416 Rigby Barrel Free Float?

Well I finally got to shoot my CZ 550 416 Rigby at a range after it sitting in a box for 15 years!
After I got it sighted in I shot a 4 shot group off the bench at 100yds. The ammo was a box of Federal 400gr somethings that I bought with the rifle also 15 years ago! I think I had to mortgage my left testicle to purchase the ammo! $170 for 20.
The target in the picture has 4 shots just right of centre. I was using a Caldwell Leadsled DFT with 50lbs of shot on it. (I had bought it specifically for my 450 Rigby but since watching videos of guys shooting 416's off the bench I decided machismo was not called for here. I be wussy yes?) Recoil was still brisk. Leadsled still moved back almost 4". Results were pretty decent in my mind. The shot that is 4" high and 2" left, and then just over an inch low were off hand shots at 100yds. Shooting offhand was a bit more than brisk. I wouldn't want to do that.....a lot....ouch! I think my CZ 450 Rigby actually kicks less than the 416!
Anyway my question is: Should I free float the barrel as there are several spots where the forearm touches the barrel? (I can't slide a piece of paper along the barrel channel). I don't know how much better it would shoot as the current results are pretty decent. Comments, thoughts, polite suggestions ?
I have also included a picture of my 416.

how come it sat in a box for 15 years...........or were you building up slowly to shooting it?

You are better off full length bedding a wood stock but that's not bad for a big bore, its not like you are going to be ringing the 1000yd gong anyway. 1 3/4" group should suit you fine. Sounds like you aren't fond of the recoil anyway so the gun probably shoots better than you do regardless of how good your shots seemed.

Well by the looks of things you're a hand loader. I'd get a hold of some 400gr A-Frames or North Fork Bonded Cores and some H4831. If you're CZ shoots as well as the one I had those groups will tighten up some more just a bit north of 100gr of powder. And they'll be zipping along. And you'll be experiencing plenty of recoil. Dropping down below 100gr of powder, my guess if you'll find a sweet spot again for accuracy without so much of the recoil.

Float it? I don't think I'd bother. Bedding it to protect that stock, that I think is a good idea.

spike.t said:

how come it sat in a box for 15 years...........or were you building up slowly to shooting it?

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Life just kinda worked out that way. I had only shot 5 rounds through it at my late mother in laws farm just to see what it was like. On the 5th round I shot a groundhog that popped up 25yds away....road pizza! Then it went in the box. Took it out once in awhile to oil it and dream!

Diamondhitch said:

You are better off full length bedding a wood stock but that's not bad for a big bore, its not like you are going to be ringing the 1000yd gong anyway. 1 3/4" group should suit you fine. Sounds like you aren't fond of the recoil anyway so the gun probably shoots better than you do regardless of how good your shots seemed.

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No I'm not a real fond supporter of recoil but since I have a 375H&H, 416 Rigby, 9.3x62, 404 Jeffery, and 450 Rigby I have to be a big boy and suck it up! I have to "Be The Ball" as said by Chevy Chase from the movie "Caddyshack"

you have a nice selection of calibres, apart from that common .375 of course............

spike.t said:

you have a nice selection of calibres, apart from that common .375 of course............

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The 375 is was my first "Big Game" rifle. It got me hooked on larger calibers. The 375 I have is a BRNO ZKK 602. I have an old Bausch & Lomb Balvar 3-9x42 on it. Shoots exceptionally well. I used to work at a hunting shop 30 some years ago. I think we were the first to bring in the BRNO line to Canada. I bought the 375 after much "egging on" by the owners. Glad I did. They also had an ZKK 602 in 8x68 which I also bought. Too bad the 8x68 wasn't embraced by the North American hunting community. Great calibre.
I still hunt with one of the owners after 30yrs.

check it on the lead sled at 50m , if your grouping is better and acceptable then leave it alone.

I don't even shoot my 416 Rigby at the range at 100m because I figure that I wont be using it at that distance in the bush.

larger calibers are normally purchased for big and dangerous game and IMHO and I don't want to hunt a buff with a 100m shot , that's just my opinion of course.

bassasdaindia said:

check it on the lead sled at 50m , if your grouping is better and acceptable then leave it alone.

I don't even shoot my 416 Rigby at the range at 100m because I figure that I wont be using it at that distance in the bush.

larger calibers are normally purchased for big and dangerous game and IMHO and I don't want to hunt a buff with a 100m shot , that's just my opinion of course.

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There is an exception to the big bore for dangerous game rule. I usually take a big bore - .404 or .416, and a .300 win mag to Africa. I have over the years inadvertently fallen into looking for the tiny ten. The problem is that the .300 can do an enormous amount of damage to a small animal. I use the .416 with solids, and the animals are just as dead, but the skin is a whole lot more intact. So I do like to know what the rifle will do at 100 yards and a bit beyond.

