Trying to find dimensions on the 424 OKH. Any help would be great. Thanks!

Was it an unimproved necked up 375 H+H like the photoshoped pic below????

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
Trying to find dimensions on the 424 OKH. Any help would be great. Thanks!

Was it an unimproved necked up 375 H+H like the photoshoped pic below????

Well, I cannot help you much even though I had one. I checked Elmers 1946 book and it offers no information. I can tell you this much, it was full length and blown out. It had a nice neck length. I don't remember who supplied the dies, but I suspect it was RCBS. Ten years or so ago I contacted the guy that I sold it to thinking to buy it back as he was one that liked the things that were different, but he had moved it on.
In looking at pictues of the .334 OKH, it looks like the .424 would have been blown out more as it had a definate shoulder. Specs I have of the .334 OKH wold indicate that no neck would exist if it was necked up to .424.
I would think tha Dave at C-H/4 square or some of the reamer makers would have some info.
I suppose there is a chance that a loaded round might still be around. Doubtful, but I'll dig around after the holiday.
Freind of mine and I took it to BC several times as a backup rifle, but never shot anything with it. I shot mostly 400gr Barnes originals in it. Good luck! It's not found often, but rest assured it will do the job as well as any of the 40s.
I used load data from Fred Barnes, incidently.

Maybe Ted Keith has some old information laying around, whether he would be cooperative and interested in helping out is certainly an unknown. I had a little contact with Elmer, but not Ted.
Ross Siegfried and Elmer had good relations as far as I know and he might be a possible source.

Not in the latest edition of COTW...

Thanks guys. The idea in the pic was to have no shoulder, just a taper... The same as the 375 h&h. If indeed the 424 of keiths had a shoulder this would be an idea I have not seen yet. Just rebore and Rechamber a complete 375.

From Wolfe Pub's WILDCAT CARTRIDGES Vol. II
Chapter 87, ".423 Van Horn" by Bob Hagel, pp. 550-554:

"There was a little stir of interest when Charlie O'Neil developed the .424 OKH and Don Hopkins and his wife, Marge, shot much large African game with it. As I recall, this was mostly with the short version on the .375 H&H case, but there was also a longer full-length .424 on the same case. This was back in the Forties, and Fred Barnes made some of the .423-inch bullets, with some being purchased in England where they were used in the .404 Jeffery. Don told me that the cartridge was highly successful on all of the heavy African game."

Below is a picture of the .424 OKH Short. It has a slight shoulder. The longer version: ???

O'Neill also made a .423 OKH that was on the 30-06 case and headspaced on the case mouth.

Also included is the only picture of Gil Van Horn that I have ever seen. Sorry for the poor quality, it's all I have.
Gil is Grand Master Wildcatter and Guru to younguns like Ryan Breeding.
You can see the Van Horn influence in Breeding rifles.

Gil is also a hermit and in his 80's and still kicking, last I heard.

Thanks Rip! I got another confirmation that the 424 okh had a shoulder so it was an improved case. So this is new that I know of so far.

A Lott with more taper...

I like the idea of the rebore of an existing 375

Neck up 375 cases or form from basic or lott cases.

There is a photo of the 424 OKH short and long in "Big Bore Rifles and Cartridges" by Wolfe p.245. Not set up to scan it right now, but someone else might be able to.

Thanks 86thecat. Can you confirm that the long version has a small shoulder? That is what I have been told.

Yes, thanks 86thecat, I skipped right over that one buried in the .416/.338WinMag article, by Bob hagel again, page 245 as you say, in Wolfe Pub's BIG BORE Rifles and Cartridges.

Thanks Rip.

So far I have not seen a simple tapered case to a 404 bullet.

A 404-375 H&H unimproved without a shoulder should duplicate all factory loadings of the original 404 Jeffery.

Cordite loadings were 400 @ 2125 and smokeless 400 @ 2300

But what to call it????