Oh, c'mon, it's a monkey. Use a .30-30.
Best Sasquatch rifle- Baikal 45-70 dbl vs CZ550 .375H&H vs. CZ 550 .416 Rigby?
- Thread starter GatorFarmer
- Start date
BigBill
Absent Comrade
Make friends with it, it probably knows more about life and this planet than we do? It uses rivers and highways to migrate. Probably high tention electrical wires too.
OP
GatorFarmer
Member
I of course ought have typed .458 Winchester Magnum. Having the various .416s floating around like sugar plums in my head, I had the words Remington and Magnum stuck on the brain.
Anyway...I made a deal on a used CZ550 American with the Kevlar stock, getting it for about the cost of one of the woodstocked guns new. I theorized that it was relatively unlikely that a .416 Rigby rifle had seen enough rounds fired to sustain serious wear. The Kevlar stock will be uglier, but ought be durable.
I will have the rifle whenever Buds ships it. I am thus far not a fan of their shipping times, but it will get here when it gets here.
I ordered 2 boxes of .416 Rigby ammunition to get me started. Hopefully the Hornady offerings are of good quality. They sell for half or less per box than Federal and other loads, the Norma and Kynoch offerings being particularly expensive. At $5 a shot, the Hornady is not plinking fodder either....One box of full metal jackets and one of dangerous game expanding bullets.
The possum that lives in the ditch and the raccoon that sometimes is in the trash can will never know what hit them. If I get proper reloading equipment perhaps I can figure out some squirrel loads.
Minor complications are that I have absolutely no where nearby that I know of where I can shoot the rifle. I also need to find someone with an errant Sasquatch raiding the chickens who wants to be rid of it. Perhaps I will give the rifle a name and pitch a reality show... Ponders.
I actually have a theory...that one of the reasons no one shows up with a frwshly shot Sasquatch in tow is that no one who takes the shot ever survives, ending up either a trail snack or a forest bride.
There may be some validity to this, as in most parts of the country it is unlikely that anyone is wandering the woods with a rifle meant for large predators. It could be that bullets meant for deer or even worse for varmints simply disintegrate without reaching vitals. Thick pelt...likely a thick sloping skull, heavy bone structure, well muscled...shrug. Maybe even the .416 is a bad idea. Still, something that I have been meaning to get, so that is taken care of.
Now where can I get a shirt with shell loops and an Aussie bush hat?
Anyway...I made a deal on a used CZ550 American with the Kevlar stock, getting it for about the cost of one of the woodstocked guns new. I theorized that it was relatively unlikely that a .416 Rigby rifle had seen enough rounds fired to sustain serious wear. The Kevlar stock will be uglier, but ought be durable.
I will have the rifle whenever Buds ships it. I am thus far not a fan of their shipping times, but it will get here when it gets here.
I ordered 2 boxes of .416 Rigby ammunition to get me started. Hopefully the Hornady offerings are of good quality. They sell for half or less per box than Federal and other loads, the Norma and Kynoch offerings being particularly expensive. At $5 a shot, the Hornady is not plinking fodder either....One box of full metal jackets and one of dangerous game expanding bullets.
The possum that lives in the ditch and the raccoon that sometimes is in the trash can will never know what hit them. If I get proper reloading equipment perhaps I can figure out some squirrel loads.
Minor complications are that I have absolutely no where nearby that I know of where I can shoot the rifle. I also need to find someone with an errant Sasquatch raiding the chickens who wants to be rid of it. Perhaps I will give the rifle a name and pitch a reality show... Ponders.
I actually have a theory...that one of the reasons no one shows up with a frwshly shot Sasquatch in tow is that no one who takes the shot ever survives, ending up either a trail snack or a forest bride.
There may be some validity to this, as in most parts of the country it is unlikely that anyone is wandering the woods with a rifle meant for large predators. It could be that bullets meant for deer or even worse for varmints simply disintegrate without reaching vitals. Thick pelt...likely a thick sloping skull, heavy bone structure, well muscled...shrug. Maybe even the .416 is a bad idea. Still, something that I have been meaning to get, so that is taken care of.
Now where can I get a shirt with shell loops and an Aussie bush hat?
Dashriprock
Member
I got two boxes of the Hornady 400-gr. DGS ammo when I got my .416 Rigby and it was really accurate and consistent over the chrony. I'm handloading it now and will test the first batch as soon as this snow ends.
Did not know they came in composite. Mine is wood, but either way, you'll have fun with this classic African cartridge!
Did not know they came in composite. Mine is wood, but either way, you'll have fun with this classic African cartridge!
It is my understanding that Sasquatch is a pretty large fellow, I would bet he could handle one of those 1918 Mauser 13 mm anti-tank rifles with a stock extension for his very long length of pull. Though it might be best to start him off with something like a .22. 
