Found this for sale
http://www.forthehunt.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=53420200

Now that's exactly the gun I want my PH to be carrying when I go hunting DG the first time.

Strictly a class act! Reminds me of a FN made 404 I bought from the ploice in Kenya and wasn't smart enough to keep. (few of them made + the class act condition from use, but bore was great.) Who wants new custom when you could have this class act?

Vickers are the .404's with the .418 or .419 bore size,as opposed to the normal .423, right?

I have heard this makes no real difference in a lower pressure number like the .404 with 'normal' ballistics...is this true?

quote:

Originally posted by kayaker:
Vickers are the .404's with the .418 or .419 bore size,as opposed to the normal .423, right?

I have heard this makes no real difference in a lower pressure number like the .404 with 'normal' ballistics...is this true?

I would think it would make a difference with the mono metal solids, but I have heard it argued that it don't matter with conventional bullets. No experience with the situation.
Years ago I had a Vickers barreled pre-war Mod 70, in .270. I never did slug the bore, but I know it wouldn't take near the loads H-4831 being put in .270's in those days. I always suspected it was under sized. However, I don't see any corralation to the size of the 404's Vickers made. Maybe, maybe not.

I bought it. When it arrives, I'll cast the bore to see for sure.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Davis:
I bought it. When it arrives, I'll cast the bore to see for sure.

Mike

That old rifle has class all of its own! Hope it shoots for you. It definately needs to go back to Africa. It certainly doesn't detract from it, but guessing from the proof marks it has been rebarrelled since it left the UK the first time. In fact, based on bore condition it probably adds value and it may well be .423 dia.

congrats , perhaps you can trace the rifle and see who it belonged to and where it has been through the years.

My Cogswell and Harrison 404 has the 418 barrel. It refuses to shoot the 423 bullets in groups only patterns. I got some 418 bullets custom made and it shoots them well. I think GS Custom makes a 418 bullets in case yours ends up with that size barrel. Nice old war horse you got. Good hunting.

Cerosafe cast reveals that the bore is .418. I can't find anyone to buy the GS Custom bullets from. Where did you get yours?

Mike

I wonder if you could get dies to bump up 416's. For that matter, I wonder if 416's might shoot adequately as is? Bob

Have started a new thread under reloading. Sorry for carrying on in the wrong forum.

Mike

This must have been a game department rifle, with a shot out barrel maybe? Metal refinished when it was re-barreled in 1983. It's either a re-barrel or a re-proof without use of the re-proof mark. JB2 in a circle is the date code mark for the Birmingham Proof House for 1983, so it was re-proved at that time.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."