Here is Max Bennett and his DELUXE Ruger No.1 in 400/.395 Nitro Express 3-Inch aka the 10.03x75R.
It is the "Aboriginal" 400 Nitro Express, an extension of the .395-caliber BPCR of yore, done properly, instead of gone Purdey with a .405-caliber bullet.
With modern powders it will do more than classic loads of the legendary .400 S. Jeffery (aka 450/400 NE 3-Inch), i.e., it will do it all.



Please forgive the cell phone photos, caught on the fly outside of the 52nd Annual Colorado Gun Collectors Association show in Denver last weekend.
Here is a cropping and rotation of one of the pics:



I was thrilled to meet up with Max again. He and I are the only two owners of rifles chambered for this all-purpose cartridge,
in this galaxy anyway.



Here is my less ornate rifle, also a Ruger No.1 in 400/.395 NE:



My 400/.395 NE along with a flintlock that also throws .395-caliber balls,
just like Davy Crockett's original Ol' Betsy:



And a review of some load data for the 400/.395 "Aboriginal" Nitro Express,
handloading dies from CH4D are good ones:



The 410-grain LBT LFN GC bullet sized to .396-caliber, with LBT blue lube,
starting load was good enough for integrity of this bullet on impact.
It mushrooms perfectly and retains most of its weight on impact with 5-gallon buckets of water:





Above are the three bullets, clockwise from top,
410-gr LBT
330-gr S&H Brass FN solid
310-gr S&H Brass HP "non-con"
whose targets are shown below:







The .395/310-gr S&H non-con (above) was proven in 2010 on Tanzanian plains game, with the .395 Tatanka,
that is a .395/.416 Rigby.

The fourth bullet is the .395/240-grain CEB FBH bullet that Max has taken elk with in Colorado, with the .395 Max,
that is a .395/.375 Ruger:





All of the above are 50-yard targets with my Ruger No.1 400/.395 NE.
For the 240-grainer I started with 66 grains and quickly found an accurate load with a one-grain increase in the Benchmark charge.
67 grains and +2800 fps with the .395/240-grain CEB FBH is a good elk load, and ought to work wonders on bison too,
eh, Max?

There is also a .395/340-grain trio from GSC:



This load with the .395/340-grain GSC FN would be hard to beat for braining elephant from any angle,
or Portuguese-Heart-Shots on cape buffalo:



McGowen makes the barrels.



THE FEW THE PROUD THE 395 FAMILY
Rip

BTW, Max is retired USAF and served in Viet Nam as a young man of about 20 to 22 19 to 20 y.o. during the same years as my Dad was also there as an old man of 35 to 37 y.o.
But Max got shot by a sniper and suffered blast trauma in Viet Nam, about age 20 y.o., surviving that to be blown up by an IED in Iraq at about age 60 63 y.o.
He made it into a body bag in Iraq, but was "re-triaged" to IMMEDIATE when sumbuddy noted some life left in him!

My widow Mother thinks Max is handsome and would be chasing after him for sure, except he is thirteen years younger than her,
and she does not want to be accused of being a "cougar."

But Max does like cats, he has a 17 y.o. kitty, and he obviously has nine lives himself.

Thanks for your service, Max.

For my next trick, I shall burn up some more of Saeed's bandwidth with some .395 Max reminiscence (.395/.375 Ruger).



THE FEW THE PROUD THE 395 FAMILY
Rip

Thanks, Ron. We had a great get-together at the gun show. A few changes to the above. I was 19-20 in Viet Nam. Got shot and blown up there. I was 63 when working in Iraq as a contractor on special gear when I got blown up there. Watch out for "Safe Zones."
As far as your mother is concerned, you are only as old as you feel. Thank her for me.

Is the parent l case the old 400 Purdey? I just love long straight walled cases. I wish the 400 Purdey would have made the transition from bpe to a "full" cordite nitro express cartridge, just because I like the straight case more than the Jeffery's bottleneck.

Max,

Corrections noted. Also noted that you qualified for many more Purple Hearts than John Kerry's bandaid-treatable wound did.
And yours spanned 43 years of being shot in the chest and being blown up.


LHeym500,

I hear you!

