I just bought my first 416 rigby and am anxious to load up some ammo. I have reloader 22 and 400 gr hornady RN.

I'd like to start off at 2400 fps for my first loads

My experience (with two 416 Rigbys) has been that you will hit 2400 fps with between 96 and 100 grains of RL22. Personally, I'd start with 90 grains and work up. 2400 is a nice round number but there's nothing magic about it.

I shoot a lot of the Hornady RNs at 2200 fps at the range. My hunting loads run between 2350 and 2475 with various bullets.

There's a surprising difference in recoil with every 35-50 fps change in velocity.

What ForrestB said.-Rob

Ruger or CZ?

Rich

RL-22 hurts worse than H4831. Try both... 100 grains gets me 2470 fps.

It's a CZ. The whole point of me wanting about 2400 fps to start with is to get use to factory recoil levels. I'm not looking for 375 h&h recoil levels as it isn't that noticable. I'm sure the 416 will be a jump up, but I feel i can handle regular power loads.

Yeah, I forgot to check and see which powders gave the best velocity for the lightest charge. When your dumping that much powder in a case, 10-20 grains less can make a difference in recoil

I have been able to use RL22 and 7828ssc interchangeably in the 416 Rigby. 102gr of either gives me 2380fps with a 400gr Barnes TSX. I have only loaded 7828ssc with the Hornady softs, but get 2340fps with 98gr, and 2410fps with 100gr.

I have good accuracy with 106 grn IMR4831 with 350grn tsx barnes at 2700fps. Lately I droped to 101grn and the recoil is less but still is accurate. Around 1" at 125 yd. Haven't put this load on the crono. but I figure it will drop any thing 4000lb or less.Takin' 60rnds with me to Namibia next week for 30 day horseback hunt with AGAROB HUNTING SAFARIS.

Start with 96 grains of H4831 Long-Cut or SC, your choice.
F215 or GM215 primer.
Your choice of brass, and your choice of 400-410 grain bullet.
Work up to 105 grains of the H4831, or stop if satisfied before reaching that charge.
That is the powder charge recommended to Jack O'Connor by John Buhmiller, for the .416 Rigby.

I get 2400 to 2450 fps with all the 400-grainers.
I also got 2509 fps with the 380-grain GSC FN, with that powder charge,
and my first 3 shots were .140-MOA at 100 meters, with the GSC and the Buhmiller-O'Connor powder charge.

Well, thanks all of you. I couldn't wait for my dies and bought a box of hornady ammo. I figure I get the brass so it is justifiable once.

All I can say Is I love this rifle or this caliber. The kick is heavy, but not punishing. It has tremendous power and is very flat shooting for it's power level. I had no problem busting rocks at 50, 100, 200, and 300+ meters with the factory sites. The 100 yard sites are shooting 2" left and 1" low. the 200 yard sites are dead on with windage and about 1.5-2" high @ 50 yards. this is about perfect.

I was easily able to fire 20 rounds and off a rest didn't intimidate me either. It is a step up from the 375, but still plenty manageable and able to accurately shoot. I'm very excited, I don't know why

RIP is my older brother, so I often defer to him, and will do so in this instance.

96 to 98 grains of H-4381 seems to occupy an accuracy/tolerability/velocity trough (think sine wave trough).

If there is any space left in the loaded cartridge, use a bit of foam or Dacron filler.

When you get your die set, take the sizer die apart and polish it for an evening project. Get a 3/8" piece of dowel rod and cut a thin slit for two inches or so down the middle (longitudinally). Cut long strips of 320, 400, 600 and 1,200 or 1,500 grit sand cloth. Use light oil with the sand cloth. Work your way up through the various grits. Finish up with Simichrome or Flitz on a cut piece of old t-shirt. The die will be mirror bright, and it will be much easier to use on this particular cartridge.

Also, polish the expander ball that comes with the die in the same manner.

If you intend to crimp your cartridges, get a separate Lee Factory Crimp die. It is a custom order, but well worth it.

There is something special about this cartridge.

Second the motion for the Lee Factory Crimp. I've had problems crushing shoulders crimping this cartridge with the seater die. Don't even think about seating and crimping in one operation. The Lee is money well spent.