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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Big Bore Rifles
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Nick_Adams
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Reged: 20/12/03
Posts: 148
Loc: USA
.404 Jeff ...
      #245470 - 11/04/14 04:14 AM

First really nice day here. I took my AHR-built .404 Jeffery, along with two of the smaller-caliber fellas, to the local range to give it a spring break-in and get the cobwebs off.

Shot about 10 rds of Hornady's factory 400gn DGX ammo (2300fps) @ 50yds and it still hits to the same POA as it did last fall when I zero-ed it - irons (express sights, w/ red fiber optic front.)

Hornady's ammo drives both the 400gn DGX & DGS bullets about 200fps hotter than the original 400gn load. Needed the spent brass anyway to start reloading for it, probably cast bullets if I can find them. I'd like to reload to the original specs. If anyone knows a reliable, reasonably priced source for cast bullets, please let me know.

Here's a couple of pics. Have more if you want to see more ...







--------------------
________________________________

Remember ...

"Only accurate rifles are interesting."

.300 H&H.


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Waidmannsheil
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Nick_Adams]
      #245477 - 11/04/14 05:34 AM

Very nice rifles. I think everyone would be keen to see more.

--------------------
There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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bonanza
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Waidmannsheil]
      #245478 - 11/04/14 05:55 AM

Great two gun battery for Afrikan safari. I would not hesitate to use that on DG.

--------------------


"Speak Precisely" G. Gordon Liddy.

"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus

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BB416
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: bonanza]
      #245480 - 11/04/14 06:57 AM

That is one hell of a nice 404

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DarylS
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: BB416]
      #245481 - 11/04/14 07:59 AM

My sentiments exactly, BB416. Years ago, I dreamt for a .423 Mauser, but I think the .404 has my eye now.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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DarylS
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: BB416]
      #245482 - 11/04/14 07:59 AM

My sentiments exactly, BB416. No flies on the # 1 either.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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Nick_Adams
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Reged: 20/12/03
Posts: 148
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Nick_Adams]
      #245488 - 11/04/14 09:45 AM

More pics of the .404J for those who asked:





Old ones of my #1 300 H&H.






This #1, by the way, isn't from the "Boddington" run of 300 H&Hs; it's from the original run that Ruger chambered in this caliber way back in the early 1990s.
Shoots great too.

Edited by Nick_Adams (11/04/14 09:46 AM)

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Rockdoc
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Nick_Adams]
      #245490 - 11/04/14 11:54 AM

Wow, stunning rifles and a great two-gun battery.

I love the 404J and can't figure why it's nearly 30yrs since i owned one! Easy to load and easy to feed.

The Hornady load appears to be similar to the old RWS load, 400gn at 2300fps and it was sweet to shoot in my light Thomas Bland takedown Mauser rifle. The RWS ammo was the only loaded ammo available then. The price wasn't too bad either and a good source of reloadable brass.

What scope is that on the 300H&H No1?

Also what mounts are they on the No1? I haven't been able to get Warne's that low here.

Best wishes, Chris

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Rockdoc]
      #245501 - 11/04/14 03:26 PM

Two very nice rifles and two great perfect classic calibres.

Thanks for posting.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
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Waidmannsheil
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: NitroX]
      #245516 - 11/04/14 09:10 PM

The 404 looks magnificent, certainly much nicer and more balanced in appearance than the new Rigby that everyone is arguing about.

--------------------
There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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Nick_Adams
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Reged: 20/12/03
Posts: 148
Loc: USA
Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Rockdoc]
      #245524 - 11/04/14 10:03 PM

Quote:

Wow, stunning rifles and a great two-gun battery.

I love the 404J and can't figure why it's nearly 30yrs since i owned one! Easy to load and easy to feed.

The Hornady load appears to be similar to the old RWS load, 400gn at 2300fps and it was sweet to shoot in my light Thomas Bland takedown Mauser rifle. The RWS ammo was the only loaded ammo available then. The price wasn't too bad either and a good source of reloadable brass.

What scope is that on the 300H&H No1?

Also what mounts are they on the No1? I haven't been able to get Warne's that low here.

Best wishes, Chris



Thanks, Chris. The scope is an old Burris 1-5x. The rings are low Warnes. It's probably the mount that makes them look so low.

Years ago I had a local gunsmith, who had a lot of experience working on Ruger #1s, accurize it. I wanted this gun to be a shooter, not a safe queen, so first off, we got rid of the factory scope base forward of the receiver and replaced it with a Mould's #1S 2-piece mount (got it from Brownells.) The Mould's has more weaver rail space so you get more rearward adjustment for setting up the scope, and the rear mount itself is machined so it doesn't touch the receiver, which is the problem with the factory base. That contact affects accuracy as the barrel heats up with sustained firing. After that, my 'smith bedded and floated the forend, installing the Hick's accurizer device to assist with that. We also ditched the hard factory recoil pad for a 1" Kickezze. As the final step, he gave it a very smooth trigger job.

