I realize both of these bullets are good.

In a 404 Jeffery loaded to +- 2250 fps and to be used as a one gun, one load for every thing from Buff (solids when appropriate) down to the little guys. With an open sight rifle range really won't be an issue.

If they both shoot as accurately in my gun and price difference is not a consideration.

Would one have any particular advantage over the other?
Performance on game, less copper fouling or anything?

Would one be better on the small stuff over the other or the bigger stuff than the other?

Or is it such a wash as far as performance between and them just pick one and call it good?

Allen

I like the Swift's better, However I would use the TSX and whatever pops up they will knock it down short of an ele...

Mike

I used woodleigh's loaded at 2185 on Buffalo, they performed well.

I am a swift fan.

I've used all Woodleighs at 2400 fps on Gemsbuck, Hippo and elephant. They didn't seem to be lacking anywhere in performance. One solid retrieved from an elephant looked like you could reload it and shoot it again.

A plus; at least in my rifle, is that both the solids and softs hit to same center with extreme reliability. Of course, the Swift A-frames matched the woodleigh solids too.....

quote:

Originally posted by John Luyt:
I am a swift fan.

Believe it or not my best friend gave me a Dakota in 404 Jeffery for christmas. Mostly, I believe, in appreciation for Me having introduced He and his family to AFRICA and African hunting.
I have no previous experience with the 404 but have used the 416 Rem. on four safaris and have found the triple shoks to be all I require. Thus eliminating the need some feel for solids. (IMO) The Swift A frame would be a good second choice and is my first choice below 375 caliber.
In other words I agree with Retreever!

I am truly amazed that the 404 Jeffery could obtain such a great reputation and enjoy a long illustrious past at only pitiful Historical Velocities! To think that game control officers today, still carry a rifle with such an antiquated round. Will wonders never cease?

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by AllenBosely:
What did some of the other 404 Jeffery's made by Vickers, Westly Richards, Cogswell & Harrison used by the African Game Departments tend to weigh?
Allen

Plenty of them are still in use by game departments today. Here's a well worn specimen carried by our game scout in Tanzania.

Our game scout in Tanzania had a 404 three shells and no rear sight...

Mike

i have one a as company loaner/second rifle and I love it to bits. The bullets that perform best in my one are Woodleigh SP/PSP and GS Custom monolithic solids.

I actually like and use both. I use the swift A Frames as a soft and the Woodleighs for solids. It is amazing that the point of impact for both bullets with the same load is acceptable for hunting.

I also use this same combination in my 375 H&H. It has worked for me in both guns so I don't change.

crl

I plan to load my 404 to about 2300-2350 and if I do my part it will handle the rest. It has for nearly 100 years loaded to 2150 or so.
The 404 earned its reputation in the hunting fields of africa, along with the 375. Some of the other rounds earned their rep in the pages of literature.
The woodliegh would be my third choice if cost was equal which it isn't.

quote:

Originally posted by Adrian Parham:
. . .It has for nearly 100 years loaded to 2150 or so.
The 404 earned its reputation in the hunting fields of africa, along with the 375. Some of the other rounds earned their rep in the pages of literature. . . .

Exactly!

There really isn't any need to "ramp it up"! Unless you like getting pushed around.
Between 2125 and 2200 works just fine for me!
I really like my 404 Jeffery!

In my Heym, the 400 gr Swift kicked the crap out of Buff, leopard, puku and Cookson's Wildebeest at 2285 fps. Load was H4350....83 gr.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

quote:

Originally posted by Adrian Parham:
Believe it or not my best friend gave me a Dakota in 404 Jeffery for christmas. Mostly, I believe, in appreciation for Me having introduced He and his family to AFRICA and African hunting.

...........Wow, I need a friend like that.......Do you think if I told him to come to Alberta for big deer, he would give me a Satterlee?

Allen:

I eventually worked up two loads for my .404. The first one was with Reloder 15 and it was running at about 2260 with a 400 grain Woodleigh. However, since I already had a .416 Rigby, I wanted to load the .404 to a more traditional velocity of about 2150 fps and I was easily able to do so using IMR 4831. It is a great caliber. You may want to take a look at the Barnes TSX bullet as well. I tried them and shot very well in my rifle.

Dave

Would the Woodleigh or the Swift in the .423 400gn specifically be considered softer, as in opening up/expanding
at a lower velocity?

Allen

Allen, the 404 that I have will not reliably feed the bottom cartridge if it is a woodliegh soft. It does feed the woodliegh solid just fine, I attribute this to the large amount of soft leaad in the front of the bullet.
My preference is the triple shok but the swift is a fine bullet. JMO

Being from Australia (home of Woodleigh) I will probably load my 404 project with Woodleigh soft & solids at around 2200fps.
If I wanted more velocity than that, then I would import the stronger Swift A Frames.