Rifle shooting with my neighbor.

[Trooper224]

So...……… a few days ago my neighbor hits me up about shooting some rifles. This requires a longer trip down to my agencies outdoor range, but I'm on vacay and I have several handgun loads I need to test with my chronograph so I says, "why not?"

Now, you have to understand, he's the most competitive person I've ever met, to the extreme. He can turn watching grass grow into a competition. So, when it comes to guns he's a biggest gun in the woods type. Consequently, when we're loading the stuff up into my vehicle I ask, "What've we got this morning?" An AR, a Mini-14, a .308 and...……………………………


…………...a .416 Rigby. Saints preserve us. $120.00 for a box of 20, 400 grain copper solid rounds. I'm long past the time in my life where I think it's fun to shoot those things. However, since I've never shot one of those and it's free, I couldn't refuse. We both shot it twice and I don't think I'll ever need a third. I pulled the trigger first and my neighbors reaction was, "My God." I agree.

[NH Shooter]

I once had Ruger #3 in .45-70. I think the rifle weighed about six pounds.

Ouch....

[Paul D]

When I was practicing for my hunt with my .458 Lott, I would use very light handloads. With full power loads, 20 shots and I was done for the day.

[GJM]

I have three .416 Rigby rifles and have shot an elephant, several cape buffalo and some head of plains game with them. Recoil is a few clicks up from a .375 H&H but quite a bit less than a .458 Lott.

[GJM]

PS, shooting a Rigby from the bench is no fun!

[wvincent]

And just like that, .416 Rigby is no longer a burning question in my life.
.405 Win out of an 1895 remains though. I think I want to find one to try before purchasing.
Or, be smart like you neighbor and just observe the first shot.

[TCFD273]

PS, shooting a Rigby from the bench is no fun!

Yep! I’ve never owned a 416, but have shot several. Much more pleasant standing.

I currently own a 470 NE and a 375 H&H, neither are fun to shoot off a bench, but love banging steel with them!




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[Toonces]

…………...a .416 Rigby. Saints preserve us. $120.00 for a box of 20, 400 grain copper solid rounds. I'm long past the time in my life where I think it's fun to shoot those things. However, since I've never shot one of those and it's free, I couldn't refuse. We both shot it twice and I don't think I'll ever need a third. I pulled the trigger first and my neighbors reaction was, "My God." I agree.

That hurts the shoulder, head, and wallet. My cost per box reloading is under $25 using a 350 gr Speer bullet.

My wife has commented that my Rigby makes a very different type of noise than my other rifles. My guess is because it is burning twice as much powder as a 30-06.


I once had Ruger #3 in .45-70. I think the rifle weighed about six pounds.

Ouch....

I have the No. 1-S in 45-70. It's heavier than a No. 3, but not much. My gun with the stupid hard Ruger factory recoil pad was no fun with mid-level (Marlin 1895) loads. Installing a 1" Decelerator completely changed the gun. I can imagine the pain from the steel butt plate on a No. 3. I'm assuming that's why that gun is in your "had" column.


When I was practicing for my hunt with my .458 Lott, I would use very light handloads. With full power loads, 20 shots and I was done for the day.

With full power Rigby I try to limit my sessions to 7-10 rounds. I did 18 once and had splitting headaches for a couple days after. I suppose a person could acclimate themselves to that recoil, but I wonder at the cost to your brain.


PS, shooting a Rigby from the bench is no fun!

I shot my Ruger 77 Rigby from the bench twice. Both rounds the scope brushed my eyebrow. I've not done that since. On a good day, I can hit a 4" circle at 100 yards shooting offhand. Close enough for me. Scope is a Leupold VX-III 1.75-6, mounted as far forward as possible. Maybe my posture/technique is lacking?


Yep! I’ve never owned a 416, but have shot several. Much more pleasant standing.

I currently own a 470 NE and a 375 H&H, neither are fun to shoot off a bench, but love banging steel with them!

For a limited number of rounds, the results of the bigger guns are amusing and gratifying. I still dream of Africa, but my big guns are closer to toys than serious hunting rifles. I plan on using either the No. 1 in 45-70 with a hot 300 grain X bullet or the 77 in Rigby with a fast 300 grain X bullet for deer this coming season. Just because I can.

