I'm toying with my new Montana Rifle Co. action for the long magnum cartridges intending to build a .375 H&H and all of a sudden it hits me.....what about a .404 Jeffries? I believe it has the correct case head for my action, but I don't know about the bullets.
What diameter and weights do they come in? Are there there premium bullets available?...Solids?...where can I get reloading data?

Rusty, chime in!!!

Vapodog, the MRC M99 with the Ultra magazine box feeds 404 Jeff just fine.

Shoot me an email if you need more info.

[ 11-23-2003, 02:11: Message edited by: John Ricks ]

Vapodog, psrd;

My .404 Jeffery (not "Jeffries"!) experience starts back about 1970, when I bought a Cogswell & Harrison (London-made) rifle, built on a standard '98 action which I suspect was a CZ military, originally (all markings removed, except a cryptic CZ roughly stamped on the action flat behind the recoil lug). It even has the military thumb-slot on the left-side rail.

I like the cartridge a lot, but there are drawbacks compared to similar ones such as the .416 Remington....although the .404 does have more case capacity. Bullet availability for the required .423" diameter in the USA is mostly limited to the Barnes "X" and Woodleighs, neither of which come exactly cheap. There may well be others I don't know about, but .423s are NOT commonly found in any gunshop of which I'm aware.

To my knowlwdge, no decent cast bullet design is available at this time. LBT used to have one, but I don't know if it's being resurrected or not. I am currently preparing to order a custom .404 mould from Mountain Molds, and if it works out that will give everyone something to shoot in their .404s without mortgaging the ol' homestead.

With the coming of the Remington Ultra Mag cartridges, the .404 brass situation is much improved. Thes of course were built on the .404 basic case and head-size, except that the rim diameter is a few thousandths smaller to fit H&H-size bolt faces. No matter; they work great in the .404 rifles. Instead of paying $35-40 for 20 Bell or Norma .404 cases, .375 Ultra Mags make EXCELLENT .404 cases for maybe $10-15 per 20. Forming the brass back to the parent .404 shape is simple, and needs NO special tooling at all.

Today's powders make it easy to exceed the old Cordite-level factory loads. I chronographed some original Kynoch loads in my 21"-barreled rifle, and they were right on the factory-quoted speed at 2125 fps with 400-grain loads, both solids and softpoints. 2400-fps-plus with 400s is readily accomplished with a number of different powders. An original factory loading ran a 300 at 2600, so if a bullet of that weight could be found in today's bullets, I expect that velocity could be bettered as well.

I bought this C&H rifle for hunting Woods Bison in the Northwest Territories, and it killed those monsters far better than the "normal" rifles we used for moose, caribou etc. My interest these days runs more to cast bullets, and even .44-caliber cast bullets (sized down to .424") work well. I'm really looking forward to the custom mould, which should produce about a 375-grain bullet if present planning works out.

One thing's for sure....everyone else in camp or on the range will NOT have the same caliber as you....!

Regards from BruceB (aka Bren Mk1)

Are people using the Motana PH Action or the Montana Long action for the .404 Jeffery round ??

Bren.....sadly it seems a long neglected cartridge for some reason.

I appreciate your feedback but now think the .404 Jeffery probably is not for me at all.

I will search out the .375 Ultra mag however for grins and giggles.

Thanks for the feedback.

I have used the 404 for years and will always carry its banner, it is a splendid round, my all time favorite for Buffalo, Lion and even elephant....

Swift, Barnes with HP and solid, GS Customs with HP and solid, Bridger with FN solids and HP in the near future, No.Fork with a nice soft, Woodleigh with both in several weights,, thats lots of bullets....

Norma makes brass and its readliy available, so is HDS, Bell and lapua is supposed to start..I see no problem with components.

Big bore bullets are not cheap for the most part unless one shoots a 45 caliber....

It is a time proven killer of large animals, the full equal of the 416s and hands and shoulders better than any 375 of any ilk, on big tough animals where cross section of bullet matters is one arguement by the experts.

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