.416 Rigby reloading

OL'SMOKEY

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Hello- I hope this is in the correct place.
I'm new to reloading and in need of information for the correct gear, press, etc on the full setup. Any input is appreciated.
Best!
 
If you're only planning on loading for your 416 Rigby I assume that you won't be doing a high volume of shooting. I'd recommend you start with a good quality single stage press. RCBS, Redding, Hornady, Forster plus others are all good. Personally, I'm partial to RCBS. Great customer service and warranty. Don't hesitate to buy a used press in good condition. Of course, you're also need dies, and the appropriate shell holder. Then there's a powder measure, scale, powder Trickler. case trimmer as well as other accessories. The most important item is a good reloading manual or two. If you're looking to buy everything new you can buy starter kits from several of the major tool manufacturers. You Tube videos are a good source of basic information as well.
 
Its hard to go wrong with a RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme press. It has a longer/taller loading area for the extra length of 375 H&H and 416 cartridges.

I have my almost 50 year old Rock Chucker next to my Redding T-7 turret press. The Rock Chucker hosts an RCBS cullet bullet puller die. More on bullet pulling in your advanced lessons....
 
Start searching for brass now.
 

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I reload 416 Rigby and (everything else) on a Forster co-ax. Agree with labman that components are going to be the difficulty currently.
 
If you're only planning on loading for your 416 Rigby I assume that you won't be doing a high volume of shooting. I'd recommend you start with a good quality single stage press. RCBS, Redding, Hornady, Forster plus others are all good. Personally, I'm partial to RCBS. Great customer service and warranty. Don't hesitate to buy a used press in good condition. Of course, you're also need dies, and the appropriate shell holder. Then there's a powder measure, scale, powder Trickler. case trimmer as well as other accessories. The most important item is a good reloading manual or two. If you're looking to buy everything new you can buy starter kits from several of the major tool manufacturers. You Tube videos are a good source of basic information as well.
Thank you, Labman! I have been gathering some brass here and there, Hornady and Norma. I hear Hornady is good but Norma collectively considered the better of the two? All subjectively speaking, I definitely have a bit of a mountain to climb. Other good news, I've gathered some reloading manuals/books, as well, one being The Big Book Of Gun Gack. So many things to learn, thank you again, I know I'll have several questions!!
 
I reload 416 Rigby and (everything else) on a Forster co-ax. Agree with labman that components are going to be the difficulty currently.
Thank you BB416! Yessir, I have looked at this press and I like what I read regarding the Forster co-ax. I'm putting my santa list together so it's researching and more researching..I hope to get this right the first go-round. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts and knowledge!!
 
Its hard to go wrong with a RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme press. It has a longer/taller loading area for the extra length of 375 H&H and 416 cartridges.

I have my almost 50 year old Rock Chucker next to my Redding T-7 turret press. The Rock Chucker hosts an RCBS cullet bullet puller die. More on bullet pulling in your advanced lessons....
Hello Mark! This is quite a journey I've set before myself, truly I'm humbled having access to this skilled community. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and knowledge on this subject, it helps me in ways I could never find elsewhere. Surely I'll have many questions along the way!
 
Thank you, Labman! I have been gathering some brass here and there, Hornady and Norma. I hear Hornady is good but Norma collectively considered the better of the two? All subjectively speaking, I definitely have a bit of a mountain to climb. Other good news, I've gathered some reloading manuals/books, as well, one being The Big Book Of Gun Gack. So many things to learn, thank you again, I know I'll have several questions!!
Probably true that Norma is better! In my highly subjective opinion, Hornady is mediocre at best and Norma and Lapua are the prime choices.
I've used both Hornady and Norma in my 416 - the Norma has a bigger internal capacity but in a low pressure round like the 416 this probably is irrelevant. In theory you can load to higher velocities for the same pressure with a bigger case.

With 60 rounds (plus whatever Hornady) you almost certainly have enough cases for the foreseeable future. The 416 isn't really a high volume plinking calibre. And it runs at low pressure, ergo the brass is worked much less intensely than almost any other calibre. Anneal the neck/shoulder every reloading cycle and those cases will last many cycles.

Cost effective bullets are more likely to be a challenge than cases. And burning powder at around 100gr per bang means you go through a lot of powder too. You want Fed 215 LRM primers. That's where I'd focus the procurement drive on for now rather than brass.

Other than the conventional items for reloading, I would add that getting some sort of crimping die (Lee factory crimp die is fine and mostly fool-proof) is a good idea because you don't want bullet set-back in the mag under recoil. And roll crimping in the 416 can cause the small shoulder to get crushed if the seating/crimping die isn't set up perfectly.
 
Use of the Lee crimping die is a good suggestion. I also learned to use Imperial sizing wax on my 416 cases. Midway Carrie’s it. I use mica inside of the necks. I lightly bell my case mounts before seating bullets. Saves pushing the neck back into the shoulder.
 
Reading this post, it seems like Norma brass is the way to go. I just acquired a 416 Rigby and am now hunting for reloading supplies. Looks like Norma still has boxes of 50 for $145. Is that a good price? Or should I hold out? Thanks
 
I do like Fed 215m but in comparing CCI 250 load for load over my Labrader not enough diff to not use CCI.
Have an unopened box of 400 gr Nosler part I would pass on for $100 plus $10 shipping.
 
The recommendation to use 215s is based on them giving a more vigorous spark, to ignite the large powder charge more consistently. Not because they give better accuracy or velocity or whatever.

From Sierrabullets.com:
Large Rifle Magnum primers are made specifically for the larger charges of very slow burning powders common to the bigger magnum rifle cartridges. It is perhaps worth mentioning that some of this class of primers have been developed for very specific applications. The Federal 215 primer, for example, was designed to reliably ignite the massive powder charges associated with the Weatherby line of magnum cartridges. These should be used as shown in the loading tables, and must not be randomly substituted for standard large rifle primers. With their sharper ignition characteristics, they will frequently give higher pressures than a standard primer used in an otherwise identical load. As is true with the “Standard” large rifle primers, the “Magnum” designation does not necessarily preclude the use of these primers in non-magnum cartridges, but the load must be worked up again when primers are substituted.

From https://www.chuckhawks.com/primers.htm
Incidentally, these same tests revealed that the Federal 215 and CCI 250 large rifle magnum primers produced nearly identical pressures.
 
I have used Hornady, Norma and Bertram Brass. Bertram also produce Rhino and Kynoch brass. I have a leaning towards Bertram brass as it is the brand I have used the most ibn the 416 Rigby. They have been reloaded between 5 and 8 times.

I would suggest, with the supply problems we currently have, that you grab what ever brass is available. When you have learnt reloading then be choosy as you will not lose brass through mistakes.

I have found the 416 Rigby to be a very easy and forgiving calibre to load. Enjoy
 
IMO it is useless to chase velocity in a DG cartridge. All you get is increased recoil. If you load that quality 400 grain bullet at 2250 to 2350 fps it will do everything needed without drama.

The cost effective solution to practice rounds are cast bullets and Accurate 5744 or Trailboss powders. Bengal bullets offers cast, powder coated and gas checked bullets for the 416 in two weights and they are very reasonably priced. Others offer cast bullets as well.

I use CCI 250 primers loading hunting cartridges for my 404 Jeff without any problems. For the reduced cast bullet loads, I use Rem 9-1/2 or WLR primers.
 
@OL'SMOKEY reach out to this guy https://1967spud.com/contact I was at his shop a few week back and he had bins of 416 Rigby brass once fired. Its not on the website but I know he has it. Mention my name (Manish) and he will know what your on about. Its a long shot but worth a try.
 

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