What would be your top suggetions for a 416 Rigby custom DGR?
Satterlee
Granite Mountatin Arms
CZ 550 Magnum
Others
What are the Pros and Cons of these actions?

If you are going to have a full blown custom rifle made then Satterlee is probably the best choice, and the most expensive. However, the additional cost of the action may be offset by a little less time on the part of the riflemaker for final finishing since his actions appear to be better finished as delivered. I have a CZ 550 in 416 Rigby and the actions are pretty rough. But no matter how you spend on upgrading a CZ 550 it still won't be, IMHO, as good as a Satterlee action in terms of box dimensions, safety, trigger, feeding and extraction, etc. That doesn't mean it won't work, but it won't be as bank vault tough nor as Swiss watch precise.

I had AHR build one using the CZ 550 Magnum action.

AHR adds a three position safety, a single stage trigger with slightly reshaped trigger guard, and a straight, solid-knobbed bolt handle to the stock CZ action. Then they blue print and true the face of the action, slick it up, and lap the locking lugs.

The action's standard double square bridges and integral scope bases, usable with either stock CZ or Talley rings, are super tough.

For value and strength, it's hard - if not impossible - to beat the CZ 550 Magnum.

How about Dakota?

www.rifleactions.com

Karl Webber posts here sometimes.

I had a rifle built by this co. and only sold it to put

money toward my double rifle. I wish I could have both!

Karl is unfortunately not with Hein anymore. You can contact Greg Hein directly. Great actions, but lengthy delivery times. jorge

I am a bit behind on the forum slang DGR...I am assuming Deluxe Grade Rifle?
With the prices of true, quality custom rifles today, why not go to one of the Deluxe semi-customs like the Dumoulin on a double square bridge, one available on Champlin site now, or better yet one of the original Rigby's, one on Westley Richards site now, or one of the later Paul Roberts Rigby's on a Brno action...one on Guns International right now, however priced at the "old" Rigby level, I think should be in the $5.5K-7.5k range?? (Be careful of those on unknown Korean actions!!)
My preference is the old pre-64 Model 70 Win...it's tight but works well...I have one coming...now for 17 years...believe it or not, that's what happens when you are a good friend of the maker...you get put off for higher priorities, one round tuit...now I have finished my Dangerous 7, so now what?? Happy New Year...to all.

.........DGR = Dangerous Game Rifle ........The AHR is available for not much more than a Satterlee action .......I about half betchya it will last for min 5000 rounds ......probably 10,000 ..., Plus you will have saved enough to afford to shoot it until you are automatically accurate with it ............Aweful lot going for the AHR .....

Buy a new Reimer Johannsen .416 and be done with it. I have spent lots of dollars on custom rifles, and have two in the works right now, but I never sell or trade any guns. But, if you ever decide to sell a custom gun, you lose your rear end. I believe the resale for a commercially produced rifle will hold it's value MUCH better than a custom rifle. That being said, you need to follow your dream & do what suits you, with the best action (from the list above) that you can afford.

Thanks for the input. The full custom route will cost 12-15K, the Johannsen will cost 12-15K, the AHR looks pretty good. The differential will go along way toward buffalo trophy fees.

Look around and you can possibly find an old Brevex Mauser action, shouldn't cost over $3k unless you have to buy the whole rifle. I've used several of them and they always make into a great 416 Rigby or any other cartridge based on the case.

Isn't $12K to $15K cheap for a custom European rifle at the exchange rate today?

Whats wrong with a CZ or Ruger in 416 Rigby from the factory, and having it tuned up by a gunsmith? This will probably cost you less then 1/3rd of what you're planning. With that saved money, add more game! Or a whole other hunt!

AH, the Brevex is FRENCH...need I say more...it's the nostalgia of this action that commands $3000...I had a chance in the late 70's to buy a full case when Tradewinds in Tacoma (the importer) was selling out to close...$75 each...I didn't then and wouldn't now "cause they just ain't that good!!" They need lots of good gunsmithing to make them a quality action...why not spend the money on modern steel and machining if you are going to build a nice Custom?? For that purpose my choice is Granite Mountain, Noreen and Griesel in that order...I don't know the Saterlee.