Our 400/.395 NE uses 9.3x74R cases blown out to straight-taper for the .395-caliber bullet.
And we let it grow to 3.000".
Hence the aka of 10.03x75R.
The 400/.395 Nitro Express 3-Inch "Aboriginal" is meant to rectify that failure of an old c1870s .395-caliber BP cartridge to go full Nitro.
Purdey went part way by increasing the caliber to .405"-diameter with lightweight bullet, making a NFBPE load with their "400 Purdey Light Rifle Express."
Modern powders and heavy bullets make the 400/.395 NE more powerful than the traditionally-loaded, legendarily-effective .400 S. Jeffery.

Stand by for evidence of the elusive .395-caliber bullets of yore ...

From Volume 1 of Fred A. Datig's Cartridges for Collectors, p. 114 (Book review: Good book.):



The specimen above was probably measured with a caliper after a century of wear and tear. It was probably actually a .395-caliber bullet, not .393".

Another excerpt for book review purposes (Book review: Excellent resource.) is from European Sporting Cartridges by W.B. Dixon, p. 97.
Here is a cartridge that actually is stated to have a bullet measuring 10.03mm diameter (see the nominal 10.15x65R cataloged as GSP42 below),
and that is exactly .395-caliber:



Dixon describes this member of the .395 Family as the "10.15x65R Express" on p.98, "Loaded by DWM (case #498) from c1905 (not in the 1904 catalog) but not apparently listed in post WWI catalogs (?). Found with both DWM numbered cases and also proprietary 'H T & Co 10.17' hs (unknown but may be E.H. Tanner & Co known c1913)."

The Purdey Gentleman's Light Rifle Express, misleadingly called ".400 Straight 3-Inch Nitro Express":





A Purdey .400 that causes spasmodic extension of my pinky fingers:



References to .395-caliber bullet showing confusion with the .405-caliber .400 Purdey:

John J. Donnelly's The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions (Book review: OK, but some questionable information referenced to COTW 4th Ed., p. 238.):



COTW early editions showed this Granddaddy of the .395 Family:



COTW later editions show this .405-caliber 400 Purdey,
and the above .395-caliber 400 NFBP 3-Inch cartridge disappeared.
Note same illustration was used for both cartridges:



Book review for all editions of COTW: I have all editions through the 15th. They are very entertaining.

THE FEW THE PROUD THE 395 FAMILY
Rip

quote:

Originally posted by prof242: I was 19-20 in Viet Nam. Got shot and blown up there. I was 63 when working in Iraq as a contractor on special gear when I got blown up there. Watch out for "Safe Zones."

+1. Thank you for your incredible service and sacrifices!

Max Bennett is one of the nicest, most sincere and genuine, gentlemen of the old school that I have ever had the honor of meeting. (As is R.I.P).

It's great to see this picture of him (both of you) in good health and obviously enjoying his most treasured past-time, guns and guns-port.
(You look great too R.I.P ).

It is my regret, and loss, that we never hunted buffalo together.

Timing, opportunities and his recovering from injuries sustained whilst overseas prevented this from happening, and I regret that.

I would have loved to have shared my buffalo camp with you Max, if your reading this, and I too thank you for your service and your contribution to our freedom.

Nice rifles, neat caliber but mostly really nice guys

Mr. Rip: Your cartridge is what everyone including myself wants the 405 win to be. I would love to see it in a C. Sharps.

One question and forgive me for my impudence, other than historical accuracy why did you go with the 395 caliber bullet instead of a 408, 410, or 411 caliber bullet being they are more available from the 450/400 3/14 and 450/400 3 inch?

You guys have really done something great. Now you just need to get Purdey, Heym, Aaron Little, or B. Search to wrap it up in a great double.

In the same vain, but on a different note:

I always thought Ruger missed the boat by not taking the 375 fl mag or 9.3x74 and necking down to 338, 308, and up to 40 caliber. They had the platform in the Ruger number 1. I know Elmer Keith did it with the 9.3x74 case neckd down to 338. I would personally use the 375 fl mag due to more case capacity or to keep pressure down with a larger case. Now that boat has sunk, and there is no chance of it happening, but what it could have been if only for a moment.

Hello Paul,

Thanks for the reply, but you are too kind in putting me in the same class with the heroic Max.
I just ain't as classy as Max.

Great to meet you at DSC 2014, we are still cogitating on buffalo in Australia, and bison on the high plains of the USA.
Max and I are working on our bucket lists and they include buffalo. Buffalo first and buffalo last on the list.
The bucket is bottomless for buffalo.
And a .395-caliber buffalo rifle would be in that bucket too.

