Interesting thread. Looks like the 416 Ruger could be a useful wild boar cartridge for use on mainland Europe, used as a deer cartridge in the UK and big game in Africa. Just need to pursuance our licencing authorities of this.

And you can easily do it in a left handed action without breaking the bank.

quote:

Originally posted by surefire7:
Tanzan416,

Thanks for starting this thread. I've learned a lot from you, RIP, and the others on this post.

Because of your thread, I've finally decided to order another Ruger Alaskan 416, and customize it to my desires.

Merry Christmas Tanzan!!!

You are welcome, surefire, and a Merry Christmas to you.

I have a 416 ruger
300gr tsx at 2600fps+
Worked over by rick stienhour of extreme rifle works in Texas. With irons sights I’m 5lbs 11oz. Scopes and loaded just shy of 7lbs. The rifles a dream.
I carry this rifle a lot and shoot a hundred or more rounds a year just to keep tuned up. This gunnfits like a glove and shoots like a dream. Hated the original “guide gun” it was at 9lbs. Was hurting my shoulder and neck carrying it.

quote:

Originally posted by Fourtyonesix:
I have a 416 ruger
300gr tsx at 2600fps+
Worked over by rick stienhour of extreme rifle works in Texas. With irons sights I’m 5lbs 11oz. Scopes and loaded just shy of 7lbs. The rifles a dream.
I carry this rifle a lot and shoot a hundred or more rounds a year just to keep tuned up. This gunnfits like a glove and shoots like a dream. Hated the original “guide gun” it was at 9lbs. Was hurting my shoulder and neck carrying it.

Would you be able to share some of the ways you got the rifle so light? It sounds like a dream. Sort of like aTikka with a robust caliber.

Took off the muzzle break threads, turned down the barrel, removed the rear sights, flutted and dimpled the bolt, hollowed the bolt handle, trimmed up the action, contoured the trigger and trigger guard, new short fore end stock with shorter LOP. Ceracote too. Trigger job.

I spoke with Alliant today and got some load data for the Speed 350gr. They gave me Power Pro 2000 MR with a starting load of 82.6 gr8 and max load of 91.4gr8 for a muzzle velocity of 2,731fps.

quote:

Originally posted by HWhit585:
I spoke with Alliant today and got some load data for the Speed 350gr. They gave me Power Pro 2000 MR with a starting load of 82.6 gr8 and max load of 91.4gr8 for a muzzle velocity of 2,731fps.

Wow, that's 5790 ft pounds. Quite a load.

Was that with a 24" barrel? Even with a 20" barrel that should still be close to 2650fps. I would be happy with an accurate 2600fps, still 5250 foot-pounds.

In fact, for me a 416Ruger would be for downsizing, so I will probably keep loads at or just under 5000 ftlbs. Perhaps a 330 grain GSC at 2600fps, 4950ftlbs. Pretty nice for hunting even out past 300 yards a tad.

It’s funny how we crunch numbers so much. But truth be told given all the variables with every single shot we shoot we might as well have a handful of different loads down the mag. One shot with great numbers(on paper) busting bone then the next shot hitting no bone and just moshing thru guts could have used a soft point going slower then the animals rolls down a hill and is farther away and could use a flatter shooting load etc. pick whatever your gun shoots good.
But.
I realize this leaves the hand loader nuts with nothing to do. Lol

I believe it was with a 24 inch barrel, I too will be happy with a 2600 fps load. I'm waiting on my dies to arrive, hopefully I can have an update on the load soon.

I love any big bore that shoots groups like that, I may want to punch something mean in the eyeball...I sold most of my big bores this year as I have no more need for them, so If I ever decide to return to Africa, I will buy a 416 Ruger, I would not have run out and sold my old 416 Rem or my 404 Jefferys just to get a 416 Ruger..

I suggest that you will get a better kill with a 400 gr. bullet at 2400 FPS, that's a lot easier on the bullet..Just my two bits.

I’ve seen better kills with 180 noslers outa a aight six than a 400 grain outa a 416. And vise versa. So many variables. One load isn’t gonna cover them all.

