My PH in Zimbabwe, Paul Zorn had a original .416 Rigby that was identical I believe to the Harry Selby gun featured in one of the recent gun magazine articles. It was apparantly built on a standard military M98 action. The gun had a dropped floorplate and non- standard magazine box, but otherwise was a M98( with the thumb cutout on the receiver ), with a notch milled out of the front receiver ring and some very serious milling done to the rear bridge and clearanced for positive ejection. I examined it pretty closely and it looked like very little metal had been removed from the ramp/lower receiver locking lug area. The rifle was quite elegant, marked as made by Rigby and handled my own pretty stiff handloads easily. I wonder if anyone here has ever seen one of these and would know its approximate age.? I've read that Rigby originally did build .416 Rigby's on the military M98 but later went to Brevex mauser actions. Interestingly, the action used a std M98 extractor which while way too short, still functioned flawlessly. The gun I believe held 3 or 4 rounds in the mag and was an absolute delight to carry due to its light weight. Has any one here tried to build a duplicate and if not, It's certainly worth thinking about. The .416 Rigby is a low enough pressure cartridge that a M98 might survive moderate use. It sure would be neat to make a copy.-Rob

Rob,

I'm holding Rifle No. 192, which has an article on Harry Selby's rifle on page 58:

Harry Selby's 470 double was run over by a Landrover in 1949, and he bought the 416 shortly thereafter. Rigby literature from that time, quoted in the article, stated that this rifle (the Model No. 5) was made from a specially designed i.e. magnum action, NOT a military 98. The author speculates the substitution was due to a shortage of magnum actions after WWII.

HTH,
Todd

Rob,

I'll take one!
Sounds like a very handy weapon and definitely practical since it really won't be shot terribly often and is built around a low pressure round. Obviously Rigby made the change for a reason but building a few of these would be great way to put the elegance and heritage of a Rigby into a more readily available (and cheaper) package I think.

JohnTheGreek

Selby sold that rifle to a Ph, so I believe you had that very rifle in your hands! What history. Didn't he carry that when backing up Ruark?

Bolt thrust would only be around 12,850 pounds. Lower than a .375 H&H at 13,781 pounds or a .300 Winchester at 14,226 pounds.

I dont think that was Selby's rifle, if I have it right he sold the rifle to Frank Lyon, an American hunter.

HBH

Rob,
Please don't tease my affliction ... leadeth me not into temptation. Bad Rob!

HBH,

You are correct -- according to the Rifle article, Frank Lyon is the new owner.

Todd

I don't know what you would call "moderate use" , but that article states Selby shot the gun enough to completely wash out the rifling and it was eventually rebarreled . I would call that "consirable" use .

I recently looked at a custom rifle for sale at a gun show that is a 416 Rigby made on a Mark X Interarms action. Don't know who made it. There was also a 416 built on a standard length Oberndorf action for sale on GunsAmerica not too long ago in Alaska.

Hi Guys,

I have a standard length M98 in .416 Rigby. The history of this rifle is not clear to me but I believe that it came out of a Belgian factory sometime after wwII. This rifle has a commercial action without the thumb-cutout and a drop magazine holding 4 rounds. The magazine has been lengthened but mostly rearward so that there is still a reasonable amount of metal on the feed-ramp and in support of the lower locking lug recess. There is also a milled out section on the right-hand, rear face of the receiver ring to accommodate ejection of these long, loaded rounds.

In regards to the strength of this modified M98 I am certain that there is no problem provided one sticks to factory equivalent .416 Rigby loads (which operate at very low pressures and still have all the performance you can ever need). The danger with such a rifle, however, is if hotter reloads are used - perhaps in an attempt to duplicate or approach the performance of the .416 Weatherby. Hot .416 Rigby loads could cause setback of the lower locking lug and may even lead to the destruction of the action.

But the .416 Rigby made it's reputation with a 410 grain projectile at 2350 f.p.s. and if you still to equivalent loads then the standard M98 .416 Rigby is safe and feasible.

Bwana Bob,

Does that rifle feed ok? It sounds like someone planned it out well to fit 4 down in the mag.

I have inspected Paul Zorns rifle (I book for Paul) and its a nice rifle built on a 98 action...

It can certainly be done, but I wouldn't do it..I am sure its OK with moderate loads..My question is why would you want to...If your going to use a std. action then use a 416 Rem, Dakota or better yet a 404 Jefferys...why make a "blivet", that's stuffing 10 lbsl of s--t in a 5 lb. bag...or a Rigby case in a standard lenth action, same difference...

My main complaint is one would HAVE to open it up in front more than I care to do as that weakens the action in a particularly vernerble spot for lug setback....

500 grs.

Both the 416,s in question had added H&H 416 bottom metal, both drop boxes...No magazine alteration took place.