Hello fellas, I am new to this forum and I'm needing some advice. I want a 416 Rigby, but I can't seem to find a factory rifle and I can't afford some custom $10,000 rifle. So, Ithought I'd buy an action and a nice piece of wood and have a gun maker friend of mine put a good barrel on it. The problem is, is that I dont know what kind of action to buy or how much they cost. Any help would be appreciated..................wapiti7

CZ550 comes in 416, as well as Ruger RSM.
You need a so-called "magnum" action for the Rigby. The cartridge is around 3.75" long, so regular 3.6" actions won't do.
Good luck, and welcome to the forum.

Wapiti,

While I don't have dog in this fight, either for or against either the CZ or Ruger; since you've mentioned $$$ in your original post I might also add that the CZ is very atractively priced.

A CZ550 in safari grade will run about 1200-1300 dollars. It is very nice as is but for about $2000 more you can have it customized by a good gunsmith. You will have a rifle you will truly love. I would recommend Roger Farrell in Fayetteville, Georgia.

Since when did the CZ's price get up to $1200-1300 dollars?

Starbuck, this is a rifle I also have an interest in. For the 2000$ what can the gunsmith do it that does not come from the factory?
Jarrod, I believe the price he is giving is for the more fancy stock. A plain stock cz550 can be had for around 800-900$ Either way they are a great looking rifle. John

Any opinions on the original question of piecing one together? Or the kind of action I need?

sorry wapiti7, I didn't mean to run around your question. Bwana-be answered that you will need a "magnum" action. I've got to believe it is going to be way cheaper to go with a stock cz rifle than anything custom built. good luck with your search. John

Well then, since I don't have any expierence with a cz gun, how does their quality compare to winchester or something similar. Are they any good? Is there anybody else making one besides them or is that my only option? Thanks again.........wapiti7

If you want a more than the factory CZ rifle, but for a lot less than $10,000, you should check also American Hunting Rifles. The Safari 550 (Dangerous Game Rifle) is stated as costing around $3,500.

http://www.hunting-rifles.com/

Click on the above link. For the nicer high end factory CZ rifle click on the link below:

http://safariclassics.com/home.html

For the Ruger click on the link below:

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=7505&return=Y

Great links! Thanks. John

There was a pretty nice tuned Ruger 416 that recently sold in Classifieds for about $1100. I personally would buy the Ruger because it looks the best to my eye. I prefer the factory 3 position safety.

Have a number of big bores and just ordered a CZ 550 Safari Magnum in .416 Rigby. You can pick these up for right around $800 (saw one at Cabelas in Austin last week for $793). The stocks require a little work to prevent splitting and they can be "smoothed" up with a little work but other than that they are reputed to be a great rifle. Made for years under the BRNO name. Very popular with the PH crowd in Africa. Will not find another safari type rifle for under $1K.

I paid $1100 or so for my Ruger, with a box of Federal TBBC and 20 rds of brass.

Seek and ye shall find.

I have a CZ 416 Rigby. Installed a Brockman Laminated stock, cut the barrel to 21" Installed a NECG front ramp with elevation adjustment and large flourescent bead. Barrel band front swivel. Leupold 1.5 x 5 in CZ rings. In all less than $1500 invested (this was one of first 416's CZ shipped and was about $650). Worked well on elephant in 2004. I used the Brockman drop in stock and it went in with only a little work on the barrel recoil lug. It comes with 2 crossbolts and recoil pad. A good buy. Straightened bolt handle was only other modification. Have never had a feed or function problem with this gun. I also have a Ruger 416 Rigby but far prefer the CZ. Just FEELS better. The Rugers have the biggest barrels I've ever seen on a rifle.

7 The CZ is a nice rifle that shoots great and wont break the bank. The best part is you can choose from three different stock options, plain, fancy, or laminated.
Craven

Take a look at this website. I have dealt with this guy before and he is OK!

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPa...63/products_id/23030

If all you want is a good, cheap (relative) 416 and if your gun maker buddy will let your parts at cost, you still can't beat the price of a CZ 550 because that is the action you will start with.

CZ bare aqction from Brownell's at dealer: $527
reasonable 416 barrel: $150
Laminated drop-in: $350

That's $1027 before you put sights (if you want irons) and before your buddy makes anything for assembly, chambering, yada yada.

A new CZ will run $900 and up
A new Ruger will run $1200 and up


Really clean used rifles will bring 3/4 of those numbers. You just can't build them cheaper than you can buy them if you have to have outside costs to do the gunsmithing and even without that extra cost it's tough.

quote:

wapiti7: Any opinions on the original question of piecing one together? Or the kind of action I need?

You'll need a full-length magnum action like the "Brno" CZ550/ZKK602, the BBK02, Enfield or Ruger RSM (several hundred $) or a limited production action like the Granite Mountain, Hein/Noreen, Prechtl, Brevex, etc. ($3000 area). Good quality barrel, sights, stock blank, accouterments, another $1000 or so. Good quality machine & stock work, bluing, checkering and various other labor will run from a couple to several grand more.

So, unless you can do much of the work yourself, it is much less expensive to buy a production rifle.