Yes the chief instigator, architect, and historian of things .395" travels to Africa with most excellent if not predictable result! Hopefully, RIP can share some photos of his rifle and technical observations.

Jay,
Some might think that we should not clutter the "Big Bore" forum with such an obscure wildcat caliber.
This may truly turn the .395 into a big bore.
At precisely .395 caliber or 10.03 mm, it is the closest thing to a true 10mm bullet that I know of.

There are some references to the .395-caliber back to the 1870's, such as some 400 BP rimmed cartridges of various lengths, then the "400 Nitro For Black Powder 3-Inch."
I once saw a reference to a Martini Henry with a barrel that slugged .395" in the grooves.

The modern .395-caliber rifle revived in 2007 when the "Forty Ought Seven" rifle was born.

I could forsake all else for a .395, just like Saeed does for his .375/404 Jeffery Shaikh Saeed.

But first my choice has to be winnowed out of these:

.395 Tatanka aka 40-07 (.395/.416 Rigby 20-degree)
.395/.338 Lapua Magnum aka .398 Lapua Magnum
.395 Ruger aka .395 Max
400/.395 Nitro Express 3" aka 10.03 x 75R

Your .395/310-grain HPX "NonCon" bullet was put through the hearts of four of the critters above.
One baboon and a warthog were gut shot, but died soon enough, due to the deathstar of six brass petals and the remainder of the bullet that exited on all of the critters above.

That bullet would be adequate for anything that walks, probably even frontal brain shots on elephants, certainly side brain shots and heart-lung shots on even elephant.
That might be controversial.

Max, prof242 was the first to use that bullet on game, a one-shot kill of a Colorado cow elk, in the .395 Max, which was developed secondary to the .395 Tatanka.
Max also has a buddy that had built a .395 Max.



I used it on a Kentucky whitetail doe in 2008, .395 Tatanka.



Max also has a buddy that had built a .395 Max.

I wish I had gone after that second buffalo with the .395, instead of the 500 Mbogo again.
I am carrying a .395 in this cartoon copied after Gary Larson. Still dreaming.

The Odd Couple: Walter and Ron Buffalo Hunting, or Buffalo Hunting Walter and Ron
Apologies to Gary Larson's Far Side, again.



Walter to Ron as they track a wounded buffalo called "Chester" in Tanzania's Moyowosi, in a swamp called "Hades":

"Buffalo breath? BUFFALO BREATH? ... Shall we discuss your incessant little grunting noises? ... And you snore, and talk in your sleep. I am getting no rest at night. I take a shower and go to bed, then toss and turn listening to you all night. That is why I have to take another shower when I get out of bed in the morning. That is why I am the cleanest dirty old man you will ever know, despite the 500 giga bytes of dirty jokes in my head that I regale you with all day ... And you laugh like a hyena! Remember the one about the pope and the cardinal? You know, the one where they go to the restroom at the Vatican, and they are standing side by side at the urinal?"

Is that the rare Greater Tanzanian Cyclops Buffalo ..?? Sheesh! Do they get that big?



Maybe we can get some close ups of said rifle with round on the ramp?

RIP and MacJ

quote:

Your .395/310-grain HPX "NonCon" bullet was put through the hearts of four of the critters above.
One baboon and a warthog were gut shot, but died soon enough, due to the deathstar of six brass petals and the remainder of the bullet that exited on all of the critters above.

That bullet would be adequate for anything that walks, probably even frontal brain shots on elephants, certainly side brain shots and heart-lung shots on even elephant.
That might be controversial. Wink

Boys, I think this is the perfect place to discuss the .395 and it's performance with the NonCons! Seems we would be the only ones that have an understanding of how they work currently. And we are even just now getting these in the field and seeing the performance matches the test work, so far!

Although this is primary about the .395, one cannot discuss a Ctg and it's performance, without discussing the "Bullet"--which as both of you know is the important part of the equation! No Ctg can survive with poor bullets. We see all the time threads such as this "Whats the Best Ctg for Blank"--and nothing ever mentioned about the bullet????? What??? The bullet makes or breaks the Ctg--not the other way around! Choose the right bullets--the Ctg is a success! Choose the wrong bullets--Ctg is a failure! The MacJ NonCon is the right bullet for this Ctg, no doubt. Same as the B&Ms and the reason I work so hard on bullet development--gotta have the bullets. It's a system--Platform--Ctg--Bullet!

