in the book, they look almost identical, has anyone here made 404J brass (and shot it) from 375 RUM? I am looking at a 404 and was curious, since I can buy RUM for about 1/3rd of the 404 Headstamped cases.

Thanks,

Rich
buff Killer

A 404!?!?!?!?!

Rich... you getting soft on us

Stick with the 550 whomper

I think Vapodog was doing that... or at least he was doing the reverse... he was turning down the rims on 404 brass.

Idaho,
Not me, but I've corresponded with a guy that has. The larger bolt face on his 404Jeff never baulked at the slightly narrower 375RUM brass. It was the price difference that made him swap over as well.

But for cool factor ... I still love the 425WR cases Boom-stick made using 375RUM awhile back. Back to the future brilliance!!
Cheers...
Con

Lots of folks have reported doing that, said it worked fine.

.375 RUM base max of .550"
404 Jeffery base max of .544"
are quoted from some sources,
but in reality they both may be as much as .004" smaller with new/unfired brass.

I have run .338 RUM brass through a .404 Dakota die and formed brass that could be used for the 404 Dakota.
It is a lot of work sizing the RUM base down to 404 Jeffery size, but do-able with good lube and no cheater-extensions needed.
The micro-rebate of the RUM is a trifle I would rather not belabor.

yeah Boomie, I'm needing a new Rockchuck/Coyote rifle.

seriously, just filling a few holes in my CZ collection if I can get my banker (Mrs Rich) to fund me one more good rifle this year.

Now to get CZ to make a few 425WRs.


Rich
Buff Killer

The 404 doesn't mind the small rebate from the Rum brass. This interests me as I am having trouble getting 404J brass and 375Rum brass would be cheaper for sure.

Careful Rich, on the "fund one more rifle this year", just one? It's still only February you know. Rodney.

it works fine. most rum brass comes out .546 or so .. with a rim about .534 or so .. works jess fine ..

Rodney,

you are correct sir, but if I talk "first rifle of the quarter" I get waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much flack. Thanks guys.

Rich
Buff Killer

What steps are involved in the resize from 375rum to 404. It can't be as easy as just lube up and stick it in

actually, it does appear that this will be a simple task. Every now and then it works that way, Murphy must have been out of town that week!

Rich
Buff Killer

My wife is at home looking at my 404 and I now need dies. As soon as I get out of the bush I get to see her too. The gun that is. I have some 338 rum brass to look at and may have 404 brass shortly. The dies will be the limiting factor here for now on my end. This will be way easier if it works.

To date, I've converted about 200 rounds of .375 RUM brass to .404 Jeffery. No case failures at all. The .338 RUM case will work, but be aware that it is shorter than the .375 RUM brass.

Remove the decapping rod from the .404 sizing die, and adjust the die until a sized .375 RUM case will just barely allow the rifle bolt to close with a bit of "feel". These are very funny-looking cases, at this point!

Prime the case, and load it with around 20 grains of 2400. Fill the remainder of the case with cornmeal, leaving just enough neck volume to accept a bit of Kleenex or paper towel to hold the stuff in the case. NO BULLET of any sort!!!! Transport the "rounds" upright in a loading block to a place where noise doesn't matter.

Fire them VERTICALLY into the air....firing at a flatter angle seems to yield uneven case mouths, while vertical firing leaves them almost perfectly even.

My Mauser-action .404 rifle accepts the re-formed .375 cases very nicely indeed.

I have done this, just to see if it were possible. It works fine, shoots fine, but w/ Hornady brass coming, I see little point.

I can get a couple hundred NEW 375 RUM cases for about a hundred bucks, delivered to my front door.
I shoot my big rifles on a regular basis, and with cast bullets it's pretty cheap.

Rich
Buff Killer

quote:

couple hundred NEW 375 RUM cases for about a hundred bucks

Must have a brother-in-law in Lonoke.

almost, a good friend at the factory.
Rich
Buff Killer

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
I can get a couple hundred NEW 375 RUM cases for about a hundred bucks, delivered to my front door.
I shoot my big rifles on a regular basis, and with cast bullets it's pretty cheap.

Rich
Buff Killer

It will work fine. I fireform w/ pistol powders & filler, wax plug. I would not hunt DG w/ them, but for practice, why not? Again, Hornady brass is coming soon, The price diff. might not be worth it.

I did not specify the use; I do NOT plan to take the RUM cases to Africa, but with twenty 404J head stamped cases that is about all the ammunition I would use. You know me, always looking for a deal, and my cast bullets will not know the difference in head stamps. I have to figure out which gas check to modify; 416" or 429". If I anneal the ones for 44 Magnum they should squish right on and work fine.

Rich
Buff Killer

My cast bullet for the .404 is NEI's 421-390. In straight wheelweights it casts at .421", 398 grains. This diameter may be TOO SMALL for some .404 rifles, but it fits mine just fine.

.416 gas checks are much too small for this bullet, but the .44 checks work OK without annealing.

When I tried sizing this bullet to .417" for a trial in the Rigby cartridge, I found that the .44 gaschecks sized down alright, but had a very "domed" profile, and accuracy was simply lousy...REALLY bad.

Bren,

thanks for the assistance. I figured it would be the 44GC. How does the bullet shape you have feed? I really like the moulds Steve Brooks makes, I will probably go to him in a couple months. Think we could work something out for me to acquire about a dozen of your "as-cast" and sized, lubed, GC'ed bullets?

Rich
Buff Killer

quote:

I have done this, just to see if it were possible. It works fine, shoots fine

I have done this with a hundred .375 RUM cases and not lost a one. They feed fine and work great. When you fireform them they wind up one M/M short (10.75X72 instead of 73), no big deal.