I have never handled or seen a Satterlee action but have handled several Granite's. Just judging from the pictures I've seen on here of the Satterlee I would believe it to be the better of the two to me. When I decided to build up a 416Rigby for Africa I chose a new CZ550 that I had won in an NRA raffle at a friends of NRA dinner. Actually won a Mossberg 270 with scope but didn't need it so traded it to the dealer who supplied the guns for the first 416Rigby he got in. When it came in it had the humpback stock and I really didn't like it. About a year later Brockman came out with a laminate drop-in. Ordered one less the front swivel and unfinished (this is the early stock with no cheekpiece). Only inletting required was to inlet the front recoil lug as it had 2 crossbolts. I went further and fully glassed it which I prefer to do on ALL my rifles. Straightened the kink in the bolt handle(just requires a little heat) and filled the hole with a hardwood dowel of some wood I had picked up in camp in Zimbabwe. Checkered the wood dowel. Cut barrel to 21" to match my Brno 375 and installed a band front swivel and a NECG Masterpiece front ramp with a flourescent bead. This is the ramp that has elevation adjustment in it. Works perfectly with the original rear sight for which I find no objections. Only thing left to do was to go to Africa and shoot another Elephant which I did. I figure I have about $1200 in the rifle. To finish it correctly I would slim down the stock (it's a little heavy in places) have it checkered,put a nice Ebony forearm tip and steel grip cap and an overall good oil finish and call it a good custom rifle. I believe the CZ to be the most cost effective buy on the market today. I have had ZERO problems with mine and It shoots as well as I can by a longshot. Well under 1" all the time.

.......That sounds like a great rifle Zimbabwe....If I had 15 K to blow on a rifle ,,,I would instead blow it on a safari with a Ruger or CZ or Remington ........Heck , if a guy trolled thru the hock shops and gun shows , its easy enough to come up with a 7 mag or 300 Ruger 77 mk 2 for 300 bucks ,,,send it to McGowan or pacnor etc.. and have a 458 or 416 T etc. barrel put on it..put a 1-4x Leupold on it and go hunt .......It is litterly that easy and affordable..I haven,t priced PAC ele hunts but there is a good place to spend a bunch of dough ...........Or like you put it into trophy Elephant ........

The Brevex was made in France on the original German equipment brought there during WW2. It is made from 4140 chrome molybdenum steel, same as a M70. A custom bolt handle and bottom metal and it's ready to go. They might not be a GM or other custom action but they are a great action.

While waiting for the New Year to roll in I was reading the latest issue of Hatari Times, #22. The Publisher, Harald Wolfe has written a very explicit expose' on the 416 Rigby and the cartridge development.Note, Harald is an accomplished custom gunmaker in his own rite...not just the typical BS-Grinder writer. Great article and very informative. Bottom line, the best in his opinion, the OLD Mag Mauser and there were very few of them, ie under 200. He talks about the Brevex and its shortcomings but an acceptable second, and from a true custom quality base action decires the newer CZ former Brno as just made with too wide tolerances to begin with. He feels the 90's Rigby's were highly overpriced, however does mention 10 416's were made on the Hartmann&Weiss actions which should be fine pieces. He also goes into the P14 and 17 enfields and their shortcomings. Good reading. So if you start a search, the Old Mag Mausers that still float around in 404 Jeff might just be the ticket...short of the modern CNC actions...probably less than the Brevex and new ones too??
To contact Harald for subscription: info@hataritimes.com

Also worth strong consideration in my opinion,

www.griffinhowe.com - either built new for you

at their Bernardsville, New Jersey location,

which I've visited twenty-five times or so, or

a nice old vintage example. Either way, but espec-

ially if you go with a vintage rifle, you should

be able to sell it after ten years and MAKE money!
And, it's an old, [1920's I think] U.S.A. company.