Texas Star
US Veteran
You'll probably never see a Saaquatch, but if you do need to kill one, I think a .270 or .30-06 loaded with Nosler Partition or similar controlled expansion bullets will do.
Remember the old Ruger ads where the guy shot gorillas with a Ruger .44 carbine and a Super Blackhawk? They sufficed. Shot placement matters.
More likely, you may need to shoot a bear. Or, an elk or moose. You don't know where your Navy wife may eventually be stationed.
Hands down, your choice of the items stated is the .375 H&H in the CZ. I think I'd get the US style stock.
Frankly, I'd try to buy a Winchester M-70 .375, but CZ and Sako are my options. Sako does not have controlled round feeding.
I handled a CZ .416 and was impressed. But recoil might eventually split the stock, recoil will be formidable, and it's much less versatile and far more expensive to shoot than a .375. Ammo is hard to find here.
I'd look for the Winchester or buy the CZ .375, which is a quite popular item among resident African hunters who DO use it on dangerous game. I have a book on lions with a photo of a CZ .375 that the reseacher carried for protection.
I hope that your finances have improved and that you can buy and retain this rifle.
I suggest a Euro reticle with heavier lower posts, for rapid sight acquisition. I have a Redfield with that reticle and had one from Swarovski that I wish I hadn't sold.
I know of one alleged Sasquatch attack on a man near the Texas-Arkansas border and there have been accounts of them throwing small boulders at houses.
I do not know of any lab that has declared any human origins in this species. Only read that an Army CID lab examined a hair and said that it was not from any known species.
You have a fun fantasy project, and a .375 H&H Magnum is a fine all-round rifle for one who likes power beyond what's normally needed in North America, beyond the big bears.
But a .375 might save your hide if you're ever charged by a domestic bull. And some feral pigs grow very large.
I think you are unwise to consider the Baikal rifle. I'd also avoid any other Eastern Bloc arms other than those by CZ.
P.S. This was typed while you were posting that you've bought a CZ .416 with synthetic stock. I hope what I said will be of help to anyone else here with similar considerations. Your rifle should also be useful on sharks.
If I was routinely in Sasquatch country, I'd carry a S&W M-629 .44 Magnum with six-inch barrel. I think I'd aim for the solar plexus or the nose, hoping for a brain shot. The most potent handgun I now own is a .357. But I think it may suffice on the brain shot, as the facial bones probably aren't massive. If I carried a rifle, it'd be something that would also work on grizzlies, if they were a local factor.
I doubt the existance of some cryptozoolical animals, like the Nandi bear. But Bigfoot/Sasquatch and some lake monsters are more possible.
Remember the old Ruger ads where the guy shot gorillas with a Ruger .44 carbine and a Super Blackhawk? They sufficed. Shot placement matters.
More likely, you may need to shoot a bear. Or, an elk or moose. You don't know where your Navy wife may eventually be stationed.
Hands down, your choice of the items stated is the .375 H&H in the CZ. I think I'd get the US style stock.
Frankly, I'd try to buy a Winchester M-70 .375, but CZ and Sako are my options. Sako does not have controlled round feeding.
I handled a CZ .416 and was impressed. But recoil might eventually split the stock, recoil will be formidable, and it's much less versatile and far more expensive to shoot than a .375. Ammo is hard to find here.
I'd look for the Winchester or buy the CZ .375, which is a quite popular item among resident African hunters who DO use it on dangerous game. I have a book on lions with a photo of a CZ .375 that the reseacher carried for protection.
I hope that your finances have improved and that you can buy and retain this rifle.
I suggest a Euro reticle with heavier lower posts, for rapid sight acquisition. I have a Redfield with that reticle and had one from Swarovski that I wish I hadn't sold.
I know of one alleged Sasquatch attack on a man near the Texas-Arkansas border and there have been accounts of them throwing small boulders at houses.
I do not know of any lab that has declared any human origins in this species. Only read that an Army CID lab examined a hair and said that it was not from any known species.
You have a fun fantasy project, and a .375 H&H Magnum is a fine all-round rifle for one who likes power beyond what's normally needed in North America, beyond the big bears.
But a .375 might save your hide if you're ever charged by a domestic bull. And some feral pigs grow very large.
I think you are unwise to consider the Baikal rifle. I'd also avoid any other Eastern Bloc arms other than those by CZ.
P.S. This was typed while you were posting that you've bought a CZ .416 with synthetic stock. I hope what I said will be of help to anyone else here with similar considerations. Your rifle should also be useful on sharks.
If I was routinely in Sasquatch country, I'd carry a S&W M-629 .44 Magnum with six-inch barrel. I think I'd aim for the solar plexus or the nose, hoping for a brain shot. The most potent handgun I now own is a .357. But I think it may suffice on the brain shot, as the facial bones probably aren't massive. If I carried a rifle, it'd be something that would also work on grizzlies, if they were a local factor.
