,

Let's see . . . . Because I already have last 400 rounds of 404 Jeffery brass that Mast made? Just kidding! Sounds like a plan to me!

Sign me up! I've sent my message to Hornady.

What happened to the rumors that Federal was going to offer loads for the 404?

Why would you want a Hornady when you can get a North Fork?

I will definitely get some North Forks as well. I assume the photograph is of another caliber, or that there is an error in the bullet weight. I would like to see a 400 grain bullet but I thought the North Fork was a 380 grainer.

/

here is a copy of mine, you can use it as a rough template...hope it works


to whom it may concern,

I love the old calibers and i love the 404 jeffery. it is the quintessential turn of the century African cartridge with lots of nostalgia...I want to build one but the ammo is an issue... i know you guys are ahead of the curve on a lot of things so can you kindly give the 404 jeffery a shot in the arm by making components and loaded ammo please. More and more bullet makers are making premium 423 bullets but you guys can corner the market with providing all the components plus loaded ammunition. Dakota will be coming out with a 423-lapua but it is a lapua case not the oh so distinct and correct brass. congrats for making the 416 rigby! it is a great cart worthy of adding to your great line up of cartridges but please add this one more with 505 Gibbs somewhere on the horizon. Thank you to all who work at hornady for your great products.

sincerely,

one of many 404 to be customers.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Why would you want a Hornady when you can get a North Fork?

you are right on the bullets...but what we reeeeeeeeeeely need is the brass and to make prices go down

I have been on a regular e-mail program w/ Hornady & Federal since I got my .404 last year. My last response from Hornady (about a month ago)was they are working on some new caliber additions to their line & the .404 is being concidered (maybe 2006?). Keep the polite pressure on.
Wink, that is a misprint on the NF, it is a 380gr & Mike also makes a limited run of 340gr, a great bullet BTW. If it were 400gr it would be very long, 380gr @ 2250fps works just fine on impala to buffalo.
500gr, the best reason to have someone like Hornady on board is what Alf said, more componets avaialble the better for the cartridge. I love the NorthForks & Woodleigh but would sure like a less expensive bullet for practice & light game.

Dr. Alf, Fred & Guys,

I have been flight following the .404 Jeff as a vocation and a hobby: here in the US its trajectory resembles that of the yo-yo.

My aim a few years back was a detailed article on the .404, my working title was "Who killed the .404?". Now I am using "What killed the .404J?", but the moribund condition continues.

I talked to KYNAMCO two years back about their ammunition sales, and the say around 5,000 rounds a year -- and that number seems steady.

That sounds like a lot until you figure that is world-wide. If their active users buy 100 cartridges a year, that is only 50 rifles. Even if it is 20 cartridges a year, that equates to 250 users and rifles. Of course there are other and smaller sources that I do not have data for.

The .404 Jeff is a wildcat here, as it is not a SAAMI-standard cartridge. (Perhaps Federal or one another maker has applied in the last year, but I haven't checked.)

The .404 Dakota is more an American standard too.

jim

Great idea, ALF. Since there must be more .404's floating around than .416 Rigby's, the risk should not be to big. Cheap bullets for practise is a must for big'uns. Hunting bullets are already plentiful.

quote:

Originally posted by HunterJim:


I talked to KYNAMCO two years back about their ammunition sales, and the say around 5,000 rounds a year -- and that number seems steady.
Of course there are other and smaller sources that I do not have data for.



jim

I belive RWS sells a lot more ammo - and brass - than KYNAMCO, and most people handload for this cartridge anyway.

Wink,

That is a typo - the NF bullet is 380 grains.

I sent a letter last summer. will send a follow up e-mail this evening.

LD

I suspect if Hornady or Winchester or Federal etc. brought out a 404J factory load there would be more 404s built and possibly a factory rifle ala Ruger. On the other hand if Ruger or ?? brought out a factory rifle in 404 there would be factory loads brought out for it. WE need to pressure both ends.

465H&H

email sent!

quote:

Originally posted by ALF:


How many of us have ever contemplated importing Norbert Hansen's bullets or Lutz Moellers stuff?

Me.

To paraphrase a famous, or infamous, quotation, I need a .404 Jeffery like a fish needs a bicycle.

Still, if someone made good, reasonably priced factory ammunition . . .

I have always wanted a .404...good (read cheap) bullets for practice and good (read available) brass would help the feeding of same...and might jog the manufacturers into rifle production with some standardization...I shall begin to "bug" Hornady on a regular basis...thanks for the idea...Arthur Olds

It would make me happy to be able to get Hornady bullets in .423. The Hornadys perform as well as any they just need to add a few more bullets to their lineup ai 275-300 35cal,same in 338.350-400 in 423 to name a few. My supply of barnes 350gr-423 is about to expire (425 exress user) whats wrong with a belt??

o.k. they are on to us...here is a copy of an email i got from hornady


quote "Okay this is the 4th 404 Jeff letter I've received today. this must be on a web site or something encouraging people to write us? We're looking at it but at the earliest it would be '07 if then.
We will look at bullets but ammo is somewhat more problematical.
Patience" end quote

if they think problematical is a word we might not see the hornady 404 till 2020

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
o.k. they are on to us...here is a copy of an email i got from hornady


quote "Okay this is the 4th 404 Jeff letter I've received today. this must be on a web site or something encouraging people to write us? We're looking at it but at the earliest it would be '07 if then.
We will look at bullets but ammo is somewhat more problematical.
Patience" end quote

if they think problematical is a word we might not see the hornady 404 till 2020

Boomstick, yes actually it is a word.

From Webster's Dictionary
Problematical, adj, Questionable; doubtful.

Ruger *had* a .404 Jeff project, and actually sold a few No. 1 rifles. There were a small number of M77 .404 Jeff rifles made too, but Ruger executives pulled the plug on the project because of "ammunition incompatibilities" -- i.e. no US standard for the cartridge.

jim

quote:

From Webster's Dictionary
Problematical, adj, Questionable; doubtful.

o.k. maybe technically speaking but problematic was more grammatically correct

but who am i to point out such fine points. my punctuation is horrible

Midway carries Norma .404J brass; I have acquired 80 rounds in the past month or so. Bullets are the issue -- availability as well as price. It wouldn't hurt if a few more dies sets sold to bring the prices of those down as well.

But -- with the wide availability of the .458 Win; .416 you-name-it, and the .375 H&H -- only those of us with a nostalgic streak -- or a taste for the obscure -- will ever buy .404 rifles. But I did...

I use Hornady bullets in my .35 Whelen, and they work just dandy. Would love to see a Hornady 350 RN for the Jeffery, for general-purpose hunting.