I have an older Ruger RSM in 416 Rigby. I bought it used in the early 90's. This was back when I was single and had no money for any guided hunting trips, not even in Texas much less Africa. The rifle finally made it to Africa in 2011 and peformed brilliantly on two elephant bulls. I love this rifle, but it is very, very, very heavy, too heavy for a 416 Rigby.

I was thinking of converting it to a 450 Rigby, or...... maybe 500 Jeffery or 505 Gibbs. I'm guessing the 450 Rigby would be the easiest conversion, but the thought of chasing elephant bulls around the Caprivi forest with a 500 Jeffery, sounds pretty cool.

Can anyone give me a recommendation for a gunsmith to do this work?

Thanks for the Help!!!

Why not just have the barrel turned down a bit?

George

I don't quite follow your reasoning!!!

You say you love your Ruger 416 Rigby and it has performed perfectly for you but you say it is "very, very, very heavy, too heavy for a 416". Laws of physics say it will still be the same no matter what cartridge you convert it too unless of course you have a larger bore barrel with thinner walls.

As GeorgeS posts, you can do the same for the 416 by re-profiling the barrel. There is nothing else you could do on your re cartridged Ruger to lighten it up that you couldn't do for it in 416 Rigby guise.

quote:

Originally posted by GeorgeS:
Why not just have the barrel turned down a bit?

George

These rifles have integrally machined quarter ribs, so I don't think turning the barrel is a good idea unless you you want to do away with the rib. It's possible to keep the rib and slim the barrel, just difficult. Your not going to lose much weight by reboring. The RSMs are just big guns. You might consider having it restocked or trimmed to be less portly.
Matt

My logic is based on my thinking that 11.5 pounds without scope, is too heavy for a 416 Rigby, but probably a little heavy for a 450 Rigby and about right for a 500 Jeffery. Or I should say, about right for me. When I purchased my old 416 Rigby for $800 fresh out of college around 1990, I knew very little about dangerous game rifles. What I did know was,... that Harry Selby carried a 416 Rigby, and Harry Selby was the coolest PH ever. At the time, the Ruger RSM was the only 416 Rigby that I could even remotely afford.

Also over the past few years, I have also purchased a 9 pound custom 416 Rem, a lightweight 375, 404 Jeffery and a 450 Nitro Express Heym Double Rifle. I don't really need another rifle that generates 5,000 ft/lbs at the muzzle.

I hunt elephants now. I shot my last elephant at 11 yards, so I'd like something with more thump. Sure I could sell my old 416, and buy a shiny new AHR in 450 Rigby, 500 Jeff or 505 Gibbs. However, I'd much rather convert my old rifle into my heavy elephant thumper. For so many years that old rifle was sort of my "stake in ground" for some far off future hunt in Africa. That rifle sat in my closet, then my gun safe for over 20 years before I was finnaly able to take it to Africa. Over years I would occasionally pull it out, and work the bolt, and dream of going to African and hunting elephants. For me personally the dream is here. I'd like to use my old rifle again on my next elephant hunt, and it really doesn't have anything to do with "logic" or money.

T.B.D, I hear from your couple of posts that you have a lot of history with that rifle.
That history brings familiarity and familiarity is a damned good thing to have with your chosen big bore, regardless of make, model etc.

I get that.

I also get that you've reached the point in your career where you don't feel it neccessary to lug around an 11lb weight.

Don't sacrifice the familiarity you have invested in that rifle.
If you need to slim it down consider having the current tube replaced with a new one of a profile of your choice, perhaps in 45 cal and have the neccessary action adjustments done accordingly.

Best of luck,

Paul.

Hey Devil heres what I did. I had my RSM rebored to 500 Jeffery, by clear creek works in wash. state. Jim Duiebel. If I had to do it over again I would. Don't forsee goin to africa right now, but if stampeed of packyderms in ohio I'll be ready! Meanwhile back at the ranch I'm ready for any squirel charges with my 530gr. cast boolits.

quote:

Originally posted by Texas Blue Devil:
My logic is based on my thinking that 11.5 pounds without scope, is too heavy for a 416 Rigby, but probably a little heavy for a 450 Rigby and about right for a 500 Jeffery. Or I should say, about right for me.

This sounds to me like you are more interested in matching the weight to the caliber, rather than attempting to lower the weight removing metal by enlarging the bore to the same barrel. My question is, 11.5 pounds is 11.5 pounds whether the caliber is 416, 450, or 510. If you're willing to carry an 11.5 lbs 500 Jeffery then why not an 11.5 lbs 416 Rigby that your are familiar with? It's a bit like 100 degrees in Africa is the same as 100 degrees in Texas!