We now have several good reports on NonCon performance from the field, we are getting some with the #13 Solids--and 2011 will be a big year for field observations and reports on many of these bullets I think we all believe in, I know I do, and in fact I can't see myself working with any other bullets in the field!

Excellent job, on the .395, I figure that's two steps up and in the right direction from ANYTHING that starts out as "375", so it's gotta be dandy--I won't lie and say that "495" would not be better however! HEH HEH

Michael

quote:

I won't lie and say that "495" would not be better however!

Bigger is almost always better!!

As the junior member of the .395 family, I'll have to say I've been very happy with it. Due to being in Iraq before and after a safari June 2009, and a friend (who also has a .395 Max) bringing our rifles over to Namibia for a mid-tour hunt, we used our .338WSMs (another wildcat) for plains game. Had great luck, but plan on going back next year with our .395 Max's.
Macifej, your bullet worked great on a Colorado elk and mule deer. Both were one-shot kills and DRT. No, I can't show you the bullets, complete penetration.
Will be at DSC with my Ruger #1 converted to .400/.395 Nitro Express and cartridges for it and the .395 Max. May also have some of your bullets to give to those really interested in the caliber.
Max

Max,
So good to know that there are now two 400/.395 NE 3" rifles in this world, yours and mine, both Ruger No. 1's.
And yours has some engraving?
Please get some photos of it (What's her name?) and post here, or send to me by email and allow me to post them, please.
There are three .395 "Mad" Max rifles: You and your buddy and I have them.

Don't push that .395 caliber too hard at the shows. I will not be able to make it because of work.
It is good to be a member of a very exclusive club. Only three of us right now.
Hope yours make it to Africa.
A .395 Max will do it all in Africa.

Nice pics but did they die of coronary episodes-----I don't see any bullet hole

Excelent stuff Rip!
I hope someone rebores a 9,3x62
Then you could add another .1" to the neck for about 77 grains capacity.
10x64 or 10x62.
Shoot .005" drawn down 40 cal pistol bullets too.
Call it the 400 RIP

quote:

Originally posted by 600 Overkill:
Nice pics but did they die of coronary episodes-----I don't see any bullet hole

VooDoo ...

Just aiming a 395 at them is deadly aparently

quote:

Originally posted by 600 Overkill:
Nice pics but did they die of coronary episodes-----I don't see any bullet hole

600 Overkill:
Well, yes, four of the six dead critters did have coronary "events" when .395-caliber bullets severed their coronaries.
I have closeup photographs of all the bullet holes. The entrance holes were tiny. the exit holes were big and bloody.
TGTS personnel,including Sir Paul Olivier, PH of the Realm,
and Wayne "Bwana V" James,
are careful to wash off the blood and position the critter so as not to show the holes.
It will take a while to dig through 10,000 photos and find the bullet holes, but I will put it on my to-do list.

Jay,
I will aslo include rifle and cartridge in a photo together, that has not been posted here yet, both soft and solid.
I also used your .395/330-grain brass FN solid, the first modern-era .395-caliber bullet,
to insurance-shoot both baboons.
That is an elephant bullet for sure.
At 2800 fps MV it is likely the best elephant penetrator in the world,due to its shape and brass alloy, and high velocity.
More than adequate at lesser velocity also, I am sure.

boom stick,
A 10.03x62mm Mauser would be cute indeed, but superfluous, since the .395 Ruger Max is more powerful and fits in the same action.
A light and handy .395 Ruger Max is adequate for anything.

395 - The thinking man's caliber.

The use of .40 cal pistol bullets has been accomplished. I got some sizing dies and have sized both cast and jacketed bullets down for my practice, charging prairie dogs, and so my grandsons have something to shoot without receiving too much recoil. Have also sized down Hornady .405 bullets, but that is a helluvalot of work. These will have a chance at deer next year.
Rip: The Ruger #1 is back at the gunsmith's due to his engraver putting the WRONG cartridge nomenclature on the barrel....375, ARGH.
As soon as it is back from the bluer, I'll get pics of it. Yes, the receiver was engraved by Frank Hendricks some years back (1973?), Wood was a gift from Reinhardt Fajen.
Max

Photo of the 395 HX.

