I had a nice morning at the range & did a little load dev. w/ VV150 & VV160 in my 404jeffery.
Best of the day was the 350gr Woodleigh over 83grVV150, RP9 1/2M. Good for 2445fps & shade under 7/8" group. About as good as I can shoot w/ the 1.5x5VXIII.
Same load w/ the 340grNF went 2561fps, nice round 1 1/2" group, will try this one again. Both loads are 1 1/2" above the POA for my 380grNF load @ 2200fps. This would give me a usable PG load out to 300yds or so.
Using 82gr VV160 under the 380grNF, she goes 2190fps, giving a nice round 1 1/8" group dead on @ 100yds.
RIP, the 83gr Varget load shows promise @ 2598fps but the group was the worse of the day (also the last) at 1 3/4" (2 in 3/8" though) so I am giving that one another go.

What is your load development on the 380/400gr bullet comming along?

lb404, I've pretty much settled on 2200fps for my recoil limit. Even at that vel. it's a great slayer of game. My working load is:
380grNF or 400gr Woodleigh or 400gr Barnes solid over 84gr RL19, Fed.215M in Norma cases. Vel. is 2245fps & I've managed a few groups below 1moa w/ all bullets. Equally good is 83gr IMR4831 for 2213fps. The Barnes solid & Woodleigh softs drop off about 50fps w/ both loads.
The VV160 load looks promising @ 2200fps as well. This rifle is definetly a shooter, limited only by the 1.5x5 VXIII & my ability to bench the beast.

I have been loading the Varget loads at 2350+ f/s. In my rifle it is decidedely more accurate. My CPS and FNS rounds print well into an inch at 100.

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:
RIP, the 83gr Varget load shows promise @ 2598fps but the group was the worse of the day (also the last) at 1 3/4" (2 in 3/8" though) so I am giving that one another go.

Fred,
I think you will see improved accuracy as you work up by 1/2 grain increments on the Varget. Don't go any faster than 2675 fps, with the 340-grainers, for now, but stop when the accuracy improves. Your rifle is the strong M70 and Norma brass is more than capable of 60,000 psi. No worries.

I predict better 340-grain accuracy for another day. The 5X scope is good enough if your eyes are good enough.

I am surprised at how close your results (1:14" twist, 23" length, LW PacNor barrel) are to mine (1:10" twist 24" McGowen barrel). 87.6 grains of Vargets gets me just over 2700 fps and about 2/3 MOA at 100 and 300 yards for 3-shot test groups.

Good preliminary work with the 340-grain North Forks, thanks for reporting.

Thanks RIP, I'll try going up in 1/2gr w/ Varget. My bbl. is a 23" PacNor, still 1-14 though. As to the eyes, not what they used to be but we keep at it. Anytime I hit 1moa, I'm happy.

Correction of barrel maker noted.
I will edit. That is the only thing I got wrong.

You are wise oh Great RIP.

Oh stop it, Fred!

Your rifle is a little tighter and gets higher velocity than mine per grain of powder burned (more efficient?), even though your barrel (23") is one inch shorter than mine (24"). Some "nonbelievers" would like to say that the fast twist I have (1:10") is wasting my velocity into excessive spin. Your 1:14" twist is more than sufficient.

With Varget Extreme and the 340-grain North Fork, Norma brass, and GM215M primer at 40 degrees F, preliminary workup:
grains of Varget ... ave MV fps ... # shots ... 100 yd group size
85.0 ... 2622 ... 5 ... 1.123"
86.0 ... 2654 ... 5 ... 1.268"
87.0 ... 2683 ... 5 ... 0.711" (best)(3 of those 5 went into 0.117" center-to-center)
88.0 ... 2709 ... 3 ... 0.775"
89.0 ... 2751 ... 1 (uh oh, too much velocity increase for one grain of powder)
90.0 ... 2755 ... 1 STOP right there! Diminishing returns!!!

So I interpolated 87.6 grains would give 2700 fps.

When I went back another day and shot that load at 54 degrees F it chronographed 2706 fps and gave those great target results at 100 and 300 yards:

.557" for three shots at 100 yards
2.126" for three shots at 300 yards.

87.0 grains would be fine for me too.

Looks like your rifle would get similar pressures with 2 grains less Varget than mine did, with taking into account the 1" shorter barrel by SWAG on velocity, and assuming similar velocity for pressure with our two barrels.

This rationale may be flawed.
Your mileage may vary.
Maybe stop at 85 grains with your rifle, going up from 83.0 grains in 0.5 grain steps, looking for accuracy?
Flame suit on.

I think 2600fps is a good ceiling for me vs recoil vs accuracy. If I can get to 1moa or a bit less, I'll happily stop @ 2600fps or so.
IMR4064 also showed promise @ 83gr giving 2611fps & a 1 1/4" group. My rifle isn't particularly fussy about loads. It's pretty rare that anythig goes much over 1 3/4" & most times I think it's me pulling a shot here & there.

Fred,
You do have a nice walnut stock to think about.
Ol'Meat the African Sheep Rifle has a triple cross-bolted (buried steel all-thread) Brown Precision fiberglass stock, with stainless steel pillars too. Free floated and glass bedded by yours truly. No wonder it can take a beating and shoot so accurately with the magic McGowen barrel, mega-grooves and micro-lands.

Mine has the standard chamber with a throat that is just a leade, no parallel-sided freebore.

No need to risk cracking your beautiful walnut stock by pushing it to Ol'Meat levels.

I prefer to stop at 2400 fps for 400-grainers and about 2525 fps with 380-grainers, for Ol'Meat. That is a super load with the 380-grain North Forks.

RWS loaded factory .404 Jeffery ammo with 400-grainers at an advertised 2330 fps, IIRC, or thereabouts, safe for even the mass produced, opened up, standard M98 Mausers, apparently.

My rifle has two bedded steel cross bolts & I am sure I would come apart before it does. If I can't get it done w/ a 380grNF @ 2200fps+, then I need more practice not more recoil. Getting the 340grNFs to print 2" high @ 100 w/ the 380gr at POA @ 100, I figure I'll have a bit more user friendly PG rifle fr shots beyond 200yds. We'll find out in 08 when I go back for another buff & some warthogs, etc.

2200fps Ya big wussy

quote:

Originally posted by NFMike:
2200fps Ya big wussy

Now Mike, be nice.

Next thing you know, Alf will be again asking why make the 404 Jeffery shoot anything other than 400-grainers at 2125 fps.

quote:

Originally posted by NFMike:
2200fps Ya big wussy

OUCH! Now you've gone & hurt my feelings. I may have to switch to those splendid Aussie bullets instead of those hand crafted projectiles fo yours Mike??????
Yep, 2200fps+ w/ those lovely 380gr kills everything pretty dead & I still can see straight after 30rds from the bench. Go ahead & poke fun, I can take it, I shoot a .404jeffery.

I just realized my older brother Ron swiped my old HP 29 Scientific calculator that I used through college. He has all the pertinent Big Bore/North Fork/GSC formulae programed into it to spit out those lovely columms of numbers.

I read this forum in lieu of the morning paper every day.

Bro' Dart,
Must have been the "interpolated" that gave me away.

You will get your HP 29 back, but only if you will arrange a quail hunt for Idaho Sharpshooter, to be accompanied by Dick Cheney in Sun Valley, ID. I'll have Dick give you the calculator there, after the shotgunning. Dick will be loading rock salt in his shells.