[Trooper224]

My friend asked if I was going to shoot it off the bench, or prone. I said, "Are you crazy?" I shot standing. Years ago I shot a .375 H&H and .458 Win. Mag, etc. on a regular basis and have the arthritis in my right shoulder to prove it. These days, I'll shoot those things if it's the necessary tool for the task, or if someone offers it up for free of course. :)

[TCFD273]

For a limited number of rounds, the results of the bigger guns are amusing and gratifying. I still dream of Africa, but my big guns are closer to toys than serious hunting rifles. I plan on using either the No. 1 in 45-70 with a hot 300 grain X bullet or the 77 in Rigby with a fast 300 grain X bullet for deer this coming season. Just because I can.

I’ve had a fascination with 375 since I was about 11yrs old. At 11, I read my first African Safari hunting book on a backpacking trip in Montana...I was hooked.

I’ve been using the 375 for deer and hogs for quite sometime..it’s over kill, but with the right handloads it’s a lot of fun. I have a trip to Tanzania 09/19, and I’ll be taking both rifles. The 470 is more for nostalgia than practicality, but I’ve wanted to shoot a Cape Buffalo with one since I acquired it.



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[TCFD273]

My friend asked if I was going to shoot it off the bench, or prone. I said, "Are you crazy?" I shot standing. Years ago I shot a .375 H&H and .458 Win. Mag, etc. on a regular basis and have the arthritis in my right shoulder to prove it. These days, I'll shoot those things if it's the necessary tool for the task, or if someone offers it up for free of course. :)

I limit the 375 to 8-10 rounds a range session. It packs a serious punch out at 300yds!

470....Generally never shoot it more than a few times, mainly to show it off. I do take it hog hunting, but it’s also never more than a few shots.


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[Sherman A. House DDS]

I’ve shot 80 rounds of HEAVY Garrett loads out of my .45/70. The RSO said, “Going home so soon?”

I said, “Hold the door and get the hell out of my way would ya?”

I’m no pansy but damn. That’s some heavy metal.


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[MistWolf]

The proper way to shoot the heavy hitters from the bench is to use a bench tall enough that the shooter can stand.

[NH Shooter]

I have the No. 1-S in 45-70. It's heavier than a No. 3, but not much. My gun with the stupid hard Ruger factory recoil pad was no fun with mid-level (Marlin 1895) loads. Installing a 1" Decelerator completely changed the gun. I can imagine the pain from the steel butt plate on a No. 3. I'm assuming that's why that gun is in your "had" column.



Unfortunately, there are more than a few guns in the "had" column that I wish were still in the "have." The Ruger wasn't one for a fun afternoon shooting groups off the bench, but it sure was a lot of wallop in handy package. Yes, that hard butt plate was tortuous...

[Paul D]

The proper way to shoot the heavy hitters from the bench is to use a bench tall enough that the shooter can stand.Shooting sticks.

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[Poconnor]

Deleted

[P.E. Kelley]

I once had Ruger #3 in .45-70. I think the rifle weighed about six pounds.

Ouch....

And in a 10/22 stock! Horrible!!! Put just enough way too hot 500 cast bullets downrange with it to say goodbye!

[MistWolf]

Shooting sticks.

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Nothing wrong with shooting sticks, of course, but the proper to develop loads for, or sight in heavy recoiling rifles, is from a bench tall enough for the shooter to shoot while standing. An article was written a few decades ago on the subject and I believe Ross Seyfreid was the author.

[Malamute]

Ive had good results by using a normal bench and just getting enough rest materials stacked/piled up so you can sit with your back straight up to shoot. Leaning into it down low as most benches situate you is the worst possible way to shoot heavy kickers, but seems to be the most common method, and Id guess leads to the complaint about poor stocks and vicious kicking guns. Sitting on the ground to shoot works pretty well, and does kneeling or offhand, but offhand isnt as practical for getting sights regulated for most of us.

No technique helped when shooting a Browning 1886 rifle with crescent butt and 500 gr loads doing 1750-1800 fps on a bench. I chopped the crescent off and put a pad on shortly after that.

A Ruger No 1 458 was fun to shoot offhand, the owner was somewhat miffed I kept asking for more shells rather than handing it back in awe and not wanting more. Made a very nice clang on the 300 yard plate.

[GJM]

My Ruger #1 in .30-06 kicked way harder than a Ruger RL .308, that was several pounds lighter, so I can’t imagine a #1 in Rigby. I have often used kneeling with the fore end supported across an ATV for heavy rifle sight in and load development. I once shot a Cape buffalo prone with a Rigby, and that is not an ideal position for a Rigby!