Ooooooh! And what weight is this one? Got plenty of the original sharks.
Max

quote:

Originally posted by prof242:
Ooooooh! And what weight is this one? Got plenty of the original sharks.
Max

Max

This is the same 310 grain SHARRC you have in .395" Been toying with making some in 225 to 250 for smaller targets like Bison or Elk or Giraffe or Eland. Seems the 310 is way too potent for anything less than Ele or Buff.

I guess it was the size of the photo that got me interested. However, a 225 or 250 grain would be wonderful. It sure would make our .400/.395 NE's into real nitro expresses.

How many do you want Max? Do we need a few more 395 invitational inductees?

You guys got me excited about the .395 when you were talking about it in its development stage a few years ago.
About buff and elephant. Have any of you taken these animals with a .395 yet? The 310 and 330 grain bullets seem like they would penetrate very well with the proper flatnose bullets, but those bullet weights just sound light to me for such critters.

Agent J,
About 250 grains was the original cast-lead RN bullet weight for the 1870s vintage pig and deer rifle in .395 caliber, flanged single shot, maybe the rare double, at BP velocities. It evolved into Nitro for Black Powder Express, with various length cartridge brass along the way, from 2-3/8" to 3-1/4",etc., like many other BP cartridges that eventually turned into Nitro Express loadings.
But the .395 was short circuited. It morphed into the 400 Purdey 3" "Light Rifle Express" with .405"-caliber bullets of same weight as the older .395, light for caliber bullets, not a full Nitro express load.

That was corrected with the 400/.395 Nitro Express 3-Inch "Aboriginal." Max and I have one each on Ruger No.1 foundations.

I like to load that one with 410-grain cast boolits from a mould made by LBT, a gas-checked LFN (Long Flat Nose). At 2150 to 2200 fps it is full Nitro Express. Lyman No.2 Alloy or harder seems to work great. I have to use .416-caliber gas checks and run them through an oversize Lyman lubrisizer for first step, and then a Lee .396" sizer for final size.
SD = 0.375

If a Modern elephant braining load is wanted:
There is no better penetrator than the S&H Brass FN 330-grainer.
That can be gotten up to 2350 fps in the lowly 400/.395 NE 3", truly modernizing the Nitro express in a light rifle to pack some whallop.
SD = 0.302

All the larger capacity .395s (.395 Ruger Max, .398 Lapua Magnum, .395 Tatanka) will do that and more, for longer range work.

Gerard of GSC called it "the thinking mans's caliber." Thanks. he was unable to follow through with a .395 GSC chambering due to the RSA problems with barrel importing.
He did make a nice trio of copper monometal bullets, all in 340-grain weight: HV, FN, SP
SD = 0.311

Agent J made a brass trio that suits my needs better:
310-grain HPX "hollow point expanding" I call the "VeloHex" or "hollow point exploding"
325-grain VLD "Ripper" for long range paper punching
330-grain Brass FN "Superpenetrator": that one deforms little and stays straight even at 2800 fps impact in plywood and water. Best penetration I have ever tested.

NEI Handtools has an off the shelf bullet mould for .396"/255-grain FN gas-checked bullets.
I have cast a supply of those, for 1870s ballistics or hotter.

I have too many irons in the fire to do it all justice right now, but when the weather gets better, I shall continue.

Those 310-grain VeloHex bullets seem to penetrate straight and exit on everything after leaving a shower of six brass petals inside, on everything up to elk and zebra so far.
I like that and need nothing lighter.

Recapping SDs of .395 bullets, all work well in 1:12" TWIST:

410gr: 0.375 (lead)
340gr: 0.311 (copper)
330gr: 0.302 (brass)
325gr: 0.298 (brass)
310gr: 0.284 (brass)
255gr: 0.233 (lead)
250gr: 0.229 (lead)
As for the 225gr proposed, SD = 0.206, no thanks.
Max has pioneered sizing .400-caliber pistol bullets (nominal 10mm, actual 10.16mm) down to .395-caliber (10.03mm), the closest thing to a true 10mm, starting to repeat myself here ...
... for plinking with grandchildren, not by Max at grandchildren, and not at Max by grandchildren: "Okay Gramps, dance!!!"

