Have any of you hunted big game with this round with modern bullets..?

A buddy has an original Oberndorf Mauser in this caliber...we like to try it out in Africa..

Taylor almost killed it....but it cant be that bad with modern woodleighs..?

My own Oberndorf was originally a 10.75x68 opened up to 404 Jeffery as many of them were. I think Taylor was likely quite correct in terms of the 10.75x68 being found wanting on African big game but this was more a reflection of the factory ammo and the 347gr weight of bullet.

My 404J using older Parker Hale and Norma factory ammo with a 400gr bullet at around 2,200fps performed well on big Aussie buffalo. Some have posted loads here on AR for the 10.75x68 with 400gr bullets getting the same performance as the old 404J loadings of around 2150fps.

I would think anyone using the 10.75x68 now would be reloading for it so with the 400gr Woodleigh and modern powders this cartridge should be fine for Africa if loaded up to it full potential.

After all the Norma PH ammo for the 404J and 416 Rigby is loaded with 450gr bullets to 2150fps so the velocity is not everything, it is the sectional density of the bullet that will give it straight line performance, something Taylor said was the short coming of the 347gr bullet in the 10.75x68.

I also think the quality of the bullets for the 10.75×68 were in a good part responsible for its bad reputation. Needing to use solids on Eland and lion to get enough penetration. A good tough 350 gr would penetrate sufficiently.

the original bullets were WAY too lightly constructed.

mine is setup for 400gr bullets, properly crimped - i am yet to have it back from the "dude with the customer chamber and die reamers"

Depends on what Pondoro's buddy wants to hunt but even the modern 347/350gr bullets for the 10.75x68 are stubbie affairs.

With soft nose on lighter built animals I imagine these bullets would be fine but for the heavier dangerous species where straight line penetration is the key, the 400gr bullets will rein supreme, the very reason why the 450/400x3", the 404 Jeffery and the 416 Rigby gained the reputation they have as dependable killers of Africa's dangerous game including elephant.

Short bullets traveling fast enough penetrate nice and straight. If it's properly stabilized and shorter bullets stabilize easier than long bullets. . If the 10.75×68 in question is original then the rifling will be set for the 347 gr bullet and may not stabilize 400 gr bullets.

I'd try some 380 gr Northforks. Right at the .300 sectional density magic #.

I used them in my 404 J for plainsgame and they performed fantastic. And I had a light load - 2,315 fps. I had a lot more room I could go on FPS, so I think 2,250 would be easily achievable in a x68 with these and 380 gr solids.

Those 380s sound promising, we will look into them..

Thanks Austin and all...

There is some information on the 10.75x68 in an article by Ross Seyfried in the Summer 2014 issue of The Double Gun & Single Shot Journal.

Lee

I considered one, but the FL version (aka the 404 J) was much easier to find dies and brass for.

quote:

Originally posted by Cold Trigger Finger:
Short bullets traveling fast enough penetrate nice and straight. If it's properly stabilized and shorter bullets stabilize easier than long bullets. . If the 10.75×68 in question is original then the rifling will be set for the 347 gr bullet and may not stabilize 400 gr bullets.

I don't know that Mauser rifles had a different twist rate for the 404 Jeffery than the 14.17 rate they had in their 9mm, 9.3mm and 10.75mm barrels. Nevertheless whatever may or may not have been, my Oberndorf ex 10.75x68 rifle stabilises the 400gr bullets in its current guise as a 404 Jeffery.

Apart from shooting the odd red deer and goat with 347gr bullets I did not use them on buffalo, choosing reloads with 400gr RWS solids and Parker Hale/Kynoch factory ammo with 400gr solids and soft point for the task.

The 347gr 10.75 bullets just look too stubbie for my liking, slightly slower 400gr or 380gr bullets would offer greater surety.

One way to find out, try them out.

pretty popular caliber in india in the old days.

I hunted two years straight with one I built..I love the caliber, little recoil, and in a light weitht rifle. It is a real killer with the 350 gr. Barnes X at 2300 plus FPS and the 400 gr. Woodleigh at 2100 FPS. Shot 4 maybe 5 buffalo with it. all the PG and a couple of big Eland Bull.., IN the USA I shot a bull elk and several deer and one Bison...You can't go wrong, just shoot 400 Woodleigh bullets in it..Balistically it is what the 404 Jefferys was in the beginning when it made its reputation, worked back then and works today. I wouldn't hesitate to hunt elephant with it and a good Woodleigh solid..

I sold the two I had because at the time brass was near impossible to get other than Bertram, and I had bad luck with Bertram in that caliber. Today brass is available from Horneber at Huntingtons.com....I think RWS may be making it again, not sure.

