I'm looking at buying, then rebarreling a CZ 550 med lux 7mm rem mag to 416 ruger. Case dimensions look like a go. Any body know shank dia. on 550 med. action?
(They make the safari med express in .416 for stupid money.)
Does it matter as dimensions are close?
And no, I won't buy fugly Alaskan .416.
Thanks,
Scott

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assuming the metal work is accomplished you will be left with the task of protecting that wood stock from splitting. i believe that issue has not been resolved at Hornady which is why they are offering the round in synthetic.

Plan on a recoil lug on new barrel bedded and pillared in cz stock.
The cz med lux stock won't handle it? It looks to have 2 crossbolts. I looked at restocking the ruger and it appears their design is why it splits wood.
Scott

not saying it won't just that supporting that stock will become the challenge.

I think there is something to the notion of the Ruger recoil lug causing problems with the wood stock not holding up well. It's a rather small recoil lug, which works well with smaller cartridges.

With the CZ medium I think working with a wood stock won't cause any more trouble than any other big bore. the CZ has a good recoil lug on the receiver, and an extra barrel lug will help, and proper glass bedding. Pillar bedding is a good idea too, IMO, as well as the cross bolts. Just look for a stock that has good layout throught the wrist.

Just for reference, I used a Ruger 77 MKII action for my 458, and naturally the small recoil lug is of concern. However, initially I used a standard Hogue stock, and had no issues. Now I have the barreled action set in another Hogue which has the full aluminum insert. I figure that will be even better, and distribute the recoil. The recoil lug of the Ruger is plenty strong, but it's the concentration of all that force in a small area that splits the stock. The Hogue resolves that problem it seems to me. I do not have an extra recoil lug, and don't feel the need for one. You may not like the Hogue stock, but that's where you may be wrong. Hogue stocks have solved many problems for me. You can make this as complicated as you want, or as simple as you want.

Another good choice for the Ruger 77 may be the HS Precision Stock, which has the full aluminum insert. If you insist on wood, Accurate Innovations made a walnut stock with the full aluminum insert for the Ruger. With one of their stocks, I suspect a fully bedded recoil lug area, and the barrel channel as well, with marine tech or something tough, would work so well that you wouldn't even need an extra barrel lug.

One thing you may find informative is that on my Ruger 458, after shooting it some, I noticed that the front of the magazine box - sheet metal - was beginning to buldge out from the pounding of the cartridges in the magazine. At first I figured that I would have to get a gunsmith to weld a stronger piece up front. Then I got the bright idea to jsut call Ruger and buy a box specifically for a 458. Well, they discontinued them. So, after quite a bit of discussion, I got a magazine box for the 416 Ruger. It seems to be working very well, and actually fits better in the stock than the original. No problems with stacking, and I'm using a standard follower that came with the action, which initially was a 338WM. The replacment magazine box doesn't look any thicker than the first one, and I haven't shot the rifle much since installation. Hopefully it doesn't buldge out too. I'll know by summer when I start shooting again.

send it to ITD

ITD?

http://itdcustomgun.com/

A 416 doesn't need a recoil lug if cross booted and bedded properly. Bu it also doent hurt anything

FWIW my 7x64 CZ 550 Lux stock and .416 Rigby Safari Mag stock (also Bavarian style) are vastly different. For sure you'd need to reinforce the stock as above...

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Originally posted by jeffeosso:
http://itdcustomgun.com/

A 416 doesn't need a recoil lug if cross booted and bedded properly. Bu it also doent hurt anything

I have 2 416 Rugers - neither of which is on the M77 action. One is on a NH M70, the other a Rem 700, and neither have a bareel-mounted recoil lug.

The M70 sits in a Safari Grade stock off a 375 H&H with dual cross-bolts. The action was bedded using Brownell's Steel Bed This gun has had about 140 rnds down the tube and the stock shows no ill affects.

The M700 has sat in a B&C Medalist and an Accurate Innovations stock. Both have the full length aluminum bedding block and neither stock is any worse for wear after many rounds.

IMHO, Ruger missed the mark by not offering an African version of the 416 Ruger with a stock that could handle the recoil. The small, angled recoil lug acts like a wedge, and thus splitting the stock. More so because of the thinner stock. While a little more costly, the addition of a forward recoil lug on the Ruger 416 would (again, IMHO) be a great help. FWIW, the 375 Ruger African has had its fair share of reported stocks splitting.

I doubt you'll see any improvements to the 375 African or a 416 African in the near future. Ruger is hell bent on designing and getting to market, low cost, high profit margin handguns and rifles (LCR, LCP, LC9 and the American Rifle) to commit the resources to bettering the African rifle.