Recoil!!

Sully2

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Planning on getting a bolt action .416 Rigby. Is this thing going to kill me because of recoil? Im not a little guy even though Im an old fart anymore and have shot 12 gauge at trap many a Sunday...doing 250-and 500 bird marathons in the warm weather.

Its been forever since I possessed a larger centerfire rifle and shot it,,,,so I just cant remember what kind of recoil such a big bore would have.

Thanks for your replies.
 
The 416 has manageable recoil, I wouldn't say it is painful, to me. My rifle is a CZ 550 Safari Magnum. It is stout off the bench, even I don't like it, and I have rifles in 375 Weatherby, 404 Jeffery, 458 Lott and 505 Gibbs, amongst others.
The recoil could best be described like a big sharp push.
My 375 is sharper, and so is the 458, the 505 is in a totally different ballpark, it gets your attention. The 404 is about the same as the 416, really.

Cheers.
gun)
 
The 416 has manageable recoil, I wouldn't say it is painful, to me. My rifle is a CZ 550 Safari Magnum. It is stout off the bench, even I don't like it, and I have rifles in 375 Weatherby, 404 Jeffery, 458 Lott and 505 Gibbs, amongst others.
The recoil could best be described like a big sharp push.
My 375 is sharper, and so is the 458, the 505 is in a totally different ballpark, it gets your attention. The 404 is about the same as the 416, really.

Cheers.
gun)


Great input. Would you say offhand thats its approv 2 or 3 times as much as the avg 8 lb 12 gauge firing a full bore load?

Input appreciated.
 
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I've shot the .416 in the big Ruger. Offhand, I though the recoil was very manageable. I actually sold my 458 lott due to recoil, it was no fun at all & ended up collecting dust in my safe.

The Rigby I shot actually kicked less than my .375 Ruger, mostly due to stock design I'm thinking.

I have to +1 the comment about touching base with JE, he is somewhat of a big bore aficionado.



t
 
Planning on getting a bolt action .416 Rigby. Is this thing going to kill me because of recoil? Im not a little guy even though Im an old fart anymore and have shot 12 gauge at trap many a Sunday...doing 250-and 500 bird marathons in the warm weather.

Its been forever since I possessed a larger centerfire rifle and shot it,,,,so I just cant remember what kind of recoil such a big bore would have.

Thanks for your replies.


I would recommend some type of muzzle brake. Not that you cant shoot it without, but it can make a person develop some very bad habits and also eye relief for the scope is very important. and unless you are going to shoot some place that doesn't allow a muzzle brake, why not enjoy it.

When I was young, recoil was attractive, now that I am older it is a detraction and not as much fun.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM
 
Most 12 gauge shotguns have a recoil of between 15 and 20 ft lbs.

Recoil velocity (Perceived) is much higher because of the charge weight, fast burning powder, and the shotguns weight(5 to 7 lbs) all of this allows the recoil velocity to be very fast and this is what the shooter feels. it will be almost double the ft/lbs of recoil on some shotguns.

Most 30/06 (Example) has any where from 17 ft/lbs to 25 ft/lbs of recoil energy.

The 416 Rigby will have almost 3 times the recoil energy of the shotgun (Somewhere between 57 ft lbs and 63 ft/lbs of recoil.

With that said, 2 to 3 times the recoil of a 12 gauge shotgun is your answer. The decision to brake or not to brake is strictly the individuals based on there recoil tolerance.

The 50 BMG has a recoil of 90 to 110 without a brake so it is one of the firearms that definitely needs a muzzle brake, there are many other big bores that need a muzzle brake. the 416s are right at this crossroad of needing a muzzle brake depending on the load, weight of the rifle and the shape of the stock and the recoil tolerance of the shooter.

J E CUSTOM
 
Planning on getting a bolt action .416 Rigby. Is this thing going to kill me because of recoil? Im not a little guy even though Im an old fart anymore and have shot 12 gauge at trap many a Sunday...doing 250-and 500 bird marathons in the warm weather.

Its been forever since I possessed a larger centerfire rifle and shot it,,,,so I just cant remember what kind of recoil such a big bore would have.