Hank2211 said:

There is an exception to the big bore for dangerous game rule. I usually take a big bore - .404 or .416, and a .300 win mag to Africa. I have over the years inadvertently fallen into looking for the tiny ten. The problem is that the .300 can do an enormous amount of damage to a small animal. I use the .416 with solids, and the animals are just as dead, but the skin is a whole lot more intact. So I do like to know what the rifle will do at 100 yards and a bit beyond.

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although I totally agree with your comment , I find it difficult have and using a large caliber rifle which is mainly used for large and dangerous game and a scope that is low powered to give you :

1 - low magnification , for close up situations
2 - eye relief

and then wanting the same rifle to give you moa grouping at 100m , there has to be a balance between the 2 .

one of my 416's uses a VX6 1-6X24 and the other uses a VX3 2.5-8X36 , I can shoot MOA with the VX3 2.5-8X36 at 100m but I can not do it with the VX6 1-6X24 .

What do you think about using a 404, 416, etc with DGX, or RNSN bullets on whitetail deer? If you get the velocity going on slow side there shouldn't be much damage I would think. Results would lead into the above mentioned query:
"So I do like to know what the rifle will do at 100 yards and a bit beyond". The ballistics program that I use states that a 416cal 400gr RNSN style of bullet at 2400fps (3" high hold at 100yds) will only drop 12.5" at 300yds. Remaining velocity is 1660fps, and ME is 2450ftlbs. That's still pretty good in my mind
.423 cal (404 Jeffery) 400gr RN is virtually identical to the 416 in ballistics.

bassasdaindia said:

check it on the lead sled at 50m , if your grouping is better and acceptable then leave it alone.

I don't even shoot my 416 Rigby at the range at 100m because I figure that I wont be using it at that distance in the bush.

larger calibers are normally purchased for big and dangerous game and IMHO and I don't want to hunt a buff with a 100m shot , that's just my opinion of course.

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It's a valid opinion. I know PH's would like to get as close as possible (within safety limits of course) for a shot to be taken but sometimes you just have to "reach out an touch someone" with a longer shot. Dangerous game rifles should be more than adequate to take something that can turn you into a greasy spot at longer distances as long as the shooter does his part. Everyone has their own way of doing things. It all depends on how the PH feels about the situation and whether or not the shot should be taken. Just my humble opinion of course.

8x68 said:

What do you think about using a 404, 416, etc with DGX, or RNSN bullets on whitetail deer? If you get the velocity going on slow side there shouldn't be much damage I would think. Results would lead into the above mentioned query:
"So I do like to know what the rifle will do at 100 yards and a bit beyond". The ballistics program that I use states that a 416cal 400gr RNSN style of bullet at 2400fps (3" high hold at 100yds) will only drop 12.5" at 300yds. Remaining velocity is 1660fps, and ME is 2450ftlbs. That's still pretty good in my mind
.423 cal (404 Jeffery) 400gr RN is virtually identical to the 416 in ballistics.

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I shoot all my 416 and 404 bullets at between 2200 and 2400 , I have never shot them further than 100m and never intend to either.

416 Rigby. Well I don't think I need to bed the barrel.
Did a bit of shooting with it last couple of weekends using reloaded rounds.
I have attached pictures.
The first 3 shot string is above the top centre square (I was aiming at the middle centre as I wasn't 100% sure where they were going to hit after shooting factory ammo the week before). Top shot is more or less a fouling shot out of a cold barrel. Next 2 below it a rapid succession. Velocity was 2032/2005/2031fps. Next string is above left centre square (aiming point). Velocity 2133/2177/2085fps. Next string above right centre square (aiming point). Vel 2336/2318/2341fps.
Last string middle centre square (Aiming point. I also adjusted scoped elevation down, and left. Bit too much but I'll fix that next week). Vel 2458/2444/2465fps. Bullet was Hornady 400gr RN SP. Primers Fed 215's, brass was Federal Nickel (don't have enough Norma at the moment as I sold some. More Norma 416 brass coming in the next couple of weeks). H4350 powder charge ranged from 74.6 to 90.5 (max load & was best load). Pic of last group with caliper measurement. Yes I'm too cheap to buy targets so I make my own........hence the cardboard and orange marking paint, black lines and crappy circles. I reuse the targets by covering the holes with round Colour Coding Labels.

I'm happy

As you should be!

8x68 said:

What do you think about using a 404, 416, etc with DGX, or RNSN bullets on whitetail deer?

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id happily use my 416 on deer with either a 350gr Speer HotCor at around 2500 fps or a 300gr Barnes TSX at around 2700 fps. both loads shoot very well in my Win M70 416 RM and would make short work of medium game.

-matt