908-766-5171 is the phone number, much better

results than e-mail. They have new R. Johannsen

examples also; custom rifles with enough name

recognition to be sold at a profit after ten years

as well, [to side with Frank Beller's sound logic ].

I'm with gumboot on this one. I'd use a Ruger or CZ and go hunting with the $10000 I'd save. Hell, I already have a CZ and a Ruger .416. I also think from what I've seen, the AHR rifles are a pretty darn good buy in a custom DGR. Not a GM action or Saterlee, or Brevex, but they are plenty functional.

quote:

Originally posted by Hugh W:
What would be your top suggetions for a 416 Rigby CUSTOM DGR?

I put emphasis on Hugh's chosen word CUSTOM. If you want

"custom", why start with an "off the rack" action that needs

hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of work done to it,

instead of an action that begins it's existance as having been
made at the "custom" quality level from the onset?

RE: Reimar Johannsen rifle

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/community/gun...sp?hierarchyId=10473

the satterlee action will be your best bet, the GMA action needs a LOT of work to bring it up to standard
you can get a barreled action from satterlee for well under $5,000
they are the best M 98 made without question
DANIEL

quote:

Originally posted by M 98:
you can get a barreled action from satterlee for well under $5,000
DANIEL

You can order one, but actually getting one is another issue altogether.

Have one built on a standard Mauser 98 action -just like Harry Selby's!

That would be the optimum challange for any gun smith

I shopped and shopped and shopped, called and called and called, got quotes, spoke with makers/users of all sorts of customs, and finally came to my senses and bought three lowly Ruger RSM's for the price of one so called custom and absolutely do not feel a bit out of line "at the club..." All three function great, accurate as hell, great wood, and no splits, first class service if needed and saved a great deal of money in the process. Do what you think is right as they say and press onward. Will say the most likeable one I did look at is the true Mauser's being offered these days and for nostalgia's sake, came close to doing that. Lot's of bucks for nostalgia.

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:

quote:

Originally posted by M 98:
you can get a barreled action from satterlee for well under $5,000
DANIEL

You can order one, but actually getting one is another issue altogether.

I have 2 barelled actions on order(Satterlee). Stu quotes 10 months, GMA 6 months, Hein 1 year atleast.

quote:

Originally posted by John S:
The Brevex was made in France on the original German equipment brought there during WW2. It is made from 4140 chrome molybdenum steel, same as a M70. A custom bolt handle and bottom metal and it's ready to go. They might not be a GM or other custom action but they are a great action.

By a Pole, none the less. A truly international action!

quote:

Originally posted by FAST996:

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:

quote:

Originally posted by M 98:
you can get a barreled action from satterlee for well under $5,000
DANIEL

You can order one, but actually getting one is another issue altogether.

I have 2 barelled actions on order(Satterlee). Stu quotes 10 months, GMA 6 months, Hein 1 year atleast.

I might add that Stuart is spending more time in the shop and Chris Sells answers the phones now so things should move along.

I currently have a 416 Rigby Satterlee action on order and it is currently over due. I was given a firm June/July 2007 delivery date when I sent in my deposit. Lot's of promises but no action yet. I also know of two other individuals that are in the same boat with me.

quote:

CZ 550 Magnum

Another vote for the CZ 550 customized by AHR….

You’ll have a lot of bang for your buck and wind up with a very reliable rifle….

AHR is a stand up operation and will deliver on their promises…

On another note…

My buddy just spent over $5K for a GMA “barreled action†in 505 Gibbs that will eject all of its magazine when you pull the bolt back….

I believe that any of the mentioned actions would be suitable for a DGR IF a really competent gunsmith goes through the action and makes sure EVERYTHING in the action works properly. In short I don't think the actions are any better or worse than the gunsmith that sets them up for hunting dangerous game. MUFASA

quote:

Originally posted by mufasa:
I believe that any of the mentioned actions would be suitable for a DGR IF a really competent gunsmith goes through the action and makes sure EVERYTHING in the action works properly. In short I don't think the actions are any better or worse than the gunsmith that sets them up for hunting dangerous game. MUFASA

Very wise words indeed!