........

That is a great rifle. Congratulations. The wood looks nice too.

I have one in 458 Lott that I have not used yet.
Can I ask what you plan to hunt with it? ( Of course with that cartridge you can hunt anything! Check out the Cutting Edge Bullets for .416.)

Nice rifle.

I had one with Kevlar stock and loved it. I worked on smoothening the bolt and it made a huge difference.

The wood stock models have a history of breaking. You may find it worth glass bedding the stock, making sure to relieve some wood at the tang so there is no recoil contact. Some people also take off the pistol grip cap and drill a hole through the wrist to reinforce it with a metal or carbon fibre rod.

I used H4350 & 340 gr Woodleighs & 350 gr TSX at 2700 fps and 400 gr Hornady DGX at 2450 fps. These are moderate pressure loads. I got another 150 fps but recoil was high & it was not pleasant or accurate shooting .

I agree with Naki, They feed/cycle a little rough at first. Smoothing the action and feed surfaces helped mine a lot. (No pun intended.)

I just assumed that the standard prescribed, low pressure, loads were part of the Africa dangerous game style and the hot climate. Ammoguide shows some very fierce loads at still reasonable pressure. I am with you on your choice of scope and eye relief.

quote:

Originally posted by 4sixteen:
350gr TTSX at 2500 fps mv about optimum as with my other 416's. Higher downrange energies than 300gr TSX launched 300 fps faster due to higher ballistic coefficient. Load development and accuracy results to follow. Really like the single set trigger and fine wood.

340gr CEB VLD requires 1:14 twist minimum so acceptable accuracy not likely with 1:16.5 twist but might give it a try anyhow.

My other heavy kickers never cracked the stocks. Keep stocks bolted tight. And never use lead sleds.

I have one of these CZ 550's in 416 Rigby as well. Taken a lot of game with it.

Couple of things already stated here.

1) The 350 gr TSX or TTSX at 2700fps is an absolute hammer of thor. And 2700 fps with that bullet in this gun is easy to achieve with no pressure signs, at least in my rifle.

2) These stocks ARE subject to splitting at the tang. Usually due to not being properly relieved behind the tang. Not really a matter of keeping the stock tight, but a result of proper relief.

In my case, I replaced the stock with a synthetic, cut the barrel to 23", added a barrel band swivel, smoothed up the action, straightened and filled the bolt handle, changed the safety out to a M-70 style, and replaced the single set trigger with a Timmney, after the single set malfunctioned on safari when I tried to open the ball game on a buffalo bull. That trigger had worked fine 3 days prior on a male lion, and the day before on a hippo. Gave no indication of an issue until it was pointed at a big black tuft of fur with horns at 40 yards!!

My opinion is the CZ 550 makes an outstanding base rifle from which to build a real safari gun. I love mine and I think you will too.

If you want to use the 416Rigby as a one-rifle battery, then you can safely load a 350gnTTSX to 2800-2850fps.

We have had 4 CZ's in 416 Rigby. All shot a 350gn TSX/TTSX accurately (after bedding and/or proper screw tightening) to 2825fps. The load was 350TTSX, 101.5gn R17, Fed215M or WLRM, Norma or Hornady cases. H4350, R16, and StaBall6.5 are all appropriate substitute powders within a grain or two difference in powder.

It is a great caliber and load, though it does rock one a bit on the bench. The extra velocity is only usable if this would be used for both buffalo and plains game antelope. Otherwise, 2700 or even 2600 would work fine. (2600fps would be achievable with a 416 Ruger, should one want a lighter-carrying rifle.)

The CEB would be a great single-load long-range load, but its stability is barely marginal in 16.5" twist. (A 14"-twist is strongly recommended, as in the 416Ruger/Rem's.) I would check out the bullet for a potential elk rifle if I were not already checking out a 248gn HammerHunter in a 375Ruger rifle under 7-lbs without scope.

PS for 4Sixteen: I use a little plastic insert on the tip for seating tipped bullets without squishing the point.
For bullet pulling, you might try a collet puller. RCBS works great with the .416" collet and the bullets are 100% reusable and undamaged.

You will find great improvement in bolt smoothness if you file down the ejector spur by 1 or 2 mm as suggested by Wayne at AHR. Also use 400 - 1000 grit paper on the feeding rails & extractor edges







Loading block walnut off cut



My home made kinetic puller for the 416 Rigby




Just throw it firmly on a wooden block and catch the rebound. Works very well and no damage to the bullet nose or spilling any powder

http://forums.accuratereloadin...101063581#2101063581

Here is what I did to mine with all the help from the great people here.

Wayne at AHR is an amazing guy. His help was most important.

quote:

Originally posted by 4sixteen:
Very cool! Didn't think CZ action rough compared to my Zastava.

Would be a nice touch to a fine rifle.

My .416 Rigby is a Ruger #1 Tropical and I mounted it with a Ziess 3x9 Conquest scope. My number one load which gives me a ragged hole group with three shots when I have a good pulling the trigger is a 370 grain Northfork soft. The charge is 98 grains RL-22 with Fed 215M primer. It cronies at 2455 fps. This same weight solid is within half inch. My number two load is a 400 grain Swift A-Frame loaded with 104 grains H4831SC same Fed primer. That load cronies at 2489 fps. It gives a half inch group. This is my experience for what it is worth. Good Shooting.