It just depends on the circumstances of which you define its use.

For DG, a 375 is fine for lion, leop, and buff, but it is too small for eles, unless wacking them at long range, regardless of where you are or how much money you have.

Mickey,

The article is not finished yet. I thought I had nailed down the finish, but it has gone off in another direction and I am still chasing the .404J. By the way I have my two .375 H&Hs for sale so I can move up to a nice .40.

jim

OK then. If you are trying to get a 404 you may keep the cartridge.

2600 fps out of a 404? All I've ever read was around 2350 fps. Can anyone elaborate? thanks. jorge

Here is some information from the AR reloading pages.
404 Jeffrey info

This is hysterical. Of course the 404 would be better for DG than a 375. The advantage of a 375 is less recoil. The 404 was used because it came in cheap rifles.

Try to explain to me the big differences in the Rigby, Jeffery, and Remington with 400 grain bullets at 2400 fps?

Not to make this political, I am quite proud to be an American, even if I am ugly.

And I think the Rem. is the best of the lot. An argument/discussion for another day.

.

Brovo Alf! I would have expected no less of a reply from you.

By the way nice Rifle I saw in Magnum! Hope you have it in Canada not in RSA!

For my African DG purposes, a .375 H&H and a .416 Remington will be doing the job. Both are widely available, and chamber dimensions are solidly-standardized and consistent. I can't see a reason to go with anything else, except for maybe a .458 Lott.

Quite honestly, I'm more concerned with the mechanical intergrity of the rifle than I am the exact chambering it's in.

AD

hi
what do you think which one is best?
regards
danny

I feel like the 404 is the best, its more powerful than the 375. Both will work..

I have a .375 H&H and I am having a 404 Jeffrey built. I confess that my desire for the 404 is purely "romancing the cartridge". It was supposed to be the equivilant of my 450/400 in a magazine rifle. I am getting it just as a companion to my double.



I think both are good rounds the 404 having the edge up close with it's .423 caliber bullet. The .375 is a legitimate long range round, I don't know if the same can be said for the 404 Jeffrey. My opine for now is that the .375 is a better "all around cartridge", but I haven't had an oportunity to use my 404 Jeffrey yet. I'll let you know.

They are pretty close in capability with the modern bullets available to todays hunter. I perfer the .375 just for ammo availability. But it all boils down to what you want. they'll both work for the intended purpose.

Good hunting.......

As far as the Big Five is concerned the 404 will do everything that the 375 will do and do it with a heavier and wider bullet. The small disadvatage in trajectory will not be noticed at the ranges all of the Big Five are shot at.

The rifles will also weigh the same

I have both and haven't used the wood stocked 375 in 10 years. I only use a SS 375 now in the North. The 404 is for everything else.

Danny,
For the big five, I like the theoretical (at least) advantage of the greater frontal area on the .404. That's one reason I'm taking one in August. The heavier bullet makes me feel good, too. However, as has been pointed out, the .375 is better as a general rifle . . . than anything, anywhere!

Danny,

The marketplace has judged the two cartridges since their introductions in 1909 (.404J) and 1912 (.375 H&H), and the result is the .404 Jeffrey has almost faded from view while the .375 H&H is found everywhere. There are reasons for this.

jim dodd

Jim

If that's your attitude give me back my 404 cartridge.

The 404 is a tweener. Its between the versitile .375 and the also versitile 416. It has its glamor but in reality id rather shoot a 375.

No doubt the 404 will do a better job on the heaviest game (even though I think the difference will be marginal with correct shot placement). I quess there is a reason that many gamewardens prefered the 404 Jeff. over any 375 round..

Lets take another look at the 404, It will deliver a 400 gr. bullet at 2652 FPS out of a 26" barrel at reasonalble pressure...That beats the 416 Rem and equals the 416 Rigby but with a wider cross section of bullet, not bad for an old timer..

Then trajectory? Shoot a 300 or 350 BarnesX and you have a flatter trajectory than the 375, 416 or the 30-06...

The old girl will perform miricles with modern powders as will the 416 Rigby...Those old monster cases that are a first cousin to a torpedo just flat perform....

Problem is most folks are passing on what they have read and heard and have not got in bed with the old girl..Give her a shot and you'll never come back. She is the very best of the big bores IMO.....

The .404 has peaked my interest and while I'm currently building a second .375 H&H, I'd order that .423 barrel tomorrow except that I've heard that the .404 comes in two sizes.....423 and .418 diameter...this confuses me and I don't want to wind up with what seems like a new/old wildcat.....I'm concerned about finding ammo overseas. Here I can reload for the cartridge.

I personally consider it the rough equivalent to the .416 Rigby and Remington and the .416 Taylor in terms of recoil and ability to knock very large animals to the earth. It's a lot easier to find actions to build a .404 than a .416 Rigby and if one likes the nostalgia of a real historic African cartridge these two must be at the head of the line.....at least as far as bolt action rifles are concerned.

Ammo for the .375 H&H is found everywhere you might hunt big things......404 Jeffery is not.