Building a "tactical Dangerous Game rifle"

[Backyardsniper]

I thought this might be a fun one to pass around and see what some of you guys would spec out for purpose built "tactical style" DG rifle. Although it is not out of the question that I might actually build it if we come up with some solid ideas here. I know @Inline6 , @SFRanger7GP , @Mtn_Infantry and some of you other fellows might have some solid input here.
I'm thinking something along the lines of a strictly purpose built killing machine, no fancy wood or case colored meta, while I do love those things, I want a solid functioning, fast reloading, rust&dust proof work rifle.

Here is what i have in mind.
416 rigby or a 416 rem/458 Lott switch lug 20" barrel. Roughly light Palma contour.
Defiance Deviant with the CRF option.
Manners EH 5 thumbhole with CIP length AICS mags modified to feed those cartridges.
With the pic rail that is machined into the action I would run a NF NX8 1-8 in QD rings which gives me dial up option to go long (300-400 yards) with the 416 class rounds and you can keep a trijicon RMR with a QD picatinny mount in your pocket for back up or run it on the rifle if you know it's gonna be some CQB in the long grass. I would obviously have it fitted with NECG express sights as well though.

What are yall's thoughts?

 

[Forrest Halley]

I think we all measured our Schwartz pretty good on the last thread, but why stop now? Someone is bound to have found a door jamb in the interim and experienced some swelling or elongation.

I think "Mark and Sam After Work" did something on a .375 H&H chassis rifle so that might be a starting point. They're an Aussie shooting group that makes videos. Pretty fun ELR stuff.

 

[Backyardsniper]

I think we all measured our Schwartz pretty good on the last thread, but why stop now? Someone is bound to have found a door jamb in the interim and experienced some swelling or elongation.

I think "Mark and Sam After Work" did something on a .375 H&H chassis rifle so that might be a starting point. They're an Aussie shooting group that makes videos. Pretty fun ELR stuff.

I would say something like a carbon fiber XLR chassis wouldn't be a bad idea. People will gasp at the idea of a thumbhole or pistol grip at first, but there are pistol grip/thumbhole Blaser R8's in use pretty regular in Africa.

 

[Backyardsniper]

The only down side to the AICS set up is not being able to top load, but just swap out for a fresh mag and either pocket or drop the partial and come back for it later. 2 spare 4 round mags in pouches on your belt where you cartridge slides normally go would make for some pretty swift reloading with a little practice.

 

[Forrest Halley]

I would say something like a carbon fiber XLR chassis wouldn't be a bad idea. People will gasp at the idea of a thumbhole or pistol grip at first, but there are pistol grip/thumbhole Blaser R8's in use pretty regular in Africa.

You're actually serious about this...well in that case, I'd say look into the Rigby and a CEB VLD bullet. The .375 and the .416s have some ridiculous BCs that will hold on to energy like an incumbent politician stays in office. The real key is having the case volume to turn the speed up on them.

 

[Backyardsniper]

You're actually serious about this...well in that case, I'd say look into the Rigby and a CEB VLD bullet. The .375 and the .416s have some ridiculous BCs that will hold on to energy like an incumbent politician stays in office. The real key is having the case volume to turn the speed up on them.

Ha ha. Yeah! I actually have a switch lug built on a defiance and had considered having a 416 barrel built for it. Now if I was gonna strictly go for the long game, and I may do this for elk anyway, I would have a 378 weatherby barrel cut and launch those long ass 375 diameter CEB bullets you are talking about at like 3k fps. That would be a hammer. My rifle has a 338 lapua Ackley improved barrel now that gets 3015fps with a 300 grain.
But i was more looking at a build for regular DG hunting, however, with a switch lug you could easily have a long range 378 weatherby barrel and a shorter handier 460 weatherby barrel all on the same bolt face with the ability the switch out pre zeroed optics in seconds.

 

[Inline6]

What kind of weight would you want? Would be more concerned using carbon fiber on a heavy recoiling rifle (I'm not sure if you can get them cross bolted). Will have to give this some thought.

 

[Backyardsniper]

What kind of weight would you want? Would be more concerned using carbon fiber on a heavy recoiling rifle (I'm not sure if you can get them cross bolted). Will have to give this some thought.

Might have to stay away from the EH line and go with a heavier lay up. Like a regular Manners or McMillan sniper fill. The carbon probably wouldn't take that kind of beating

 

[Mekaniks]

Autoloading 416 Rigby in an AR platform?? That will be something badass if it works

 

[Backyardsniper]

Autoloading 416 Rigby in an AR platform?? That will be something badass if it works

That would be ridiculous. Ha ha. That would be some serious firepower there. You could dissuade a cape buffalo pretty swiftly with about 5 rapid fire rounds of 416 A Frames

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

Autoloading 416 Rigby in an AR platform?? That will be something badass if it works

Is the ar10 receiver even long enough for magnum length cartridges?

 

[Backyardsniper]

I don't think do but there is a company that made a 338 lapua, I might have been Nemo arms. That might work. It would definitely be a super custom rig but if they can make a barret M107 then they could make a 416 rigby

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

I’ve heard of m1 garands being reworked to take 458 Winchester magnum. That’s not really a tactical rifle though and I have no idea how good or bad their performance is.

