Guys,

A friend let me shoot his 416 Rigby CZ 550 this afternoon.

VERY "envigorating" I must admit ... but lots of fun too. I think I can learn to shoot this fella reasonably well.

Caveat: The good old days of having a lot of disposable income are no longer with me after an unanticipated "early retirement."

Question:

Are there any reasonably inexpensive scopes that can survive the 416 Rigby? New? Used?

(The one I shot this afternoon had a K2.5 Weaver on it ... and it was eminently usable. Is this one a survivor?)

Thanks,

The 2.5x Leupold gets high marks from members of AR. After my friend had sent his 1.5x5 Leupold back for the third time [his 416 Rigby kept shaking it apart] they advised him to use the 4x shotgun scope, the one with the heavy duplex. He has not had any problems since switching to the 4x.

[ 03-18-2003, 09:01: Message edited by: N E 450 No2 ]

I have a Weaver V3 1-3X20mm ($130 US) on my 416 Rem Mag (50 ft-lbs recoil), and it has held up so far after 70 rounds or so.

I have a leupold 2.5x compact on my .416 cz and I love it, I also have two others on other rifles and reccomend these scopes, and don't think cause there is not much magnification you can not shoot animals at a distance because you can. There an awsome tough scope.

I also have the Weaver 1x3x20 on my 416 Rigby. No problems so far.

Although it has less recoil, for what it is worth I had an old 2.5 steel tube Weaver on a .375 H&H. I bought the gun used, so I don't know how many rounds it endured before I got it, but I put about 400 through it with no problems whatsoever.

Not as important here as it would be to a varminting scope, but for what it is worth I must say that the adjustments on this old Weaver were EXTREMELY precise. You could fire a group, measure the distance to move -- and when you "clicked" the scope over that amount your next group was exactly where it should be.

I understand that these old steel tube Weavers are tough as hell, but some fog. I'd suggest that you test this: Put the scope in some warm water, then after 15 minutes into the freezer and then take it look for internal fogging. If none, go hunting!

jpb

[ 03-17-2003, 15:58: Message edited by: jpb ]

I'm using a Helia 2,2-9x42 but I am conserned about it breaking from the recoil. I,m thinking about buing a cheaper Leupold instead but not sure what model I need. I really like to have some moore power than 4 times.... Don't know if I need more but I like to have more...

This is a tricky one

leupold 1.5x5.... or 1x4...

regular duplex, matte finsh

QD rings

you are set
jeffe

I have used a 1.75 X 6 and a 3 X 9 Leupold Scope on my M70 416 Rem Mag. Several 100 rounds, no problems to date.

Jim

On both of my 416 Rigbys I have used a Leupold Vari XIII 1.5 X 5 and have been completely satisfied. The first a Ruger and now a Dakota with Dave Taley lever mounts. "Z"

Basically what you care about in any scope for a big bore is EYE RELIEF and LONGEVITY. The 2.5 Leupold Compact wins in both regards. You really want to stay away from cheap scopes on these rifles.-Rob

My two .416 Rigbys wear Leupold VXIIIs. One a 1.75-6xE and one a 1.5-5x. If the .416 Rigby is damaging the scope, I would bet dollars to doughnuts that it is not the scope that is actually the problem, but the mounts. IMO it was the scope that was being damaged, but not the cause. Recoil is stiff from the .416 Rigby, but it's not so much that if the scope is mounted correctly that it is going to damage a Leupold.

1 x 4 Leupold 600 + rounds still going strong

Martin