Where Has All The .416 Ruger Guide Guns Gone?

[Bushwhacker]

Really, where have all these rifles gone? I am in need of a stock, .416 Ruger Guide Gun with Green Mountain Laminate stock.
If you are interested in selling, I am interested in purchasing.
Would like to see pictures including serial number and caliber stamped on the barrel.
Optics are an option

Thank you

 

[CoElkHunter]

They're gone with the whisp of gunpowder as another one of the Hornady proprietary cartridges goes MIA. Same with the .300 and .338 Ruger Compact Magnums and to a lesser extent the .375 Ruger. The Hornady/Ruger partnership where Ruger made the rifles and Hornady manufactured their ammo and brass for them. The problem is that as time has moved forward, Hornady has forgotten about the ammo and brass for those cartridges and Ruger rifle owners with their proprietary cartridges thus chambered and is on to new and more profitable cartridges and more rifle sales for Ruger. Same thing happened earlier with Winchester's WSSM and WSM and Remington's SAUM proprietary cartridges and soon the Noslers. Buy a proprietary cartridge chambered rifle nowadays and you take your chances with finding ammo/brass in the future. Other than a .375 Ruger I bought recently, I'm not playing the proprietary cartridge game anymore. Buy a .416 Remington or Rigby and be happy with a wide range of ammo and brass availability from different manufacturers.

 

[Bushwhacker]

CoElkHunter,
I do appreciate your total honesty with me. I will pass this information along to my client and discuss changing manufactures.
I have no problem finding ammo for both .375 Ruger and .416 Ruger but as mentioned, I am unable to track down a machine to fire them through.

 

[CoElkHunter]

CoElkHunter,
I do appreciate your total honesty with me. I will pass this information along to my client and discuss changing manufactures.
I have no problem finding ammo for both .375 Ruger and .416 Ruger but as mentioned, I am unable to track down a machine to fire them through.

And you mostly have to buy and use factory ammo because the brass for reloading those two cartridges is MIA.

 

[Bushwhacker]

CoE,
Maybe I should insist that we abandon the .416 Ruger search and begin to search for a .416 Rem Mag! We have already grabbed a Win Model 70 .375 H&H now we need a big brother for it!

 

[Beck]

There are several .416 rugers on gunbroker right now, I just bought an alaskan last week.

 

[Beck]

For anyone searching for one

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?Keywords=.416%20ruger&PageSize=96&Sort=5&View=1

 

[CAustin]

CoElkHunter,
I do appreciate your total honesty with me. I will pass this information along to my client and discuss changing manufactures.
I have no problem finding ammo for both .375 Ruger and .416 Ruger but as mentioned, I am unable to track down a machine to fire them through.

I also have no issue finding ammo plus I bought what is needed to reload the cartridge. I own the Ruger Guide Gun in 416 Ruger and have used it successfully in Africa. I made the mistake of firing the rifle in a Lead Sled and then noticed a small split forming in the tang. I needed a new stock and got one through the Ruger customer service people. Call them…..they are good folks who may be able to help you. Understand this was about seven years ago and they were building a lot of the rifles at the time so availability may be limited. However, they still produce rifles with a green mountain stock.

 

[Beck]

It is worth noting that I had been searching for a .375 ruger, and a .416 ruger in the Alaskan models for a couple of years - Ruger seems to manufacture them in batches as I could not find any for quite sometime then all of sudden dozens of them appeared on gunbroker - I'd buy one while they are available because I think they'll disappear for a few years (or maybe forever) once they are gone.

 

[rookhawk]

The problem: gun manufacturers want to make more profits while using cheaper standardized parts and fewer of them across their entire product line.

The solution: Convince the public that you want/need to buy a ballistic replica of a proven caliber, but this one can be manufactured for greater profit to the maker by throwing it into a pedestrian, standard long action that is the cheapest for them to make and requires the least amount of manufacturing steps.

Conclusion: The mission was accomplished, maximizing profits. The fad wore off. The manufacturers are on to the next thing. The only person that got shafted in this deal is the consumer that fell prey to the marketing nonsense and owned an inferior gun that was cheaper to build, yet saved the consumer not one penny.


375HH, 416 Rigby, 404 Jeffery, 458 Win Mag, 458 Lott, 470 Nitro, 500 Jeffery, 500 Nitro. Don't settle for imitations.

 

[Beck]

The problem: gun manufacturers want to make more profits while using cheaper standardized parts and fewer of them across their entire product line.

The solution: Convince the public that you want/need to buy a ballistic replica of a proven caliber, but this one can be manufactured for greater profit to the maker by throwing it into a pedestrian, standard long action that is the cheapest for them to make and requires the least amount of manufacturing steps.

Conclusion: The mission was accomplished, maximizing profits. The fad wore off. The manufacturers are on to the next thing. The only person that got shafted in this deal is the consumer that fell prey to the marketing nonsense and owned an inferior gun that was cheaper to build, yet saved the consumer not one penny.


