Friends-

I am contemplating building a .416 Rigby. What would you consider the optimal barrel length and barrel contour?

Thanks in advance.

Mark,

24 to 25 inches --Have Lon Paul do one of his Rigby Feel rifles( and profile the barrel like the orginal rigby's)---All I can say is WOW! Not cheap, but WOW!!!

Ed

Mark,

I have a bunch of reloading stuff...Heck I even have a 416 for sale if you dont want to wait on a build.
Ed

The most common length is probably 25".

A number 4 sporter contour is as light as you should go.
That is about 0.670" diameter at a 25" crown.
I would not go any heavier than a number 5.
Special contouring of the barrel, addition of a quarter rib, and shorter length can produce
fine tuning of balance ... And that depends on the stock.
Whatever turns your crank.
My liking could be either 23" or 25".

I've asked the factory to tally the lengths of the original 169 416s made on magnum Mausers. When I get the information, I'll post it here. We currently have barrel profiles for lengths between 22" and 26".

I had my 25" CZ cut to 23" and that seems about right to me. Makes for a handy rifle in the bush.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
I had my 25" CZ cut to 23" and that seems about right to me. Makes for a handy rifle in the bush.

Mine is 23 inches and that works well for me.

More importantly:

What twist?

CIP antique bullet twist: 1:16.5"

American standard: 1:14"

George Hoffman used 1:14", and so have Remington and Ruger since George revived the obsolete .416 caliber.

George opined before he passed that he would do his next .416 with 1:12" and recommended that twist here on ARdotCOM.

From 1912 to 1925 the majority of 416 Rigbys were built with 26" barrels and weighed in at 10lbs.

From 1925 to 1940 the majority wore a 24" barrel and weighed in at 9.25 lbs.

The light weight versions wore 21" barrels and averaged 8.5 lbs.

Standard rate of twist is 16.5

I believe Rigby chambered a few rifles in .465 Nitro express caliber. Can you tell us what twist rate was used. Do you know or can you find out what twist rate H&H used?

465H&H

I'm not sure, but I can check.

I would go 22 or 23" and 1-12" twist...

Definitely 1-12 twist. 416 Rigby.
For DG in heavy cover 21 inch bbl.
For Plains Game and bullets less than 400 gr. use
24 inches, or compromise in middle somewhere.
If building a gun, remember very long action, you have the option to cut the bbl to balance the rifle perfectly. A great advantage on long walks.

Good Shooting & Hunting

Tetonka
DRSS 450/400 NE 3 in. K-Gun
Dakota Mod 76 Traveler 416 Rigby

465H&H, a quick run through the record books did not uncover any rifles made in 465, or rifle twist rates.

quote:

From 1912 to 1925 the majority of 416 Rigbys were built with 26" barrels and weighed in at 10lbs.

From 1925 to 1940 the majority wore a 24" barrel and weighed in at 9.25 lbs.

The light weight versions wore 21" barrels and averaged 8.5 lbs.

Standard rate of twist is 16.5

Kent R. Porter
Executive Director
214-682-3721

I am in all likelyhood going to go with a finished length of 24 inches.

Any guidance as to barrel contour?

Thanks in advance.

I'm partial to the original Rigby contour. I guess my next question would be, "Who's building the rifle?"

The next question after that would be have you discussed their experience with building rifles with the Rigby contour? Of course you can do something simple like building it on a #5 or whatever suits your fancy.

quote:

Originally posted by John Rigby & Co.:
465H&H, a quick run through the record books did not uncover any rifles made in 465, or rifle twist rates.

Now you mention I, I have never seen a Rigby in 465.

I have one in 450 but that is a Webley Screw Grip with J Rigby name on the side.

What was the main calibre they made them in ?
470 Nitro ?

quote:

I'm partial to the original Rigby contour. I guess my next question would be, "Who's building the rifle?"

The next question after that would be have you discussed their experience with building rifles with the Rigby contour? Of course you can do something simple like building it on a #5 or whatever suits your fancy.

Kent-

Oddly enough, I haven't gotten to the "who?" yet.

The Rigby Contour is great looking. The rifle on your other thread is absolutely gorgeous. Do your barrels have an integral recoil lug?

I am going with a M-1917 Enfield action though. I just like that action.

Thanks,

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by John Rigby & Co.:
465H&H, a quick run through the record books did not uncover any rifles made in 465, or rifle twist rates.

Thanks for the info Kent. Thinking about it the only large caliber Rigby's I have seen or owned have been either 450 or 470.

465h&H

For me, it's 25 inches in length, No. 5 contour, and one in 16.5 twist.

As far as doubles go, first it was 450s then mostly 470s and I did take note of a few 577s!

I have 26" barrel on mine. Would not settle with less length. The long barrel gives me good pointabillity shooting ironsights. I have a 1:14 twist which is enough to shoot up to 500grain(Hawk)bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by John Rigby & Co.:
As far as doubles go, first it was 450s then mostly 470s and I did take note of a few 577s!

And one 500 Nitro ?

Was it one or two 500 Nitro's that Rigby were supposed to have made ?

.

23 inches, #5 contour (there is no standard in the industry some barrel makers I would go with #4 contour) is a great compromise if your not wanting to quote "go original" with Rigby specs. If made correctly it should balance nicely and handle reasonably well in the bush.

quote:

Originally posted by John Rigby & Co.:
As far as doubles go, first it was 450s then mostly 470s and I did take note of a few 577s!

There was at least one made in .416 Rigby also.

465H&H

505G, I didn't do an exhaustive search, but I did see at least three 500s built from 1899 - 1912. There may be more from 1912 - 1940...

quote:

For me, it's 25 inches in length, No. 5 contour, and one in 16.5 twist.

Mike-

That's a good looking rig you are shooting. What scope are you using?

Thanks in advance.

Mark

And there were some 400s as well. Oh and a bunch of 303s.

Kent

Were these mostly Rigby Sidelocks (Rising third bite) (of course until they stopped making it) or both Sidelocks and Boxlocks ?


Reason for my 500 Nitro comment - one or two - was that I thought only one or two Rigby Bissel Sidelocks were made but happy to be corrected.

quote:

Originally posted by 30 Caliber Mag Fan:
That's a good looking rig you are shooting. What scope are you using?

Thanks, Mark. That's a Swarovski 1.25-4x24mm. It has a 30mm tube and a 4A reticle.

Firends-

So, if you were to choose between a 1 in 16 1/2 twist (the traditional standard) versus 1 in 14 which would you pick and why?

Michael is pretty adament about the 1 in 16 1/2, what are the plusses and minuses?

Thanks in advance.

Mark

The tired, old 16.5" twist is fine if you want to shoot only 410-grain weight and lesser cup & core antique bullets and RN FMJ,
but only the light for caliber modern monometals: Stubbies.

Choose 1:14" if you want to do that plus the modern, long-for-weight monometal 400-grainers.
1:12" is even better for stability of solid bullet transition from air to inside the game animal.
That spells better penetration with any solid used.

Choose 1:12" for best of all.
That is what the .416 Barrett uses for VLD 395-grain bullets at 3250 fps.
I have several 1:12" twist .416 rifles.
I finally learned that lesson,
from George Hoffman, whose .416 Hoffman helped revive the dead .416 Rigby.
I am a riflecrank.