My first day at the Dallas Safari Convention was a good one. I must have looked at over $3 million in double rifles. The turn out from the British gun manufacturers was very good and there were several dealers with 20+ doubles in their booth for sale too!

Factory support was pretty good too. The Ruger booth had a 416 Ruger which caught my attention. This round looks like it has a lot of potential for wildcats if you want the Ruger CRF action. The Remington booth was pretty good too with a 375 Ultramag and a 416 Remington Magnum on display among their rifles.

I went to this show specifically looking for an African Safari. This biggest surprise from the many surprises I had was with Spain. Spain has a lot more great hunting then I expected. I guess I got sucked in the "Big 5" attraction of Africa even though I was looking for plains game. My plans for an African Safari have been complicated by the options I have in Spain.

South America must be a bird hunters paradise. I'm not a bird hunter but, it was easy for me to see what those trips had to offer bird hunters.

What stocks were on the 416 Rugers?

The beauty of hunting Spain is Spanish hospitality and the food and accomodations. I think I gained 10 pounds on a two week hunt for all four ibex.

It was nice today because it was not too crowded.

More details about the 416 Ruger rifle ... Please!!!!

Was it Stainless ?? 20" barrel ???? ect,ect,

GB458: Some info for you on the Ruger.

I got mine a week ago and am very happy with it. The metal is stainless with a gray finish, so not shiny at all. Has the black Hogue over-molded rubber stock; I wet my hands in the sink and played with it wet and it was great for holding onto. Put some pictures in the Big Bore section under "New kid on the block".

Talked with Hornady this week and she checked on her computer. They have both the DGS and DGX in the warehouse and have started shipping it out. It had gone to Natchez, Williams, and Ellett's when we talked and was scheduled for Midway also.

I will get a range report posted just as soon as I can get factory stuff, cases and dies, and load up some 350 Barnes too.

Does anyone know if Ruger plans to offer this chambering to left-handed shooters?

Would someone attending DSC please ask Ruger?

George

didn't see this till i got home..
i held a 416 ruger case next to a 416 ar... LMFAO, other than base diameter, they are twins .. short neck and all... now THATS awesome.. parallel developements, in no way did they share breeding, but the simularities are awesome...

Jeffe,

When you get back, could you send me Tom's current e-mail?

His Comcast address is no longer valid, and he hasn't set up his voicemail on his cell phone.


Thanks,
George

Sent you an email, buddy,, will let you know when i do

Got it, thanks!

George

quote:

Originally posted by GeorgeS:
Does anyone know if Ruger plans to offer this chambering to left-handed shooters?

Would someone attending DSC please ask Ruger?

George

The Ruger rep told me today that a LH version is not in the immediate future. The reason he gave is that it is only coming out in the synthetic stock right now and they do not have a LH version of the stock. At least that is what I was told.

The did have a LH .375 Ruger there.

Thanks, Charles.

George

quote:

Originally posted by GeorgeS:
Thanks, Charles.

George

My pleasure.

Any reason a 416 barrel couldn't be screwed onto a 375 LH action????

No stocks seems like a lame excuse for not doing parallel LH/RH rifles in both calibers at the same time or one run both LH/RH calibers after the other.

It's not like were talking about a small cal short action then a long action large cal with all the tool switching...these rifles are identical in almost all respects except for caliber.

Can't fault Ruger for their products for the most part...only the way they market them...for 40 odd years.

Might just have to buy a LH 375 and screw on your own barrel if you want a 416 LH before all the rest.

quote:

Originally posted by GeorgeS:
Jeffe,

When you get back, could you send me Tom's current e-mail?

His Comcast address is no longer valid, and he hasn't set up his voicemail on his cell phone.


Thanks,
George

George,
You got mail

Well... There's a 416 Ruger on GB right now. It's SS wearing the rubber stock.. We can thank AA for the heads up..

I would translate the "lack of available stock" comment to mean "we're waiting to see how well it sells before we expand the product line."

If it sells well, you can count on a LH version.

quote:

Originally posted by analog_peninsula:
I would translate the "lack of available stock" comment to mean "we're waiting to see how well it sells before we expand the product line."

If it sells well, you can count on a LH version.

I would imagine so. Certainly if they offer a wood-stocked version they lose the excuse.

I think that you have to take what you hear at the shows with a grain of salt, unless you are talking with someone high up in the organization.

