416 Rigby / 416 rem / or just skip and go 458 LOTT

[DC]

I have the perfect solution!  Buy both!
I have a CZ 416 Rigby that shoots 1" at 100 yards and has not split.  It is a "hog back" as some have called it.  I also own a Ruger M77 in 458 Lott.  I paid almost twice as much and while it is pretty, it doesn't measure up to the CZ in terms of action, trigger or accuracy.  Moreover, the recoil pad looks like it was designed for a 218 Bee.  It had to be replaced. 
If I had it to do over again, I would have both by CZ.  You can have them bedded and cross bolted and still come with less expense and a better rifle.

[THE DOC]

I have used both the 416 Rigby and the 458 Lott in Africa and found that the 458 won hands down , when you deliver a correctly placed shot the heavy game goes down instantly . If going after soft skined game ; lion , leopard etc. a good tip is to sling a side by side 12 gauge loaded with slug on your back , the added wieght is a minor inconveinience if you have to follow a wounded animal into the bush .

[jro45]

I own the 416 Rem. It will shoot a 400 gr bullet at 2426 FPS no problem. If you get the Rigby
you can shoot the 400 gr bullet  up to 2600 fps buy can you handel the recoil? Some people can.

With my 416 Rem I don't have to worry about recoil because when shooting standing its like a push.

If you get the 458 lott you can shoot thr 458 Win rounds in it. There recoil is like my 416 REM.

The lott rounds put out over 70lbs of recoil by the way Thats my next rifle.

[Ramrod]

I'd say skip the .416 and go straight for the 458. That's what the majority of African hunters do. The .375 H&H is the everyday workhorse, but the .458 is the D.G. gun. Been that way for decades, and it ain't changing anytime soon.

[tanoose]

Nasem , if you like the CZ hold off till January 2007 i heard they are now putting two crossbolts in the stocks to address the splitting problem. I e-mailed them about it and yea the 550 magnum 375 and up will all have two crossbolts and they hope to have this done by January 2007. As far as the 416's go i like the Rigby over the remington . While there is no need to go sky high with velocitys you can go much higher with the rigby with less pressure. With the rigby you have the velocitys from 416 rem to 416 weatherby.

[crow_feather]

If a 400 grain bullet at 2400 fps wont get it done, you don't need more speed, you need a howitzer.  Find the rifle that fits you best, and then work off that platform.  See what the rifle stock of choice has in calibers and use the closest to your needs.  Function, fit, and ergonomics are far more important than a couple hundred of feet per second.  If it takes you a second longer to operate the bolt of rifle A, don't buy it because it is made in 416 Remington.  Get rifle B even if it only comes in the Rifby.  That second is far more important.

[Don Dick]

I picked up my 416 rigby CZ last friday.  No cross bolts in the stock.  The American model.  I sent CZ and e-mail asking about the crossbolts.  They e-mailed me back and advised they could put them in for 100.00 each.  I sent a message back saying I filled out the warrenty card and if the stock cracks they can fix it.

[nasem]

Nasem , if you like the CZ hold off till January 2007 i heard they are now putting two crossbolts in the stocks to address the splitting problem. I e-mailed them about it and yea the 550 magnum 375 and up will all have two crossbolts and they hope to have this done by January 2007. As far as the 416's go i like the Rigby over the remington . While there is no need to go sky high with velocitys you can go much higher with the rigby with less pressure. With the rigby you have the velocitys from 416 rem to 416 weatherby.

Is this true ? Cause Im still in the market for one of the 3 and so far.... 416 rigby seems to be the one I like.
As far as recoil goes, Yes I am a bit afraid lol, I am at the point where I can handle 15-20 rounds of 375 h&h from my winchester, but, that rigby is nothing like a 375 h&h.  Oh well I'll man up

[nasem]

Just an update.... I emailed CZ a few days back... here is what they said about the cross bolts:

"All models of the 550 Safari magnums now come from the factory with
dual
crossbolts installed.

