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Dane: .416 Taylor

4345 Views 8 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Peter Loron
As I mentioned in your Express Rifle post, I have always wanted a .416 Taylor built on an '03 action with a 22" barrel. The problem is that I have seen WILDLY conflicting load and ballistics data on the Taylor. What do you consider the best top-end velocity that can be wrung out of this small case with 400 grain bullets?

While we are at it, what is your opinion of the .404 Jeffery?

Wayne Miller
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Oh Wayne, now don't get me wound up. Big rifles are really my sick passion :grin:

My Talor with a short barrel (19") did really well with the 350 gr bullets.

http://www.geocities.com/bw_99835/page11.htm

Easy to do 2300 fps from that barrel. Nice to shoot too. No problem getting 2400 fps in fall weather with a 22/24 inch barrel I suspect. I have a lot of load data that you are welcome to, I just need to go dig it up.

Cheap conversion is buy any of the new Winchesters with a magnum bolt and rebarrel.
Mine was a stainless synthetic. It feed great with the spitzers.

http://www.geocities.com/bw_99835/

This is the 416 Taylor web page! Enjoy! My rifles and the reloading info I shared is on there. I have more loads and can be specific on the bullets if you like.

Forgot to add, the Jefferies is a great case to wildcat, not much to shoot in comparison to what is available. It is reliable, has little recoil and feeds well. Those three things are why the round was used so much and so many rifles were built for it I suspect. Reliability and durability....sound like a familar matra? Dangerious game rifles and 1911s have a lot in common.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dane Burns on 2001-10-23 21:26 ]</font>
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OK, let's say I get a magnum Model 70 and screw in a .416 Taylor barrel.... Is there any advantage to that rather than installing a .416 Remington barrel? (Understanding there are some magazine mods required).

Wayne
Remington or Taylor?

A good maker can do either easily. Start with a 300 Weatherby cartridge or any of the long actions from Winchester and the conversion in the factory stock to 416 Remington is fairly easy. Add a drop box and an extra round and things get tricky on the feeding end.

The 416 Taylors I did myself with a drop box stock and almost no knowledge of rifle building to start with. I learned on the way. In general it is an easy conversion. When I finally realised that the new Winchester actions were actualy made to take the long magnums (375 H&H size) I felt like I was knocking my head against wood. Why limit yourself to the hand formed and loaded 416 Taylor when I could do a LOT more with the 416 Remington with less money and less hassle.

I first bought the Remington Arms economical version of the 416 in a HS precision stock. It wasn't for me but my buddy loves it now. They were $600 or so out the door, retail. I ended up with a Winchester Safari for $750 delivered which I stripped, restocked and re did the iron sights on. My first Taylor had a 19" barrel which I think worked well with the powder stack in that case after making a few comparisons on other rifles. My 416 Remington I chopped to a 22" barrel and get 2400fps with 82 gr of reloader 15. Little on the hot side but I only use the rifle in the NW, Canada and Alaska.

Now just to through fuel on the fire :grin: If you want a big bore why not a 505. Easy enough to build one on a Winchester action using the 505 B/K. It will punch a 525gr bullet to 2300fps from a 21" barrel easily.
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"Why not get a .505?"

Valid question. Easy answer: I'm 5'6" and weigh, on a good day with lots of gravity, 145 pounds. I have shot .458s and a .460. They hurt. On the other hand, I have always had a love affair with the .416 bore, particularly the .416 Rigby (blame Ross Seyfreid for that one) and the .416 Taylor (Because it does what the .458 was supposed to do). I can shoot a .416 Rigby and still operate. Anything bigger than that, I pay for it. I COULD go buy a CZ 550 in .416 Rigby, but where's the fun in that? Besides, as much as I like that particular rifle, I don't like the trigger set-up or their stock design. Besides, reloading components for a .505 are on the silly side of expensive. Hornady 400 grain .416's can be had from Midway.

Wayne
OK, but it is worth noting a 505B/K in the same rifle has less felt recoil and hurts less than a 416 Rigby doing 2400fps compared to a 525 @ 2250 /2300. There are several reasons for that :grin:

The bore size and powder stack and burn ratio being the important ones. The 505 also easily fits in a 375 length Winchester action.

But no question the 416 is cheaper to feed and easier to build. I have one 505 and several 416s and shoot them more.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dane Burns on 2001-10-24 17:11 ]</font>
OK, this .505 beastie sounds interesting. Where can I find specs and performance data for it, and where does one find bullets to feed it?

Wayne
Do tell about this .505 Burns cartridge. I have heard it alluded to many times, can guess who developed it :smile:, but lets hear all the details.
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