When stepping up from a .416, which direction to go?

[Northern Shooter]

For those of you that own 375s and 416s, which direction did you go when you stepped up from there? I don't even own my .416 yet but I'm planning 2 steps ahead and starting to consider one of the larger big bores.

Option 1: 458's, WinMag and Lott
Option 2: 450/400 NE, 450 NE etc.
Option 3: 470NE
Option 4: something truly large in the >0.500 realm.

I'm currently leaning towards a 470NE as I'd like to buy a double and ammo availability for the 470 seems to be greater than some of the others.

Curious to hear your thoughts.

 

[VertigoBE]

I’m in the same boat, I have a 375 (350 grain ammo) and a 416 (with 450 grain ammo)

My thinking is: there is no truly valid need to step up further. Apart from wanting to for the fun, history etc. So my decision is if I do step up, I’ll immediately look for a .500 double. Not because it would be necessary or a requirement, but just because I’d like one truly big bore (that is still useable, so .600 or .700 I would not consider)

 

[BourbonTrail]

I’m also at a 416, and my next up is likely to be a 500 Jeff or 505 Gibbs. Like @VertigoBE, I don’t need either, but it would be fun to learn how to use a proper stopping cartridge.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I’m in the same boat, I have a 375 (350 grain ammo) and a 416 (with 450 grain ammo)

My thinking is: there is no truly valid need to step up further. Apart from wanting to for the fun, history etc. So my decision is if I do step up, I’ll immediately look for a .500 double. Not because it would be necessary or a requirement, but just because I’d like one truly big bore (that is still useable, so .600 or .700 I would not consider)

Here you go! A Belgian for a Belgian

THYS 500 3

THYS 500 3

www.gunsinternational.com

 

[krish]

After quite a bit of collection I have come to a conclusion 450 Rigby to be the best choice
IT is a stoping rifle. Bullets are available in various weights up to 550 grn's. Yes 505G , 500J, or 550 magnum is good choice as well behind 577. 600. 700 which are more expensive.
My 2C
Krish

 

[TSIBINDI]

...Option 3

 

[reineke]

.500 NE Double it is!

 

[reineke]

like this one....

 

[Desperatezulu]

While a .458 cal in whatever flavour you prefer is the next logical step up from 416 (with lots of component availability etc), I also stand in the .505/.510 camp.
500 Jeff or 505 Gibbs in a bolt gun or 500 NE in a double.
If you need bigger than 416 then you need it to be quite a bit bigger!

 

[rookhawk]

For those of you that own 375s and 416s, which direction did you go when you stepped up from there? I don't even own my .416 yet but I'm planning 2 steps ahead and starting to consider one of the larger big bores.

Option 1: 458's, WinMag and Lott
Option 2: 450/400 NE, 450 NE etc.
Option 3: 470NE
Option 4: something truly large in the >0.500 realm.

I'm currently leaning towards a 470NE as I'd like to buy a double and ammo availability for the 470 seems to be greater than some of the others.

Curious to hear your thoughts.

Depends on your hunting plans. You have the key, non-negotiable gun already, a 375HH which can be a backup gun for killing a duiker one trip, and an elephant the next. Good start.

The question is, are you going to hunt a tremendous number of elephants in your lifetime? If the answer is no, then you don't need the dedicated-purpose stopping power of a .577NE.

Are you going to hunt mostly buffalo, plus the occasional hippo/elephant/eland? Pretty hard to deny the utility of the 450-400 3" Nitro Express, and its ballistic twin the 404 Jeffery.

Since you already have a 375HH, and you even have a 416 rigby, perhaps the 404J or 450-400 is close to redundant. In which case, the gun I'd recommend you get to "top off" your dangerous game rifles is a 470NE. Most common double rifle ammo. Slightly better penetration than a 500NE with slightly less recoil. It's the perfect "client rifle caliber" for large dangerous game.

 

[Doug3006]

If your heart is set on a double, then I’d recommend the 470. There seems to be more ammo and components available for the 470 than other calibers. In a bolt gun I’d recommend the 458 Lott. If you reload there are many bullets available and loadings perfect for everything from white tails to Elephant.