Thank You"

So, last friday, I stopped off at my local gun dealer and he placed an order for a walnut stock 416 rigby for $779 (cz 550 american magnum, not the euro stock one) and i told him that it MUST be one of the new once with the cross bolt of I don't want it and he is fine with that....

As far as the gun goes, I shot 3 rounds today with my friend's dad's best friend.  He has one of them CZ in the american magnum.  It was all off standing shots so.... I defenetly felt the big shove / jab but it wasn't as bad, I thought I was gonna fly 20 feet back, I didn't, after the 3rd shot tho, I felt the pain sinking in, man thats some serious firepower.......  HOWEVER, he thinks its a b!tch trying to zero it from the bench....

[Ken ONeill]

I have used the .416 Rem Mag. in a Remington 700 (400 gr. @ 2267 fps), and a stainless Winchester Mdl. 70 (400 gr. @ 2410 fps) on several Cape Buffalo, Hippo, Australian Water Buffalo, and 2 large Russian Brown Bears. Close friends have used it on bunches of Buffalo, Bison, Bears, and a couple of Elephant. The brass and dies are cheaper than the Rigby version, and recoil is less in a gun of equal weight, as the Rem. version uses less powder to achive 23-2400 fps. High pressures in the heat, and extreme velocity variations in the cold are absolutely not an issue to be concerned with. I use WW760, the same powder I use in my .375 H&H. The .416 Rem. Mag. shoots as flat as the Rigby with the same velocity, and a LOT flatter than the .458 Win. or Lott. A 500 gr. .458 has SIGNIFICANTLY more recoil than a 400 gr. 416 Rem. Mag., yet the .416 will easily kill anything. If you're using, say, 350 gr. bullets in a .458, then you're kidding yourself...you don't really have a .458. People want what they want, and that's fine with me, but I made my choice a long time ago. I'd pick the .416 Rem. Mag., without question.

[Redhawk1]

Just an update.... I emailed CZ a few days back... here is what they said about the cross bolts:

"All models of the 550 Safari magnums now come from the factory with
dual
crossbolts installed.

Thank You"

So, last friday, I stopped off at my local gun dealer and he placed an order for a walnut stock 416 rigby for $779 (cz 550 american magnum, not the euro stock one) and i told him that it MUST be one of the new once with the cross bolt of I don't want it and he is fine with that....

As far as the gun goes, I shot 3 rounds today with my friend's dad's best friend.  He has one of them CZ in the american magnum.  It was all off standing shots so.... I defenetly felt the big shove / jab but it wasn't as bad, I thought I was gonna fly 20 feet back, I didn't, after the 3rd shot tho, I felt the pain sinking in, man thats some serious firepower.......  HOWEVER, he thinks its a b!tch trying to zero it from the bench....

I have a CZ 550 with the euro stock and I don't find it that bad in the recoil department. I have shot 40 times at the range getting it sighted in and then just shooting it. I did use a past shooting pad also. I have just installed a mercury recoil reducer in the stock, but I have not shot it since I added the reducer.

[jro45]

The 416 Rem will take anything that walks from grizzlies to Elephant. But my next rifle is going to be the 458 Lott.

[apollo]

Go for the Lott. I just went through this same thing and I now have a 458 Lott on order.  The 45 caliber has more bullet options to choose from. You can get cheap bullets that werre made for the 45/70 to practice with and you have more cast bullet molds to choose from as well.

[tanoose]

I am curious has anyone hunted in Africa or other hot climates with hot loads in any of the 416's and where there any problems with extraction with the higher pressures.

[Redhawk1]

The 416 Rigby is not as high of a pressure round as the 416 Rem Mag.

[tanoose]

Dondick , you might want to take it back to the shop  where you bought it and tell them to order you a new one with the crossbolts  as yours is the older model.. . Tell the shop owner its not one of the newer models . I myself have been wanting  a big bore in 416 or 458 and have decided to go with the 458 Lott , I just cant decide on the ruger 77 magnum or the cz american safari.