I doubt the existance of some cryptozoolical animals, like the Nandi bear. But Bigfoot/Sasquatch and some lake monsters are more possible.
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OP
GatorFarmer
Member
A fair number of the big bores get taken to Africa, but I suspect just as many are Walter Mitty guns. They are purchased for novelty, machismo, midlife crisis etc and live their lives in a safe, in a closet or on the mantle after firing a few shots on the range. Thus the .416 rifle found for about 2/3 of retail when lightly used. In a way, I can consider it an investment. I do not see it further depreciating in value so long as cared for. Thus if I get bored with, or find it excessive for various and sundry small furry things, I ought be able to get back what I paid for it.
In theory shooting a sasquatch can be sold as a very granola and Birkenstock idea. The theory being that the body makes for positive proof allowing recognition and protection as an endangered species. Though I am sure it was coming right for me regardless.
My reasoning is simply that if I had the chance I would take the shot simply to do what no one has provably done before. I was not entirely convinced by the claims of juvenile ones being shot and the bodies buried. I would think a dead Sasquatch to easily be worth a million dollars, and I can not see burying a million dollars and leaving it to rot.
Extrapolating size, weight, etc from what is claimed and we get something like a Kodiak grizzly but smarter. While old timers killed very large bears with the .30-06 and even the old .30-40 Krag, I allow myself to think that more might be better when something may eat me.
My wife is retiring from the Navy this summer after 20 years. Perhaps we will move to Alaska and the big bore will at least be of theoretical utility. I hope to end up back in Washington or Oregon, where perhaps I will get my chance after all.
I do not know if it was a common problem, but I do remember hearing in the past that the big bore CZs cracked stocks at times. The Kevlar stock should take care of this issue.
I plan to keep the iron sights for now both for economy and to keep the lines cleaner.
Hopefully I can find a chance to shoot a large carnivorous feral pig or two to see what the rifle, when loaded with expanding bullets, is like as a stopper.
Every now and again someone just turns their pet lion or tiger loose in the woods, so I suppose I am set for that too.
In theory shooting a sasquatch can be sold as a very granola and Birkenstock idea. The theory being that the body makes for positive proof allowing recognition and protection as an endangered species. Though I am sure it was coming right for me regardless.
My reasoning is simply that if I had the chance I would take the shot simply to do what no one has provably done before. I was not entirely convinced by the claims of juvenile ones being shot and the bodies buried. I would think a dead Sasquatch to easily be worth a million dollars, and I can not see burying a million dollars and leaving it to rot.
Extrapolating size, weight, etc from what is claimed and we get something like a Kodiak grizzly but smarter. While old timers killed very large bears with the .30-06 and even the old .30-40 Krag, I allow myself to think that more might be better when something may eat me.
My wife is retiring from the Navy this summer after 20 years. Perhaps we will move to Alaska and the big bore will at least be of theoretical utility. I hope to end up back in Washington or Oregon, where perhaps I will get my chance after all.
I do not know if it was a common problem, but I do remember hearing in the past that the big bore CZs cracked stocks at times. The Kevlar stock should take care of this issue.
I plan to keep the iron sights for now both for economy and to keep the lines cleaner.
Hopefully I can find a chance to shoot a large carnivorous feral pig or two to see what the rifle, when loaded with expanding bullets, is like as a stopper.
Every now and again someone just turns their pet lion or tiger loose in the woods, so I suppose I am set for that too.
I have owned many larger bore rifles over the years. the 375 h&h is easier for most people to shoot due to less recoil, however still considerable. have owned 2 different 416 rigby chambered guns. if you practice with as you should, they are not unmanageable. more recoil for sure than most guns but heavyweight makes them usable. norma makes great empties for the rigby. your practice loads should not be full up speed at first. load some to around 2000fps to get used to the gun. pm me for more info on big rifles if you want.
Farmer17
Member
Winchester M-70 375 H&H with Nikon African 1-4X scope with German #4 reticle, Leupold quick release mount.
Here's your ideal Sasquatch rifle. It is a custom Mosin-Nagant that has been rebarreled and converted to .45-70. It was built by Jim Green, he's the gunsmith from the National Geographic show "Lords of War". Considering the 7.62x54 had a max pressure of 52k you can load your .45-70 as heavy as you like, this gun can take it. Jim milled out a picatinny rail and mounted it scout-style for a long eye relief scope. Perfect for those close encounters in the heavy forests that Sasquatch are known to frequent.
Alpo
Member
A "Bubbaed" mil-surp?!?!?!?!?!? 
Oooohh Nooooo!
Shame on you for suggesting such a thing.
Oooohh Nooooo!Shame on you for suggesting such a thing.
