| Nick_Adams |
| (.300 member) |
| 14/04/14 10:16 AM |
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Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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Okay, ... have checked around but was unsuccessful.
Can any of you USA-based, Big-Bore experts point me to vendors who sell cast bullets for the .404 Jeffery (.423-.424 dia)?
Also, if you shoot cast boolits in your own .404, can you recommend a powder(s) available here that I might try?
Would be loading for this dude:
Thanks!
| eagle27 |
| (.400 member) |
| 14/04/14 07:42 PM |
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Re: Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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I use Von Gruff' s developed load of 63.0 grains AR2209 (sold as H4350 in the States) under his 350gr or my 400 grain gas checked cast bullet for 1800fps (the 360gr) in my 404.
Also tried his load of 20.5 grains Red Dot (1400fps) for an easy shooting accurate light load and my own Unique powder loads (22.5 - 25.0grs) for similar results.
Also loaded up a couple of my Berdan primed Kynoch cases with 20.5 grains Vectan AS powder for a real smooth ultra clean burner light load. Only shot two of these just to see what this powder was like as it is supposed to be equivalent to Red Dot in burning rate. Both bullet holes touched at 50m. have got more loaded to try next time at the range
VG has developed other cast loads right up to original factory velocity levels.
350gr Cast with 63.0 gr AR2209 (H4350) at 50m
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 14/04/14 11:56 PM |
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Re: Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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You could also use the 70%/100% loading density Trail Boss loads. Light recoil and low speeds.
| Nick_Adams |
| (.300 member) |
| 15/04/14 02:42 AM |
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Re: Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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Quote:
I use Von Gruff' s developed load of 63.0 grains AR2209 (sold as H4350 in the States) under his 350gr or my 400 grain gas checked cast bullet for 1800fps (the 360gr) in my 404.
Also tried his load of 20.5 grains Red Dot (1400fps) for an easy shooting accurate light load and my own Unique powder loads (22.5 - 25.0grs) for similar results.
Also loaded up a couple of my Berdan primed Kynoch cases with 20.5 grains Vectan AS powder for a real smooth ultra clean burner light load. Only shot two of these just to see what this powder was like as it is supposed to be equivalent to Red Dot in burning rate. Both bullet holes touched at 50m. have got more loaded to try next time at the range
VG has developed other cast loads right up to original factory velocity levels.
350gr Cast with 63.0 gr AR2209 (H4350) at 50m
Wow, that 350gn cast group is impressive! Yes, I have some H4350 here. Just need to find someone who sells cast boolits for this cartridge. Thanks!
| 50Calshtr |
| (.300 member) |
| 15/04/14 02:58 AM |
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Re: Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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Nick,
Not a 404 but I do shoot cast in my 425 WR. Using Varget and a 420 gr gas checked wheel weight bullet I'm getting 2100 fps. Shoots to the sights if I use the 200 yd leaf. Good practice load and it's about as inexpensive as you can get.
Best
| Nick_Adams |
| (.300 member) |
| 15/04/14 03:34 AM |
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Re: Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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Quote:
Nick,
Not a 404 but I do shoot cast in my 425 WR. Using Varget and a 420 gr gas checked wheel weight bullet I'm getting 2100 fps. Shoots to the sights if I use the 200 yd leaf. Good practice load and it's about as inexpensive as you can get.
Best
Thanks. Good to know that Varget works with cast. Inexpensive and low-recoil practice was what I was interested in with cast boolits.
How much Varget gets your 420gn slug to 2100fps? Just curious.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 15/04/14 04:16 AM |
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Re: Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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That is good- Varget and H4895 are really close in most rifles- with Varget being just a tich slower. H4895 also works to as low as 60% of the normal full power load whereas many powders do not.
WW can be heat treated to withstand ANY velocity range if you want. This is due to the antimony and smidgen of arsenic - arsenic being necessary for the hardening process to be a success. That means pure lead/tin mixes cannot be hardened further. The WW MUST with NO ZINC content - a newly acquired bucket of WW must be gone through to discard any with a "Z" on them - or many that are 'too light' to be real antimony/lead mix - or any that are stick-on weights.
The stick-on weights can be either pure lead or zinc as well.
Zinc will ruin some lead pots as it infiltrates the pores, cracks in fouling, etc, then leeches out into the mix - wrecking it - & casting poorly filled out bullets.
| 50Calshtr |
| (.300 member) |
| 16/04/14 02:59 AM |
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Re: Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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Nick,
That load is 60 gr of Varget with a ball of dacron filer on top, a hardened bullet and mag primer. Not sure how your larger case capacity might effect this load so use caution. Wheel weights are great, as Daryl stated you can do all sorts of good things with them.
Best.
| BWK375 |
| (.224 member) |
| 18/07/14 07:31 AM |
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Re: Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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I have been wanting to try cast bullets in my 404. Beartooth Bullets are the only company I have found in the US that sells cast bullets in that size. They are 380 grain with gas checks.
https://beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm
When I finally get some loaded and shot I will post my results.
| cordite |
| (.333 member) |
| 10/01/15 07:24 AM |
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Re: Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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With a 350 grain NEI bullet I use 60 grains of h4895 with a bit of dacron on top. A lighter load is trailboss to the base of the bullet (31 grains) which shoots to the sights at 50 yards.
| Homer |
| (.416 member) |
| 01/08/15 06:19 PM |
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Re: Cast bullets & loads for the .404 Jeffery?
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Quote:
I use Von Gruff' s developed load of 63.0 grains AR2209 (sold as H4350 in the States) under his 350gr or my 400 grain gas checked cast bullet for 1800fps (the 360gr) in my 404.
Also tried his load of 20.5 grains Red Dot (1400fps) for an easy shooting accurate light load and my own Unique powder loads (22.5 - 25.0grs) for similar results.
Also loaded up a couple of my Berdan primed Kynoch cases with 20.5 grains Vectan AS powder for a real smooth ultra clean burner light load. Only shot two of these just to see what this powder was like as it is supposed to be equivalent to Red Dot in burning rate. Both bullet holes touched at 50m. have got more loaded to try next time at the range
VG has developed other cast loads right up to original factory velocity levels.
350gr Cast with 63.0 gr AR2209 (H4350) at 50m
G'Day Fella's,
+1 to all of the above Nick Adams!
By the way Nick, tell us about that great looking rifle of yours!
It looks like a Brno or CZ action?
Doh!
Homer