I have been looking for a true big bore for a while now and have found a good deal on a mint condition 450 Rigby by a well known custom maker at half the price it cost new.

Everything I've read about this cartridge sounds good. What do you guys think of the 450 Rigby ? What is the recoil really like in a well designed rifle compared to a 416 Rigby or a 458 Lott ?

The rifle I am considering is built on a GMA action, with 21.5 inch barrel and ghost ring sights. I think weight is 10.5 - 11 lbs

There's nothing not to like about the 450 Rigby if you hand load otherwise your choices are limited. I own two of them and feel it's an ideal DG round. The recoil is more stout than a .416 but certainly not brutal by my standards, you can work up to it.
In my experience the jump from 500 gr bullets at 2400 fps to 2500 fps was not worth the increase. If you don't follow up on the deal please pm me sounds like a fine rifle.

If it's the one I'm also looking at too. Give them the $4000.00 they are asking before I buy it
Joe

I don't have the 450 Rigby but I do have the 450 Dakota. Trust me, when you start slinging 500 grain bullets at 2400 fps with more than 100 grains of powder, there is a significant amount of recoil, more than my .416 Rigby. The load that I found to work well was a 450 TSX at right around 2400 fps. That's plenty for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Bush:
I don't have the 450 Rigby but I do have the 450 Dakota. Trust me, when you start slinging 500 grain bullets at 2400 fps with more than 100 grains of powder, there is a significant amount of recoil, more than my .416 Rigby. The load that I found to work well was a 450 TSX at right around 2400 fps. That's plenty for me.

I do own a 450 Rigby and I agree with Dave.

I also have a 450 Rigby and would recommend it, especially if you reload......lots of bullet options. I load mine with 500gr Northfork Soft and 500gr CEB#13 Solid, both at 2400fps. Have used the solid load on elephant (high shoulder and frontal brain) and it lets the air out of them.

If you can shoot the 416 Rigby then you should be fine with the 450 Rigby. However, I don't really like shooting the 450 Rigby off the bench that much, but don't notice the recoil when hunting.

The .450 Rigby is the ultimate and the perfect .458 IMO. No belt, enough powder capacity to launch 500 gr bullets as fast as you'd ever need or inversely enough case capacity launch them at a reasonable speed and have a lower pressure round without horrible recoil and still more than enough power for any and all situations on this planet.

I've played with the Lott extensively I've had three of them but If i were going to do another bolt action .458 it would without a doubt be the Rigby. It's got everything going for it.

I wanted a 450 Rigby for quite a while now.