shipped in lieu of a .416 Remington. Wish now I had just re oredered.
I love the #1 .416 remington because Ruger replaced the wood with a magificent piece, truely museum quality. I bought 500 cases on sale, and of course most will never be used... but I'll never run low either.
Great gun, great round, shoots the RCBS 350 grain like factory when heat treated.

Would love to find a Rigby with a bag of brass to go with it.
Normally on the rack due to 45/70 lever's use for rough country excursions....

I bought a very nice used 1H in 416 REM MAG about two years ago and gave it to my father for Xmas ! He kinda collects #1's . He however doesn't shoot them . But I do and since I already had dies and brass for the 416 REM MAG it was no biggie !

I also load for a friend that has a 416 Rigby in a CZ550 . The Rigby and both of the Rem Mags' I have had shot very nicely from the bench at 100 yards . In the CZ I load the Nosler 400 grain Partition for my friend . In the two Rem Mags that have been in this house I mostly use the Speer 350 grainer and sometimes the Hornady 400 RN .

I took the 1H 416 REM MAG and our 1H 375 H&H MAG out ot the range last week and made sure they were sighted in in anticipation of killing a deer with each this year !

Before we got the pair of Rugers I had a pair of Interams Mark X's in the same two calibers and killed deer with them both using the same loads I'm shooting in the 1H's now .
Recoil from these two 1H's or the pair of MK X's was not bad at all . I did however recently have a 1H in 458 WIN MAG that was a brute when I loaded it full bore with the Hornady 500 grain SN bullet ! So needless to say the 458 did not stay here long .

Our own collection of 18 or so #1's starts with the 204 Ruger and 22 Hornet and goes up to the 416 REM MAG . AT the moment I am contemplating getting one I can rebarrel to 6.5-06 . I already have a 1B in 264 WIN MAG so I don't really need a 6.5-06 . But I recently had a nice old Mauser that had been rebarreled to 6.5-06 and shot about 1/2 MOA . Like an idiot I sold the rifle after I had killed a few deer with it and now I want another either on a #1 action or an old Remington 700BDL action .

[Tatume]

Check out the price of brass, dies, and bullets along with the amount of powder per shot.

Then check out the number of bullet moulds available.

I think it will get expensive real fast for that caliber.

You're right. It's kind of neat to pull out a 20-round box of ammo that looks like a shoe box though!

[Four Fingers of Death]

To me, the 416Rigby is like the 270Win, 30/06, 318, 338WM, 350 Rigby Magnum, 375H&H, 425, 470, 500 Jeffrey, 44Mag and the 45Colt, cartridges in that I have read so much about them over the years that I just had to experience them personally.

The 318 (Westley Richards I think it is called), the 350 (also a Rigby cartridge, 425, 470 and teh big Jeffrey have eluded me so far, but thats no problem. I have single action revolvers in 44Mag and 45Colt, bolt rifles in 3006 from M17s and a Springfield to a MkX Mauser and a nice milsup FN Mauser in 3006, two Ruger No1s in 338 (a 1B and a tropical style variant), a Remington 700 in 375H&H, which would not have been my first choice as a dangerous game rifle, but it was as cheap as rebarrelling an M17 Sporter and probably cheaper if the costs of getting it to feed, re-inforcing the stock, etc, etc were taken into consideration) and the No1 Tropical rifle in 416, so if the others never come up, I won't be too worried. I have heard of No1s being built in 470, mayve that would be an alternative for the second 338WM that I have.

Hard to describe how satisfying it is dropping a big cartridge into a No1 chamber, a 12Ga into a nice side by side or a 45Colt into a single action handgun! Good for the soul. Dropping a 45/70 into my trapdoor clone and shutting the trapdoor is a good experience as well.

cast boolits make these a viable option.

[smoked turkey]

I recently won the bid on GunBroker for a No.1 in .416 Rigby. I have wanted one for quite a few years. I really can't say why other than like Four Fingers of Death said some of these old cartridges just beg to be messed with. I have read and re-read this particular thread several times. It was therapy for me since I didn't own one of them. Now that I do I will have to do some load development around the RCBS 416-350. I have read what Bruce B has written about his loads using 5744. I think I will start about 10% below his load and work up. I am assuming that regular LR primers are used or do I need to use the LR magnum variety? I would also like to hear of other loading recipes if someone has a favorite. I have a box of factory Hornady that I am using until I get some boolits cast. I'll have to say that the first two times I fired the rifle off my tripod while standing, the rifle jumped out of my support hand. You have to really get a grip on it. That baby has some energy both directions. I am in need of a Lyman expander plug for my 'M' die in case anyone has an extra. It takes a while (and some bucks) to get everything to cast and load for the beast. Anyway I just wanted to share of my recent purchase.

[Four Fingers of Death]

You have to really get a grip on it. That baby has some energy both directions.

Sure does, you pull that trigger, you know you are shooting one serious rifle! The only thing that I don't like with mine is it's nose heavy balance. If it didn't have that however, it would launch itself into orbit. I might get around to putting some weight in the stock, but then it would be too plumb heavy for me to carry around, shucks! I need a gun bearer!

