The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Would you feel silly using 404J for PG?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Would you feel silly using a 404 Jeffery on Plains Game? IF whatever rifle you used was an open sight (peep) regardless of caliber. A use a one Nostalgic type rifle for everything hunt. So all shots would be 200ish yards only. Allen It's a Mauser thing, you wouldn't understand. | ||
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Not at all. You are in Africa, just because you aren't hunting eles, lions, hippos, buff doesn't mean you won't run into one that needs some attention. | |||
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It's a classic, have great time with it!!!  Jack OH GOD! {Seriously, we need the help.} | |||
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I didn't feel silly shooting my Bushbuck and a few other things with my .458 Lott while in the Zambezi valley. If hunting in dangerous game country I prefer to carry my big bore and shoot every thing with it. Although I must say shooting one of those African mini's like the Duiker with a .404 might be overkill. For me 200yds with open sights would be stretching it. I came very close to buying a .404 instead of the Lott, and feel it would be a great gun to take to Africa for plains game. Scott | |||
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The 404 is just fine for bushvelt hunting. | |||
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My CZ404J is scoped. I would think it is a 300 yard rifle if you know the trajectory. At 60+ I am about done with irons. Rich | |||
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beside those low velocity 400 grain@2150 fps . it seems it had been special light bullet loading @higher velocity for open country hunting too. isen't so? yes Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy; its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. | |||
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I have used my 416 Wby for more than 30 pcs of plainsgame on different occasions, so a 404 is ok for sure.. | |||
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I use my .375 H&H for everything including grey duiker and springbuck. The only thing is that my tracking skills go to hell. Everything gives up at point of impact. SUSTAINABLY HUNTING THE BLUE PLANET! "Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful, murder respectable and to give an appearence of solidity to pure wind." Dr J A du Plessis | |||
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I'm one of those fools who lives in Africa full time, and finds a .375 to be all he needs (well, ok, I recently acquired a .450/.400 double, but that's another story...). The only caliber that makes me wish I had one more gun is the .404 Jeff... Oh, and by the way... I have "ghost ring" peeps on all my rifles. Philip | |||
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Last safari I was on I only took one rifle, a double rifle in 500N.E. and never felt like I needed another smaller caliber. The smallest caliber I would ever bring to Africa is a 375. There's no such thing as overkill, dead is dead if you can shoot straight. The big advantage is that you'll get a lot of experience shooting PG with it and be completely confident with it when shooting DG when the time comes. Here in Colorado I hunt prairie dogs with my 500 at times, now that's silly! "An individual with experience is never at the mercies of an individual with an argument" | |||
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one of the most fun things is to hunt plainsgame with a big bore rifle and ion sights , raises the bar and even though you will shoot a lot less you will have t hunt harder for it .. often when we get done on elephant early i will encourage my hunters to go to a great plainsgame area and hunt with their doubles , its often one of the highlights of their hunting careers . "The greatest threat to our wildlife is the thought that someone else will save it” www.facebook.com/ivancartersafrica www.ivancarterwca.org www.ivancarter.com ivan@ivancarter.com | |||
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right on. i think one of my best hunts ever was for a smart old puku with a 470, it took 3 days to get close enough | |||
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I load my 400 gr loads @ 2375. The 2150 load is really not in anyway a standard for the .404 anymore. | |||
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I shoot 320 Gr. HV GS Customs at 2700 fps used it on buffalo but it shoots pretty flat out to 200-250 | |||
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I used my Heym 404 Jeff (thanks, Chris) for everything in Zambia. Buff, leopard, Puku, warties and Cookson's. 400 gr Swift A-frames at 2275 fps....worked well on all of them. Of course I had my 450/400 double too....for the buff follow up, but shot everything with the 404. I'll tell you one thing.....you don't have to track PG very far when you hit them directly with the 404....about 4 feet....straight down! AND....no meat damage at all. Gary DRSS NRA Lifer SCI DSC | |||
