Still worthwhile picking up a .416 if I own a 375 and 458?

[Northern Shooter]

Aside from "yes you should own one of everything...." is there much functional benefit to adding a .416 caliber to the collection if I currently have a .375H&H and .458 WM? I can shoot heavy for caliber 350 grain out of the 375 and light for caliber 400 grain out of the 458.

Does the .416 still carve out it's own unique niche?

 

[Andrew62]

What are you waiting for?? Buy man, buy!! lol

 

[Northern Shooter]

What are you waiting for?? Buy man, buy!! lol

I mean, that's what the devil on my shoulder has been telling me.

 

[USMA84DAB]

I just voted with my wallet - sold/traded a Ruger Alaskan to AZ Dave in .416 Ruger.

I have a .375 Ruger Alaskan, and a .495 A-Square under construction. I just didn't see the need for keeping it.

 

[Northern Shooter]

I just voted with my wallet - sold/traded a Ruger Alaskan to AZ Dave in .416 Ruger.

I have a .375 Ruger Alaskan, and a .495 A-Square under construction. I just didn't see the need for keeping it.

You felt the other two cartridges had enough overlap of the gap that 416 would have filled?

 

[USMA84DAB]

Yep.

If you want a .416, then by all means buy one. I just felt the .375 is the utility fielder, the .495 is for the big stuff. Contrary to popular dogma, a cartridge that provides 2200 FPS with a 5 or 600 grain bullet can be shot at animals farther than 50 yards. It just takes practice and learning the ballistics.

 

[Challer]

Why? you'll either be in a forced rotation or one will be a safe queen.

 

[Andrew62]

I mean, that's what the devil on my shoulder has been telling me.

Given the ability to load heavy or light ‘for caliber’ in your .375H&H and .458, there’s probably no real logic for buying a .416, but what does logic have to do with anything? My buddy took a 42” Buffalo last fall with his .458 loaded with 350 grain Barnes TSX bullets.

 

[sureshot375]

I mean I'm not the type to talk a fella out of buying a gun, but as a practical matter you really don't need one with what you have. My guess is if you get it you will develop a preference for either the .458 or the .416 and the other will become a safe queen.

 

[steve white]

nope. you're covered

 

[DLSJR]

Well, I just had a 375 H&H built to go between my 416 Hoffman and 338 win mag. Wasn’t so much ‘need’ as it was a 375 is ideal for only taking 1 gun on safari. Typically, I take my 338 & 416. For an upcoming Selous hunt, they’re all going as my son will shoot the 375 and I’ll have the other two. Heading to Cameroon in 9 months and then it’ll be only the 375.

Get the 416, then figure out a solution.

 

[Inline6]

Having all three (375h&h, 416REM, and 458LOTT) I don't see much need in the 416REM. I'm keeping because I killed my first buff with it and my son asked to kill his first with it. Otherwise it would have been sold. I love the rifle, love the round, it will not do anything the other 2 can't.

I'm not a collector either so, that might be part of my problem.

 

[Bonk]

Like others, I would never suggest a man not buy a rifle but in the context of the OP's question I don't see a hole in the line up that needs filling. The 375 and the 458 have you covered for anything walking the planet.

I have the opposite problem. I have a very nice 9.3x62 and a very nice 404J so why do I need my 375H&H any more? I don't but it's a 375H&H and that alone is a valid reason. I'm keeping it, for now, but I reserve the right to change my mind.

 

[fourfive8]

My spread is 22 RF, 222 Rem, 270 Win, 338-06, 375 HH, 416 Rem Mag, 450 Watts. How many animals am I going to hunt in the future specifically with the 450 Watts or even with one of the 375s? None! I almost sold the 450 five years ago but backed out at the last minute remembering how accurate the darn thing is. My reality: everything in the future I'm going to hunt is covered by the 22 RF, 222 Rem, 270 Win, 338-06 and the 416 Rem Mag.

So why are the two 375 HHs and the 450 Watts in the safe.... just because. Although I do like to reload for them and shoot paper. Once in a while I'll set up the media trough and shoot a GS Custom FP monolithic solid out of the 450 Watts just to wonder at the sheer amount of penetration that round and bullet can produce. I like to test bullets if new design or if planning on using them to hunt with. Kind of got used to between 14" and 20" penetration for practically all soft point hunting bullets (TSXs, A-Frames, TBBCs, etc.) out of various calibers in my test media. Then I tried the GS Custom FP monolithic solid out of the 450! It blew a hole out the back of the 48" media trough and traveled on into the berm backstop- showing perfectly straight penetration. So I added a foot to the trough, added more media and it did it again! And, the 416 Rem will almost equal it for penetration through the same media with a 400 gr North Fork FP monolithic solid.

 

[gballard137]

I just voted with my wallet - sold/traded a Ruger Alaskan to AZ Dave in .416 Ruger.

I have a .375 Ruger Alaskan, and a .495 A-Square under construction. I just didn't see the need for keeping it.

What are you building you 495 a square on?
And yess you do need a 416

 

[Tanks]

Nope. Too light for DG if one has the .458 and no need for PG. Heck, I'd get rid of the .375 as well and invest in a .300 for PG.

I sold my .416 a couple of years ago for the exact same reason.

 

[Luvthunt]

Not a whole lot of logic to it but maybe because you want them.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Need vs want is always a difficult dilemma when it comes to firearm acquisition.

I went a different route. After acquiring my 416 Rigby, I let go of a 375 H&H, 450/400's, and 458 WM. I really wanted to keep them but didn't see a need any longer. The trajectories of the 375H&H and 416 Rigby are about the same out to 300 yards.

Safe hunting

 

[Northern Shooter]

It's definitely a need vs want scenario and I would like to expand my medium/big bore selection but receive the most functionality out of the various cartridges and rifles.

Right now my thinking is that it comes down to the rifle choice. Instead of buying another traditional wood stock/blued barrel/express sights type rifle, I'm looking at a compact rifle with laminate stock and stainless steel.

Out of the .416's im looking at the .416 Ruger specifically to fill this niche on the standard action, short barrel "handy rifle" that can be used at home in more inclement weather on bear and moose hunts.

I've also been having similar cartridge hesitations regarding the .470NE considering the ballistics of it are very similar to my .458WM, just in a more expensive package. Again the rifle itself (double rifle) and style of hunting I feel will be enough to justify the purchase of a 470NE down the road.

I have a feeling that once you cross over the .416 size territory many of these bigger cartridges have greater degrees of overlap and that you have to jump up a level or 2 to distinguish the level of performance and recoil.

 

[fourfive8]

Need vs want is always a difficult dilemma when it comes to firearm acquisition.

I went a different route. After acquiring my 416 Rigby, I let go of a 375 H&H, 450/400's, and 458 WM. I really wanted to keep them but didn't see a need any longer. The trajectories of the 375H&H and 416 Rigby are about the same out to 300 yards.

Safe hunting

Very similar to my thinking and situation. Also, the 416 Rem Mag and the 416 Rigby have identical external ballistics - both shooting 400 gr bullet at 2400 fps.