THE FEW THE PROUD THE 395 FAMILY
Rip

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Mr. Rip: Your cartridge is what everyone including myself wants the 405 win to be. I would love to see it in a C. Sharps.

Who knows, there may have actually been a Sharps 1874 or a Winchester 1885 built for the old granddaddy .395 BP cartridge.
Seems that Martini-Henry and hammer DRs were so chambered.
The Brits chambered some Sharps and High Walls for the old BPE cartridges.
I could certainly dig a half-octagon Sharps 1874 Long Range version:
400/.395 NE 3-Inch aka 10.03x75 aka 40-100-400 Sharps Straight 3-Inch.
BTW they did commonly shoot .395-caliber/370 to 400-grain soft lead bullets in some of those old BPCR hammer guns of the USA,
but they were paper-patched for .403"-grooved barrels, or something like that, in a 40-90 Sharps Straight, or whatever (?).
There is another can of worms to be opened later.

One question and forgive me for my impudence, other than historical accuracy why did you go with the 395 caliber bullet instead of ...

Hold it right there pardner! Historical accuracy is as important as anything here!
There are plenty more makers who bastardized the elemental .395-caliber "400" to all those other calibers you mention.
Not us!

BTW, remember John T. Amber's Ruger No.1 with Soule sights like on a Sharps 1874 Long Range rifle?
There is yet another can of worms to be opened later.

THE FEW THE PROUD THE 395 FAMILY
Rip

R.I.P, if you and Max get serious about buffalo Down Under give me a yell.

Although I am now retired from guiding I still have the good oil on buff and can jack-up a good deal in some awesome country with big bulls for you both.
Just sing out anytime.

Mr. RIP: I agree more than enough. What game have you taken with your cartidge?

Paul,

We are wanting to blood the .395s on bison and buffalo for sure.

LHeym500,



I have 5 different .395 wildcats and have not hunted with the 400/.395 NE yet.
But the above .395/310-gr S&H Noncon at a modest 2777 fps in the .395 Tatanka has been well tested.
It took the doe above.
The buck below was taken with the GSC HV .395/340-grainer at 2753 fps MV from the .395 Tatanka, impact at 50 yards, shooting from a tree stand:




Assorted plains game with the S&H .395/310-grain Noncon:





(R.I.P. Paul Olivier, good PH, good buddy.)

... including zebra, topi, and Lichtenstein's hartebeest ...







... I wish I could have used the same bullet, or the GSC .395/340-gr HV bullet,
on the second buffalo that was not taken on that 2010 Tanzania Expedition with Saeed and his entourage.

The 400/.395 NE pushing a GSC HV 340-grainer at about 2450 fps MV would work wonders there.
And that cartridge can do all that with only 66 grains of VARGET!
Low recoil and deadly efficient.



Water alone is very tough on high-velocity bullets, a good test for bullet expansion at various velocities.
5-gallon water buckets were laid end to end in a trough, with impact velocities at 25 yards as follows,
for the GSC .395/340-grain HV:



Same test with the S&H .395/310-grain Noncon, this bullet has exited on every critter I have shot with it,
all you might find in the critter is some of the brass petals.
Maybe an elephant could stop it?:




Below is the IWBB, 10 compartments long, each compartment 10 inches deep and containing (for the bullet test shown below)
one plastic water bucket and one plywood backing board,
and 1.5 " of air space between boards and buckets in each compartment.
Use two boards for each compartment to save on buckets.
Here is the entry end of the trap, analogous to the south end of a north-bound bull
on a Portuguese heart shot:



The stopping end of the IWBB, analogous to north end of a north-bound bull. I should put some horns on this end of the bullet trap:



100 inches of bullet travel to the last backing board. In compartment number 10.
More boards after that if needed.
Nothing but a very hard monometal FN solid will ever stay straight to that point.
So getting to the 10th backing board is a really good score. I call it a "Ten" for the basic/softest IWBB test medium.
Of course the 1.5" of air space in each compartment could be eliminated, and the medium toughened,
by adding more boards, hide, meat, bone, etc.,
and grass-filled rumen could be added to the first 5 buckets, and intestines and wet cow manure to the last 5 buckets, instead of water,
but water, plastic and wood are so much tidier to work with.