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In a word 'no'! Use the biggest hammer that you can swing perfectly, if it is a 404j, enjoy. | |||
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No way. I'd love to hunt PG with a .404 Rimless Nitro Express. | |||
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The idea of being over gunned is silly. If the 404 is the one you want to hunt with please do. I would add a scope but if the open sights float your boat that's fine as long as your are good with the limitations of your opens. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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See no reason not to use a 404 Jeffery as an all around African rifle, that is what I am planning on doing when mine is complete in July 2010....then off to Africa in September to try it out. In the past I have taken a 375 H&H and a 458 or 470, in the future it will be the 404 Jeffery and a back-up 458. I kind of look at the 404 Jeffery, 380-400 grain bullets at 2400-2500 fps, as a great all around Rifle. For North America or Plain Game 340 grain bullets a bit faster would be just about perfect. | |||
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Put your bullets in the vitals and you will find Nothing silly about everything you shoot falling over and dying... As long as you can shoot the rifle proficiently there is no such thing as being over gunned. Animals don't get over killed??? Now under gunned is a whole nother kettle of fish.. that ranges from being unethical to irresponsible and downright dangerous. ie shooting an elk with a 243 or a buffalo with a 30-06. JMHO NRA Life DRSS Searcy 470 NE The poster formerly known as Uglystick | |||
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Thanks for the encouraging words! I was on the fence between a .375H&H or a 404 Jeffery. Either one would be built up vintage style. The .375 H&H, like a pre-war H&H but with a peep sight added or a 404 Jeffery as a pre-war Mauser Type A rifle. I kept thinking that the .375 H&H might have an advantage if it was scoped but if both were open Sight only, the longer reach of the .375 wouldn't gain me much in this application. And I have to say that something about the 404 Jeffery is just so nostalgic and romantic from a bygone era, that I really like. What do you think? A GMA Standard Magnum action, single square bridge, Mauser Type A Copy. It would hold 4 down and weigh 8.5 to 9 lbs empty, I could add a little lead if I found I needed a bit more weight. Allen It's a Mauser thing, you wouldn't understand. | |||
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I would want a scope in good QD mounts. Since I scoped my British 450/400 3 1/4" double rifle I feel it is one of the best all round hunting guns for the BIG stuff... And anything else that "gets in the way"... DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY | |||
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I guess one of the nice things about building a gun like this is since it won't be cheap (or at least not to me) I will use it a lot. Even if it isn't the ideal gun for a given hunt I'll use it just because it's special to me. Consequently I'll use it a lot and become very familiar with it, so it becomes a part of or extension of me so to speak. I prefer to have 1 or 2 nice ones instead of several OK ones. Allen It's a Mauser thing, you wouldn't understand. | |||
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Allen....I agree 100% with 450.....put a GOOD set of QD mounts on it....you will not regret it. Leave 'em off if you want, but it's better to have them and not need them than the other way around. The 404 Jeff is a great, old round that just abounds with African lore. Best of luck on your endeavor. Gary DRSS NRA Lifer SCI DSC | |||
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I am also building my first custom rifle, thought long and hard about a 375 but when it came time to make a choice the 404 Jeffery had always been at the top of my list. The modern loadings for the 404 Jeffery just sealed the deal for me. Ralph Martini is building my rifle on the Granite Mountain Standard Magnum action that you are considering. Take a look at his styling www.martiniandhagngunmakers.com under new projects and bolt rifles...nice stuff for sure. Ralph and I have worked out most of the details and the action should be sent from Granite Mountain in a couple of weeks! Good luck on your project sounds very much like what I am after  | |||
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While not a 404J this 425WR worked well in stopping this charging feather Plains Game at 55 meters.  | |||
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Certainly no flies on using that venerable old workhorse, the 404J as an all rounder on safari. Pondoro Taylor placed the 404J, or it's 400cal double rifle equivalent as worthy alternatives to the 375H&H as most suitable for a one gun safari. There are some good bullets out there now for the 404 that are suitable for both large and small plains game. It will be a one gun safari to Africa for me and it will be the 404J in the gun case. I'm too nostalgic to take anything else. | |||
