Will a Tikka action be a good start to build a 416 Ruger?

[Lisbon]

I have looked at pressures and find per SAAMI, a 300 WIN MAG and the 416 Ruger are close to the same pressures.
Anyone have any results of a build like this? The shorter case of the 416 Ruger works in the Tikka.

 

[Tom Leoni]

The Tikka action is fantastic. I used to manage SAKO and Tikka in the USA, and I haven't lost my respet for these two excellent brands. As far as your specific question, I would talk to a good gunsmith. There shouldn't be a problem, but I may be wrong because I'm not that technical.

 

[Lisbon]

Thanks, I will do so.
Anyone else have made the same build?

 

[USMA84DAB]

.416 Ruger is .30-06 length. I once upon a time, had a .495 A-Square on a Sako action (a cousin to the Tikka?), so the ability of the steel to withstand the bolt thrust I think is nothing to worry about. That is why the SAAMI spec stuff governs the industry - to protect everyone.

A 1938 Mauser could be used as well. You haven't shared what the quarry will be, however, a .416 will likely be used at some point for a critter that can bite/stomp back. Controlled round feed is where my comfort zone lies for this type of hunting. Sure, you would be backed up by your PH, who undoubtedly will have a CRF rifle. I chose to have my own reliability/redundancy via a Ruger Alaskan. I have the .375 and .416 Ruger versions. The .416 Ruger shoots 5 round, sub-minute groups at 100 yards, BTW. I do find that for me that the .416 at 2333 FPS with 400 gr projos, is pegging my recoil tolerance. Dr. Robertson has counseled me to relax that down to 2100 - 2150FPS, but I have not had a chance to try his Rx. If you try to chase the pressure limit, you may need to use an A-Square style stock to mitigate the perceived recoil - depends on your personal recoil tolerance.

This goes off course for your Tikka action question, but wanted to bring it up in case you were unaware. I think Tikka makes good rifles (I want one myself), so do what makes your Goldilocks rifle dashboard light come on for you.

 

[USMA84DAB]

Not familiar with the magazine box size - the Ruger rounds are fairly thick - is cartridge capacity a big deal to you? My Alaskans only hold 3 rounds total (1 in the chamber, plus 2 below), for example.

 

[Lisbon]

Good question and observations. I will pursue the answers.
I am not sure who to get a barrel from with the Tikka.

 

[Sarg]

I think the Tikka will do the job not a problem, it is a very light action & you want a little weight in the .416 Ruger which to me has snappy recoil but what were your thoughts on the use of the rifle ?

If playing cool, if thinking of using for a DG rifle I would look else where, too much plastic & weak parts The magazine is a huge weak link in the Tikka, works great for a standard hunting rifle but not in rough or hard conditions, take a magazine apart & I think you will see that, even the retainer is weak !

I have a couple as well, a 9.3X62 & a .510 WSM shoot fantastic, great trigger, slick action but will not last in a tough environment I believe in the long run.

 

[Lisbon]

Good points, I have metal mags as replacements and new bottom metal, real metal.
Ruger Alaskan? Hawkeye?
Could my 375 Ruger barrel be bored to 416?

 

[USMA84DAB]

Reboring a .375 Ruger Barrel to .416 Ruger barrel would be like scrapping a Spitfire to make a Mustang!

There should be many .416 barrels to find on the shelf/with manufacturers. Buy a .416 barrel off the shelf vs. waiting 6 months to a year for a .375 to go through a boutique shop's work queue to get it re-bored. Then your riflesmith cuts the .416 Ruger chamber vs. .416 Rem/Hoffman/Taylor, as an example.

Don't understand "Ruger Alaskan? Hawkeye?"

 

[Lisbon]

Reboring a .375 Ruger Barrel to .416 Ruger barrel would be like scrapping a Spitfire to make a Mustang!

There should be many .416 barrels to find on the shelf/with manufacturers. Buy a .416 barrel off the shelf vs. waiting 6 months to a year for a .375 to go through a boutique shop's work queue to get it re-bored. Then your riflesmith cuts the .416 Ruger chamber vs. .416 Rem/Hoffman/Taylor, as an example.

Don't understand "Ruger Alaskan? Hawkeye?"

The Hawkeye and the Alaskan are 2 models of the Ruger rifle. Sorry.

 

[USMA84DAB]

I am used to them, so should have been a bit more explicit for you as you may not have any Rugers and be familiar with them. Sorry.

 

[Joker12]

How about a Ruger action.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Cabela’s had a special “Boar Hunter” Tikka, camo stock, blackened stainless steel with a 21” heavy fluted barrel, picatinny rail and recknagel iron sights. I bought one in 30-06 and 338 Win Mag. They both shot great and I still have the 30-06. The 338 surpassed my recoil tolerance level and I let it go. I have rifles in bigger calibers (416 Rigby, 458 win mag, 375 H&H, 450/400) that are more pleasant to shoot. I can’t imagine a similar Tikka in 416 Ruger.

 

[rdog]

The Tikka T3 is a good rifle & the plastic bottom metal & mag is its weak point, i dough you could get a 416 Ruger to feed from the mag. A Ruger would be a much simpler & more robust option, right bolt face, all steel CRF, made for the job, you would not have to reinvent the wheel.

 

[WAB]

Tikka is a good rifle. However, a custom build is going to be expensive. I just can’t see that it makes sense to put that kind of money into a Tikka. There are many better options out there.

 

[baxterb]

And the 416 Ruger takes someone with real experience to get to feed on a conversion. A 416 Taylor would be easier on a magnum-based action.

 

[Sarg]

Hell half the actual Ruger Alaskans in 416 Ruger don't even feed properly, jam on feeding some ammo & all jump out of the magazine if the action is worked fast !

I converted mine to .458Win & it feed better & rounds didn't jump out, with no mag work !

 

[rdog]

And the 416 Ruger takes someone with real experience to get to feed on a conversion. A 416 Taylor would be easier on a magnum-based action.

Yes a 416 Taylor great option, only down side is no factory ammo ,very easy to form brass out of 338 or 458 & that's readily available. get an action or rifle in 338 WIN & your ready to go, no mag feeding problems or bolt face mods i did one from a old mk1 Ruger African 458 worked a treat. A HOWA 1500 wood stock 338 would be a good start.

 

[Milehighshooter]

the mag is going to be your biggest hiccup. other guns your can alter the magazine box or feed rails, but tikka feed from a detachable mag, and they don't offer anything that is close to the right size in factory form. also, you're trying to load a very fat cartridge from a narrow loading port. all in all, just not the best action to start with. 416 Taylor may work better, but even better still is a base action with more flexibility.

 

[Pirkan]

Getting a bottom metal that uses aics-magazines would solve a lot of these potential problems. 300 win mag aics mags should work pretty well with 416 ruger, you might have to bend out the lips a tiny bit to work better with the fatter case but that should be very easy. I´d personally really like a Tikka in 416 or 375 ruger with a 45-50 cm barrel and a can for hogs here in Sweden and some potential future dg. Using a decently fat barrel and a can should make the rifle pretty comfortable to shoot despite the lightweight action and if you want to go even further you could get a GRS or KKC stock to get a perfect fit to further reduce felt recoil without spending a fortune.

Or you could get any ordinary T3 in 7mm rem mag or 300/338 win mag and rebarrel it to 416 Taylor and call it a day but that´s no fun.