I handled several Dakotas in 416 at the Dallas show last weekend. I really liked the feel and finish to these rifles.

I was curious how owners of these rifles feel about them.

Thanks!!!

I've had 5 or 6 of them, nothing to complain about. They're solid, reliable, good-looking safari rifles. Some need a bit of load-tweaking or accuracy development, but in the big calibers, MOA is not really needed.

What Jon says....me too.

Here is a very recent thread on this subject.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...4711043/m/5311097641

I've got a M-76 African and am very pleased with it.

Texas Blue Devil:

One other thought that I would like to pass on to you.

I have two rifles from American Hunting Rifles. One is a full custom .450 Dakota and the other is a CZ .416 Rigby that I bought and sent to Wayne for the full treatment, new stock and everything. Both are just superb. Wayne has a new stock design that is a bit slimmer and is really nice. If you heart us set on a Dakota, go for it but keep in mind that you could just buy a CZ and send it to Wayne and put two or three grand in your pocket.

quote:

and put two or three grand in your pocket

Almost enough for ANOTHER Blaser S2 !!!!!!!!!!!!

You betcha! I need a 9.3X74R!

Hey Texas Blue Devil,

I love mine and will be buying another Dakota once I find an excuse.

If you are in the greater Houston area, give me a pm and I will be happy to let you shoot mine...
Take care,
--bill

I have a nice 76. It had very bad accuracy problems. It's in 7mm Rem. I was going to order it in .375 H&H, but didn't because it would have been barely ready for the hunt I had scheduled.

They rebarrelled it and I have since obtained sniper-rifle accuracy from it. I wouldn't hesitate to take a 600 yard shot with it under the right conditions.

I would not buy another one, though. I think I could save a lot of money and still get an excellent rifle by going in another direction.

For what it's worth, I thinknthey are great rifles and I am building a 404 Jeffery and 338 in the model 76 Dakota. After that I plan on building my collection of model 10s. They are a great rifle and just recovering from the bad business of the last owner. Don't let people who don't own them influence you. Listen to the satisfied owners period!

TBD

Before you buy the Dakota, take a look at the Heym Martini...

I would love a Heym bolt action. I already have a Heym double rifle in 450 Nitro Express. However don't you think that's comparing apples and oranges?

Since the Dallas show I have seen 3 Dakota 416 Rigy's offered at $6,000. I also saw a Dakota in 416 Remington for $5,500. The Heym bolt action is probably going to come in north $10,000.

I'm not ready to spend that much on a bolt action....yet.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
TBD

Before you buy the Dakota, take a look at the Heym Martini...

quote:

Originally posted by TSEMP:
For what it's worth, I thinknthey are great rifles and I am building a 404 Jeffery and 338 in the model 76 Dakota. After that I plan on building my collection of model 10s. They are a great rifle and just recovering from the bad business of the last owner. Don't let people who don't own them influence you. Listen to the satisfied owners period!

TSEMP, since you don't own a Dakota yet, I guess we shouldn't listen to your incessant shilling for Dakota. Why not wait and post your experiences after you actually take delivery?

TBD, I own an early Dakota 76 and have owned a few others. I was an early fan and then got disgusted by Kokesh (along with just about everyone who was the least bit familiar with the situation). The pricing for a new Dakota is outrageous - especially if you want to add options to their rifles. The used market is usually pretty crowded with fairly priced Dakotas. If you can find what you want, a good deal can be had.

I have a Dakota M-76 in 416 Rigby and I have shot a lot of African game with it. I used it as my primary rifle on two different 21-day hunts. Mine is very accurate with 370gr Northfork softs and 400gr Barnes Banded solids (shoot to the same point).

The Dakota 76 African action is sized for the 416 Rigby cartridge and it is a pretty "trim" rifle.

I have since replaced the rifle with a Wiebe custom on a magnum length mauser action. I still have the Dakota and will keep it....too many memories to let it go.

If it was me, I would also look very seriously at the new HEYM Martini......it is a lot of rifle for the money and it is a mauser action.

The dakota I owned was a fine rifle--it was one of the early ones--and in a 300 wby, but nice!

I will echo what Dave and others have said. AHR does a nice job. Wyane reworked a left handed CZ in to a 505 gibbs and it was very nice. He has a really trim stock design that I really like. I held it at the Hendershots booth in Dallas I think it was a 9.3x62.

If I were you I'd have Wyane do a 416 rigby in is DGR package and do that stock design on his 9.3. It would look damn nice for under 5K. Thats what I'd do!

http://www.hunting-rifles.com/...ame/danger_game1.htm

Ed