Don't know why, but I'm considering building another 416 Ruger.

The first was off a M700 mag action, with a 23" Shilen #5 CM barrel, and NECG sights, all wrapped up in a B&C Medalist. Not a bad build.

Considering another build, only this time using a M70 action, and a wood stock. The big question I have is whether or not the factory sporter stock (or Super Grade for that matter) will handle the recoil.

Thoughts that have crossed my mind are cross-bolts, barrel mounted recoil lug, and possibly a rod inserted thru the stock wrist. Suggestions appreciated.

I believe the issue that Ruger was having with the wood stock on the 416 Ruger is due to the (small) size of their recoil lug. Not sure, just reverberating what I read on another forum.

Hopefully Michael458 will chime in on this. He's got quite a bit of experience with the factory Winchester stocks and how they stand up to recoil.

The M70 will make for a good platform to build on and will be a proper CRF. I would definitely have the crossbolts, wristpin, and glass bed installed. A barrel mounted recoil lug doesn't sound like too bad an idea to me either. In the long run, it's cheaper than a new stock.

2barrels

Was just getting ready to post some photos of some new Accurate Innovations stocks I picked up the other week for some 458 Lott builds. Just dropped in to see what you were doing.

Since you probably don't know me, just beware, if it don't say Winchester M70 on it, then I don't have any use in the world for it. Since you mentioned a M70 and you want a M70 416, I can tell you what will work best for you. Nothing cheap however, so if cheap is the goal, might as well put me on ignore now! HEH........I won't have nothing cheap--reasonable, yes, 100% functional, yes!

Now, I know a little about this on a model 70. You are going to have a very difficult time putting a 416 ruger case on a STANDARD M70 action--we have looked at it fairly extensively at SSK Industries, and one of the guys that posts here regularly, Bijou Creek, or something, very capable fellow too. Your issues are not feeding, but retaining in the magazine, with standard M70s--say one built on a 300 Winchester, 7mm or some such. Now if you are determined to build a 416 Ruger--I suggest you find one of the Winchester M70s that was chambered in the 300 RUM cartridge! That action was modified greatly to accommodate that cartridge. A 416 Ruger would work on that action with little issues.

As for the stock--On my 416 B&M I can get by with the factory stock that comes on them, 416s don't have the recoil of my 458 and 50 B&Ms. The Ruger is not that much more recoil I don't think, so it is possible with a proper bed job you might slip by in 416.

I am going to make a suggestion to you, either way, no skin off my back, Take a look at the 416 B&M, it's a much smaller rifle, and very nearly as capable as the 416 Ruger. Built on a Winchester M70 WSM platform, 18-20 inch barrels. I have built them on standard factory stocks, never had an issue or problem with them at all. In fact, a really good version is one with both factory stocks, an Ultimate stock and sporter stock, on the Ultimate the weight comes in at 7 lbs with a 20 inch barrel, only about 7.5-8 with the sporter. Both hold up fine.

If I were to want a good stock, it's Accurate Innovations, or nothing. Why? They have an aluminum chassis that is built into the stock in which the action sits. This solves any and all recoil issues FOREVER. The chassis absorbs the recoil and distributes it over a large area. The chassis has built in recoil lugs that are sunk into the stock up forward. I use them on the heavy hitting 500 MDM and 50 B&M rifles. Here are some photos of stocks and chassis.









With these stocks on any rifle, recoil and busting stocks is never an issue again. I have a claro walnut on a 500 MDM--which is not really the best walnut for a big heavy recoiling rifle, the 500 MDM churns up from 95-105 ft lbs of recoil, I have well over 500-600 rounds through this one gun, zero issues, zero problems.

Hope that helps a bit, anything I can do let me know!

Michael

quote:

Originally posted by Sevens:
I believe the issue that Ruger was having with the wood stock on the 416 Ruger is due to the (small) size of their recoil lug. Not sure, just reverberating what I read on another forum.

Hopefully Michael458 will chime in on this . He's got quite a bit of experience with the factory Winchester stocks and how they stand up to recoil.