The .395 is not dead, just a very exclusive club. Long live the .395. It is older than most calibers we use today.

Would like the .395 Norma Magnum to be made later, but the last 3 years has left me with little or no money for guns and hunting so the idea has just been put at still. Base it on the .358 Norma Case, i think would be a very handy standard action based magnum round . but just reserve the name etc for me, so ill see if things can be done over here afterwards.

PerH,
Nice idea on the brass. You could call it a ".398 Norma Magnum" and just scribe the 5 into a 9 on the .358 Norma brass.
Proper headstamp on the brass the easy way.
But you will just be putting a belt on and shrinking the capacity of the .395 Ruger Max.
Max's cat fits the standard Mauser action too.

I have been trying not to do the .395 H&H.
But now I have fallen for it, again.
I will just iron out the .375 H&H shoulder to make a belted .395 H&H with a ghost shoulder.
That would make for a longnecked cartridge capable of utilizing the 410-grain gas-checked lead bullets at 2200 fps, in a bolt action, like the .400/.395 NE 3" can in singles and doubles,
and maybe just shy of the .395 Ruger Max with the lighter bullets.

My sub-seven-pound Pre-64 M70 Winchester .375 H&H is going to become a sub-seven-pound .395 H&H ... whatever barrel shaping is required ...

.375 H&H barrel is .625" diameter at the 24" muzzle (No.3 Sporter, Douglas).
.395 H&H barrel (McGowen) might do with same contour and length shortened a bit to wherever the diameter at the muzzle is .645".
It would be lighter and shorter than the current .375 H&H, in a Brown Precision "Pounder" stock.
Holds four down in the box and feeds perfectly in .375 H&H.
Should do the same in the straight-tapered-ghost-shouldered .395 H&H.
Thanks for stirring up that idea again.

So I have the .500/.338 Lapua Magnum barrel from Pac-Nor about to be delivered, got the reamer already,
and could call that the .495 Lapua Magnum for "numeroalliterative" purposes.

I will have to order a .395 H&H reamer from Dave Manson, and get Rusty McGee to turn and chop a McGowen .395 barrel to proper shape.

A fifth modern .395 is on the way. Yours will be sixth.

There's a .398 Weatherby Magnum needs doin' too.

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
There's a .398 Weatherby Magnum needs doin' too.

And Agent J's cat makes number 7.
Easy proper headstamp there too, and it would be the biggest and baddest of the .395 wildcat kitty litter.

I dropped off the barrel and the .375 H&H Featherweight Pre-64 M70 at gunsmith shop this AM.

Rusty McGee, Hilltop Gun Shop, will sketch the barrel contour and turn it to perfection, I will sketch the reamer and submit it to Dave Manson.

I am finally committed to a .395 H&H.
The die is cast, almost, just need to decide on the neck length. A straight neck-up of the .375 H&H would be easiest,
but making a long-neck version, like the 400 H&H, would be best for the 410-grain gas-checked bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
I dropped off the barrel and the .375 H&H Featherweight Pre-64 M70 at gunsmith shop this AM.

Rusty McGee, Hilltop Gun Shop, will sketch the barrel contour and turn it to perfection, I will sketch the reamer and submit it to Dave Manson.

I am finally committed to a .395 H&H.
The die is cast, almost, just need to decide on the neck length. A straight neck-up of the .375 H&H would be easiest,
but making a long-neck version, like the 400 H&H, would be best for the 410-grain gas-checked bullet.

Sounds like the perfect deep woods deer/hog/chupacabra gun.

Agent J,
Heck, it will do more than pigs, could have handled all safari chores on any outing I have been on.
At about 6.75 pounds dry weight, it won't be a pig either.
And while we are on pigs, yes I know I need to lose the gut too.

Here is the trigonometric proof that simply necking up the .375 H&H to .395 H&H lengthens the neck from .350" (the sub-caliber neck length which afflicts the .375 H&H),
to .394", a "caliber neck length" for the .395 H&H:



Dummying up with 240-grain and 410-grain Rippalloy cast boolits, and the 310-grain HPX and 330-grain FN by S&H:





The shoulder is not perfect here, it will need to be fireformed and inside-neck reamed to eliminate the doughnut, I reckon.
Brass doughnuts are the only kind I will eat now.

