So...……… a few days ago my neighbor hits me up about shooting some rifles. This requires a longer trip down to my agencies outdoor range, but I'm on vacay and I have several handgun loads I need to test with my chronograph so I says, "why not?"

Now, you have to understand, he's the most competitive person I've ever met, to the extreme. He can turn watching grass grow into a competition. So, when it comes to guns he's a biggest gun in the woods type. Consequently, when we're loading the stuff up into my vehicle I ask, "What've we got this morning?" An AR, a Mini-14, a .308 and...……………………………


…………...a .416 Rigby. Saints preserve us. $120.00 for a box of 20, 400 grain copper solid rounds. I'm long past the time in my life where I think it's fun to shoot those things. However, since I've never shot one of those and it's free, I couldn't refuse. We both shot it twice and I don't think I'll ever need a third. I pulled the trigger first and my neighbors reaction was, "My God." I agree.

Author Wilbur Smith's wife gave him a .416 Rigby on their 10th wedding ann. He mentions it in his new (May) autobiography, On Leopard Rock. I have a copy en route to me. I believe that Smith also has a Rigby .275.

I think the two most famous hunters to use .416's were Commander David Blunt and Harry Selby.

I was a fan of the TV series, The Lost World, where Lord John Roxton had a .416. That one was built on a 1917 Enfield action, or maybe the Remington M-30, which evolved from the M1917. The unique safety was quite distinct in close-up shots on the show. But I think the actor used a Sako Safari Grade .375 in some episodes, and he had a plastic or resin replica of the .416 in scenes when he didn't fire the rifle.

I enjoyed that show, although female star Rachel Blakely reminded me a lot of my ex-wife. And not just because they looked a lot alike. Rachel and Pat both had a bit of an attitude...I refer to Rachel's character, Marguerite Krux, not to the actress, herself, who seems a very fine woman, worshipped by legions of her fans, especially women.

And to think, I put a recoil pad on a 91/30 Mosin Nagant.

I'm not certain I would have taken the second shot.

Usually I find those type of "big shots" have a 300 win mag but your neighbor is taking it to the next level with that "elephant gun". My 7 mm mag is enough for me. 25 rounds through that and I am all done with practice. There is always 600 nitro express if really wants to get serious.

How long for the new chrono to arrive?

There are things in his safe that make a .300 Win Mag look like a .223, but the .416 was a new one. I have little doubt he'll never shoot it again.

I wouldn't even think of shooting that thing anywhere near the chrony.

I had the opportunity to try a .460 Weatherby Magnum, and a .458 Winchester Magnum. The LGS was sighting them in at the range, and he let a few of us have go. The .458 was a lighter rifle and more punishing. A skinny waco shot 5 rounds of it, at every shot his body was pushed back three feet, like he was punched by Mohammed Ali. A week later his blue bruise was bigger than his head.

Had one. Probably put about a hundred rounds through it, maybe less. I think I have records someplace. Never bought factory, which was more like $100 a box back then. Good bullets at the time were only about a dollar a piece, but even powder cost something, for 92 grains of 4350 in each case.

I had a CZ 550, on which I put Pachmayr's best pad. I wore a vest with a pad of recycled apple jelly Velcroed into it. It was necessary to add a scope and heavy CZ scope mounts just to get the total weight up to 10.5 pounds, at which the recoil became manageable. Of course, such a gun should be shot standing, so it can push the whole body back, not just the unfortunate shoulder. Actually, at 10.5 pounds, it wasn't really unfortunate.

At some point, I had an age-related eye problem which probably called for a temporary cessation of such games, and after a while I realized that there was no point in assuming any unnecessary risk at all. When CZ prices rose significantly, I sold the rifle, dies and supplies for slightly more than I had paid for the rifle.

Interesting experience. If one reloads, it can be done.

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Formerly Model520Fan

I have shot a .470 NE double rifle and it's manageable but not a fun plinking rifle.
I have shot a single barrel Ruger .416 Rigby twice. Once standing and once sitting. Saying it was brutal and punishing is an understatement. Shooting that monster was one of those things that I'm glad I did but I will never do again. Larry

There's something about shooting the big-boys. Even if it's just once or twice. That thing about being able to say 'I've done that'.

I had the opportunity to shoot quite a few different rifles in large calibers, mostly for function fire testing. Some rough sighting in.

Off-hand function fire was definitely the preferred method as far as I was concerned!
But it was fun, the ammo was free (to me) and the sessions were short of course.
Kind of like being able to drive the customers expensive sports cars around for a test drive before being returned ..
Actually we did that with most any of the guns repaired in any of the shops I worked in. Live fire tells the real story after all.

One particular .505Gibbs remains tatooed in my mind as the most miserable to shoot.
The others were 'kinda-fun!' at the time. Getting beat up by a nice rifle and laughing about it seemed to go hand in hand for some reason..

I have a John Rigby, hammer gun in .500 x 3in BPE, SxS that is not all that bad to shoot.
A nice 9.3x74R SxS German made rifle from the 30's that can be brutal after a few shots because of it's trim 7#+weight.

The last one, a J. Tolley .470 N/E hammerless DR is not too bad to handle because of it's heavy weight. But after about 10rds of plinking,,that too can set in the rack to 'cool down'.

Range toys, that's all they are to me.

Never used a .416 but a good friend has one that he has used to take several buffalo and a couple of elephants, and he is a big fan of it. I have used a .375 H&H for years, mostly for elk, and it is very, very effective while recoil is quite manageable. The biggest rifle I have right now is a Model 70 in .458 Win. Mag. Loaded with Hornady 350 gr. roundnose bullets it’s good for elk or moose. The 500 gr. bullets are really too heavy for most anything in North America. My limited experience is that they just don’t open very well. I suppose it might work well on a charging griz! It’s a kicker, though. Practice is limited to 8, maybe 10, rounds and no more. Anything more than that will get me flinching and, quoting Peter Capstick, “I have to cover one eye to read my watch.”

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Everybody could shoot