This morning I something over took me and I grabbed my Ruger .338 stainless laminate from the safe and shoved a .404 J round in the mag.......................now obvioulsy it was a tad long so only one would go into the mag and sit in where the belly of the feed ramp starts, I then worked the bolt and it fed from the mag as smooth as butter, even the claw picked up the rim and fed it in as far as it would go as obviously the .338 win mag chamber is not as wide as the .404 J, then I pulled back the bolt and the loaded round ejected clear of the action, did this around 10 times to check it was not a flook, same result every time.

Got me thinking that the Ruger stainless action would not need to much metal removed to work to .404 J and I reckon it might be a reall cheap way to have a stainless .404 J now winchesters will be hard to get, just buy a Ruger SS .338 mag and a barrel lengthnet he mag box a bit and there you have it, thee feed ing looked as though it would require only minor work.

this also worked for .458 lott arounds to but as the loaded rounds where longer the would not clear the action.

PC,
It makes sense given how easily the AR series fitted the Ruger ... likewise those Australian Stalker series that are based on the WSM case.
So ... how much do you want for your Ruger 338WM barrel ... dont you love that rush of adrenaline that heralds a new project.
Cheers...
Con

mag box is 15 bucks from brownells, get a 375 length... recut the ejection port, alter the stop, and you have got either!

jeffe

Jeffo what part #'s do I need ??

Con,

if I did this I would opt for the synthetic stock .338 winnie......................458 win mag would be even easier, would abe one tough big bore for top end stuff stainless .404 J in the tinnie with your fishing rods...................just come back from a "missus"" holiday from up around the Daintree and tha weather got me thinking how i need a really tough stainless synthetic big bore. The .458 winnie is the most pratical as is the .416 Taylor but a .404 J is a much classier round even if it is in a "sheep rifle" format

I think I would have it with clean barrel and just a 2.5x leupold in the ruger rings, pure simplicity, if it where the only rifle you had on the trip youd have another 2.5x compact leupold in ruger rings as well...........could use a 1-4 leupold for a tad more versatility I suppose.

This rifle needs to be in either .404 J first choice or .458 winnie as the easier option sighted for woodleigh 400 gr protected points. You could solder on a set of rem irons instead of having another scope.

Perefct rifle for in a tinnie in a salt water esturie in the tope end I figure

PC,
If you decide to get those parts to alter the mag box ... count me in as well and we'll split freight.
Cheers...
Con

quote:

Originally posted by Con:
PC,
If you decide to get those parts to alter the mag box ... count me in as well and we'll split freight.
Cheers...
Con

no worries con...................what caliber are you looking at ??

quote:

Originally posted by PC:
Jeffo what part #'s do I need ??

375 mag box
780-000-067 10.95 usd

375 follower
780-000-357 18.36

need a spring?
780-000-156 4.71



i have NO CLUE if this is an interchangable boltstop
780-000-082 9.79

jeffe

Good thought...I saw several all-weather Rugers in magnum caliber at last weeks gunshow sell (used of course) in the $325-375 range. Cheap start there.

good luck if you go, and post the results. I think a 45 on the RUM/404 case is the answer...eh jeffe?

Rich

quote:

I think a 45 on the RUM/404 case is the answer...eh jeffe?

Shortened and improved of course...I couldn't agree with you more.

quote:

Originally posted by JMJ888:

quote:

I think a 45 on the RUM/404 case is the answer...eh jeffe?

Shortened and improved of course...I couldn't agree with you more.

and if you use RUM brass, now 50¢ each, rather than 2 bucks, you get the 458 AR!!!

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by PC:
no worries con...................what caliber are you looking at ??

PC,
I dont mind the Ruger actions one bit and would like the option of using one for either a 7mmSTW, 358STA,416RemMag or a barrel-burning 25STW . Besides ... if I've got it I'll eventually use it! Can't have too many components. For example, Sprinter is about to start building me a 375-08 that is basically a build up of "parts" I've accumulated. Total price will be less than a new Rem SPS ... just waiting on the take-off 375H&H barrel to arrive.
Cheers...
Con

Con will look into it over the next couple of days.

Like you say even if we have the parts and then maybe get a barrel etc.

If I get bored with my .338 winnie (seeing as it's the Mitsubishi Magna of calibres ) I can rebarrel etc.

PC,
That would be sweet ... "charge me" an extra 10% to make up for your time and efforts.
Cheers...
Con

Boomer,
Great idea. Good to see the term "African Sheep Rifle" (ASR) has been legitimized in the AR.com lexicon.

Mr. Chadwick would be as proud as I am.

The perfect ASR bullet for a .404 Jeffery on a slightly lengthened Ruger 77MkII, or a .404 Dakota (or just call that one a .404 Jeffery Short and use the trimmed down .404 Jeffery brass) in a standard Ruger M77MkII:

GSC HV .423cal/320gr

quote:

Originally posted by PC:
Con will look into it over the next couple of days.

PC,
Just a quick one ... don't use a courier as AP will carry these goods. A B709a will probably be required ... but no courier.
Cheers...
Con