45 raptor is largest cartridge derived from the 308 I’m aware of for the ar10 but even with 300 gr bullets it’s about 1000 ft/lbs less energy than a 458 Winchester shooting the same weight based on Wikipedia. Plus it’s a 452 rather than a 458 so getting real DG bullets might be impossible.

edit: the 45 raptor has the same rim size but does not appear to be based on the 308 case beyond that

 

[Inline6]

Autoloading 416 Rigby in an AR platform?? That will be something badass if it works

Chances are you would be hard pressed to get it to Africa to hunt with.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I didn’t think I could find another thread for this, but…Hold my bourbon:

 

[Forrest Halley]

That would be ridiculous. Ha ha. That would be some serious firepower there. You could dissuade a cape buffalo pretty swiftly with about 5 rapid fire rounds of 416 A Frames

I think if you could hit anything with it after the first round the concussion from the compensator would officially make you the man with no friends.

 

[Inline6]

An R8 would get you everything you are asking for. If you wanted an extra trigger group (mags are attached and loaded) for fast reloads it could happen.

It would not have CRF, everything on your list it does have.

I don't have any experience with the switch lug, have seen them just not played with them. I have quick change features on one of my AIs. For barrel changing I like the R8 better. No worries with grit getting in-between the recoil lug and the face of the barrel. Would also be concerned with the recoil lug screw working loose. Stepping up the recoil department means any weak point will be found.

Definitely not talking you out of the idea. I'm thinking about failure points that need to be addressed.

Stock - taking the punishment
Recoil lug - that little screw worries me, it is only clamping around the barrel so it might just be in my head. If it were to let loose in the field you could make sure it is tight by hand. Had a custom FN-SPR the the barrel worked loose on it in the middle of a match. It rotated enough that the bolt would not close. Moon (a very good smith) and George Gardner (another very good smith) were on the line with me. It took them about 5 minutes to figure out what was going on. The claw was hitting the back of the barrel instead of going into the relief cut were it should go. Someone had a strap wrench and they tighten it up for me. I zeroed the next 2 stages due to my rifle zero being off. It was 1mil (3.5 MOA) high and 2.6 mils (9.1 MOA) right (figured that out at the 500 yard line watching my impact in the berm). Made my adjustments there to rezero my scope. It worked and it was a lesson for me. CRF are not setup like push feeds. We are talking about very little movement in the barrel that caused that. You could not see the gap between the barrel and the receiver.

I did buy a 375 blank and thought long and hard about necking up a 338LM to 375 and throwing that on my AI. It was just going to be a pig of a rifle 16#. It would have been fun to play with.

 

[Backyardsniper]

An R8 would get you everything you are asking for. If you wanted an extra trigger group (mags are attached and loaded) for fast reloads it could happen.

It would not have CRF, everything on your list it does have.

I don't have any experience with the switch lug, have seen them just not played with them. I have quick change features on one of my AIs. For barrel changing I like the R8 better. No worries with grit getting in-between the recoil lug and the face of the barrel. Would also be concerned with the recoil lug screw working loose. Stepping up the recoil department means any weak point will be found.

Definitely not talking you out of the idea. I'm thinking about failure points that need to be addressed.

Stock - taking the punishment
Recoil lug - that little screw worries me, it is only clamping around the barrel so it might just be in my head. If it were to let loose in the field you could make sure it is tight by hand. Had a custom FN-SPR the the barrel worked loose on it in the middle of a match. It rotated enough that the bolt would not close. Moon (a very good smith) and George Gardner (another very good smith) were on the line with me. It took them about 5 minutes to figure out what was going on. The claw was hitting the back of the barrel instead of going into the relief cut were it should go. Someone had a strap wrench and they tighten it up for me. I zeroed the next 2 stages due to my rifle zero being off. It was 1mil (3.5 MOA) high and 2.6 mils (9.1 MOA) right (figured that out at the 500 yard line watching my impact in the berm). Made my adjustments there to rezero my scope. It worked and it was a lesson for me. CRF are not setup like push feeds. We are talking about very little movement in the barrel that caused that. You could not see the gap between the barrel and the receiver.

I did buy a 375 blank and thought long and hard about necking up a 338LM to 375 and throwing that on my AI. It was just going to be a pig of a rifle 16#. It would have been fun to play with.

I have had a couple of Moon and Georges rifles, they both make some top notch gear for sure.

 

[Inline6]

I have had a couple of Moon and Georges rifles, they both make some top notch gear for sure.

Before we started cutting our own barrels, Moon cut all our AI's when he was at GAP and after he left we sent him all our work for AI barrels. George still did our other work. Had in AR that GAP built, in 6.5CM it shot as good as any bolt gun. Making hits at 1200 yards was no problem on 1/2 MOA targets. At on point I had a 308 build with an arrow on it (One that George actually built). IT shot lights out.

They are good people for sure.

 

[mdwest]

Autoloading 416 Rigby in an AR platform?? That will be something badass if it works

Something similar has already been done...

Nemo did an AR in 458 Win Mag