One of my favorite African trips was to Zimbabwe where I shot a .416 Rigby as primary, with a .375 H&H as my back-up and plains game rifle. Here is the result of the trip:

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This is the position i shot that leopard from:

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After we we got the elephant down, we alerted the local village, and they came and took the meat. It was absolute chaos with guys inside the carcass of the elephant chopping off hunks of meat with machetes, tossing the meat out to their wives to collect. One guy cut his finger off with a machete, in the melee, although it didn’t seem a big deal to him. Here was the scene, and you can see a neat reflection in my glasses.

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On the hunt, when we were out chasing buffalo, this buffalo charged us out of the blue. He apparently was in a foul mood after having been injured by a snare previously. You can see the scar on his face. Pretty big shoot em up, and I remember the crack of my wife’s .375 going off multiple times quickly, and my ears ringing badly, which is unusual for me in the field.

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This is is a flyer Gunsite put out around 2000, using some photos from our hunt.

27412

[JRB]

Awesome pictures and stories!

In years past, I spent entire afternoons emptying 440 round tins of 7.62x54R out of Mosin carbines with bare steel buttplates with me in nothing but a T-shirt. Which is to say, I'm not particularly recoil sensitive.

My Father has a Zastava Mauser-based .458 Lott and I have fired that thing exactly once. It made an an incredibly authoritative CLANG! on a steel gong hanging at 200yd, though.
Hornady ammo was around $6 a round, if memory serves.

[Wendell]

I like Katharina Vikør (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3XuWLhltCLV1BBZ3D76BYw)'s channel.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRIrUcBONYw

[butler coach]

I’ve had a fascination with 375 since I was about 11yrs old. At 11, I read my first African Safari hunting book on a backpacking trip in Montana...I was hooked.

I’ve been using the 375 for deer and hogs for quite sometime..it’s over kill, but with the right handloads it’s a lot of fun. I have a trip to Tanzania 09/19, and I’ll be taking both rifles. The 470 is more for nostalgia than practicality, but I’ve wanted to shoot a Cape Buffalo with one since I acquired it.



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What load you using for deer. Thinking about using my 375 for deer this year


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[TCFD273]

What load you using for deer. Thinking about using my 375 for deer this year


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I’ve used Nosler 270 grain partition, Hornady 250 GMX, and Barnes 270 TSX.

All will work well, if i do my part, and in my experience does less damage than my .270 Win.

Usually, the exit wound is around a 1/2”.

I generally have several jugs of H4350 due to shooting a lot of 6.5 Creed, so it has been my go to for 375 H&H as of late. It’s a little slow compared to other powders, but it’s easier on the shoulder.


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[Trooper224]

Back in the day I had a Ruger No. 1 in .375 H&H, that one was one of my faves.

[BillSWPA]

I have always been more recoil tolerant with handguns than rifles, probably from holding handheld striking pads during martial arts classes. After reading stories about gun writers with detached retinas from shooting heavy recoiling long guns, Rex G’s posts about his hands, and GJM’s field pistol thread, I have little desire to shoot anything with heavy recoil. I can do everything I need to do with less discomfort and less potential damage.



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[Hambo]

I've always been stupid so my recoil tolerance is pretty high, but .416 anything is pretty stiff. Too many Aagard and Seyfried stories make me want a rifle in the .375-.416-.458 range but the truth is I wouldn't do anything but beat myself up with it.

[Trooper224]

I've always been stupid so my recoil tolerance is pretty high, but .416 anything is pretty stiff. Too many Aagard and Seyfried stories make me want a rifle in the .375-.416-.458 range but the truth is I wouldn't do anything but beat myself up with it.

That's why, these days, the biggest rifle caliber in my safe is .30-06.

[TCFD273]

I've always been stupid so my recoil tolerance is pretty high, but .416 anything is pretty stiff. Too many Aagard and Seyfried stories make me want a rifle in the .375-.416-.458 range but the truth is I wouldn't do anything but beat myself up with it.
Haha! My life story!

I find my 375 and 470 much more tolerable than any of the modern magnums.


That's why, these days, the biggest rifle caliber in my safe is .30-06.

6.5 Creed has been my go to for anything I hunt in the lower 48 for the past several years (no bears). I generally bring my 270 as a backup, it would have to be my favorite all around hunting rifle.



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