Anyone out there shoot a Ruger in .375, .416 Rigby or .458 Lott at DG? Thoughts or comments?
thanks

Didn't Craig B. recently have a program segment for Leopard hunting with hounds that featured a Ruger? .416 I think. But then my memory isn't what it once was, if I remember right.
G

Dogcat,

Yes, I've taken two buffalo (so far) with my Rigby RSM. It's currently in training (along with its owner) to tackle ele in Zim '09 (or earlier if there's a cancellation).

Mine is one of the earlier ones, when they weren't watching their calories. Never had a problem carrying it all day in the field though...and it was ME carrying it.

Tweaked the trigger initially and smoothed out a couple of feeding glitches, then happy days. I did discover (like Don Heath did at Rifa) that you CAN cause an empty case to ride over the ejector if you really come back with the bolt in a hurry. Learned that little lesson on the second buffalo while trying to stick a third round into him before he made the "long grass" of Matetsi Unit 2. He was outbound and the first two shots were both winners, but that's an issue I'll definitely have sorted out before I look over the sights at elephant!

It ain't an original Rigby by a damned sight, but it ain't bad either...just my opinion.

Mark

My Ruger RSM .458 Lott was bought and customized just for that purpose. So was Bwanna's and I believe that Retreever also uses one as well.

Hello 218 Bee,
When you say earlier version and heavier, are you referring to the first generation which was not positive ejection (blade vs spring loaded plunger/ejector??) Did have claw extractor, plunger type ejector, is that correct??
I have three of the rifles and plan on shooting at so called dangerous game with them in the not too far distant future and curious if you had any other problems. So far, after couple hundred rounds in each of the rifles, no problems and actually quite accurate. Good luck

Driver,

When the RSM first came out they had a much chunkier barrel profile, with the front swivel anchoring the barrel (via a barrel band) to the forend.

Blade ejector, claw extractor, shoe sole recoil pad (OK, that's another change I'm making). Ruger could have gone with a nicely checkered butt for all the recoil attenuation that thing provides!

Accuracy has been very nice; downright scary with old Hornady RN softs. Don't plan on shooting anything meaner than paper with that one, but it sure makes pretty cloverleafs!

"So called" dangerous game? Hey, I haven't been scratched yet and intend to keep it that way, but every season it seems some poor soul takes the big vacation when something goes awry.

You best watch your six!

Mark

My personal experience with Ruger long guns is so poor that I wouldn't consider one for plains game to say nothing about dangerous game......I'd far rather take a Remington instead.....or a Howa...hell, I'd even use a Weatherby first!

Aw, c'mon Vapodog!...not a Weatherby!

Let's see, how about a Remington...in 45-70...loaded with Matchkings?

Mark (who's just funnin'!)

Before I knew better I used a Second Generation RSM fat barrel .416 Rigby: One shot through the heart, lungs and humerus at 50 to 75 yards through the mopane thicket ... Meat!
(.416/380gr GSC FN @ 2509fps, about 0.147 MOA for 3 shots at 100 yards)

The 416 that Crag B. used on his lepord was a standard magnum ,,,action Ruger M 77 mk 2 .. He had rebarreled it to 416 Taylor......

Buzz Charlton has used a Ruger 416 for most, if not all of his career but may have a DR by now.

mike

My 470 Mbogo is an early Ruger Magnum...



Cheers,
Canuck

I fired nine rounds and reloaded my .458 Lott RSM twice in 60 seconds taking two nice bulls at the same time. Not one hiccup. The Hornady Interbonds sucked though.

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/...=414101045#414101045

HFKATH,

Well done!

Had you done anything to your ejector (polishing, etc.)? I've only had that one failure to eject, but that's once more than I'd want. I'm betting a little polish and possibly a beefier spring would solve the issue (or just make me feel better!).

Mark

Ruger RSM in .416 Rigby. As expected, worked just fine.

Canuck Is that a 3x Leupold scope on your rifle ... How has it held up ???? Nice Buffalo !!!!!!!!!!

218,

No modifications other than the limbsaver recoil pad. Everything else is straight from the factory. I topped it with a 1.5x4 Leoupold 30 mm european reticle.

2004, 458 Lott on bull ele and buf...