The M70 will make for a good platform to build on and will be a proper CRF. I would definitely have the crossbolts, wristpin, and glass bed installed. A barrel mounted recoil lug doesn't sound like too bad an idea to me either. In the long run, it's cheaper than a new stock.

Sevens

Thanks for the invite!

Michael

I have busted a few factory stocks.










The Super Grade stocks are claro, and they are the first to go, nice wood, beautiful, lot's of figure in them, but that's what gets them, all the figure.

Michael

Michael,

Thanks for the information. When considering building the 416 Ruger on the M70 action, I had indeed considered using a 300WM or 7RM action, and was not aware of the benefit of the RUM action as it pertains to the 416 Ruger.

The AI stock crossed my mind, but the wait time is unbearable - 26 weeks or more from what I've been told for a plain stock - no fancy wood, no grip cap, forend tip, checkering, etc. FWIW, I've also read elsewhere that AI has had problems with delivery, period.

quote:

Originally posted by 2Barrels:
Michael,

Thanks for the information. When considering building the 416 Ruger on the M70 action, I had indeed considered using a 300WM or 7RM action, and was not aware of the benefit of the RUM action as it pertains to the 416 Ruger.

The AI stock crossed my mind, but the wait time is unbearable - 26 weeks or more from what I've been told for a plain stock - no fancy wood, no grip cap, forend tip, checkering, etc. FWIW, I've also read elsewhere that AI has had problems with delivery, period.

2barrels

As for AI--they have new owners in North Carolina--Class A outfit now. I have been dealing with AI since they were in South Dakota--Now, it's a new deal. Those stocks you see--that's 3 of 7 that I had done, they were ordered on 8/23/2010-- I Picked them up on Tuesday 11/23/2010, dead 3 months on the money. That's pretty reasonable, and I had lot's of extras, hand checkering being one of them. The fancy wood--that's on hand if wanted, they have plenty of blanks, and getting new ones all the time. You have been told some BS--especially now with the move to NC and the new management and owners. They do a dozen or more stocks for me a year, no issues.

I promise you that you cannot "easily" convert a standard M70 action to 416 Ruger or any of the RUM based cartridges. It can be done, but you may have to spend another $1000 in labor to get it to work, and there are NO guarantees it will work, lot's of metal has to be removed, and parts replaced. Not so on a RUM based Win M70. But I hate to tell you that, because that's the only M70 I can build 500 MDMs on--and here you want to waste one on a 416 Ruger!!!!

HEH HEH.

Michael

Michael,

Appreciate the update on the processes at AI.

After re-reading this thread, I wondering if there is some confusion. The .416 Ruger was designed to fit in a standard 30-06 length action using a bolt for the .532/.534 case head dia. That said, the RUM action uses a bolt with the .550 case head since it's based off the .404 Jeffery.

Moving on. The reason I am suggesting a .416 Ruger on a M70 action is that 1) Ruger has yet to make available the .416 in their "African" (wood stocked, 23" bbl) configuration, 2) the .416 Ruger that is available is a light, short barreled gun and not what I really desire. That said, the .416 B&M looks to fill the void left by Ruger's yet to be released .416 Ruger "African."

2barrels

No confusion. The bolt face on the Winchester RUM rifles will work fine. The actual on the RUM case is less than even .532, I think it comes in at .528 or so. The bolt face on those guns will work with either WSM or RUM--or Ruger. I looked at this rather extensively with the basic Ruger Case, we were looking at .500 caliber.

Michael

quote:

Don't know why, but I'm considering building another 416 Ruger.
...
Considering another build, only this time using a M70 action, and a wood stock. The big question I have is whether or not the factory sporter stock (or Super Grade for that matter) will handle the recoil.

Regarding the stock, follow Michael's recommendations and you'll not go wrong.

2barrels,

I recommend that you PM Jim Kobe here on the forum...you can usually find him on the gunsmith forum. Jim has successfully modified the M70 mag box to correct hold and feed the 375 Ruger cartridge...he should have zero problems with modifying the box to handle the 416 Ruger cartridge.

Good luck,