 

[RR 314]

If your heart is set on a double, then I’d recommend the 470. There seems to be more ammo and components available for the 470 than other calibers. In a bolt gun I’d recommend the 458 Lott. If you reload there are many bullets available and loadings perfect for everything from white tails to Elephant.

I agree completely. .458 Lott is the logical step up for bolt.

 

[Houston375HH]

Option 3. Shooting a double 470 is just unbelievably satisfying.

 

[PeteG]

For those of you that own 375s and 416s, which direction did you go when you stepped up from there? I don't even own my .416 yet but I'm planning 2 steps ahead and starting to consider one of the larger big bores.

Option 1: 458's, WinMag and Lott
Option 2: 450/400 NE, 450 NE etc.
Option 3: 470NE
Option 4: something truly large in the >0.500 realm.

I'm currently leaning towards a 470NE as I'd like to buy a double and ammo availability for the 470 seems to be greater than some of the others.

Curious to hear your thoughts.

If it is to stay with a bolt action, 458lott.
If you can go the double route, 470NE.

Both are practical, reasonable in terms of recoil and leave you room to go up in recoil and hitting power again if you so choose with the 500J, 505Gibbs or 500NE and up.

 

[AZDAVE]

If you have someone in your area with any of these rifles you might try and shoot one of them to get an Idea what you are comfortable with. The step up from 375 to 416 is bigger change than going from a 338 to a 375. the change from the 416 to the 458 class of rifles is another jump above the 416. The 458 lott, 470 and 500NE are all in the same recoil range. The 500 Jeffery and 505 gibbs are the next step up from the 458-500NE level. From there you get into the serious level of recoil in the 577 and bigger range. the higher you go in the big bores the more critical gun fit is. So before you jump into what comes after the 416 you might want to make sure the 416 isn't the top end of your recoil tolerance.

In the last 30 years I have lost count of the 338 and bigger rifles I have got a great deal on, that came with the rifle and a box of ammo with 1-3 rounds fired.

 

[mdwest]

I stepped up from my 416 for a very short period of time to a .585 HE... sold it off after a little while after shooting a 500 NE and a few other "bigger" cartridges and realized I really dont need or have interest in a "stopping" rifle.. a 416 will accomplish anything I would ever ask any hunting rifle to ever do..

If I were to invest in a double, I'd most likely go the 470 NE route.. Ive only shot two 470 NE's.. but both were reasonably easy to manage from a recoil perspective and we both beautiful, wonderful handling rifles.. For me a double would be a DG only rifle.. and would probably only be deployed for elephant or rhino (neither of which are really on my bucket list at the moment).. so Im not sure it would be worth spending the money on (I could buy a couple more buffalo hunts for the price of a decent 470 double... and easily hunt them with either my 375 or my 416... and the 416 would get the job done readily enough on the rhino or ele)..

 

[mdwest]

In the last 30 years I have lost count of the 338 and bigger rifles I have got a great deal on, that came with the rifle and a box of ammo with 1-3 rounds fired.

Yep!

I still do a happy dance every time I think about how I came into my .375...

A guy bought it intending on moving to Alaska (was in the USAF, planned on getting himself stationed there on his last tour.. and then settling there after he got out).. he had held onto the rifle for almost a decade and had only put 1/2 of a box of ammo through it..

That move never happened..

I picked it up (including the remaining 10 rounds in that initial box of ammo.. and a full box of the old Barnes X rounds).. for $650... just as clean as the day he bought it.. not even a single safe mark on it...

Not too shabby of a deal on a Winchester 70 CRF in .375 H&H

 

[Doug3006]

I feel like I should add a caveat to my recommendation for the 458 Lott. Find someone who owns one, or maybe several somebody’s that own several, and shoot them. In my Kimber Caprivi, the 458 hammers me pretty good! I had a mercury recoil reducer added as well as a pound or so of lead weight in the stock. Fore and aft to keep the balance correct. This helped, but I must confess that the 458 Lott is that the upper limit of my recoil tolerance. I love that gun, and I shot my best Buffalo with it, but it is a handful!

 

[Hunting Hitman]

577 Nitro Express is the next logical step up...


HH

 

[TOBY458]

STOP! TURN AROUND, and use the money for hunting. 416 will do everything needed.