What are the best powders for velocity and accuracy with the bullets you have used?
No need to re-event the sore bench shoulder!

I use woodleigh 410 gr SN's at around 2550 fps in front of 102 grains of AR 2209 (Aussie powder). Your equivalent powder is IMR 4350 and from all acounts is exchangeable in exact charge weights. My groups are 1.7 inches at 100 yards this is as well as I can shoot my Rigby, this load may go tighter as I get more experience.

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101 gr RL-22, F215M primer, 400 gr Swift A-frame @ 2450 fps--1.25" groups at 100 yds with CZ550.

Good Hunting,

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Andy Cooper

H4831 105 grains with GSC FN 380 grainer at 2509 fps at the muzzle of a Ruger Magnum 77 Mk II. Group of 0.147" for three shots at 100 yards, no lie. Norma brass, F215GM/match primer. One shot, one dead cape buffalo in Botswana, 2001.

This powder charge was Jack O'Connors load with 400 grain bullets in his 416 Rigby.

You need look no further than this. H4831SC may also be used at this charge. It is a low pressure load in the Rigby with any 380 to 410 grain bullet.

It is probably the same as the powder the Aussies are recommending by a different name. They make it over there and Hodgdon sells it here as H4831/H4831SC.

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RAB

I used 100-105 grains of good old H4831 in mine with 400 Hornady's, worked fine. Norma brass, Fed 215 primers.

FN

I use 105gr of Rx 25, F215M, 410gr Woodleigh Welcore and Mast Tech (the New Bell) brass for 2400fps in a CZ 550 Magnum.
A hotter load is 112grs Rx 25, same components for 2610fps with a 410 Weldcore.
Rx 25 gives noticeably less sharpness to the recoil, probably because of this powders slow burning rate.
The hot load listed above was safe in my rifle but PLEASE use the usual working up if you want to use it. Also, this hot load is manageable in my 550 without a muzzle break. Not so good while shooting with just a t-shirt on....I tried it. A jacket works well. I also have a custom recoil pad on this rifle that works wonders.
The Bearman

I have used the following powders in the 416 Rigby:

IMR 3031
IMR 4064
IMR 4350
REL 19
REL 22

Any of them will work with varying loads of course. The most accurate loads in my rifle shooting 400 gr Hornady's, 410 Woodleigh's, 350gr Speer's, and 325 gr Barnes X were when I used heavy charges of Rel 19 (best) and IMR 4350 (second best).

The interesting thing is that IMR 3031 was capable of producing subMOA groups with the 350 gr Speers and 325 gr Barnes X. These were not compressed charges either and gave good velocity. This will give you the least mass of powder to burn. If you go this route use the load data for a 416 Remington Magnum and you should be OK.

Todd E

HI,

Todd, what was the fastest you got with the 325X, and how long was the barrel, that looks like a nice load for reaching out there. Thanks,Kev

A short trip to the range today with my Ruger MK II 77 RSM, early version with the heavy barrel. 1X4 Leupold in Ruger rings. 3 shot groups with cleaning in between.

Norma brass, Fed 215 magnum primers, Hornady 400 gr soft point. H-4831 powder.

102 gr ..........865 103 gr ..........729
104 gr ..........525 105 gr .........1.250

Chrono battery was dead.

My standard hunting load has always been 96 grs IMR-4831 with any premium 400gr bullet. It shoots good groups @ 2400fps with all of the various bullets I've tried.

Craftsman,
Sounds like 104 grains of H4831 with the 400 grain Hornady soft works very well in your rifle. Just stick with that load and try some different bullets such as solids.

You have such a leeway with the low pressure of the Rigby that you can use any 410 grain or lesser weight bullet safely with 104 grains of H4831.

Of course fine tuning of the load is always possible with a given bullet. I would chronograph and shoot for accuracy with an extended session using your 104 grain load first, and go from there with other bullets.

105 grains of H4831 worked extremely well with the 380 grain GSC FN. Pity that those bullets are so hard to get shipped to this side of the pond.

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RAB

HI,

I would like to know if any of you gentlemen have used the north fork 370 Sp bullets in your 416 Rigby. And if so what kind of fps do you get with them. I think seeing how there weight is close to a 350 2,800fps should be a real number?I like the weight of 370 as it sounds like it will still shoot flat,but with alot of power. I do not know the BC or SD of the 370sp north forks,if someone here could educate me on them I would appreciate it. Thanks,kev

My favorites are a 325 gr. X bullet, IMR 4831 Powder, 110 gr. Sub MOA, and 2924.5 fps out of a 24" No.1. Also the 400 gr. X with H4831 and 103.0 gr. for 2461 fps and 1.196" groups (5 shot at 100) out of my 77 23".