Mike

RSM in .458 Lott - taken 3-buffalo, 1-lion, 1-hippo and 1 elephant bull....staged for another ele bull shortly if all goes well. Missed an old EA Eland with it at ~150 yards, thick stock does not settle in the sticks well, but great off the shoulder.

When I got it I had the action slicked up and added a Decelerator pad, mercury reducer (for as often as shot off the bench, I would not do this again) and a 3/32nd NEGG front bead. Tried scoping it, worked okay, but in the Lott I prefer it topless. Just back from the smith, double-blued (Avon SkinSoSoft took the bluing off the barrel where carried) and relieved and strengthened the tang area (hairline crack present for a while) and glass bedded.

The more I use it, the fonder I become of it. And if it gets a few dings each trip, that’s cool too.

I shoot a 416 Rigby and 338 Win Mag in RSM, mine are 3 years old. The 416 puts 400 gn Partitions and 400 gn TBBC solids into the same nice round 1 1/2 inch group at 100 yards.

It was my only rifle in TZ on one hunt. I took a 44 and 46 inch buff, plus plains game out to 245 yrds no problem.

I had trigger work done, recoil pad installed. I mounted a Swaro 1.5x6 scope, shot it enough so my ejector smoothed out and worked just fine.

I think a lot of the " ejector " issue comes from guys who mount the scope, sight it in with 6 to 10 rounds and thats all. I started loading lighter handloads and worked up to factory spec. loads. I went through 231 rounds getting to that point over about 8 mounths. By the time I went to TZ my Ruger was smooth as glass and ejected just fine.....................JJ

I have a year old RSM in 375. I installed a Timney trigger, sear only, and slicked it up a bit myself. It feeds anything very smoothly and shoots great. It's a bit heavy for caliber (in 375), but a very nice factory rifle that can be turned into an excellent rifle with a small amount of effort. It carries a leupold VXIII 1.5x5 in Warne QD mounts.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI

218 Bee,

In your last post your refer to a "beefier spring". What spring are you talking about?

I'm considering one of these rifles and would like to understand your point a bit better.

Thank you.

JJ,

I think you're pretty spot-on about the ejector issue in that Don Heath's observations from Rifa (where the strongest feedback has come that I've heard) involves young appy PH candidates. Combine a new (or relatively new) rifle with a young person of limited means (hey, ammo ain't cheap!) and it wouldn't be surprising to spook some gremlins out into the open on test day.

In comparison, the shooting enthusiasts who post here have seen very little of the problem. Everyone here seems to tinker to some extent, and then shoot hell out of their rifles in preparation.

My one "bobble" ain't much...but it's enough to keep me from turning my back on it. Someone who posts here has the sig line to the effect that "Amateurs practice 'til they get it right; Professionals practice 'til they can't get it wrong". Very instructive!

Good hunting,

Mark

Buliwyf,

The spring I mentioned raises the ejector blade through the bolt face as the bolt is withdrawn. A stouter spring might help get that blade up into position a bit quicker.

Be advised, I'm no gunsmith and don't claim to be...that's a job for folks with talent (which pretty well lets me out!). Replacing the spring is basically "thinking out loud" at this point!

As you've likely noticed, this isn't a huge issue, else other posters would've chimed in. I've been very pleased with the RSM. It's kinda like Thunderbird wine..."It gets the job done!".

Mark (who prefers MacAllan 15)

Thanks Mark.

I thought that was a "fixed" blade ejector.

Buliwyf,

Hell, I could be wrong...I'll have to look. Like I said, I'm no 'smith!

Mark

Ruger Mini 14 for Mr. Spots

All Fixed blade ejectors move up and down when the bolt opens and closes... If there is a burr in the ejector slot or on the ejector it can hang up .....Also if a bunch of crud gets in the ejector slot it can stop it from raiseing into position.....The fixed ejectors do tend to keep them selves working as their movement and haveing an open bottom on the bolt face { controlled feed } lets forign matter fall down into the magizine..... Some people like a pretty soft spring as it makes the bolt travel more effortless....It however isn,t as reliable for doing its job { Ejecting cases , wether full or empty }.....

