I have embarked on a 404 Jeffery project and am in need of advice. I have a Lyman case trimmer but they don't make a pilot for the 404, that I can find anyway. What do you guys use for your big bore case trimmers? What about brushes and jags for bore cleaning? Hand priming tool that works well? Any and all advice welcome!!! Have Redding dies and press.

How does the diameter of the .40 S&W compare to a .404 ?? Maybe get one of those and spin it in a drill against some emery cloth until the proper diameter is reached. I don't know how close the shank size is, but RCBS makes pilots in both .41 an .416

I have Jeffery cases, but not for .424" bullets. I use the Lee Auto Prime, with the shellholder for the 404, but you have to hog out the backside, like they say for the RUM cartridges. See the website for info.
For the jag, etc., I'd think the 416 would do in a pinch, with just more cloth.

Rcbs hand priming tool with the round plastic primer holder and a 404 shell holder works fine. As said previously a 416 shell holder will work but you have to be a bit careful as the fit is not as precise. Shell holders are not that expensive anyway, just as well get the right one. Any smith or machinist should be able to crank you out a pilot for it in short order. The jags for cleaning are fine using a 416.

Try these folks.
Forester

I have a pilot for my .423 404 Jeffery.

I use a Forster case trimmer & they have approp. pilots. I use the Hornady hand primer, it uses a std. shell holder. The RCBS one is a PIA to swap out SH. The Lee handprimer can work if you open the area for the SH. Any cleaning gear for the .416 will work fine. If you want a bit tighter brush, use one for the .44mag. I also have Redding dies.
Bullets are available from Woodleigh, Hawk, Barnes (no longer made, but you might find some around) & the exc. NorthFork. You can make nice plinking loads from 300gr/.44mag bullets. Get a Lee bullet sizer in .427 & one in .423 (you have to custom order the .423). Using Imperial Sizing Wax, lube the bullet up & size it in the .427 die, then in the .423 die. I've shot many 1.5moa groups w/ these for a fraction of the cost of even the Hawk. Brass is available from Norma & you can still find Bell & HDS, maybe RWS if you are lucky (watch e-bay). You can even make brass from the .375RUM cases, they work fine in a pinch or for practice/dummy ammo, but the SH is diff. from the .404jeffery. Keep us posted on the project.

quote:

Brass is available from Norma & you can still find Bell & HDS, maybe RWS if you are lucky (watch e-bay).

fredj338,

Luck got nothing to do with it. RWS makes 404 ammo and brass is available.

Cheers
/JOHAN

Thank you to everybody - this information will be a big help - Jeff By the way I bought 200 pieces of Norma brass off ebay for $170+, thought it was a good deal. Thanks again

For what its worth on resizing bullets, I bought a Lee sizer in .329 for the Hungarian 8x56. I used it with normal silicon lube and easily sized 338 Barnes X Bullets in one pass. I didn't try any other bullets, but my limited experience would seem to say that they size easier than conventional bullets. I would hesitate to use them in a serious situation after sizing without some extensive testing, since the sizing may work harden the bullet and change its properties.

Johan, maybe in Sweden but difficult to find in the USA. In fact, if you want to mail me 100rds of brass I would be interested, drop me a PM.
Art, the other problem is core slippage, I like the Speer 300gr/.44mags because there is some bonding going on between jacket & core, not much, but probably more than Sierra (haven't tried them) or Hornady, which I don't care for because of the nose shape.

JeffMc,

I use Redding 404 dies, got them at Grafs, they are cheaper than RCBS. Redding shellholder "404" is available. On my RCBS trim pro I ordered a 404 Shellholder but they said use pilot for a 0.416 no .423 ones. Have recently tried it and it seems to work OK. I prime manually on the press so I use the 404 Shellholder. Its never a volume job so its OK.
I read here somewhere that a Lee#16 for the Auto Prime fits? (the hand tool).

Brushes & jags I use those for .416 Cal. Bore guide I made myself by cutting a case & epoxing it into an aluminium tube of the correct diameter. The .416 ones are too tight - I have the bore tech patch guides.

Bullets - since I live in Australia of course its Woodleighs. Cases - Norma.

Regards
JohnT

JohnT, no big deal to get a bore guide for the .416 & an appr. drill bit & open it up a tiny bit.

I use a Forester..I bought mine a long time back and just turned down a .458 pilot to 422, but now you can buy a .423 pilot...

Best option IMO on any big bore where your going to crimp is a file trim die, as it is much more accurate and the crimp is more uniform on the bullet...slow but accruate..File trim dies are not expensive..

Anyone know if a Lee factory Crimp die for a .416 Rem will work for the 404J? Much cheaper than buying the custom.

Regards
JohnT

I've had no problem crimping w/ the Redding die.

quote:

Originally posted by JohnT:
Anyone know if a Lee factory Crimp die for a .416 Rem will work for the 404J? Much cheaper than buying the custom.

Regards
JohnT

Don't reckon so. The collet in the Lee is a precise length, to get the crimp in the right place [the shellholder pushes the collet up into the die body, to form the crimp]. OK ,just went out and measured a .308W one, and the OAL of the collet is 51.0 mm. So, the same as the nominal case length. And the crimping ring inside the collet starts about 3 mm from the end.

Trouble is, the .404 case is .020" longer than the .416 Rem. If it was shorter, some length machining and lapping out, of the .416R Lee collet would be in order.

Jeffmc, Swift claims to make a .423 bullet in the A-Frame.

Northfork, GS Customs, Bridger,Woodleigh, Barnes,Swift,Rhino,Kodiak, and a few other make .423 bullets, Norma makes brass, and RWS soon will be making brass once again I understand, With the advent of CZ producing a commercial .404 and others using the case, it can only get better.....

With any big bore, it is best to trim the resizer button about .003 or .004, use a powder that fills the case, and use a very light crimp that any die set can do...

You can trim a resizer button on the drill press with a file and wet or dry paper, if your talented, or in a lathe of course, or order one undersize from the factory...

File trim dies are the way to go with a big bore caliber that needs to be crimped...

Ray;

Who make makes a file trim die for the 404? I am using Redding dies for sizing and bullet seating.

Ray,

being educated in NM and in public schools to boot. Can you help this simple old country boy out a bit.

what the hell is trim file die? Where can I get one and do they make one that'll fit my .470NE as well.

I finally broke down and am having Butch build me a .404 so I'm now in the process of collecting reloading gear. Got dies, Brass, Trimmer pilot. Sounds like I need to know about these trim file dies.

Thanks

Greg

Thanks Gadge, Ray & all,

Guess I'll have to trim first then lightly crimp in my Redding dies.

Regards
JohnT