I just finished reading the article by Jim Dodd on the African Hunter web site concerning the new .400 H&H. Am I missing something? The purpose, according to a quote attributed to Holland, is to duplicate .416 Remington ballistics without the "documented pressure problems of the Remington round." To do this, they appear to be using a .375 case, which is improved and necked up. Compared to the Remington, base diameter is the same, shoulder diameter is larger by a whopping .004 inches and the body, to the shoulder, is almost 0.2" shorter. Case capacity has to be less. They quote a target of a 400 gr bullet at 2350 fps (surprise).

Unless they have rewritten the laws of physical chemistry, this is impossible. Are the guys at Holland sniffing too much cordite?

Art,

The ammunition builder is Wolfgang Romey, so the ballistics comments should be attributed to him. Holland did the cartridge performance specification, and is testing what WR delivered.

I have not been able to discover what powder WR is using, or if any special loading process is used.

Of ourse it could be "FM".

jim dodd

Art,

I haven't seen the article but if Holland explicitly said they are trying to duplicate the .416 Rem (without the pressure problems ) then, yes they have been sniffing too much chordite. The task is, of course, unnecessary EXCEPT Holland knows their cleintele will not want to buy a VERY PRICEY bolt action rifle with "Remington" printed anywhere on the thing. Hence . . . 400 H&H.
Yet another tribute to the wisdom of George Hoffman.

Regards,

JohnTheGreek

It's called wishful thinking....

Someone at H&H apparently failed Internal Ballistics 101

I am sure someone with a strain gauge and an Oehler PBL will confirm or disprove H&H's claims upon release of the ammunition.

George

[ 02-25-2003, 01:49: Message edited by: GeorgeS ]

Both John Ricks and Mike Brady have pressure measuring equipment, and both are leaning forward in the foxhole just waiting for a chance to check the ammunition.

I admit to being interested me own sel'.

jim

Ah, Pandora's Box has the lid ajar!!

I have a barrel ordered, now I am trying to obtain a chamber reamer. As soon as both arrive I will form up some cases, run load combinations on Quickload, chamber up a barrel, stick it on a Mauser action and head to the range with the Oehler M43 and a box full of various loads to test.

I am on my tip toes gazing out of the Fox Hole.

Results may be interesting.

The .400 H&H is just a waste of time but the 465 H&H may be a little bit interesting. Anything coming out of H&H is better reserved for the rich and famous. No thanks.

Isn't there already a round that pushes a 400-grain bullet 2400 fps without all the pressure? I believe it's called a .416 Rigby! And, oh, oh, oh, what about that other low pressure round that pushes a 400-grain bullet at 2400 fps called the 404 Jeffery?

Sorry, I'm in a smart-arsed mood.

hmm,
this is different from the 416 taylor HOW?

nevermind...

(heads back to my gunshop)
jeffe

"The Journey of a 1000 miles begins but with a single step".

May be a lot of steps.

"It's not the end result but the academic exercise"

Hmmmm. Methinks this exercise has happened before.

But, finding out what really is going on with this cartridge will be fun.

[ 02-25-2003, 08:57: Message edited by: John Ricks ]

I am thinking we can invoke the .416 Taylor magic (400 grain bullet at 2,400 fps) from the 2.5" short magnum cartridge case, and transfer some of the juju to the .400 H&H. It will then certainly get high velocity and low pressure.

jim

The .416 Taylor magic just requires a 26" barrel to get 2400 fps with a .416 caliber 400 grain bullet.

Since the 400 H&H bullet is going to be smaller in diameter and the case capacity is going to be smaller than the .416 Remington, the smaller bore and smaller case will have higher pressure than the .416 Remington for any given velocity.

Oh! But the 400 H&H will have higher sectional density, more tapered case and gentler shoulder angle.

It will indeed make a fine suppository for rectal use in Anglophiles: Better penetration???!!!

[ 02-26-2003, 05:48: Message edited by: DaggaRon ]

Now I know how to kill a 400 H&H thread. Compare it to a rectal suppository meant for the British bum.

Go .416 Remington instead.

Only a thread pertaining to big bores and suppositories could start and end in Kentucky.

Since I am an alumni of Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, I understand that comment!

I have a query in to Wolfgang Romey with some follow-up questions on how they are loading the .400 H&H/.465 H&H and requesting their design pressure. I will publish what I get, but it may be on African Hunter first with a link given on AR as I did with the Holland cartridge sketches.

jim dodd

Hunter Jim

I went to Lexington two days ago to personally help welcome some of our common "Friends" from Univ of Tenn. to the state. It was very enjoyable. Wish you could have been there.

Kentucky was beating Tennessee so badly last Wednesday night I fell asleep during the game, on TV. Are the University of Kentucky Wildcats still number two in the nation, or are they number one yet?

We may call the school UK, but this UK alumnus is decidedly Anglophobic when it comes to the 400 H&H.

The 400 H&H is "Preparation H&H."