Synthetic means no split stocks...

Gotta give credit to Rugady for this one. I think it is a winning combo.

I wonder if the wood ones are "Still under development"

If there were no recession I think the target market would be eating it up. Good rifle/cart combo...bad timing.

My take on the use of only the Hogue stock is that currently it is the only stock that will take the recoil unless they go to some sort of barrel lug or steel hangers like they do with their larger H&H and Rigby actions. Ot make an aluminum insert for the wooden stocks. The lugs on the Ruger M-77 action were not designed for heavy kickers.

Phil and Boomer -- makes sense if the wood stock is not up to the increase in power over the .375 Ruger.

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
Phil and Boomer -- makes sense if the wood stock is not up to the increase in power over the .375 Ruger.

old wives tales..
the ruger tang safety used to be offered in 458 winmag... and it worked fine,

i've built 416, 458, 470, and 500 ARs on the rugers.. the 416 got nothing but bedded, xbolts, and wrist pin.. the 458 got a recoillug+ that. The 470 and 500, in the mule stock, didn't even get xbolted.

its a question of knowing how to bed a stock... which i had to learn the hard way by breaking some.

Should ruger bed them from the factory? Sure, as a $200 option.

Jeffe -- are they still using the same stock or a different design in the .375 Ruger?

using the same metal, Charles .. that Phil disparages ..

the stock, breaking at the tang, can be one of three things
1:bad fit AT THAT MOMENT, so it might be badly fitting, screws loose, or poorly placed in the stock
2: a SPLIT is indicative of a poorly executed stock OR
3: some PERSON placed the toe of the stock FIRMLY on the bench and then pulled the trigger.

Its my firm belief that most stocks are split by POOR bench style than just about anything..

quote:

Originally posted by FOOBAR:
Any reason a 416 barrel couldn't be screwed onto a 375 LH action????

Can't fault Ruger for their products for the most part...only the way they market them...for 40 odd years.

Might just have to buy a LH 375 and screw on your own barrel if you want a 416 LH before all the rest.

... A left hand 7 mag would work just as well I think .....

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
Was the .416 Ruger based on the same case as the .375 Ruger or is it a longer cartridge?

If you saw the video pretty much a neck up of the 375

FYI:

I recently spoke with Mike Fifer Ruger's CEO who's a really great guy I might add. He said the synthetics are already shipping but the wood stock Africans most likely won't be offered until 2010 because they are still in the engineering process. They don't want any stock cracking problems and want to make sure they do it right comming out of the gate.

Cheers!


Tim

I wonder why more Big Bores don't come with a Laminate stock? Would that eliminate the splitting problem?
CZ has them I think seems like a good idea to me. I have seen some really handsome Laminates on rifles.

quote:

Originally posted by Tim_Wegner:
FYI:

I recently spoke with Mike Fifer Ruger's CEO who's a really great guy I might add. He said the synthetics are already shipping but the wood stock Africans most likely won't be offered until 2010 because they are still in the engineering process. They don't want any stock cracking problems and want to make sure they do it right comming out of the gate.

Cheers!


Tim

What I figured and good to hear!

Go Ruger!

Are they still using that Hogue stock on the 416? Because I agree with Mr Shoemaker that it sucks...

I don't have anything against Hogue stocks, but the one on my 375 Ruger is not what I biought a short 375 for...It sure soaks up recoil at the bench, but it's a horror in the field.

I ordered a Macmillan for my 375 Ruger. I want something slim and nice,not a blocky, sticky thing..

odd, and thanks for the reality check..

i just bought a couple hogues off the 375 ruger.. and put my 500 AR in one of them... i LIKE the largish sticky thing, for holding on..

now, remember, I am going from a light stock (old wood take off with NO xbolts and 100s of rounds) to this, so I am pretty happy with the sudden weight gain

I imagine a 500 AR has considerable recoil? And you probably don't hike for miles with it?

Hogue stock would probably be a good idea for those purposes! Not such a great idea for a compact rifle that is carried in thick stuff and up and down mountains!

That it does, however, I am only gaining about 16oz... i do stalk, not hike (i consider these to be different activities, and hiking implies carrying LOTS of stuff) with big bore rifles.

all that being said, it's all about preferences.. and off all the rifles I own, only 3 are plastic stocked, in any way/shape/form.. not my preference, but hey, I'll try something new
jeffe