Would you use a Ruger or a new Model 70 if you had to do it over again and the prices were the same?

Some of you will remember my travails from last summer. I broke the stock on my .458 Lott M77 after 7 shells (brand new gun). Ruger restocked it for me and the second one made it 14 shells before breaking. The third stock I shot and it held up so I took it to Zim with the stock recoil pad (Ruger was angry that I had "modified" it with an aftermarket recoil pad) and shot elephant and buffalo with it.

I don't want to risk another break so I'm having it fitted with a custom Bastogne walnut stock. It'll be really nice then. The factory stock that's on it now has handled about 60 rounds, but you never know, and the experience with two broken stocks has me nervous enough to do something about it.

I tried to talk to Ruger about it at SCI and the rep there in the booth told me "we'll accept some responsibility, but not all, that's a huge caliber and guns just can't take the recoil always." Can you believe that? Here's an idea, Ruger, if you're going to make a gun for a caliber, then make the gun capable of handling the caliber.

Other than the stock issues, I'm thrilled with the gun.

Based upon my experience I would take a Model 70 if the choice were possible. I don't like the way that Ruger beds their heavy rifles and the odd configuration with the metal plate that they use, the angled screws, etc. etc. In having a new custom stock put on my .458 Lott, it took a lot of extra work by the stockmaker to even meet Ruger's design. Not so with the Model 70's that I have had customized. It's a nice gun, but given the choice it would defintely be a Model 70.

Dogcat,

I've hunted with an M70 .375 as well as my RSM and found both to need some basic attention before considered them ready to go. Both have been made into serviceable hunting pieces. Both shot well.

I can't get the .416 Rigby cartridge in the M70, so that kinda blows the choice for me, but for like calibers, I'd pick the one that suited me and get busy!

Have fun,

Mark

I haven't had to do anything with mine, feeds, ejects, and shots under 3/4 inch groups with 370 NF. Haven't shot any DG yet either, but the time will come. A lot of guys don't like the angled screws, etc on the Ruger bedding, but it works and they seem to have less stock cracks than about anyone else with the big bores.

Mine had some initial problems with the bolt sticking on the last 1/4" of travel.Mark Penrod made it slickern' owl shit, put in a pachmyer decel and bedded the action. Before and after, it shot like gangbusters. Mine was one of the older ones. Took a buffalo in Zim and backed up my friend with a raking shot. jorge

quote:

Originally posted by gumboot458:
Canuck Is that a 3x Leupold scope on your rifle ... How has it held up ???? Nice Buffalo !!!!!!!!!!

Thanks. Yes it is a 3x Leupold. It has held up great so far, but I usually shoot that rifle with open sights. Its probably only got 150'ish shots through it with the scope on it.

Cheers,
Canuck

RSM in 416 Rigby w/ 1.5-5X VXIII in Warne QD rings. Has mercury recoil reducer in stock and had the action and trigger mechanism polished. Great shooting rifle. Took this 44" buffalo in Tanzania in 2006. Rifle ended up with crack in stock between mag well & trigger assembly cutout. I am going to send it back to Ruger to see if they will fix it under warranty. . . Stay tuned.

gumboot458,

Thanks for the input. I understand what you're saying. I thought the Ruger ejector was the same design as the Mauser (on the side of the action). I think what you're saying is the Ruger is designed along the lines of the M70.

I love my Ruger RSM in 416 Rigby. I bought it used from Shumba, and it is the most accurate rifle I own.

However, I did have some problems. I neglected to keep the lugs tight and the stock cracked right behind the tang. I sent it back to Ruger and they replaced the stock.


The rifle then went to Jim Brockman to relieve the wood behind thetang and bedding.

Since then I have killed buffalo, hippo, and lion with the rifle. I would not trade it for anything.

After reading these great posts, it seems that several of you guys experienced cracked stocks on the .416 Rigby or .458 Lott. Is that the norm or abnormal for the Ruger? I suppose that the stock will crack during the early life and during practice, but it would not be a good thing if it failed in Africa. Am I overly concerned here?
Thanks

It's a dilemma. If you don't take precautions against the stock cracking, you may very well have a problem. However, if you do take precautions, you’re warranty is void.

Based upon my personal experience, I made some modifications.