It seems that a post on another thread really belongs here because it supports the all-purpose flexibility of the 416Ruger.
* * *

quote:

I ran my previous example again, and the drop difference at 300 yards is 2.3 inches...far from your 6 inches, isn't it? So, I wonder what numbers are you comparing? Like I said before...apples to apples, but if you are going to select a different bullet weight with different designs and construction, different MV, etc it's obvious you can make your numbers suit you in any possible way. That is the wrong way to do this and unfair, to say the least.

For the record, I used a 2" sight height and a 100 yard zero, under ICAO STD conditions.

Your first comparison for PBR was 350gn.416" vs 350gn .458. That was and remains invalid.
The 350gn .458" will not penetrate as far as a 350gn.416 unless you run the .458" faster than the .416, which is not going to happen at same pressures given the Ruger's 10-grain capacity advantage over the 458 diameter advantage. For DG apples to apples you need to compare the 330gn .416 vs the 400gn .458".

Now you may notice that the larger capacity 416Ruger will run the 330 gn bullet quite a bit faster than the 458 will run the 400gn and it will do it will less recoil. GSC recommends 2700fps for the 330gn and 2475fps for the 458.

So when loaded with a light DG bullet, the 416R drops -8.8" at 300 yards [330gn], a good and respectable plains-game load, while the 458WM drops -12.2. That is 3.4" and most hunters consider that a significant difference out at 300yards, specifically because things are not 'bench-rest' and a person may need to 'eye-ball' the distance rather than laser it. Yes 3.4" is significant.

Having said all of that, I agree with you that the 458 is the better DG rifle and load. Diameter counts. Diameter transfers more wounding-energy, faster.

But the 458 is not the better plains game rifle, nor equal to the 416R. Nor is it within 10 yards of the Ruger for PBR.

I tend to use a 2.1" vital-zone radius because I hate to shoot over a plains game animal. That is typically 1.9"-2.1" sight-in at 100 yards, depending on muzzle velocities.

On the other hand, a 6" vital-radius is going to wound a few animals out at 150 yards near the max arc because a person has to add wobble, wind, and time pressure. (I've hunted with 4" sight-ins, 300-yard zeros, aiming low at most animals. I've switched to 2.1" max arc and find it psychologically much easier and satisfying.) For the record, the 458 and a 6" radius has a PBR of 321 yards, while the Ruger is 348yards, same atmosphere/elev. Yes, it is only 27 yards. At realistic hunting sight-ins it will even be less difference.

Using the loads above, the 458WM sighted-in at 2.1" max arc (usually around 100 yards for slower loads), has a point blank range of 214 yards. The Ruger is 232. Only 18 yards, but I'll take those. The critical distance for hunting is 200-300 yards where distance estimation starts to become significant and mistakes are easy to make.

As for SD, the article by Gerard is not the last word although he does raise some points that diminish its importance in some circumstances. An unspoken item is that Gerard's experience seems to rely on 'blowing the petals' in some circumstances, so that the cylinder ends up penetrating really well. Otherwise, increased velocity for lighter bullets cannot maintain or increase momentum in a reciprocal fashion. Velocity is squared with energy while it is not squared with momentum.

Nevertheless, for plains-game only, the 416 can use the GSC 245 grain bullet, while the .458 can load a 315gn GSC. I had forgotten about the 315gn. The -6" difference came from a heavier bullet. Here is a comparison, both loads fairly hot:

458WMg 315gn 2725fps 5193ME 2.1", at 300 yards -8.8" PBR 232yard.
416Rug 245gn 3100fps 5227ME 2.1", at 300 yards -5.3" PBR 260yard.

You know that 315gn GSC bullet, .458", looks pretty nice, definitely huntable for plains game!
So primarily for PG the 458WM is good, the 416 better, but for DG the 416 is good plus, while the 458 is even better. (Why the 'plus', because the 416 outclasses the 375.)

Maybe we should discuss the 270 vs 30-06? Wink (Joke)

For a one-bullet load I still lean to the 330gn (-8.8"@300) over the 400gn (-12.2@300). I guess I like easier hartebeest shots. But if someone gives me a really great deal on a 458, I'm ready to change. (Afterall, if I've been shooting 6000-6800ft# loads, 5300ft# ought to feel great.)