I am reading the cartridges of the world 8th edition, it states that the 416 rigby is held to around 40,000 cup in order to avoid sticky extraction due to high pressures, on very hot days. (Africa) where as the 416 remington mag is around 50,000 cup . Has anyone had any problems with extraction in there 416 rem on such hot days .

Tanoose,

In the most recent issue of African Hunter editor Don Heath published a report of the Zimbabwe PH proficiency examinations held in the Zambezi November, 2001. He was the chief examiner.

It gets warm there, over 40 degrees C.

Don reported that the .416 RM indeed showed pressure spikes.

jim dodd

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"if you are to busy to
hunt, you are too busy."

I hear that from time to time, but I have been using the 416 Rem for years and George Hoffman has used it his whole life without such problems...

Hot handloads may be the culprit...My home in the Big Bend Country is the hottest place in the US from time to time, It's near Presidio, Tex. and I shot the 416 a lot down there and in Africa...

I disagree with Heath on that score and mark that up to hearsay or problem ammo or a problem rifle. Perhaps the powder they use.

Think about it, we shoot a lot of guns across the pond that operate at the same and/or higher pressures than 416 does, and shoot them without problems. the 270, 300 whatevers, 7 mag, stw's and a host of others.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

I'd agree with Ray on this one. Remington or maybe A-Square factory ammo was likely used in those tests and it has been reported several times of it sticking on occasion.
A prudent handloader can achieve Rigby ballistics with this cartridge w/o undue pressure troubles. As was already mentioned, we use all sorts of calibers that operate at these same pressure levels with no complaints.

Ray and John are probably right. All else being equal, it is probably the powder they were using is temperature sensitive.

If you look at the cartridges in some of the PH's belts, it is a hodgepodge of who knows what and of what age.

Could also be a problem with Rem 700 rifle and their poor primary extraction in conjunction with poor chambers.

For example, a few years back I hada Rem 700 Classic in 375 and when you lifted the bolt on Remington factor ammo, the case was not full broken free and because of poor chamber and limited primary extraction.

An M70 or Mauser would have been OK because the case would have been pulled further back on bolt opening.

Mike

I've never had any extraction problems in my 416 RM, and I've been using it for about 10 years in temps from below zero to above 100.

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JD

I agree with Mike375 about the Remington 700. It has the weakest extractor of any current bolt action. While its cheap and simple "piece of pipe" receiver is easily adapted to bench and target guns where dependable extraction is not such a high priority, I think you're asking for trouble using it in varying field conditions with high intensity cartridges -- most especially with the factory barrel and chamber which are infamously sloppy and rough in belted magnum chamberings.

Also, odd lots of over-pressure ammuntion or ammunition with soft brass can occur in any caliber. If this has happened with the .416 Remington, that's unfortunate, but it doesn't make the caliber any less reliable.

It was 100+ degrees and about 100% humidity in Zim. last November while I was using the .416 REM. I was pushing 400 grian Barnes Xs and solids at Barnes' published maximum with not even a hint of a problem.
Ray is right, if the impact of temperature on pressure is that much of a concern we had better all scrap our plains game rifles. Oh wait, I use the .416 for that too!

JMHO,

JohnTheGreek

Tanoose asked for reports of pressure problems with the .416 Remington Mag, so I passed along what Don Heath wrote about from his experience as chief examiner at the Zimbabwe PH Proficiency Exam at Rifa, Zambezi Valley. They do two courses a year, one is training/refresher and the second is the proficienty exam. The last exam was November, 2001.

Don's write-up appeared in African Hunter V7#6, which readers have in their hands now.

After reviewing the experiences with rifles, Don wrote about ammunition. He described two cartridges giving problems, the .458 Win Mag and the .416 Remington Magnum. Examples of both cartridges show "bullet creep" -- the powder is pushing the bullet from the cartridge case. The exact reason is not known.

Don also wrote that Nimrod and PMP (local ammo makers) have problems making a "good load" for the .416 that does not show an occasional pressure spike.

Don also reports that he has seen a series of Remington .416 or .375 rifles with broken extractors at Rifa.

I can relate that my brand new from the Custom Shop .416 Rem broke its extractor on the third shot, and that from a box of Remington factory ammunition.

Between the two cartridges, I would choose the Rigby.

jim dodd

------------------
"if you are to busy to
hunt, you are too busy."

Possible causes:

1. rough chambers (Remington)

2. extra hot handloads

3. tight bores (Remington)

4. soft brass

That being said, I have heard one report of stick extraction with Rem factory ammo.