I picked up a cz550 416 Rigby with a synthetic stock recently and wanted to rebarrel to something in the 45-50 caliber range.I was wondering what would be the cheapest way to go in regards to reloading components.I have thought of a 460 Weatherby,450 Rigby,450 Dakota and maybe 500 A square,500 A2 OR 505 Gibbs. Any thoughts?Anyone out there have any components for sale(dies,brass,reamer)?

Thanks
Fred

quote:

Originally posted by WVFred:
I was wondering what would be the cheapest way to go in regards to reloading components.I have thought of a 460 Weatherby,450 Rigby,450 Dakota and maybe 500 A square,500 A2 OR 505 Gibbs. Any thoughts?Anyone out there have any components for sale(dies,brass,reamer)?

Thanks
Fred

For grins I would do one of the .510"s. Then you have the BMG bullets to plink with.

The cheapest .458" bullet has to be the Remmy 405gr

The cheapest dies on your list would probably be the 460Wby.

None of the brass for the rounds you list are what I call cheap. But of them the Wby casses are the least exspencive. They would cover the 500A2 and the 510 Wells. Gibbs would be higher.

Have fun with what ever it beconmes.

Hog Killer

The easiest is send it to one of the barrel reborers and go 450 Rigby. The funnest would be the big 510 cases and throat it for pulled BMG incendiary tracer rounds.

I'm a bit prejudiced, I bought a reamer and built a 510 Kayser Express (510 Wells Express minus the irritating belt) It matches Gibbs factory velocities without any signs of pressure or headspacing issues. Buy 510WX dies and cylindrical 416 brass (from Jamison) and go happy. Cast bullets, or have a friend who does? Get a standard 500-600gr gascheck bullet mould, gaschecks from Hornady and shoot all you want for less than 50-cents a round with a cast load at about 2000-2100fps. I am currently doing load work on a 505 Gibbs, 650gr gaschecked bullet at 2100fps. 120gr of Vihta Vuori oy N160. Have shot 4-6 rounds off the bench chronographing and accuracy testing every morning in a half hour session the past ten days and no redness or swelling, or discomfort. None!
Build a 50, as far as real dangerous game rifles there are .500's and small bores. The bigger calibers are too much to enjoy at 200+ rounds a year. The 510KX is an every week shooter for milk jugs full of frozen, food dyed, water. Too much fun to resist. Time to reward yourself for not killing your boss or any of the neighbors all these years...with a proper boltgun. 10-11 pound rifle with express sights and nice wood. Two crossbolts and good to go.

I am having an absolute blast with mine.

Rich

Rich, when you get your 550/505 up and running Wayne Doudna had a nice 715 gr cast bullet we made for the 550 magnum.

Gentlemen,
Thanks for the input.I was wondering if I went with a 510 Gibbs would I use regular 505 dies and reamer or are they cartridge specific?
Thanks for the info!

Fred

There is that .005" difference...just enough to keep it from working IMHO; and I am playing with one. I would expect the only reasonable way to go the 510 Gibbs route is get a dies maker (like Dave at CH4D who does this sort of thing) to cut your dies that .005" or .006" larger, and buy a neck/throat reamer to do the same on a 505 chambered .510" diameter barrel. You got me curious enough to go out to the shop and try and seat a .510" bullet in a case...absolute no-go!
Just succeeded in deforming the bullet nose and sticking the round in the die enough to require the 4lb Ford all-purpose tool to remove it.

Rich

Thanks for the info Rich,nothing is easy is it?


Fred