416 Ruger Hawkeye Africans without muzzle brake?

28 January 2020, 03:32

I recently saw a Ruger African in 416 Ruger that has no muzzle brake or counterweight. I was unaware that the African model in 416 Ruger was ever made without the hideous muzzle contraptions. No cap or threads. Anyone know when these were made or how many were made? Are they rare as hens teeth or quite common?

Matt
FISH!!

Heed the words of Winston Smith in Orwell's 1984:

"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right."

28 January 2020, 05:02

Charles_Helm

I got one off Gunbroker last year. The seller was selling a dozen or so.

28 January 2020, 06:53

ColoradoMatt

quote:
Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
I got one off Gunbroker last year. The seller was selling a dozen or so.

That’s interesting. Have you weighed it? Just curious.

28 January 2020, 18:40

jeffeosso

iirc, the first year or two didn't have the brake

28 January 2020, 19:44

RIP

Phil Shoemaker said his 23"-barreled .416 Ruger Hawkeye African (blue & walnut) weighs about 8.5 pounds,
same as the 1905 Vintage .404 Jeffery with 24" barrel:

I have that rifle in .375 Ruger (23", African, blue & walnut, bought in 2007) and it weighs 7.75 pounds.
The slim walnut stock weighs 1.75 pounds with one crossbolt.
The barreled action weighs 6.0 pounds.
The muzzle diameter is 0.675" at 23" length.

Ruger was good at contouring the barrels on those rifles. Made the .416 Ruger African heavier than the .375 Ruger African.
Also stock with 2 visible crossbolts might be a bit heavier than 1.75 pounds.

.375 Ruger Stainless Alaskan 20" in Hogue stock: 8.25 pounds --- barreled action weight = 5.75 pounds --- muzzle diameter = same 0.675" at 20" length instead of 23",
so this is a slightly lighter contour than the African,
about 0.25 pound lighter, including the 3" shorter effect.

.416 Ruger Stainless Alaskan 20" in Hogue stock: 8.0 pounds --- barreled action weight = 5.5 pounds --- muzzle diameter = 0.755"

Nice. In a 1.5-pound basic, unadorned, Zytel stock that .416 Ruger Alaskan weighs 7.0 pounds.
Hard to beat for light and handy power,
unless it was a 7.0-pound .458 WIN
which might rattle the teeth of the shooter as well as the bear.

Rip ...

28 January 2020, 21:51

458Win

Thanks RIP, The weight, balance and ballistics of the original Jeffery 404 and the 416 Ruger African were nearly identical ! Other than the slightly quicker bolt throw and the thicker forearm of the 416, which favored the Ruger, and the steel butt plate on the Jeffery, which also favored the Ruger.

29 January 2020, 05:08

Charles_Helm

quote:
Originally posted by ColoradoMatt:

That’s interesting. Have you weighed it? Just curious.

No, but I will try to remember to do so.

30 January 2020, 02:03

Atkinson

I love your 404..

30 January 2020, 06:21

Charles_Helm

7 lbs 14.8 oz on my scale, no scope or rings, unloaded.

01 February 2020, 17:45

Superdutch

I have one with out the break and thin stock. I didn’t want the break either. I found that rifle to be too light for me - recoil was fast! I had a mercury reducer added and some weight to the forearm, added a low power scope on Warn detachable bases and now it is fine. I think all that brought the weight to about 11 lbs, which tamed the rifle nicely.

01 February 2020, 19:53

458Win

In 1905, When Jeffery offered their 404 and H&H introduced their famous 375 a few years later, most hunters carried their rifles all day and shot offhand. So a reasonably lightweight rifle was appreciated.
After all, recoil lasts only for an instant but gravity is forever.

02 February 2020, 02:52

ColoradoMatt

quote:
Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
7 lbs 14.8 oz on my scale, no scope or rings, unloaded.

