MAKOMAN,
I have a CZ 550 Safari in 416 Rigby.
The ARE inexpensive compared to the US offerings, but they ARE NOT cheap guns by any means. Double square bridge Mauser action with claw extractor and Controlled Round Feed, massive action, huge magazine, and 25" barrel yet feels and the rifle handles like a fat deer rifle.
I did the "closed eyes" test on the Ruger (416 Rigby), the Win M70 (416 RemMag) and CZ 550 in 416 Rigby. For me, based on feel and fit, the CZ won hands down and was the least expensive of the bunch to boot, win -- win -- win.
I personally like the "hog back or Lux" style stock based on feel and handling. Don't sell the Europeans short on this stock design, they are older hands at frisky recoil rifles than are the Americans. For those that are more concerned about looks, CZ has the American Safari Magnum that is more linear and straight back in its design.
The two stage trigger is short clean and crisp with no slack and no drag. Regular trigger adjusted easily to 4 pounds and the "set feature" to 1 pound for range shooting with a couple twists of a screwdriver.
IMHO they are an unbeatable package for the money. You can buy them on Gunbroker.com brand new for mid 600's.
BTW, most published stats say 416 RemMag and 416 Rigby both push 400 gr. bullets at 2400fps --- don't swallow that as being the whole story, just because that is all that they sell doesn't mean that is where it ends. Go to Barnes #3, the 416 Rigby approaches the 416 Weatherby in performance if you want to load it up AND even when loaded to the max you can still shake the cartridge and hear the powder --- room left over --- always a good thing. In my opine, the 416 RemMag, while a good round, cannot follow due to a lack of case volume --- Ruger knew what he was doing when he chose the 416 Rigby.
If you are buying this kind of rifle, then it is unlikely that you are one of the "Can I get cheap ammo at Walmart?" crowd. I recommend that you buy the rifle and then buy 200 rounds of brass and you will be set for ammo for a lifetime. Yes, the brass (I recommend Norma) will be more expensive for the Rigby than the RemMag but after that the two are within pennies of each other and the reloading options more numerous for the Rigby. Again when buying rifles of this sort, you can buy smart, you can watch your money, but if raw penny pinching is the game then best to just go for a .308 or .223.
Go to
www.accuratereloading.com in the Big Bore section (about three screens down) in the Forums and you can search for everything you need to know. One thing, once you lmove up through the 375HH power level you need to glass/steel bed and reinforce the stock and have the stock fitted to you by a professional BEFORE you go out shooting. It may be hard not to rip it out of the box and go shooting, natural but not wise, these puppies are not your daddy's deer rifle.
I recommend you take your first shots standing up using the regular trigger. When you do go to bench rest to sight it in, first make sure you have a scope with a good eye relief (Leupolds are great) and second, when you get around to shooting off of the bench, use a dozen or so sand bags so you can sit with you stomach touching the bench and your back straight. Don't lean down and into it. Use the set trigger so that it fires when you even think "fire". [P.S. Hold on firmly to the forearm of the stock.]
Good luck.
EKM
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