Here is an Iron Waterboard Buffalo test of two bullets from the 400/.395 Nitro Express 3-Inch itself,
one water bucket and one plywood board per compartment.
With these two bullets alone, the 400/.395 NE can take any game critter that walks the planet:





Only a "3" for penetration of the cast lead bullet, but it will do some damage on those three compartments.
Here is the typical first compartment appearance with that bullet:



Biggest fragment found of that first water bucket:



Plus, there are several other bullets that can be used in the gentle giant, the 400/.395 Nitro Express 3-Inch.
It kills on the muzzle end and does not aggravate old war wounds on the other end of the rifle.

THE FEW THE PROUD THE 395 FAMILY
Rip

Bro' Ron,
Did your clippers crap out right after you lost your shaving Razors? You are a good looking dude. Let the girls see more of your mug.

Forgive me if I have overlooked the answer, but how does this cartridge come to eclipse the .450/.400 3" despite having what appears to be a narrower case?

Couldn't the .450/.400 be stoked to higher velocities if chambered in a Ruger No.1?

quote:

Originally posted by lawndart:
Bro' Ron,
Did your clippers crap out right after you lost your shaving Razors? ...

Bro'Dart,

Yes, I am working on becoming a longhair, now approaching ponytail accomplishment, but not quite there yet. Just another thing on the bucket list.

The only attention from the girls was what I got at an intermediate point when my head and face hair were same length, and mostly white.
At that stage the 6 y.o. girls in fast food joints would giggle and point at me and whisper to their parents or other kids.
Sometimes a kid or a parent, on behalf of kid, would come up to me and ask if I was Santa Claus.
"Ho Ho Ho!" was the only response required.

THE FEW THE PROUD THE 395 FAMILY
Rip

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
Forgive me if I have overlooked the answer, but how does this cartridge come to eclipse the .450/.400 3" despite having what appears to be a narrower case?

Couldn't the .450/.400 be stoked to higher velocities if chambered in a Ruger No.1?

sambarman338,

No, we are not eclipsing the 450/400 NE 3" (aka .400 S. Jeffery) with this one,
just equalling the legendary lethality with less recoil, from a smaller case with modern powders.
However, the .395-caliber bullet of same weight and velocity as the .410 will have greater sectional density and ballistic coefficient.
That is, of course, same hype as used by Ed Woslum and Doctari when pushing the .400 Tembo,
only more so for the .395.
http://forums.accuratereloadin...043/m/5671008032/p/1

This is also a resurrection of the .395 caliber to it's rightful place as a full Nitro Express loading, which never happened in the past.

Purdey enlarged the caliber to .405 on a similar case, much like Jeffery enlarged the caliber of the rimmed .400 S. Jeffery (450/400 NE 3") to make a rimless 404 Jeffery.
This was presumably for pressure reduction using the old powders/Cordite "smokeless."
When Jeffery went with .410-caliber in the .400 S. Jeffery, William Jackman Jeffery was genius enough to create an all new case, bigger and stouter than the 400 BP 3" case that Purdey merely necked up to .405 from .395.

The 400/.395 NE 3" is our rimmed .395 cartridge.
Other .395 Family members include:
Belted: .395 H&H
Rimless: .395 Max, .398 Lapua, .395 Tatanka

There is no need for a .395/404 Jeffery.
The .395 Max (.395/.375 Ruger) can accomplish everything the .400 Tembo was meant to do.
I reckon the .395 Max is to the .400 Tembo
as the 400/.395 NE 3" is to the 450/400 NE 3".
I do like them all, especially the 395s.

THE FEW THE PROUD THE 395 FAMILY
Rip

Thanks RIP. I guess less recoil would be an advantage in a single loader - it hardly matters in a 10-pound double.

Excellent post! You've done well, with your love of life and a panache of firearms.

.366torque,

Thanks much. I have just a few more guns on the bucket list.

I have paid the stupid tax on trying to do a 20-gauge 3.5" on a Ruger No.1 ... the 577 NE Rim diameter must be the absolute maximum for a Ruger No.1.

Stand by for a 20-Ga-3.5" on a Sharps 1874, but for now, it remains the "20-Gauge Ex Purgatorio" stuck in purgatory.
It has not made it to hell yet!

And there are a few customizing touches yet to be done to a couple more old rimmed cartridges in single shot rifles.
I am not dead yet.

THE FEW THE PROUD THE 395 FAMILY
Rip