I have tried these bullets (.416 raptor with tips with actual weight of 232.2grs) in my 416 Ruger. I am really impressed! I chronographed my loads at 3020fps with no pressure signs at all. Ken from Cutting Edge provided me with the load data. Thanks Ken!I have no problem getting 1 inch groups @ 100yds! Next I am going to try them at 200yds for groups. I do not feel the need to do penetration tests as michael458 has already done a great job of that! Thanks Michael!

Very nice I have just some 235 ER Raptors in 375 trying to find more powder so I have not shot any, but if they group like yours I will be a happy camper

quote:

Originally posted by Coloradoyaler:
I have tried these bullets (.416 raptor with tips with actual weight of 232.2grs) in my 416 Ruger. I am really impressed! I chronographed my loads at 3020fps with no pressure signs at all. Ken from Cutting Edge provided me with the load data. Thanks Ken!I have no problem getting 1 inch groups @ 100yds! Next I am going to try them at 200yds for groups. I do not feel the need to do penetration tests as michael458 has already done a great job of that! Thanks Michael!

The 416 Ruger cartridge definitely puts the BLR into a whole new category of rifle. Now if Browning would get smart and offer the 375 and 416 Ruger cartridges as factory chambering I believe their sales would increase substantially. Just add a 458 Ruger chambering and the BLR just might become the 'hot' rifle for African DG hunting.

I look forward to your 200yd range results.

Colorado

That is just excellent...... I have not tried the bullet past 50 yds, I am too lazy to go set up on my outside range which I can shoot to 150, but inside at 50 yards everything is in a hole in the 416 B&Ms.

Terminals are so good with these that in a few short weeks, I leave mid september, I am taking one of my 416 B&Ms to Australia with this same bullet and give it a go on buffalo herd reduction to see how it does. I just tried out the 458 250s and they were incredible, I think this 225 will be even better.........

Keep us posted on how things go with this rifle.......


Michael

I tried these bullets at 300 and 400 yards. I'll let the pics speak for themselves! I am very pleased with these bullets!

Colorado




Holy Steaming Horse S**T!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is incredible to say the least...... I am pretty sure you have a big winner, rifle/cartridge/bullet..............

Very fine shooting...........

Michael

Very impressive for a lever gun. I think I'm going to use this bullet in my 416 B&M on my Africa trip for my back up gun. Will be great for shooting plains game.

quote:

Colorado




Holy Steaming Horse S**T!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is incredible to say the least......

+1

Colorado that is impressive shooting from a lever gun. If i ever find the $ that is one conversion that would be worth doing.

[Is Varget the powder you are using ? I am thinking of trying these pills in my bolt gun .416 Ruger

PC

I acquired to load data from Ken at CEB. I used 77gr of H322 for my velocities.

Regards
Mark

Glad to see you didn't sell that rifle. Its a beauty, and what a shooter!

who put together your rifle it is sweet, outstanding groups

Should try some in my 416 rem magasin.I 'need a 416 lever gun too. WHERE DO YOU GET THOSE BULLETS

quote:

Originally posted by dgr416:
Should try some in my 416 rem magasin.I 'need a 416 lever gun too. WHERE DO YOU GET THOSE BULLETS

Cutting Edge Bullets.............

https://cuttingedgebullets.com...action&category=9416


Michael

That's a fantastic rifle. I can' think of anything I'd rather have in Alaska (or even Africa for that matter). The accuracy is just outstanding.

A saddle gun in 375 or 416 sure has merit. Who built the rifle up for you? How is the recoil? and have you tested these bullets for penetration? it appears they blow off the front but have a solid base to enhance penetration.

Earlier today I called Wild West Guns about converting my BLR over to 416 Ruger. And now I come across this thread.

Who built your rifle? I'd like to get groups like that. What kind of barrel?

Hello

Wild West in Anchorage built the rifle. Recoil is stiff but manageable. The bullets I settled on was the 350gr TSX @ 2450fps. I did no penetrations tests with the 225gr CEB as Michael458 has done a lot and I settled with his results.

Regards

Mark

That's pretty awesome, I talked to them today. Did you stay with the original barrel profile? He asked about that.

quote:

Originally posted by Coloradoyaler:
Hello

Wild West in Anchorage built the rifle. Recoil is stiff but manageable. The bullets I settled on was the 350gr TSX @ 2450fps. I did no penetrations tests with the 225gr CEB as Michael458 has done a lot and I settled with his results.

