OK. Lookin for some opinions on something.I've got 4 rifles and I'm looking to get rid of 2 of them. The rifles are a 375 ruger alaskan, 416 ruger alaskan, 416 rigby ruger#1, cz550 high grade 458 lott. I want to keep 2 of them and use these 2 for my hunting guns. I would like some opinions on which 2 you guys would keep and why? I have 2 in mind, 416 ruger and the 458 lott. Let me know what you guys think.

Go with your instincts. I think you are spot on.

.375 and .458 if it were me. One, they are bolt actions, and two because I like the .375s better than the .416 especially if I have a heavy like the Lott to go with them. My three DG rifles are a .375 Wby, .458 Lott, and a .470NE DR.

The CZ 458 and Ruger 375 might give you a bit wider coverage.

Keep the .375 Ruger and the .458 Lott and sell the other two. That .375 Ruger loaded with a 270 TSX will be fast and flat shooting and you can use the Lott to get up close and personal when you need to.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Bush:
Keep the .375 Ruger and the .458 Lott and sell the other two. That .375 Ruger loaded with a 270 TSX will be fast and flat shooting and you can use the Lott to get up close and personal when you need to.

That would be my choice as well. The Ruger is one of the best handling .375's I have ever owned and the CZ is in a class by its self. If the CZ sold for triple what they did stores could not keep them in stock.

I'veshot the 375 ruger and it handles and shoots great. I guess it would make more sense to keep the 375 and the 458.

Stay with your first choice, the 416 and 458. with modern powder the 416 is flat shooting. You can load down but you cant add diameter .

SSR

I would keep the two Ruger Hawkeyes. Great handling rifles. And light as well.. In my opinion much better than the CZ, but thats just me.. Keep the 375 as it is, but change barrel on the 416 Ruger to Jeffes 458 AccRel or maybe even go for the 500 AccRel. Then you need no more for any big game hunting worldwide

Sell them all and get yourself a 416 Rem. in either a Mod. 70 or a CZ.

It is all you would ever need.

You don't need a Lott. The 416 Rem. will do everything any of the rest of them will do and with as great or greater magazine capacity.

The problem is trying not to start buying more, irrelevant, rifles.

I would take my 458 Lott, And my 375 H&H. The Lott is good for any animal On this planet. And the 375 H&H is good for any animal the lott doesn't kill.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:

The problem is trying not to start buying more, irrelevant, rifles.

No Kidding, I've got two safes full of rifles I seldom shoot and don't hunt with.

375 and 458 .. cheapests big bore bullets, and likely the widest selection ... with humor, there's no need for a 416 when you have a lot .. you can load a lott down to that, but not the other way around ...

Yeah, the .416s are redundant, so I'd sell them first, if I had to do it, and keep the .375 and .458.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
375 and 458 .. cheapests big bore bullets, and likely the widest selection ... with humor, there's no need for a 416 when you have a lot .. you can load a lott down to that, but not the other way around ...

by this theory you dont need the 375 either

SSR

Thanks guys for all the opinions. I really wanted a 416 when I bought those 2 rifles but that has somewhat wore off. I really do like the alaskan guns but I just need to figure which one. The 375 and 45 cal bullets are definetly cheaper and plentiful compared to the 416's. I really like the lott. The wood is beautiful and it shoots great. That one will stay. So now its down to one of three. This all started because my wife is refusing to allow me to put another safe in the house. So I need to get rid of a few guns I'm not using to make room for any future guns I just cant pass up.

If you are serious about hunting DG my suggestion is to take the rifle you are most comfortable with and shoot the best.
That is more important than the difference in calibers between the rifles you mentioned.

Thats a good point. I've shot the alaskans alot and very well. They fit great as well as the lott. The rigby is new and never been fired so I dont have the range time with it. I think the rigby will be up for sale.

quote:

Originally posted by Cross L:

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
375 and 458 .. cheapests big bore bullets, and likely the widest selection ... with humor, there's no need for a 416 when you have a lot .. you can load a lott down to that, but not the other way around ...

by this theory you dont need the 375 either

SSR

nah, got to have something for the kids and ladies to shoot

The .375 H&H is renowned as a great chambering ... but I gotta admit that even though I have a pretty decent one, it just doesn't float my boat.

Would rather use handier 9,3x62 as a light medium and a .416 Rigby (or Ruger) as a light large bore.

As I don't take rifles to Africa for women and children, I'd opt for the .416 and .458 on a dangerous game hunt.

I have sold a .416Rem and a .375RUM and retain a .375H&H, .416Rem and a .458Lott. The .375 no longer goes to Africa.

I would definitely keep the CZ550 .458 lott. Then I would re-barrel the No1 to .375H&H and sell the .416 barrel.

Keep the pair of Alaskan Rugers and don't look back.

I have that pair also and its really nice to be intimately familiar with just one platform for all your hunting.

Size, weight,material (stainless,synthetic) affordable ammo. You can't go wrong!

P.S. In the alternative .375/.458 would be the practical combo.

I dont want to sell the alaskans. They fit so well. Maybe just the rigby will go. Thanks guys for all the replies.

quote:

Originally posted by RPW:
I dont want to sell the alaskans. They fit so well. Maybe just the rigby will go. Thanks guys for all the replies.

Sounds good to me, though I haven't used the Alaskan personally, yet.

People didn't comment on the 'single-shot' side of your questions. The 416 Rigby is a great, flat, all around calibre, when handloaded, but I prefer a magazine. Buffalo typically take three shots: one to kill it, one as it staggers away, and one 'insurance' upclose. That last shot can be done at leisure, but the second shot should be done without extra distractions.

For the Alaskans, maybe try out the new tipped TSX bullets, or GSCustom, in order to give you the most range. The 416Ruger should do about 2600fps with 350 grains and should take care of everything. The 375 has a 250 TTSX offering. That should shoot 200-250fps flatter, though it is more marginal in weight/diam/SD for buffalo.

I could happily hunt with all three, yea, four. the important thing is having some good habitat to walk through.

I'd keep the .416 Ruger and sell the rest of your four. I don't have anything against the other three. Any one of them would work for DG. BUT, I think the best way to stay alive if you're going to hunt much DG is to get one good rifle and use it until it is virtually part of you.

I'd pick the .416 Ruger because it has enough power to truly be into the DG category for ANY continent's game. It's past the "marginally acceptable" level on that score.

To tell the whole truth though, if it was my situation, I'd sell all four and get me a double rifle in whatever .40" or larger chambering tickled my fancy.

For me that would be most likely be either a .450/.400, or a plain old tried and true .450 Nitro 3-1/4". I've owned both (and other DRs both smaller and larger) and those two really float my boat for hunting use, without having to carry around the weight of the rifles built for even larger cartridges. My .470 double was a great rifle, but it WAS heavy after a day in the field.

I'd sell them all and buy a Double.

The rigby is now on sale on gunbroker. The 375 I think is soon to follow.