I sold a nice English rifle in that caliber to one of our posters on AR and I'm sure he slew a gang of African animals with it..

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:

quote:

Originally posted by Cold Trigger Finger:
Short bullets traveling fast enough penetrate nice and straight. If it's properly stabilized and shorter bullets stabilize easier than long bullets. . If the 10.75×68 in question is original then the rifling will be set for the 347 gr bullet and may not stabilize 400 gr bullets.

I don't know that Mauser rifles had a different twist rate for the 404 Jeffery than the 14.17 rate they had in their 9mm, 9.3mm and 10.75mm barrels.

Mauser did use the same rate of twist for both.
I am looking for dies for the 10.75 in fact. Any out there?

Food(bullets)for thought:

CEB makes 350gr and 400gr solids, 325gr and 375gr Raptors(NonCons), and the superb 257gr Flatbase Tipped Raptor.

My dad had one in the 50s in India - shot 2 leopards with it along with other soft game.

The 347 gr bullet was not adequately constructed for Indian elephant.

Traditionally German projectiles were not the most commonly used for dangerous thick skinned game. This might be a common generalisation for most large calibers.

Huvius, Dave at CH-4D has them. 5th one down.

http://www.ch4d.com/products/d...caliber-list?page=21

RCBS makes 10.75x68 dies and shell holder. I think I sold my dies with the last rifle I had in that caliber, I will look and contact you if I find some..

That would be great Ray. Thank You
I am wondering if I could neck size using a 404 Jeffery fls die. Anybody try that?

I use RCBS dies and I also had Lee make a factory crimp die for my rifle.

I just looked at their website and they are offering a factory crimp die for 10.75 x 68R. I did not know of a "rimmed" version of this cartridge. They said it was a custom order overrun. You might want to contact them and ask them about it.

quote:

Originally posted by Huvius:
That would be great Ray. Thank You
I am wondering if I could neck size using a 404 Jeffery fls die. Anybody try that?

I will try this out tonight, I think because the 404 case is 5mm longer the 68 case will not go far enough into the 404 F/L die to size the neck or may only size a portion of it if any.

Likewise for bullet seating the 404 die will be too deep, although I have seated bullets in a 68 case but may have used my bullet puller for this.

quote:

Originally posted by Huvius:
That would be great Ray. Thank You
I am wondering if I could neck size using a 404 Jeffery fls die. Anybody try that?

The 10.75x68 case has a 14mm long neck and 9.5mm of it does sized in a 404 FL die when set for the shell holder to nudge the die mouth. My RCBS 404 bullet seating die has a long enough stem to allow seating of bullets in the '68 case too but the '68 case is too short to use the crimping feature.

Case neck tension from neck sizing the '68 case in the 404 FL die is very good and bullets wouldn't need crimping. Original RWS 347gr SN bullets I have for the 10.75x68 cartridge don't have a crimping cannelure anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiJz7LRIEeg

Thanks for trying that out Eagle.
That could be a good option as I will probably end up with just one 10.75x68 if my TypeB sells and I do have 404 dies.

I have owned several 10.75x68s sold the last two to a posters here on AR. One I built and two were English rifles and one was a famous American gun builder whose name slips my old mind. Every 10.75 I have owned shot 350 and 400 gr. bullets equally well.. I really liked the caliber, it just worked extremely well with good bullets, and did so without all the noise, recoil and fuss of the 404, another favorite of mine. I used the 404 much more as components were easier to come by, not the case today as 10.75 components are to be had these days.

I have three 10.75x68 rifles, one I bought from ole man Ray, and two others Orberndorf made. Shot game in Africa with the Hoffman rifle. Loaded 350gr. original X bullets as well as the Northfork 350's and the South African made 380gr flat nosed solids. All killed very well. As well as any of my 416/ 404 rifles. The velocities I loaded for exceeded original 404 Jeffery specs with no pressure issues from guns made 100years or so ago. Every bit the equal to the old Jeffery with modern bullets and powers.Yes Ray, I still have the Hoffman rifle you sold me as well as the 500 plus rounds of Horneber brass I bought. Still have 60-+rounds I loaded for Africa.

I had 2 Oberndorf Type Bs, sold both, would rather have a 404 which can be built to the same dimensions on a standard length action.

No Argument there.I own them all:
416 Rigby, $16 Taylor, 404 Jeffery, 10.75x57, 10.75x68, 400 Whelan,416 Weatherby(sold, 416 Remington.
The primary difference is recoil. Performance on game is within the margin for dangerous game. Try a quick followup shot with a 416 Weatherby- not pleasant all! Shot three buff with 10.75x68 and the bullet performance of the 350 gr. X was similar to 380 gr. flat nose solid. I got some 380 gr. cup point solids to try but haven't been back to try them out. I imagine they will perform just like the CPS out of my Jeffery! Devastating!

