cast boolits ror the 416 rigby?

[milltownhunter]

has anyony tryed cast boolits in the 416 rigby? i see rcbs makes a 416 gas check mold

[dubber123]

While I haven't tried them, a long term member here reported excellent results using that boolit in the Rigby. Lots cheaper than buying jacketed too!

[BruceB]

Could be that I'm the member dubber refers to.

The RCBS 416-350 is an excellent design, at least in the mould and rifle I have. I sorta wish it cast JUST a skosh larger, since my straight-wheelweight bullets are barely fat enough for the parting line to be cleaned-up by an RCBS .417" sizing die. These bullets usually drop at 365 grains or so in WW alloy.

Even at this "marginal" diameter, the bullet shoots just fine, so I really shouldn't complain. From my Ruger #1H with a mid-power scope (4X), it routinely groups five rounds into around 1.5" from 100 yards at 2000-2100 fps. My normal load for most purposes, including my hunting load, is 55.0/AA5744. I haven't worked this powder up to maximum, but what I've read in other places tells me that I'm only a couple of grains below max right now. I wouldn't be surprised if this was true, because it's a quick-burning powder.

I've used dacron fill in some loads with 55/5744, but not all of them. The dacron does give lower velocity spreads, but doesn't seem to affect the accuracy much.

Note that comments involving "accuracy" with the Rigby are very-much affected by how the shooter reacts to recoil, because this cartridge has it aplenty. I've pushed 300-grain X-bullets to 3000 fps.....great elk load if you don't bite your tongue off. Waaaay over 100 grains in the charge...NOT, repeat NOT 5744!!!!

I even tried a few pure-lead examples, firing about a dozen rounds without developing any appreciable leading in the bore. The accuracy for five rounds at 100 wasn't bad, landing them just under two inches. This was with the standard charge of 55/5744, and just over 2000 fps. Probably an excellent hunting load out to 150-200 yards. I'd prefer using a softpoint (two-alloy) cast bullet for hunting, though.

In experiments, I've run this bullet at speeds from about 1100 fps (with Unique) up to around 2600-2700 with slow-burners. It seems to be quite flexible, allowing decent loads at almost any safe level. I've found it interesting to keep a few WELL-IDENTIFIED max-speed loads around for those who "just have to" meet the "real" Rigby. Not many will get past the second shot, and plenty will say that one's enough.

All my brass is Norma-made, but Hornady has started making it at 1/2 the Norma price. Just in the last day or two, I saw a request from a member for .45-70 cases, but "NO HORNADY". I wonder what he knows about Hornady brass that I don't.

On one range excursion, I was trying a couple new .223 loads in my Interarms Mk X. After firing a number of ten-shot groups with the .223 (jacketed bullets), I unlimbered the Rigby and fired another ten-rounder with the "standard" load. The .416 outshot the .223, grouping all ten under the magical inch! Suffice it to say that the RCBS .416 design is good enough for me...

[Hardcast416taylor]

My avatar says it all. All that is needed is .458 brass to run up into the sizer die of a .416 Taylor set. I use the RCBS mold cast with straight WW and water quench. I use mostly IMR-4320 and 3031 as Ken Waters suggests. I shoot Irish clover leaf groups (no center) regularly. I refer to my Model 70 as a "Poor Mans Rigby".Robert

[Bullshop]

I have loaded the Rigby for a couple customers. I used an NEI mold for a 400gn boolit in Walts DD style. Loaded them up to 2400 fps and they shot very well, well as good as I could hold that beast.
BIC/BS

[dubber123]

[QUOTE=BruceB;682906]Could be that I'm the member dubber refers to.

Yeah, Bruce, it was you... I just didn't want to throw you under the bus without asking you first... ;-) Sounds like it shoots as good as ever for you.