338-416

Friends and I have built several of these. The 338-416 Rigby Imp. has about the same capacity as the 338-378 Wby. A shortened chamber that uses 338 Lapua brass, blown out, has about the same capacity as the 338 U'mag, IIRC. Have not played with unimproved 338-416 cases.
Some were built on Geske actions, some on Rem 700s that were opened up and had Sako extractors installed.
They work, are fun and brass and bullets cost quite a bit. Everybody shoots 250 and 300 gr. Sierra MKs. They will kill elk.
Personally, I don't own any of them but have been involved with them.
 
??? Jay, according to the VihtaVuori manual, the .338 Lapua Magnum is simply the .338/416 with a strengthened case. Lapua started with the Rigby case, but found it wouldn't take (i.e., in a CIP standard) quite the pressures they want to run.

Second edition, page 180.
 
Charles,

According to Dr. Howell's book, "Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges", the Rigby is 2.900 in length. Same source shows the 338 Lapua with 2.724 length, a difference of about .176".
I thought that Dr. John Taylor, Boots Obermeyer and B.E.L.L. collaborated on the design of the 338 Lapua but I think that I'm wrong. This link leads to one good article on the cartridge: http://www.lapua.com/index.php?id=889. Maybe the original cartridge used full length Rigby brass and Lapua shortened it for their propietary design. A google search for "338 lapua" will get many links to info on the cartridge.
Few shooters stop to wonder how a Finnish company ended up with a cartridge designated in inches instead of millimeters.
I've been told that RWS 416 Rigby brass lasts forever but I've never seen any for sale or a source.
I think that we are fortunate to have cartridges that are based on the dimensions of the Rigby, 404 Jeffrey and even the 505 Gibbs (Chey-Tac), all non-belted cases. I've built rifles that used all of them.
I hate belts.

Jay McMunn
 
338-416 imp velocity

What kind of velocity can it produce with the 300smk ot the 250's. I'm trying to find how much difference it is between the 338-416imp. and the 338-408.

Thanks
 
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