I have a Whitworth 458 Win Mag.. I was wanting to turn it into a 416 Rigby. Is this possible??
If so who would do it??
Thanks In advance ....
Sur5er

It can be done. However there are less expensive and probably safer ways to get a 416 Rigby.

If I were wanting a 416 I would start with a CZ chambered in such and customize to my liking.

The Rigby is a great round. No argument there.
But you could real easy switch to a 416 rem mag.
And I doubt the animal would know the difference. jmho....
Maddog

IMHO, for the price your rifle would bring here; you could buy a new CZ in 416 Rigby and just about cover bedding and crossbolting it.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

I agree...
Aren't you the one that just sold some Whitworts?
Like around christmas? How many do you have?
Maddog

Both of the .458WinMag Whitworths that I have, had the long feed ramp and 3.4" box.
I had one of them opened up to 3.6" for a .458 Lott.
The .375 H&H Whitworths are the same action opened up to 3.6" box, and seem to have been done all to the front.

Making a .416 Rigby out of a Whitworth Mark X requires even more extreme measures to open it up another .2" to about 3.8". COL for the .416 Rigby is 3.750" afterall.

You will spend a whole lot of money if you can find a smith to do that competently, and it borders on gunsmithing malpractice at best.
You will have a weak action to sweat over, never to exceed 2350 fps with 400 to 410 grainers, keeping pressures down to 40Kpsi, like Harry Selby's old standard M98 .416 Rigby.
Harry was smart enough to sell that POS rifle before it blew up in his face.

Maddog
Ya I am a fool for the Whitworths.
I have 3 of each 375 H&H and 458's, left.. They just feel good and natural to me.
The 2 I just sold were gone literaly overnite.
So I guess a lot of others like them as well...
Thanks Sur5er

What about making a 416 Taylor or 416 Ruger?

sell the whitworth, or turn it into a 458AR, if you want more power ...

sell it, buy a CZ, should be pretty close in price... then send to AHR for trigger and safety

if you just love the 458 and want faster, the 458 AR will go 2375 in a 23 barrel with 500gr ... or have a 416 barrel installed, and go right at 2500fps

jeffe

quote:

Ya I am a fool for the Whitworths.
I have 3 of each 375 H&H and 458's, left.. They just feel good and natural to me.

Boy, you have ALMOST as many as Frank Martinez. Now that you have posted I'm sure you will get a PM from Frank offering to by your remaining six

My Whitworth Mark X collection:

.358 Shooting Times Alaskan
.375 Wby
.416 Barnes Supreme
.458 WinMag
.458 Lott
450 Barnes Supreme

4 of the six started as the factory butchered .375 H&H rifle, barreled action or action.

One was butchered by a local mechanical engineer-gunsmith from .458WinMag to .458 Lott.

Only one was left as a standard-length-unopened-up .458 WinMag. I like that one best.

some of them may go up on the block soon.. I am gettin a real itch for a double...

........I gotta agree with Idaho ..........If you want a 416 Rigby ...a CZ is about the best ......without getting carried away with the cost .........I turned mine into a 416 Rem mag ,, 6 in the mag one in the pipe .........300 gr X @ 2830 or more .....

Thanks for the great advice guys. I am going with the 416 Rem mag..

RIP
"Gunsmithing Malpractice"

quote:

Originally posted by Oldcoyote:
"Gunsmithing Malpractice"

hmm, sounds like good insurance!!

quote:

Originally posted by Sur5er:
I have a Whitworth 458 Win Mag.. I was wanting to turn it into a 416 Rigby. Is this possible??

Not at all practical. The labor involved is so extensive that you would be better off buying a Granite Mountain Arms action (3K or so) and building a proper Rigby on it.

Even more practcal (cost-wise) is buying a used Model 70 in .416 Rem and just selling your Whitworth (for 800 bucks or so).