Thanks for your replies.

416 Rigby rings a bell! Brother and I knew a gunsmith that went by the name of Eric Woods (passed away a couple years ago). He specialized in big bore African rifles, and was very well known for his work. He took my brother with him to some kind of a big bore shoot in Kentucky. Take three or four rifles with him, and the first rifle was a Griffen & Howe bolt gun. Pulls out three rounds and loads the rifle, then hands it to my brother to shoot. Brother be a brave sort, goes upto the line and kicks off a round in the standing position. To quote my brother, he said it whipped him around like a wet dish rag. Not wanting to admit to Eric that this may have been one too many, he pops off a second round. Felt like it broke every bone in his body. About this time a guy walks up beside him with a .477 double just as he was about to fire the third round. He fires as the other guy fires, and the blast like to ate him up from the .477. He thought the bolt gun blew up! Eric walks up to him with three more rounds, and brother said it was his turn as he didn't think he could stand another hit on his shoulder right now! Eric then hands him a beautiful .450 Nitro Express #2 to try. Told Eric that he would in a few minutes as he wanted to rest up. In the mean time Eric shoots the .450, and a beautiful .470 H&H double rifle. Brother shoots the .450, and decides he's done for the day. His shoulder was black & blue for almost three weeks!

Eric was the guy most folks sent the rifles in to be rebuilt and tuned up for a dangerous game hunt. His shop always had twenty doubles being worked on, as he was that good at his craft. Served his apprenticeship at Purdy in the UK, and was actually from Scotland. We lost him to Leukemia.
gary
 
416 Rigby rings a bell! Brother and I knew a gunsmith that went by the name of Eric Woods (passed away a couple years ago). He specialized in big bore African rifles, and was very well known for his work. He took my brother with him to some kind of a big bore shoot in Kentucky. Take three or four rifles with him, and the first rifle was a Griffen & Howe bolt gun. Pulls out three rounds and loads the rifle, then hands it to my brother to shoot. Brother be a brave sort, goes upto the line and kicks off a round in the standing position. To quote my brother, he said it whipped him around like a wet dish rag. Not wanting to admit to Eric that this may have been one too many, he pops off a second round. Felt like it broke every bone in his body. About this time a guy walks up beside him with a .477 double just as he was about to fire the third round. He fires as the other guy fires, and the blast like to ate him up from the .477. He thought the bolt gun blew up! Eric walks up to him with three more rounds, and brother said it was his turn as he didn't think he could stand another hit on his shoulder right now! Eric then hands him a beautiful .450 Nitro Express #2 to try. Told Eric that he would in a few minutes as he wanted to rest up. In the mean time Eric shoots the .450, and a beautiful .470 H&H double rifle. Brother shoots the .450, and decides he's done for the day. His shoulder was black & blue for almost three weeks!

Eric was the guy most folks sent the rifles in to be rebuilt and tuned up for a dangerous game hunt. His shop always had twenty doubles being worked on, as he was that good at his craft. Served his apprenticeship at Purdy in the UK, and was actually from Scotland. We lost him to Leukemia.
gary


Be still my heart!....LOL. Id like to try them. A single .375 I shot ONCE I thought was going to injure me.....:D
 
The easiest big bore to handle that I've shot is a 470 nitro express custom a local guy was building for a client. She felt like a rather stout 12 gauge slug gun.
The worst recoil wise was a lightweight 416 remmy I touched off. I leaned in and she nearly picked me up... My front foot came up for sure.
My lightweight 375h@h with full power loads is somewhat in the middle; hold her good or she'll smart you but she'll toss moa groups from the bench with ease. A 300tsx at 2550 fps or a 300hdy solid at 2650 fps is a good bit of power for an 8# rifle with no brake.
The 50bmg's I've fired were pussycats; between the weight and the brake they never bothered me a bit.

Get the 416; you can always run milder loads with 300gr or 350 gr bullets if the 400gr pills eat you up too much. I'd get a 416 or 450-400 but I already have a 405win and a 375h@h... I primarily hunt deer so even these are a bit much.
 
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