.416 Rigby Barrel Life?

[Xyzzy]

Does anyone have a rough notion of how many rounds one can push through a .416 Rigby barrel before accuracy starts to erode?
When I can get to the range (2-4 times a month), I generally put 20-50 rounds through it (practice, practice, practice).

I've spent a ridiculous time searching the net for a clue and found nothing useful:

• You'll never shoot it enough to see erosion.
• Don't shoot it, you'll go blind!
• .416 is a stopper, its not meant to be accurate (this is of course an absurd idea).
• They last forever because they're low pressure.
• They die fast because they burn alot of powder.

Does anyone have first (or even second) hand knowledge of .416 life expectancy (or know of a link that addresses this)?

As for my specifics, I'm shooting a Ruger #1 with a stainless (button rifled) barrel. My most common load is 100.5grs of H4831 behind a 400gr Hornady roundnose. When I do my part, it gets sub 1.5" groups.

Thanks in advance,
  Bob

[Graybeard]

I suspect the barrel will out last your shoulder.

[JJHACK]

I have had several barrels start to go bad at about 3000 rounds. Many of these rounds were fired with a very hot barrel. My own fault to be sure.

The 416 is a slow cartridge and would probably shoot many more rounds then the 30/06's and 300mags I smoked through. I would guess 10,000 rounds would be pretty easy. However by the time you get to 5000 rounds you won't be worried anylonger about the amount of shots you will likely be seeking medical help for shoulder/neck issues.

[Xyzzy]

Thanks guys, that sets my mind at ease. A local gunsmith stated that he heard from somewhere that the .416's died after about 1500 rounds, and I should let him rebarrel it. This would spell burned barrel before the poor thing ever got a chance to see Africa (hopefully next year).

I'm probably not shooting much more than 20 rounds/week with it, which should give my shoulder plenty of time to heal between beatings. Add it up and 5000 over 4-5 years doesn't sound like so much to me. Offhand, I find the recoil quite manageable anymore. Testing new loads, after 25 off the bench my trigger finger starts fighting me.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. (I may be a fool, but I don't want to be a fool and a cripple).

[JJHACK]

I'm not a doctor, but I did go through some repetitive damage in my heels when I was playing hockey. Bursitis is a problem that does not heal after rest. It's damage from repetition can be eased with lack of use, but it's a cumulative problem that never actually goes away, just calms down. Much like tendinitis. I separated my elbow in my teens and now have tendinitis in my right elbow. When it flares up my right arm is almost worthless for anything requiring strength or dexterity. Again it never heals and gets 100% better, it simply calms down.

The damage from shooting big guns like a 416 rigby are cumulative, and will cause damage which will show up as Bursitis or tendinitis and when it flares up you would want to feel the recoil of a .223 much less a big bore. I don't know a lot of people that this has happened to, but the two guys (both PH's)who do have this both have it from shooting a big rifle, one of them a 378 weatherby, the other a 500 Jeffery. Both loved to shoot them and were somewhat boastfull and proud that they could.

The fella Deon with the 378 Weatherby is now packing a 30/06 for most hunting and a 375HH for his DG backup work. The 375HH is now more then he can handle without stirring up some swelling and pain. The other fella is just crazy and still uses the 500 Jeffery for Backup work, but does not shoot it for practice. He's shooting a 308 for everything else as far as a I recall. These guys both shot the heck out of these guns, probably more then any normal person would. I had a 300 Weatherby at one time and would shoot it 100 times in a week. Several people told me the same thing about the bursitis risk. When the accuracy went south on me, I sold it to a guy that rebarreled it right away. Probably a good thing it was only a 300 weatherby, I might have done the same thing with a bigger gun at that age!

[elmer]

Jim,

You are correct. Bursitis is joint damage or more accurately damage to the bursae which is the cushioning in the joint or around tendons. The damage doesn't heal. Take it from someone that has it in the knees, hips, and shoulders (first diagnosed when I was 25) some days are better than others, but the bad days are miserable. It can be caused by repetition, excessive pressure, or injury and only gets worse with age.

My shoulder hurts just thinking about shooting a 416. I have mostly switched from a 30-06 to 7mm-08.

[cjensen]

Bob, consider a cast bullet at reduced velocity for practice. It will save your shoulder and barrel. A 350 grain bullet at 1600-1800 fps should allow you plenty of practice.