This is so stupidly simple, and such a slick feeder, that will go 4-down in the box, plus one in the chamber of a Pre-64 M70,
that I cannot resist.

There ya go again ... usin' math to support your ruminations and postulations!



That thing is pretty too especially with the pointy bullet.

Ron,
How about I just send you the 395 reamers I have here?

Hi Gerard,
Ah, yes, the ".395 GSC" reamers.
They were essentially a .395/.375 H&H Ackley improved with a 40-degree shoulder.
That should have been .395 #5, but the RSA laws would not allow import of the barrels, eh?
You keep those Gerard, gift from me, just in case they should someday come to fruition. They will have to go to the end of the line for now.

I really need the tapered case and lesser shoulder angle shown above, to make a slick-feeding 6.75# 5-shooter out of my Pre-64 M70.

Yes, I am sacrificing my last remaining .375 H&H for something better, will use the .375 Weatherbys to fire .375 H&H ammo at super-killer sub-velocity.

BTW the SAAMI and CIP shoulder angle is closer to 15 degrees (30-degree junction cone angle for SAAMI chamber, 29*53'52" for CIP) for the .375 H&H.

I have taken liberties with the shoulder angle for the .395 H&H, reduced to 12*45'00".
The chamber neck diameter is increased from .404" to .424", going from .375 H&H to .395 H&H.
The max brass length is also increased from 2.850" to 2.860",
so the max brass neck length is .404".
Trim to 2.850", so minimum brass neck length is .394" as shown in the pencil sketch above.
Loaded ammo brass neck diameter for .375 H&H: .400"
Loaded ammo brass neck diameter for .395 H&H: .420" (Winchester "W-W Super" brass)
Trust but verify.

O.K. back to 15-degree shoulder but still keeping 2.860" max brass length, trim to 2.850".
Max neck length .400", min neck length .390", average neck length = .395".

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
O.K. back to 15-degree shoulder but still keeping 2.860" max brass length, trim to 2.850".
Max neck length .400", min neck length .390", average neck length = .395".

Perfection takes time ...

Just getting caught up on some reading around here. This thread took an unexpected turn.

Canuck,
Thanks for noticing.
I am still sorting through the 10,000 photos for my hunt report, but have had so many distractions along the way.

The 395 Hot & Heavy ...

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Canuck,
Thanks for noticing.
I am still sorting through the 10,000 photos for my hunt report, but have had so many distractions along the way.

Believe you me, I understand. I am still trying to get caught up from 2009!

Hi, my name is Ron, and I'm a rifle-holic.
I'm incurable, just hoping for abstinence someday.

This has turned into the "No Brainer Wildcat" for the "Thinking Man's Caliber."
No change to the .375 H&H reamer except to increase the neck diameter at case mouth (Neck-2) from .404" to .424".
Max brass length is again back to 2.850", just like the .375 H&H.
These numbers now have the validation of a Dave Manson number crunch and reamer on order.

The throat dimensions are generous but accurate enough for sub-MOA work, and will allow maximum loading density at maximum COL.
That will be 3.600" in a Pre-64 M70 Winchester Featherweight,
or 3.800" in a CZ 550 Magnum or Ruger No.1.

The McGowen barrel on the featherweight is simply a McGowen/Douglas No.3 Sporter contour that will stop its taper at 0.645" near the muzzle, and carry that diameter for the last inch or two.
A finished barrel length of 23.5" +/- 1/2" seems to be a reasonable expectation.
Weight for the "dry" rifle (bare and unloaded) should be 6.75 pounds or lighter.

I am hoping for no "dreaded donuts" to deal with since the neck is tapered Neck-2 to a larger Neck-1,
and the "neck-up" is only .020" of caliber change.

The dreaded doughnuts are also out of my diet.
But even a fat old wildcatter will not need a gunbearer, for this no brainer rifle.
The finished rifle should look like this one,
weigh less, and have better ballistics all around,
more better except need for custom bullets,
and a change of the "7" to a "9" on the headstamp.

Pretty rough lookin' country ya have there in Ken-Tuck ....