.416 Rigby reloading

[CoElkHunter]

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.

I just checked out the Bengal website. Their bullets in both .417 and .459 look great and at a good price. I've never loaded cast before, but am now considering it. I guess they're sized slightly larger diameter than jacketed? Any bullet lube required? Thanks!

 

[Nevada Mike]

I just checked out the Bengal website. Their bullets in both .417 and .459 look great and at a good price. I've never loaded cast before, but am now considering it. I guess they're sized slightly larger diameter than jacketed? Any bullet lube required? Thanks!

No lube needed for powder coated bullets. They are .001" over bore diameter, but lead conforms to the bore. I've shot MANY PC cast bullets in my 404J and they performed well and basically had similar POI as my Woodleighs and Swifts.

 

[Safari Dave]

I use a RCBS Rockchucker and RCBS dies for reloading mine.


RCBS quality is superb, and you don't need anything more expensive than a Rockchucker single stage press for a .416 Rigby, since I doubt you will ever need more than 100 rounds at a time.




I used to buy reloading manuals, but now you can find everything online.


From what I understand, components are still hard to find.




I like:

IRM 4350 Powder
CCI 250 Large Magnum Rifle Primers
Once fired brass of whatever is the most commonly available (for me, it's been Hornady)
400g bullets
- the cheapest thing Midway has for practice
- for hunting, a quality solid and expanding with the same dimensions (Nosler, Speer, Barnes, Swift, Hornady has never let me down)

 

[CoElkHunter]

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.

I haven't reloaded for my Rigby yet. I have for my .416 Taylor. With the Rigby's voluminous case when loading it down for practice, I've read where some sort of wadding is necessary over the powder to compress the powder so it will ignite uniformly and thus prevent "hangfires"? Shove tissue paper over the powder?

 

[Nevada Mike]

I haven't reloaded for my Rigby yet. I have for my .416 Taylor. With the Rigby's voluminous case when loading it down for practice, I've read where some sort of wadding is necessary over the powder to compress the powder so it will ignite uniformly and thus prevent "hangfires"? Shove tissue paper over the powder?

i talked to the people at Hodgdon's and they said not to use wadding over 5744. I think my 404J cases are slightly smaller volume than the Rigby, but I use only 36 grains of 5744 and it is only about half the case. The formula is to fill the case with 5744, weigh the powder, then start at about 40% of the total weigh of powder in the full case. Works for me.

Here's their e-mail to me... Your data may be different for the 416 Rigby.

Mike,
Here is the requested load data.

Caliber: .404 Jeffery.
Barrel length: 24”
Reduced Loads:
Powder: Accurate – 5744®.
Bullet weight: 300 grains.
Low load: 40.0 grains (1700 – 1800 ft/p/sec)
Midrange load: 49.0 grains (1975 – 2025 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 58.0 grains (2175 – 2250 Ft/p/sec).
Bullet weight: 350 grains.
Low load: 38.5 grains (1650 – 1725 ft/p/sec)
Midrange load: 47.0 grains (1875 – 1925 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 55.0 grains (2075 – 2150 Ft/p/sec).
Bullet weight: 400 grains.
Low load: 35.0 grains (1550 – 1650 ft/p/sec)
Midrange load: 43.0 grains (1775 – 1875 Ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 50.0 grains (1975 – 2075 Ft/p/sec).


Don W.
CST
Hodgdon Powder Company
913-521-4791

 

[Dukeisok]

RCBS 416-350-FN 350 gr.

I run these for practice loads with 5744. Work well and you can adjust to desired velocity/ recoil

 

[Pancho]

I load my 416 and almost everything else on a RCBS Rock Chucker. My dies are RCBS/Lee/Hornady/Redding/Pacific/Texan and some that are too old to have a recognizable brand name. They all work well but RCBS is my favorite based on customer support. Still use an old Lyman #55 powder measure for pistol and such but most rifle loading now done with the RCBS Chargemaster. I have an RCBS 10-10 beam scale but only use it occasionally.
What I've learned about 416 Rigby is that the case is HUGE. Lots of capacity to exceed "book" recommendations if you're so inclined. My favorite load is the 400 gr TBBC with H4831 that chrono's right at 2500 fps. I used the same powder charge this past August to take an elephant with the Nosler Solid. Worked great.
I've taken this cartridge to almost 2600 fps without undue pressure but scaled back for the best accuracy and 2400 fps is the old standard anyway.
Oh yeah - always check case length and trim when necessary to get a consistent crimp.