Just my shared opinion!

Retrieved my range logs. The load data for my 10.75x68 Mauser is as follows;Chronographed with Oehlar 35P

Horneber brass, Federal 215M primers,

Varget 60 gr., 400gr Woodleigh, 2235 f/s
Varget 61 gr., 400gr Woodleigh, 2254 f.s

IMR4198,56 gr., 340gr. Northfork soft point, 2337 f/s
IMR4198, 57 gr., 340 gr Northfork soft point, 3358 f/s

H335, 60 gr., 350 gr X, 2305 f/s
H335, 61 gr., 350 gr. X. 2321 f/s

N203b 58 gr., 380 gr. Northfork Flat point solid, 1987 f/s

W748, 71 gr., 380 gr. CPS, 2250 f/s.

This rifle is an iron sight gun with proper drop for Iron sights. Targets were 100yds and shot into less than two inches. Not bad for a flatlander.

Hope this helps some!

LB404
What was OAL of those cartridges.Did You shoot them in Org Mauser or Hoffman? Gratefull for Your answer.

great data -- especially the h335

I have 3 10.75x68's. One on a rebarreled FN commercial 06, one is an original Mauser and the 3rd is a VZ 24 with a 21" barrel and a full length stock I did myself. That is one of my all time favorite rifles. It might be second only to my daughter in my love. I had even thought of sending the rifle to colledge and letting my daughter pay her own way.

All of the above load data was from my Hoffman rifle. It was told to me by an employe of the Hoffman company Ardmore Oklahoma that it was am Original Orberndorf barreled action that was further customized by them and sold. I for all intents and purposes is a Type A Mauser. The only modification I can see is the bolt handle seems to have been swept slightly back instead of strait down. I also used a Lee crimp die to crimp the rounds. Works well although I wish they would use better steel, some of mine have slightly mushroomed where the ho into a Co-Ax press!

Orberndorf, because all of the bullets I shot have different profiles and the placement of canneleurs, each one has a different OAL. I first made a dummy round for each burllet and seated them until they would feed flawlessly from magazine well, then checked that the bullets didnt drive into the lands. Finally found the canneleur that would facillitate the above deminsinons and was home free. Those X bullets are devistating on heavy game. Shot Hippo and Buff with them. Would have been one shot kills but my PH would always want a finisher anyway. Lucky shot on hippo.. Iron sights on hippo in water yards away. Not much of him above water line.

My local gun shop has had a plain looking, but in great condition (very little use), original FN chambered in this caliber for sale for a very reasonable price for a LONG time now, with absolutely no interest what-so-ever.

Shame really, if you have the cases and reloading dies at hand, and with modern bullets, there is no reason why it couldn't do a good job of 90% of DG hunting requirements.

how much in US dollars?

LB,
You caught me off guard and used your magic and charm to rudely slick me out of that Hoffmamn! but it couldn't be in better hands and has found a home where it is now being appreciated as opposed to belonging to a damned old gun whore. I have often wept over that deal however.

I just did it again with that rascal Jack Belk, who removed my ownership of the nicest JP Sauer 30-06 I have ever seen! I should be on drugs its a better addiction.

you know I miss Jack. Is he still living off the grid? I just acquired a german guild gun with half round and octagon milled barrel with full length rib as well as a 10.75x57 mauser that I am having reworked to x68 version. It is a lot of fun to shoot.How are you getting on?

Lb,
He has spent the last half century building himself a house out of rr cross ties, if you can imagine that, He is located 100 or so miles form civilization, and happy as if he had good since..BTW, that house is absolutely a stunner, its beautiful, rock and cross ties and of course the cross ties and rock are hand fitted, actually inletted to perfection..In downtown Dallas it would fetch about 5.6 million, He built it by himself with an ocassional 14 year old neighbor kid helping on the two man jobs!! Has a two bench rests, one in his bedroom facing the window and one outside, Targets out to 1000 or more..His shop is in the house btw..what a man cave!

He also has a book out "UNSAFE BY DESIGN" wherein he critiques every action and safety out there. Very informative and as you would expect has some firearms companies pulling out their hair..He spends much of the year traveling and being expert witness in accidental deaths by firearms.

I'll tell you said hello. I see him two or three times a year.

A bit off topic, but it's nice to see old friends banter and keep in touch on these boards. As time moves on and friends move apart, it's nice to be reminded that gun guys are generally a good bunch