Quote:

---

Back to 35Whelen’s original question: In the 1920s cartridge names were not standardized as they are today. As Eley made the first .404 cartridges for Jeffery, the cartridge was often called .404 Eley by other gunmakers. This avoided putting a competitor’s trademark on a rifle not made by Jeffery. Also, if a customer walked into Lancaster’s shop and saw a rifle marked Jeffery, he might have had the idea: “Before spending my money on such a copycat by Lancaster, I would rather go around a few London corners and buy a Jeffery original.” For the same reasons the 1920s Kynoch catalogs called the cartridge neither Jeffery nor Eley, but simply “.404 Rimless Nitro-Express”.

---

That makes sense kuduae
On the point of the rifle I already have, I checked C.W. Hardig's book "Eley Cartridges". My gun is chambered by Lancaster's for Eley 280 Rimless. Eley production records for British centre fire rifle calibers indicate four cartridges in .280:
.280 Ross - Eley Rimless Match 1908-1909
.280 Ross - Eley Rimless 1907-1919
.280 Flanged Match 1910-1919
.280 Flanged 1910-1919
That would mean Eley manufactured .280 calibre cartridges only in the Ross variant and as a flanged cartridge, which is the chambering for Lancaster doubles.

Post Extras