I have recently been offered an Original 416 Rigby built 1951 that I am very keen on buying. My only worry is that it is on a standard action. I have heard of problems arising when standard actions are used with this cartridge. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

This was the 'norm' back in the day, the front ring was notched for the bullet tip and the rear ring was opened to lengthen the ejection port as well as the ejector and bolt stop being moved rearward. As a low pressure cartridge, I can't see how there would be many problems arising from this. The bolt face is opened quite a bit, maybe this was a concern?

Cheers.

Thanks for your help. The rifle fits like a glove and the action is like velvet.

Rigby knew their stuff and used the standard action for the .416 a fair bit. If the price is good, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.

The problems arise when bubba does the conversion. A good gunsmith does it right (like Mr. Wiebe, or Mr. Wisner). Others don't know how, but do it anyway.

Shoot standard pressure ammunition, and enjoy it.

Please post pictures, if you get it. Original Rigby's don't show up too often and I am sure a few guys would like to see it.

Jeremy

Thanks Jeremy, will definitely post a pic if I get it.

Harry Selby's .416 Rigby was built on a standard Mauser action and it was used for decades.

I'd love to see pics too. Nice find.

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The bolt face is opened quite a bit, maybe this was a concern?

Same bolt diameter and face on both standard and magnum Mauser actions, so this shouldn't be a concern.
Rigby did know what they were doing when they built these guns as long as it hasn't been monkeyed with.

Yes, sounds like a nice gun and should work fine with standard, low pressure ammo.

I would have a gunsmith rate the strength of the action before doing any handloading beyond low pressure SAAMI. The same goes for any "pre-1989 Rigby". The renewed interest in the Rigby following Ruger, Kimber, and CZ's popular offerings in longer actions allows loading to modern pressures like 60000psi.

Thanks for your positive feedback. Just realised the very same rifle was on the front cover of South Africa's Magnum Magazine. There is another picture of it in an article inside ".416 Rigby- Century Not Out". The author mentioned that although Harry Selby's rifle worked flawlessly for years, other 416's on Standard length actions had the tendency to develop locking lug setback after some use, resulting in the third (or safety) locking lug at the rear of the bolt shaft coming into play. Also shortening the bolt stop sometimes resulted in the bolt be pulled clear out of the receiver when vigorously worked. Just something that was of concern to me. Hopefully its not that common and especially with low pressure loads.

Plenty of standard length Mausers have been opened up for the 404 Jeffery cartridge and loaded up to pressure levels giving 2400+ MV.

It is not necessarily absolute pressure that should be considered as to whether a M98 would be compromised by opening up the action for an over length case, it is more the back thrust on the bolt head that could cause lug set back and long tapered neck and bodied cartridges such as the 404J are more prone to contribute to this condition than sharp shouldered less tapered cases such as the 416 Rigby. It has been shown that clean lube free cases that are not highly polished help reduce back thrust to the bolt head i.e. the case grips the chamber walls better.

At the end of the day both the 404 Jeffery and 416 Rigby have performed effectively and reliably on all dangerous game since their development back in the early 1900's at their original modest factory pressures so there is absolutely no need to throttle them up to super magnum levels today. A lighter standard length M98 action makes one of the better dangerous game bolt rifles you could want.

Mind you I would not turn down an original Oberndorf Magnum Action

Thanks Eagle 27. I agree with you 100%.

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416 Rigby have performed effectively and reliably on all dangerous game since their development back in the early 1900's at their original modest factory pressures so there is absolutely no need to throttle them up to super magnum levels today.

For traditional speeds one can shoot a 416Ruger, rifles costing about $800, or for super-cool one could shoot a 416B&M with a price tag about four times that. All of these can benefit from modern bullets.

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It is not necessarily absolute pressure that should be considered as to whether a M98 would be compromised by opening up the action for an over length case, it is more the back thrust on the bolt head that could cause lug set back and long tapered neck and bodied cartridges such as the 404J are more prone to contribute to this condition than sharp shouldered less tapered cases such as the 416 Rigby. It has been shown that clean lube free cases that are not highly polished help reduce back thrust to the bolt head i.e. the case grips the chamber walls better.

There is a lot out there about bolt thrust, lug setback, chamber grip etc.
The challenge the 416 Rigby presents which the 404 doesn't is that the feed ramp must be shortened to stack and feed cartridges as long as the Rigby. Working the feed ramp inherently reduces the amount of action metal which bears behind the bottom bolt lug so seems like the worry is setback of the action metal moreso than the bolt lug metal.
I have also read that brass cases are completely adhered to the chamber anywhere over 10,000PSI so for that component to contribute to bolt thrust would require an oversized chamber. Not sure what to think of that.

Professional Hunter Paul Zorn, Zimbabwe has had a WR 416 Rigby on a std. 98 Mauser action, and he has shot it to death, and never a problem..It is one of the nicest rifles I have ever seen and a pleasure to shoot...

Shortening the bolt stop? Actually you just replace the bolt stop, Mausers came with 3 lengths if you can find them, The 06, and 7x57 length are easy to find, and the magnum length and it's hard to find and original. Shortening might lead to breakage by too much metal removal, but proper modification of the existing bolt stop doesn't create such problems..Its such a simple conversion that its hard to understand why it would be a problem or lead to breakage.????

If the maker understands the Mauser and knows his stuff they do not have problems..Problem is damn few really understand how to do the conversion, but many claim to..

If Your rifle is an English rifle such as a WR,older Rigby or Holland and Holland it will work, and you have a very valuable and wonderful rifle.