Thank you very much, Mr. Helm. That is about what Ruger advertises the weight to be (advertised at 7.8lbs). If I end up getting one, I would like to bring the weight up closer to nine pounds. My Lipsey’s Ruger 9.3x62 weighs 7lbs 10oz and my 1939 Mauser A weighs 7lbs 15.5oz. Both of my wrists are in bad shape from many years in the oil field. Some extra weight will reduce the pain. Reduced velocity handloads in the 450-400 Nitro level should help as well. I was unaware that this rifle was ever made without the break. I like it!

02 February 2020, 05:07

ColoradoMatt

quote:
Originally posted by RIP:
Phil Shoemaker said his 23"-barreled .416 Ruger Hawkeye African (blue & walnut) weighs about 8.5 pounds,
same as the 1905 Vintage .404 Jeffery with 24" barrel:

I have that rifle in .375 Ruger (23", African, blue & walnut, bought in 2007) and it weighs 7.75 pounds.
The slim walnut stock weighs 1.75 pounds with one crossbolt.
The barreled action weighs 6.0 pounds.
The muzzle diameter is 0.675" at 23" length.

Ruger was good at contouring the barrels on those rifles. Made the .416 Ruger African heavier than the .375 Ruger African.
Also stock with 2 visible crossbolts might be a bit heavier than 1.75 pounds.

.375 Ruger Stainless Alaskan 20" in Hogue stock: 8.25 pounds --- barreled action weight = 5.75 pounds --- muzzle diameter = same 0.675" at 20" length instead of 23",
so this is a slightly lighter contour than the African,
about 0.25 pound lighter, including the 3" shorter effect.

.416 Ruger Stainless Alaskan 20" in Hogue stock: 8.0 pounds --- barreled action weight = 5.5 pounds --- muzzle diameter = 0.755"

Nice. In a 1.5-pound basic, unadorned, Zytel stock that .416 Ruger Alaskan weighs 7.0 pounds.
Hard to beat for light and handy power,
unless it was a 7.0-pound .458 WIN
which might rattle the teeth of the shooter as well as the bear.

Rip ...

Thanks for all of the great info, RIP. Your posts never lack detail! The .675” muzzle diameter is about the same as Mauser once used on their Type A 404 and 10.75x68 barrels (17mm). That says nothing about the overall contours, but I bet they really aren’t so different in that respect either. Looks like Ruger did good.

Thanks for the comparison, Phil!

02 February 2020, 05:46

Charles_Helm

quote:
Thank you very much, Mr. Helm.

My pleasure.

06 February 2020, 03:47

JeffreyPhD

There's one on Guns International right now. I know we're not supposed to post links to other sites. So, it's at Cabelas Sun Prarie Wisconsin, Guns International #: 101370976.

It's a little off in that it has the (very) matte finish of the earlier African guns, and the stock with the forend tip of the later rifles. Who knows, maybe the original stock split or something and Ruger replaced it. Some of those did apparently. Anyway, no muzzle break, no threads for one. They want $950 for it.

06 February 2020, 03:57

JeffreyPhD

Phil, I'd like to get your take on the Hawkeye safety lever set up. A PH (Bossie Mostert, Limpopo Safaris) had a nasty run in with a buffalo when somehow the safety was placed in the full rear position so that the head of it rested against the bolt between the front of the bolt shroud and the rear of the extractor blade. Happened in the excitement of the moment, he wrote he did not know how it did. Rendered the gun inoperable for an instant. I've tried that on mine and they can apparently all do that. The design doesn't prevent it. It would have to be an extreme fluke, as I can't really see how it could happen without really pushing your palm against the safety while operating the bolt. Only incident of that type I've read about, and a fair number of PHs seem to use them. Bossie wrote that he made a full recovery, thank goodness.

quote:
Originally posted by 458Win:
Thanks RIP, The weight, balance and ballistics of the original Jeffery 404 and the 416 Ruger African were nearly identical ! Other than the slightly quicker bolt throw and the thicker forearm of the 416, which favored the Ruger, and the steel butt plate on the Jeffery, which also favored the Ruger.