I've acquired two Johanson(sp)actions in the .416 Rigby size. I've decided to have one made into a .450 Rigby. The other I am undecided about. I would like to make a set with the .450 Rigby and .350 Rigby. I am not sure if the .350 Rigby is best suited to that big of an action and there are a lot hotter .338/.358 calibers out there. I would appreciate the Forum's opinion on the caliber for a "light" rifle to pair with the .450 Rigby. If there are people who have some experience with the .350 Rigby on game I would appreciate the input. Also if others want to suggest calibers in the .338/.358 class I'm certainly open to suggestions. MMP

I would go with a .375 H&H with your .450 Rigby. I had a .350 Rigby and shot a few deer with this rifle and it worked fine. It is however not in a league with the 375 H&H. Both the .375 H&H and the .350 Rigby have the same 3.60" COL so neither really requires a .416 Rigby size action.

The advantage the .375 has is that it will do anything and more that the .350 will do plus brass and reloading data is readily available which is not the case for the .350 Rigby.

It was many years ago when I had the .350 and no one loaded ammunition for it then. That may have changed since that time. I had to do a considerable amount of searching to even find any loading data, which I finally did find in an old copy of Cartridges of the World. In any event I worked out a load of 53 grains of IMR 3031 with a 250 grain bullet which gave 2400 fps. Another thing to consider is resale value if you ever decide to sell or trade the 350. I think the .375 H&H will have a lot better value in that event.

The 375 H&H is just a lot more powerful and versatile caliber. Other than the nostalgia factor I can't see any reason to build a 350 Rigby when the 375 H&H is available.

If I were you I would go with the .358 STA, still a .358 caliber but much more versital. A 185 grain bullet up to 310 grains, and faster at all sizes than the .375 H&H, with a more aerodynamic bullet. Good shooting.

quote:

I would appreciate the Forum's opinion on the caliber for a "light" rifle to pair with the .450 Rigby.

If you are building two matching rifles along classic lines then I think your choice of 450 and 350 Rigby is a good one. A couple of other classic pairs would be 375H&H/300H&H and 500 Jeffrey/404 Jeffrey.

But, to best answer your call for "a 'light' rifle" to complement the .450, I suggest 300H&H.

How about a 404 and 333 Jeffery matched pair?

First of all, what boltface size are your two Reimer Yohannsen receivers cut to?.... the .350 Rigby has an different[smaller] rim size [.522"] compared to the [.590"] .416 & 450 Rigby.

If you have one with the correct boltface for 350 rigby, that cartridge would be my choice.

The 350 Riby is often compared to the 35 Whelen in performance, however , the 350 Rigby has notably greater case capacity[approx same as .358 Norma], and the original ammo produced was operating at an lazy 44,900psi. much like the .416 Rigby.

With the combination of your strong Chromemoly receivers, quality Horneber brass, premium bullets and some careful load development, you can achieve strong performance in the 6200-65000psi range.

AR member Paul H, developed a .350 Rigby load of 250gn/72gn4350 2700mv [24"] stdM98.

I could easily live with that and not miss the .375h&h one little bit, the .450 takes care of the big Stuff.

350 Rigby Magnum -Peter Carr

"John "Pondoro" Taylor was a user and admirer of the cartridge, speaking highly of its superior penetration compared to other medium calibres. In African Rifles and Cartridges, Taylor wrote: "There is nothing spectacular about this cartridge; it has never had the write-up that the .318 and .375 Magnum get from time to time; nevertheless, it is a splendidly effective shell and at ranges of up to at least 150 yards kills as instantaneously as the .375 Magnum. In addition, it has an appreciably lighter recoil."

I believe Taylor was subject to using traditional 225gn softs at 2625mv.... a 350 Rigby 225tsx-2900mv is a different cigar.



.338win, 333Jeffery, 350 Rigby, 8x68s, 375 flanged.

Mike,

What about a "take down" version in 416 Rigby...? I know you already have a Wiebe 416 Rigby, but a take down rifle would be a cat of a different color. It would make for a compact airline package, that could be used on "any" game animal in Africa.

Mike

Nothing wrong with the .350 Rigby - if you handload!
Other very classic options would be the mentioned .333 Jeffery or .300 H&H, or the .318 W-R. All these would probably be a lot easier brass-wise and reloading data-wise.

I think those would be in the "right" power league, as well, to be paired with the potent .450: you would then have a heavy for anything that walks, and a very pleasant medium for all other uses up to moose, bears and even eland.
In this regard I strongly concur with Trax.

If you think of a .35 caliber, then why not the .358 Norma Magnum? It's hard to beat for performance!
If you wish to have a .35 caliber and make it super-difficult yet classic, then do the .35 Newton.

- Lars/Finland

Thanks to all. This Forum is the bomb! I already have a .500 Jeff, .505 Gibbs, .404 Jeff, 416 Rigby, 375 H&H, 300 H&H and a .338 RUM built as classic safari rifles. I just wanted a little something different and I think the Johanson actions would make nice rifles. MMP

Personally, I'd only build a 350 Rigby if I could trade one of the magnum actions for a standard Johannson action.

The 350 Rigby and 450 Rigby (on properly scaled actions) would be a real treat to have in a pair of safari rifles. You could hunt the world with that pair and never look back...unless your ammo gets misplaced enroute.

I have a 450 Rigby (Heym Express) and am in the process of having a 416 Rigby built. My next custom rifle will probably be a 350 Rigby just to round out the battery.

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:
Personally, I'd only build a 350 Rigby if I could trade one of the magnum actions for a standard Johannson action.

The 350 Rigby and 450 Rigby (on properly scaled actions) would be a real treat to have in a pair of safari rifles. You could hunt the world with that pair and never look back...unless your ammo gets misplaced enroute.

The 350 Rigby has;
case length 2.76"
shoulder .451"
casehead .522"
neck .580"
col 3.60"

it appears just as deserving of an magnum length receiver, as the .375HH.

Rigby felt it deserved a magnum length....


As I understand it, GMA makes a larger scale African magnum receiver [1.51" dia receiver ring & .750"dia bolt]
specifically for large bore Rigby cartridges and 505 Gibbs.

Where as Johannsen and HartmannWeiss magnum mauser receivers used for bigbore Rigby and 505 Gibbs rounds,are the traditional 1.42" dia. ring and .700" bolt.
However H&W does employ a bolt face/lug modification, to better accomodate the unsually larger casehead dia. bigbore rounds.

Technically speaking, one does not require a traditional 1.42"ring/1.100"thread M98 for .532" case head chamberings. You can safely fit them it into small ring/small thread[.980"] std length M98 receivers[G33/40 and Brno B21] if one really wants something lighter,more nimble.

.

Mike,
as the 450 rigby is a modern round (standardized in the 1990s) I would personally look at ... a 378 weatherby, loaded down, to match the action .. or a 375 norma, which is for all intents and purposes, a 375 AccRel, but Jimmie Sloan and Norma made it commerical.. may not be long enough.

or, invent your own, and do a 416/358 rigby ... it'll go faster than lightening.. though i might add, a 416/366 is legal the world around for hunting nearly anything that fights back.

The takedown [2 barrel] Reimer Yohannsen magnum mauser I saw, was in .338 Lapua and .450 Rigby.