[moondog911]

Greetings All,

I am also a fan of the 416, but mine is the Ruger 416 Compact Magnum. I shoot the 350 grain lead flat nosed bullet at 2100 fps. It is a mild load for that gun, but it does get your attention. I use 60 grains of IMR 3031 with a large rifle primer. My gun is a Ruger #1 in stainless with the laminated stock. Doubt if I will ever kill anything with it, but I do have fun with it when people want to shoot it. Most do not ask to shoot it more than once. The fun of a gun!!!

Moondog911

[part_timer]

I have a #1 in 416RM and have enjoyed it for a LONG TIME. Long enough it was only $475 brand new in the box.

[FN in MT]

Back in 2000 or so, maybe later..A buddy had a buffalo hunt in Zim set up and I loaded his ammo. One of the Ruger 77's in .416 Rigby. First off the stock cracked...sent it in and Ruger replaced it with a knockout stock with lots of figure.

We carefully bedded that one and to date no further issues.

I loaded a mess of premiums for that rifle 410 or 425 gr Trophy Bonded slugs over H-4831 IIRC.

DO recall that as I worked up loads...each and every additional 100 fps was a new level of pain off the bench.

I think he settled on 2300 fps or maybe 2400 with those TB slugs. Ended up killing his buffalo with a single shot through the shoulders taking out the heart.

Then used the same rifle in AK on a big moose...never had a chance at a big bear.

I always thought they would make a great cast bullet gun. Then again I read Ruark as a kid too.... hence my fascination with the cartridge.

FWIW...I used to use a .375 H&H with 300 Nosler partitions at 2400 fps on elk out here. Took shots out to 300 yds and ALWAYS got my elk. Seldom found a slug if the range was closer. On 200+ yd shots one often found the slug mushroomed and down to maybe 60% of original weight under the hide in the off shoulder area.

Shot a nice bull at 90 yds and the measured penetration was 36". Something to be said for HEAVY for caliber.... at a MODERATE velocity.

FN in MT

[FN in MT]

Four fingers...You mentioned the .318 Westley Richards.... I was always intrigued by both the .318 as well as the .333 Jeffery.

Finally built my "Poor mans .318 WR" a .338-06 on an older M-70 action. Another one of those "heavy for caliber, at a moderate velocity" rifles. 250 gr .338" slugs at 2300 fps or so.

Took mine to RSA in 2000 and killed several heads of plains game including a seriously large Livingston eland bull. Then a few months later here in MT shot a very nice 5x6 bull elk at 330 yds with it. That bull had previously fractured his skull somehow and the one horn grew down over his eye. Interesting story. He was healthy, fighting, breeding, etc. The bad deal was I had never seen him closer than 300-400 yds. I thought he was a far smaller rack than he ended up having.

I had him and a buddy who was a perfect 6x6 dead to rights at 330 yds. I saw that his mate was maybe 1/4 to 1/3 larger again than he was...but thought the rack was so DIFFERENT he would be worth mounting for the Gun club. So took him. He was a LOT larger than I thought. Making the other bull probably in the 360-370 inch class...maybe bigger.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h274/montanaguy375/elk20012.jpg

Six heads of game at distances from 40 -330 yds...with SIX shots. Good average in my book.

FN in MT

[smoked turkey]

FN:
Very interesting stories. That bull you have there is very impressive. I went to South Africa this year and it was a very eye opening experience. I used my Weatherby mk V in 300 Wby mag. I was five for five and I was very happy about that. Your six for six is a remarkable accomplishment and one to be proud of. Especially considering the varing ranges. You mentioned the 375 H&H earlier. That is one of the all time great calibers IMO. I haven't hunted with mine but am thinking of using it this year for whitetail season using cast.

[209jones]

I picked up a 450/400NE 3" in the #1. Looked hard at the 416, but decided the 450/400 may be a little more versatile, and a bit more challenging to get info on, download to a 40-70 or crank it to 416Rigby factory loads. At the moment I am using 320gr cast at the same speed as the Hornady factory 400gr, 2040fps. No different than shooting my Rem 700 .338WM with 250gr loads @ 2750fps recoilwise, to me at least. Shot 45rds out of it today, feels good. It's been a lot of fun playing with this gun so far. Now it has to earn it's keep, I have 5 tags that need filling in the next two weeks.

[smoked turkey]

209jones:
Good hunting with your new 450/400. Sounds like an awesome cartridge. Since you were able to shoot 45 rounds with it at a single setting, you either have an excellent load worked up or you have an incredible ability to soak up recoil. I expect from your description it is your load with your 320 grain cast. Let us know how you do on your five tags. I have wanted a .416 Rigby for a very long time. I am about to get everything in place to give it a go. Last night I mounted a Leupold 1.5-5x20mm scope. I was hoping to get to shoot it today but too many irons in the fire. I don't have my cast boolits loaded up yet. All I have is factory loads and some 400 gr. solids I reloaded. Both of those options are too heavy for pleasureable shooting. They are for serious stuff, and not paper targets.

[THerbert]

In my opinion, a #1 in any caliber is a rifle to be considered at a reasonable price. The first one I ever shot was a 45-70, and it was a wonderful rifle. I also shot a buddy's in .458 Winchester, and it didn't seem to bad, but alas, I was much younger then! I have one now in .220 Swift, and would make a collection of them if I could afford to. I just love them.