| kuduae |
| (.400 member) |
| 22/05/19 08:00 PM |
Re: 450 ne vs 450/400 3" ne
|
Quote:
Correct. I think it also came from Shuler. Some german guns have the metric equivalent stamped instead of 404
Quote:
I don't know why the 404 was designed with a .423" bullet but I suspect that it was actually developed in Germany and swiftly adopted by Jeffery as their proprietary cartridge much the same as they did with the .500 Jeffery later on.
At the Kassel gunshow a year or so ago I was shown an apparently very early .404 Jeffery rifle on a standard length M98 Mauser action. That peculiar rifle had a Suhl type, half octagonal,full ribbed barrel. The stock is somewhat British style, with horn foreend tip, but with some Suhl details too. It has "German" side panels and a key through the foreend.
On the outside it shows London proofmarks. The rib is inscribed " W.J.Jeffery & Co., 13 King Street, London". So it was obviously made for and retailed by Jeffery.
On taking it apart we found a typical Schüler magazine extension screwed to the underside of the receiver. The underside of the barrel shows pre-1912 Suhl proofmarks and the inscription "A.Schüler, Suhl".
So at least one early .404 rifle was built for Jeffery by Schüler in Suhl, Germany.