For this type of rifle, a single-shot, I added the ammo pack on the stock, because I want the rounds for a 2nd or 3rd shot immediately available for loading. And the carry strap and culling belt are from Trader Keith.

This #1 is 1-MOA @ 100yds w/ Federal's 180gn load. The 26" barrel gives that load a bit more velocity over the typical bolt gun's 24" tube. It will put most of my handloads into 1-MOA or less as well.

Edited by Nick_Adams (12/04/14 02:03 AM)

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JACKEL
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Waidmannsheil]
      #245526 - 11/04/14 10:10 PM

Very nice CZ550 Magnum 404, may I ask you a couple of questions:


What is the barrel lenght ?

Does it have the Wiebe Oberndorf bottom metal ?

What is the magazine capacity ?




I am sory for so manny quetions, but I am thinking in something simmilar, but with a more Rigby like stock.


Thank you and best regards.


Ernesto.

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Nick_Adams
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Reged: 20/12/03
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: NitroX]
      #245527 - 11/04/14 10:15 PM

Quote:

Two very nice rifles and two great perfect classic calibres.

Thanks for posting.



Thanks everyone ...

I also have an .375 H&H BRNO 602 that Lon Paul @ Tanglewood Guns customized years ago. If I can dig out the pics I'll post those in separate thread.

The 300 H&H, .375 H&H, and the more recent .404J, complete my "African" rifle battery, although here in the states they'd do just fine too, excepting, maybe, that #1 in Alaska. Not sure I'd want to go up against the big bruins armed only with a single-shot. Afican plains game, sure. Stuff that can bite back, ah, ... not so much.



--------------------
________________________________

Remember ...

"Only accurate rifles are interesting."

.300 H&H.


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Nick_Adams
.300 member


Reged: 20/12/03
Posts: 148
Loc: USA
Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: JACKEL]
      #245530 - 11/04/14 10:37 PM

Quote:

Very nice CZ550 Magnum 404, may I ask you a couple of questions:

What is the barrel lenght ?

Does it have the Wiebe Oberndorf bottom metal ?

What is the magazine capacity ?

I am sory for so manny quetions, but I am thinking in something simmilar, but with a more Rigby like stock.

Thank you and best regards.
Ernesto.



Thanks, Ernesto!

Just so everybody's clear, the .404J is an AHR custom Safari 550 DGR, not an off-the-shelf CZ 550.
AHR offers their Safari 550 DGR in many of the traditional African calibers.

They start with a CZ double sq. bridge magnum action which they square, true up, de-horn & polish before it sees a barrel. Everything following that is custom.
The barrel is a McGowen 23" chrome-moly, profiled to a specific AHR contour.
AHR uses Wiebe one-piece bottom metal and an Oberndorf bolt handle.
Magazine capacity is 5+1 in the chamber.
The stock is AAA+ English walnut with wrapped checkering @ 22-lpi.
The front sight and rear express sight are both NECGs.

Hope these details were helpful ...

Edited by Nick_Adams (13/04/14 08:22 AM)

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JACKEL
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Reged: 12/01/10
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Loc: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Nick_Adams]
      #245532 - 11/04/14 11:14 PM

Thank you very much for the details Nick, I wasnt aware that AHR built those rifles starting with just the action, impressive work and details.

And by the way very nice Ruger too !!!

Best regards.


And yes please, if you find your pothos from the Zkk 602 I would be more than intrested in watching them, I really like the work Lon Paul does on those Brno Rifles.

Edited by JACKEL (11/04/14 11:17 PM)

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eagle27
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: JACKEL]
      #245567 - 12/04/14 12:00 PM

Nick, these are a couple of cast bullets available here for the 404, the one on the right a 400 grain from my own mould and the one on the left a 370 grain from one of the forum members who supplies them in quantity and different lead alloy mixes. His 370gr bullets are superb in the 404, my own also accurate and feed a little easier but have a little more kick behind them.

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Nick_Adams
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: eagle27]
      #245589 - 12/04/14 09:27 PM

Thank you Eagle27.

I know of only one maker of .404 (.424 dia) cast bullets here in the states.
I'd be interested in that 370gn bullet, though, both for lower-recoil shooting fun as well as to hunt with. Is the other member making them here in the U.S.?

Also, while I've reloaded jacketed bullets for years in several of my rifles and know what powders work best, for the .404 with cast bullets (like those in your picture), what powders work best for those?

I have mostly Varget stocked here, but a few others too.

Thanks!

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Nick_Adams
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Reged: 20/12/03
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: JACKEL]
      #246575 - 28/04/14 09:48 AM

Quote:

And yes please, if you find your pothos from the Zkk 602 I would be more than intrested in watching them, I really like the work Lon Paul does on those Brno Rifles.



Just adding a couple of pics that Jackel requested of my .375 H&H BRNO 602, which Lon Paul customized back in the mid-90s:

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VonGruff
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Nick_Adams]
      #246580 - 28/04/14 01:55 PM

Quote:

Thank you Eagle27.