375HH, 416 Rigby, 404 Jeffery, 458 Win Mag, 458 Lott, 470 Nitro, 500 Jeffery, 500 Nitro. Don't settle for imitations.

Doesn't the .458 win mag fall in the same category you reference above?

 

[rookhawk]

Doesn't the .458 win mag fall in the same category you reference above?

Slightly. The Pre-64 model 70 came in a few action lengths. The long action wasn't long enough for the 300HH and 375hH, so they made a longer one. That action was used by Winchester for the 458 Win Mag. But what was the .458 anyway? It was a rimless gun to duplicate a rimmed double rifle cartridge, the 450NE arguably. It was a success, and this very strategy has occurred many times, such as the 450-400 = 404J, 375 Flanged = 375HH, 7x64 Brenneke = 7x65r, etc.

 

[CoElkHunter]

It is worth noting that I had been searching for a .375 ruger, and a .416 ruger in the Alaskan models for a couple of years - Ruger seems to manufacture them in batches as I could not find any for quite sometime then all of sudden dozens of them appeared on gunbroker - I'd buy one while they are available because I think they'll disappear for a few years (or maybe forever) once they are gone.

You're right. I've seen a number of the Alaskan model .416s for sale on GB. Even a few of the African model but no Guide Gun model. If one could find a Green Mountain stock if so desired, it could replace the black synthetic one on the Alaskan?

 

[CoElkHunter]

I also have no issue finding ammo plus I bought what is needed to reload the cartridge. I own the Ruger Guide Gun in 416 Ruger and have used it successfully in Africa. I made the mistake of firing the rifle in a Lead Sled and then noticed a small split forming in the tang. I needed a new stock and got one through the Ruger customer service people. Call them…..they are good folks who may be able to help you. Understand this was about seven years ago and they were building a lot of the rifles at the time so availability may be limited. However, they still produce rifles with a green mountain stock.

When I bought my .375 Guide Gun recently, it was just the rifle with the brake. I called Ruger and bought the harmonic weight cap replacement when not using the brake and they sent me a thread protector for free. I also bought a set of Ruger rings and a couple of more spacers to increase the stock LOP. Great people to deal with!

 

[Beck]

You're right. I've seen a number of the Alaskan model .416s for sale on GB. Even a few of the African model but no Guide Gun model. If one could find a Green Mountain stock if so desired, it could replace the black synthetic one on the Alaskan?

I believe that is correct, you could replace the stock. I do really like the stocks on the Alaskan models, they feel bulletproof

 

[CoElkHunter]

I believe that is correct, you could replace the stock. I do really like the stocks on the Alaskan models, they feel bulletproof

I believe they are a Hogue stock?

 

[Beck]

I believe they are a Hogue stock?

yep

 

[Daga Boy]

They're gone with the whisp of gunpowder as another one of the Hornady proprietary cartridges goes MIA. Same with the .300 and .338 Ruger Compact Magnums and to a lesser extent the .375 Ruger. The Hornady/Ruger partnership where Ruger made the rifles and Hornady manufactured their ammo and brass for them. The problem is that as time has moved forward, Hornady has forgotten about the ammo and brass for those cartridges and Ruger rifle owners with their proprietary cartridges thus chambered and is on to new and more profitable cartridges and more rifle sales for Ruger. Same thing happened earlier with Winchester's WSSM and WSM and Remington's SAUM proprietary cartridges and soon the Noslers. Buy a proprietary cartridge chambered rifle nowadays and you take your chances with finding ammo/brass in the future. Other than a .375 Ruger I bought recently, I'm not playing the proprietary cartridge game anymore. Buy a .416 Remington or Rigby and be happy with a wide range of ammo and brass availability from different manufacturers.

This is a pity as the .416 Ruger is a good big game cartridge that fits a standard length action. ( basically the same as .416 Taylor).
As to reading, I understand that you can just trim and neck down .404 brass, but haven tried it.

 

[BeeMaa]

This is a pity as the .416 Ruger is a good big game cartridge that fits a standard length action. ( basically the same as .416 Taylor).
As to reading, I understand that you can just trim and neck down .404 brass, but haven tried it.

Or you could buy a 416RM and never have to worry about ammo again.

The fact that the 416RUGER is destine for the graveyard is not a surprise. It simply didn't gain enough traction to force the gun/ammo manufacturers to maintain a consistent supply. I also believe that the 375RUGER isn't far behind, but it's still doing better than the 416.

Yes, I get it. 416RM performance in a 30-06 case...and if it were really that good, this thread wouldn't exist. But don't fret, the 416RUGER is in good company. The 416HOFF, 416TAYOLR, 416WBY and 416B&M (along with others I'm sure to have forgotten) will be there to welcome it to the "reloading only" room.

 

[Choupique]

I wish they'd start building those guide guns in .458 wm. Its a very well designed rifle.