I just dropped the hammer on a Ruger RSM in .416 Rigby last Friday. Now, where do I start reloading? I want to work up from the .375 H&H I've been shooting. I'm comfortable with it, but I know full-house .416 is gonna be a step up. I've order Hornady brass (we'll see how that works) and some Speer 350gr. HotCors to get me started. Any suggestions on reduced loads? Any suggestions other than don't start out at the bench?

David Walker

Oh, to save you guys some keystrokes, the gun will go to Roger Ferrell for all the needed treatments as soon as he's finished with my .375 H&H. For the time being though, I figure reduced loads shouldn't do much damage to the stock and if they do, I'll send it back to Ruger. And, I can't wait that long to squeeze the trigger.

x2mosg,
Congratulations.
Is it the latest (Gen III) weighing 9.5 pounds bare with 23" barrel, .750" muzzle diameter?

380 to 400 grainers: 96 to 105 grains of H4831 or H4831SC whichever shoots best

330 to 350 grainers: 91 to 100 grains of H4350
whichever shoots best

I just got a bunch of the new Hornady .416 Rigby brass to dedicate to the .395 Tatanka.
It is nicely annealed at the factory after forming so it should make nice .395 Tatanka.

My .416 Rigby loads are with Norma brass. I have not weighed the water capacity of the two different makes of brass, but the pressures are pretty low in the .416 Rigby and the brass difference will not be critical, but will be interesting to see how they compare.

Use the GM215M primer.
Here is the one-shot cape buffalo killer load with the 380-grain GSC FN from My RSM (Gen II 24" barrel with .820" muzzle diameter and about 10.75# bare weight), Ruger made an accurate barrel on this one, 1:14" TWIST: O.140 MOA



That was 105.0 grains of H4831.
I do believe Oom Janie tipped JOC to that powder charge as a "best load" with 400 grain bullets.
It makes the GSC FN 380-grainer go 2509 fps in my RSM.

My std load is 103 gr of H4831 and a 410 gr woodleigh softs, fed 215 of course. Shoots excellently in my RSM. One suggestion is change the trigger. Brownells sells an excellent replacement and your shooting will improve significantly with it. Otherwise they are great guns right out of the box.-Rob

RIP, It is a new rifle, so I'm assuming it's Gen III, as you say. Weight feels about right for that. I plan to feed it either 350 or 400 TSX or the Woodleighs.

Rob, It's going to Roger Ferrell as soon as he finishes my .375 for a full tune-up, which will include trigger work.

Thanks fellows,

David