I know of only one maker of .404 (.424 dia) cast bullets here in the states.
I'd be interested in that 370gn bullet, though, both for lower-recoil shooting fun as well as to hunt with. Is the other member making them here in the U.S.?

Also, while I've reloaded jacketed bullets for years in several of my rifles and know what powders work best, for the .404 with cast bullets (like those in your picture), what powders work best for those?

I have mostly Varget stocked here, but a few others too.

Thanks!



Giday Nick. The 370gn bullet is from a custom Hoch mould made to my own design and while I have sent sample bullets to many shooters the shipping is horrendously expensive when sending them offshore.
I have run it to 2365fps over 74gn Varget (2208) and to 2415fps over 87gn H4350 (2209) and there is also the exceptionally accurate load over the 63gn H4350 at 1900fps that Eagle mentioned above although mine is shot with a hunting aperture sight (customised Williams)



Even the Ht bullet at 2415fps over 87gn H4350 is a very huntable accuracy and while I didn't measure the 5 shot group, I don't think I would have missed an average sized aanimal





Are you a caster yourself as with the mould details you could have a Hoch mould made. It was made on 5-16-08 and is numbered C6610 425 345

--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

Edited by VonGruff (28/04/14 02:04 PM)

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eagle27
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Nick_Adams]
      #246593 - 28/04/14 05:11 PM

Quote:

Thank you Eagle27.

I know of only one maker of .404 (.424 dia) cast bullets here in the states.
I'd be interested in that 370gn bullet, though, both for lower-recoil shooting fun as well as to hunt with. Is the other member making them here in the U.S.?

Also, while I've reloaded jacketed bullets for years in several of my rifles and know what powders work best, for the .404 with cast bullets (like those in your picture), what powders work best for those?

I have mostly Varget stocked here, but a few others too.

Thanks!



Hi Nick, sorry I did not reply earlier, I seemed to have lost track of the thread. I see Von Gruff has responded now and he was the member I was referring to who casts the 350-370gr 404 bullets (weight depending on the alloy VG uses), although I freely promote his bullets and expertise I thought I would leave it to him to come in on the thread if he wished.

VG also has a 1400fps load with Red Dot which I have also used and now duplicated with Vectan AS, a shotgun powder i have left over from my shotgun competition days. To date have only fired off two shots with the Vectan load and VG's 370gr cast bullet and both touched at 50m. Was shooting his bullets with my Unique powder load and had only loaded two with AS powder to try. Looks a very promising load and very sweet to shoot.

Full power loads in my 8.5lb Mauser are not too pleasant off the bench but it is nice to be able to shoot a lot of cast especially with the lower powered charges - and cheap too. My 400gr mould is a Richard Hoch made one but from 1978 so Hoch may not have the design on file any longer.

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Nick_Adams
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: eagle27]
      #246610 - 28/04/14 11:10 PM

Thank you, Von Gruff & Eagle ...

The load info is very helpful, as are the pics. Great shooting. I just was looking to make some low-recoil but accurate cast loads for inexpensive practice, but also find one (using Varget) that might make an effective short-range hunting load, such as on the feral hogs we have here in the states.

For VG: No, I don't cast myself. I was looking for ready-to-ship cast bullets and certainly understand that importing them would be expensive.

I had thought that since Woodleigh sell its j-bullets here, they might make cast bullets and market them in the states as well, but apparently not. There are a couple of mold-makers here who sell molds for the .404J, as well as one vendor who sells cast bullets for the various "African" cartridges, including the .404J. That one is a 380gn SP GC (dia. .424). So I'll go that route for now.

Edited by Nick_Adams (28/04/14 11:12 PM)

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Checkman
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Nick_Adams]
      #246636 - 29/04/14 07:06 AM

Very nice collection you have there.

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Nick_Adams
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Reged: 20/12/03
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Checkman]
      #246754 - 30/04/14 11:39 PM

Quote:

Very nice collection you have there.



Thanks, Checkman.

--------------------
________________________________

Remember ...

"Only accurate rifles are interesting."

.300 H&H.


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Bighammer
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Nick_Adams]
      #248966 - 14/06/14 01:34 PM

Love your taste in rifles and cartridges Nick. Am thinking about adding a .404 barrel to my Mauser MO3. Ever considered a small scope for your .404?

Thanks for sharing.

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Nick_Adams
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Reged: 20/12/03
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Re: .404 Jeff ... [Re: Bighammer]
      #248982 - 14/06/14 09:50 PM

Quote:

Love your taste in rifles and cartridges Nick. Am thinking about adding a .404 barrel to my Mauser MO3. Ever considered a small scope for your .404?
Thanks for sharing.



You're welcome.

For load development, I'll use a low-powered Nikon, but will leave it iron sights for hunting.

Right now, it's sighted in about an inch high @ 50yds. Thanks.

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