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Did you know that the greatest trophy ever taken in North America, the Chatsworth ram, was taken with a .404? Not considered a sheep rifle but obviouly it worked so it would certainly do for African plains game if that's what you want to do. Me? I'd use an -06.  Rich Elliott Rich Elliott Ethiopian Rift Valley Safaris | |||
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Only if I missed. I hunt deer & antelope here in the US with my .375. I have been known to whack a few prairie dogs with it too. ****************************** There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor polite, nor popular -- but one must ask, "Is it right?" Martin Luther King, Jr. | |||
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Don't even think twice about using the 404 jeffery for plainsgame. I realize that many of our fellow posters have qualms about calibers less than the 458 Lott, but be assured, the 404 jeffery will kill any specie of plainsgame so long as you put the bullet in the proper place. | |||
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I will also say: ......, the 404J will kill any species of big game so long as you put the bullet in the proper place. In agreement with many who have hunted prairy dogs and similar with big bores, the size of the proper place on big game is much larger than a whole prairy dog, for which the proper place is anywhere less than the bullet diameter from the edge! I'll welcome you as a plains game client with your 404J, or any similar, any day! Andrew McLaren Andrew McLaren Professional Hunter and Hunting Outfitter since 1974. http://www.mclarensafaris.com The home page to go to for custom planning of ethical and affordable hunting of plains game in South Africa! Enquire about any South African hunting directly from andrew@mclarensafaris.com After a few years of participation on forums, I have learned that: One can cure: Lack of knowledge – by instruction. Lack of skills – by practice. Lack of experience – by time doing it. One cannot cure: Stupidity – nothing helps! Anti hunting sentiments – nothing helps! Put-‘n-Take Outfitters – money rules! My very long ago ancestors needed and loved to eat meat. Today I still hunt! | |||
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Why would anyone feel silly hunting Plains game with a 404J? If you can hit them with it, what is the problem? I have taken lots of plins game with a 500/450, and 470NE, and even took a big elk with a 577NE double rifle. I and many of my friends take wild hogs with every chambering in double rifles you can name, every year. I see no problem with hunting even whitetail deer with any chambering you can hit him with. As old Dizzy Dean was fond of saying, "It ain't bragging if you can do it!" .......... Use your 404J and be happy!  ............  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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I would only feel silly if I missed... Paul Smith SCI Life Member NRA Life Member DSC Member Life Member of the "I Can't Wait to Get Back to Africa" Club DRSS I had the privilege to fire E. Hemingway's WR .577NE, E. Keith's WR .470NE, & F. Jamieson's WJJ .500 Jeffery I strongly recommend avoidance of "The Zambezi Safari & Travel Co., Ltd." and "Pisces Sportfishing-Cabo San Lucas" "A failed policy of national defense is its own punishment" Otto von Bismarck | |||
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I guess I never got off the fence; I got both. They were my 2 gun battery on my last trip. Caleb | |||
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Did you ever think you might be undergunned? May I suggest a 500 N.E. or bolt rifle equivalent? John | |||
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Only proviso......be sure you can consistently reach out and touch your quarry at PG ranges for your area. Jim | |||
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I shooted a fox and some roe deer wit 9.3x62 and a lot of hunters made to me some critics because, by them opinion, I was overgunned. The only possible moment when a hunter can feel himself a little bit silly arive when considering the cartridge cost (ouch), because maybe it was possible to have a lighter second rifle, with less expensive ammos bye Stefano Waidmannsheil | |||
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I am in the final stages of planning a plains game hunt to RSA in mid-April. Kudu, Gemsbuck/Oryx, Zebra (Mamma wants that rug) and perhaps an Impala and/or Warthog if a good one presents itself. I was all set to take the 416 Rigby, and was really trying to find a CZ in 300H&H; but danged if the 404 I have out in the vault doesn't look better the more I think on it. Rich thanks, I think... | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Would you feel silly using 404J for PG?
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