Regards

Mark

Frank

They actually built the rifle and had it on their sale rack. I stop in after a moose hunt and saw it. The barrel looks like pretty close to the same profile maybe a little bigger.

There is one problem I have found with the blr mag and the 416 Ruger recoil. That is when you have three in the mag and one in the chamber and fire the gun the recoil shifts the three shells forward and does not allow the mag to feed the next shells. Two shells is no problem. Besides three shots in a row are enough!!! Recoil is around 50lbs range. I added a 1lbs weight in the stock to help recoil. It helped but I did not like how it balanced. If you are having one built I would consider a muzzle break and a good recoil pad. Mine had the factory pad which was worthless. I think that would help the magazine issue. Other than that the rifle had no problems.
In Colorado you can drive your vehicle while hunting with the mag full but none in the chamber. This allows when you get out of the vehicle all you have to do is work the action and lower the hammer and your ready.

Regards
Mark

I'm kind of thinking I'll install a recoil reducer in the stock, then send it to them and just tell them to install a barrel that will make it balance right.
I would have to *guess* that the combined friction of 3 shells jammed up against the front of the mag is enough to overcome the mag spring.
I would either look at a stronger mag spring or polish the front inside of the mag. It would bug me. I guess it could also be an issue with the actual bullets being a lot heavier than what the BLR is used to. Back to a stronger mag spring.

Frank

Are you having them build you one?

Regards
Mark

Yes.
I've got the rifle. I'll send it off soon.

Frank,

Good! What barrel length are you going with?

Regards
Mark

These decisions are honestly killing me. I am most definitely a short barrel kind of guy. I spend time in the brush. But I want the gun to balance, etc,etc. Do you have any suggestions?

Frank

My 20" barrel gets 2450fps with the 350gr TSX and 2325fps with the Hornady DGX. With the 225gr CEB I get any easy 2950fps. Plenty fast for me. Not quite what the Rigby or Remington
will do but close enough!

Regards
Mark

I have one of the WWG guns that they converted to 457WWM. WWG does great work, for sure. I'm guessing they've found another niche in converting these BLR's. I also have a BLR in 308 that is one of the steel receivers... I wish I could re-barrel it to something. Would be a fun project.

Love this thread! Neat to see what you guy's are doing!

20 inches? That seems awfully short. Is that realy short? Still plenty of velocity. But I would expect the handling to be a bit strange.

I was thinking of about 23 inches. Weight forward makes for better offhand shots. But the longer the barrel, the more it gets caught on brush and stuff.
At least that's my opinion on the whole thing.

Frank,

I like the 20 inch for fast handling. I will be real interested in how your 23 inch will perform. What kind of turn around time did they tell you?

Regards
Mark

I need to pick which kind of barrel I'm going to have installed, I'm kind of thinking pac-nor.

One thing that bugs me. The reason I'm planing on having them do it is because I want an experienced crew for this project, as opposed to my usual gunsmith. When I called them, they told me I would have to find a different magazine, I asked them if they could do that and they said they could. But it seems the magazine they gave you didn't work right.

Frank

They built several 375 ruger blrs which did not experience magazine issues. Mine was their first 416 Ruger. Only through putting the rifle threw it paces did I find that the magazine did not work with three shells with all loads. Some of the lighter bullet weights were no problem, The heavier loads and bullets create the issue. But you might have a possible solution of a stronger magazine spring. For me it is not an issue as I stated earlier. I believe a muzzle brake would eliminate the problem however.

Regards
Mark

I had a BLR rebarrelled from .300 Win.mag. to .375 Ruger, shoots great, took a buffalo in Zim with it. Lester Knipe of The Varmint Shop in Orefield Pa. did my work. He's superb. He built a tool to remove the original barrel.

Re: the magazine not handling 3 rounds, that can be fixed as well. Mine initially would not feed a third round. Had another gunsmith do the fix on 2 mags. He's at the SHOT Show now but if you PM me I'll ask what he did to make them handle 3 . I used all 4 shots on my buff, but it was literally over-kill.

There is yet a third gunsmith in Saegertown, PA - Neal Jones , who specializes in tuning BLR triggers. Mine breaks at a crisp 3 pounds.

Very nice!