Really not trying to stir the pot with you at all, just stating that the nostalgia and familiarity you have with that rifle seems to be important to you including the caliber per the Harry Selby reference. Any change to it is likely to void that nostalgia and familiarity. And 11.5 lbs is 11.5 lbs ya know. Beyond that, since the RSM is no longer being manufactured, are you sure you want to modify it?

BTW, congrats of making your dream of hunting Africa reality. It might sound silly to some but that same dream was one of my motivating factors when I was younger. I did something very similar. I purchased a Winchester M-70 (push feed) in 458 WM when I was in college (1982) as a reminder of what I wanted to hunt one day. I sold my rifle about 3 years ago however.

TBD, send it to Clearwater Reboring, had my RSM 416 Rigby rebored and rechambered to 505 Gibbs, they do beautiful work.

JM

Blue Devil:

Here's my suggestion. The .416 Rigby is a great cartridge but you already know that. I would suggest that you just pick up a the Euro version of the CZ in that caliber. It only weighs 9.38 pounds, two pounds lighter than your Ruger. Keep the Ruger to shoot at the range (or send it down the road) and use your CZ to hunt with. Here is the CZ link:

http://www.cz-usa.com/products...z-550-safari-magnum/

Reboring the barrel from 416 to 500 and cutting it some will definitely reduce some weight and will give a better balance due to the center of gravity moving further back. I would rebore it.

Buy a used RSM,then get it rebored to whatever you like.
Keep your original 416 Rigby

Even I can´t read that Texas Blue devil asks for a gunsmith, and not an opinion

Why don't you sell it to me ?
My horse carries my rifles.

Thanks !

Dennis Olsen.

Contact Firearms Service Center in Louisville, KY. A few years back I saw a couple rifles in their shop converted to 500 Jeffery. Gary Roman was the smith.

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
Contact Firearms Service Center in Louisville, KY. A few years back I saw a couple rifles in their shop converted to 500 Jeffery. Gary Roman was the smith.

Thanks for reminding me to do that too. Close to home, worth a look-see.

Hamilton Bowen used to do the conversion, though I think he used the Washington State outfit to rebore the barrel.

I handled a .505 Gibbs that Bowen made from a rebored RSM. It was in the rack at Great Northern guns, Anchorage AK, about 1993.

It weighed only about 10 pounds and balanced well.

Mingbogo is right. The old RSM fat barrel can be lightened by reboring.
Removing an inch or two of length won't do much.
If it has a muzzle diameter of about 0.810" under that banded front sight,
it really can't be thinned much by external tapering, out beyond that quarter rib, for a .505-510.
But maybe some, like a diameter reduction of 0.050".

For a "450" you could go a lot lighter.
That could add up.

What about a rebore to 470 Capstick??

Someone I met at the DSC told me you can get an extra round in magizine with a 470 Capstick versus a 450 Rigby. Does that sound correct??

On a .416 Rigby RSM, can't do a 470 Capstick with the smaller rim of that cartridge.
Bolt face cannot be closed up to fit the smaller rim. Would need a new bolt with .375 H&H face.
470 Mbogo on a .416 Rigby RSM, yes, like Canuck has.

BTW, my fat-barreled gen-2 .416 Rigby RSM, Ol' Purple, weighs only 10.75 pounds, dry weight.

I haven't used his services, but Dan Pedersen has a good reputation.

Classic Barrel and Gun Works

High Plains Reboring has done several barrels for me and they all shoot great..It would be very easy to rebore that heavy barrel to a 500/416 Rigby or a 450 for that matter. Whatever you decide I would KEEP the original 416 Rigby case for any rebore.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
I haven't used his services, but Dan Pedersen has a good reputation.

Classic Barrel and Gun Works

Ditto MR,
And he has a reamer there for the 400 Whelen Improved: 400 Whelen Imp (.461shoulder)

Does that qualify as not "moribund?"

How about a 416 Weatherby?

Would it be possible to rebore the 416 Rigby RSM to 416 Weatherby??

I really like the 416 Weatherby, but I don't really like the Weatherby rifles.

I had one of those early 416 Rigby Rugers with a very heavy barrel. Can't be turned down because of the integral rib and the barrel band swivel which attaches thru the stock and would no longer fit the stock w/o lots of glass.
I'd rebore to 500 Mbogo.

To go from having no money to being able to go elephant hunting every once in awhile means that you have done very well for yourself.

Congratulations.