Bubba-ed? Hardly. Jim Green is a lot of things, but a Bubba isn't one of them.A "Bubbaed" mil-surp?!?!?!?!?!?
Shame on you for suggesting such a thing.
I cannot speak for the other calibers you are speaking of but I can talk the 416 Rigby.
I have owned my Ruger Safari Magnum well over 10 years. The only thing that is disheartening, when using 95 to 105 grains of powder, you only get give or take 70 loaded rounds per pound of powder. When I bought the rifle I also bought a bunch of 400 grain Hornady bullets and can load them for a dollar a round using Federal large magnum primers and existing powder that I have on hand I do not know what it would cost by todays standards to load for it, quite a bit more I would guess. Since you don’t shoot it in volumes like a .22 it is affordable. I bought the rifle with nearly 80 rounds of dangerous game solids and tend not to shoot them as I feel they would enhance the sale of the rifle if I were to decide to sell it.
Since you have had other big rifles you will find that the Rigby recoil is firm but very manageable not for the faint of heart mind you but hold her tight, squeeze the trigger and hang on and all is well.
terry
I have owned my Ruger Safari Magnum well over 10 years. The only thing that is disheartening, when using 95 to 105 grains of powder, you only get give or take 70 loaded rounds per pound of powder. When I bought the rifle I also bought a bunch of 400 grain Hornady bullets and can load them for a dollar a round using Federal large magnum primers and existing powder that I have on hand I do not know what it would cost by todays standards to load for it, quite a bit more I would guess. Since you don’t shoot it in volumes like a .22 it is affordable. I bought the rifle with nearly 80 rounds of dangerous game solids and tend not to shoot them as I feel they would enhance the sale of the rifle if I were to decide to sell it.
Since you have had other big rifles you will find that the Rigby recoil is firm but very manageable not for the faint of heart mind you but hold her tight, squeeze the trigger and hang on and all is well.
terry
Here's your ideal Sasquatch rifle. It is a custom Mosin-Nagant that has been rebarreled and converted to .45-70. It was built by Jim Green, he's the gunsmith from the National Geographic show "Lords of War". Considering the 7.62x54 had a max pressure of 52k you can load your .45-70 as heavy as you like, this gun can take it. Jim milled out a picatinny rail and mounted it scout-style for a long eye relief scope. Perfect for those close encounters in the heavy forests that Sasquatch are known to frequent.
That is beautifully executed! Did he open up the bolt face or is the rim on the Russian round comparable to the 45-70?
Intriguing project.....
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
Gator congratulations on your wife putting in her 20-it goes faster than one thinks! Honest to gawd I can see you in Alaska-
either there or for some reason South Texas 
either there or for some reason South Texas Nicksterdemus
Member
I can only offer what you already have gleaned. The .375 isn't required on this continent. The CZ will be better quality though the jack screw double, from what I've read, is capable of 2" groups evah so roughly at 100 yds.
How fast is Bullwinkle gonna close in on you after you touch off the first round?
The 45-70 ammo in medium weight/velocity can be had for around a buck & half a round for plinking/exploding milk jugs. The closest I'll ever get to shooting a Cape Buffalo is a picture cut from National Geographic taped to the aforementioned jug filled w/water.
Plus, several affordable options are available in lever action 45-70 should you wish to add to the collection.
Looks good & naturally I'm curious what one might ballpark for in that condition.
How fast is Bullwinkle gonna close in on you after you touch off the first round?
The 45-70 ammo in medium weight/velocity can be had for around a buck & half a round for plinking/exploding milk jugs. The closest I'll ever get to shooting a Cape Buffalo is a picture cut from National Geographic taped to the aforementioned jug filled w/water.
Plus, several affordable options are available in lever action 45-70 should you wish to add to the collection.
Looks good & naturally I'm curious what one might ballpark for in that condition.
Jack Flash
SWCA Member
I would suggest the ceramic Glock we hear so much about.
A non-existing gun for a non-existing target.
A non-existing gun for a non-existing target.
The bolt face had to be opened up a bit. Jim posted a video on his website that chronicles the build - Jim shows viewers how he converted a Mosin Nagant to .45-70 Govt. (Government) and then test-fires the converted rifle. - it isn't too long and he covers pretty much everything he did.
This is the first one of these he built, and it's been a couple of years. I'm not sure if he has done anymore so I can't say what he would charge. I am going to be putting several custom guns up for sale, including this one, in the classifieds here later this weekend. If you're interested in it PM me and we can talk.
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Alpo
Member
You apparently missed the thread about "sporterizing military surplus firearms", and the opinions express that, "no matter what was done to that grand old war horse - no matter how beautiful or 'better fitted as a sporting rifle" Pachmyar or Griffen and Howe did it - it was still BUBBAED".
I was making a sarcastic comment/joke, and actually expected a
-type response.Similar threads
