400 Whelen brass is too easy and cheap to make to need commercial brass. Unless someone really wants it, headstamped and all; which is fine too. I know of no source of it already made though.
I just make it, and find that LC Match is the best to make it from. Neck it up in two stages to .458 and then FL size normally.

Quality Cartridge makes cylindrical headstamped cases.

I guess I will try Rusty's recipe for fireforming from .35 Whelen brass, 20 grains Universal Clays, compressed cream of wheat and wax plug. Cheapest .35 Whelen brass out there right now is Hornady.

The reason I asked about acceptable factory brass is bc 1) if you travel with the rifle the cartridges have to match he rifle and 2) I am not technical or mechanically inclined as most in here.

Yes that is true; I never travel anywhere so I forget about that detail.
Bill, you are doing it the hard way. I will make you an expander plug. Two, actually. It's real easy.

LH500,
You know how rumors are.
Actually it was one Cape buffalo and one water buffalo+ a mess of smaller stuff.

400 Whelen rimmed?

Maybe use 9,3x74R brass over 405 Win brass...
400 Whelen TR?
Use 400 Whelen dies and reamer for 1895 or Ruger #1 in 405 Win donor guns? Rebore a 9,3x74R?
I would love to see a loooooong neck 400 Whelen based on adding an extractor groove to 74R brass.

Wow!

www.hallowellco.com/griffin__h...03_400%20whelen.html

Pics indicate the groove diameter at .414”, not that it matters.

It appears that the receiver was drilled and tapped for a side mount for a scope. I wonder when the holes were filled in? Not that it really matters, it is a fantastic looking rifle!

quote:

Originally posted by Firearmdoc:
It appears that the receiver was drilled and tapped for a side mount for a scope. I wonder when the holes were filled in? Not that it really matters, it is a fantastic looking rifle!

I totally agree! Super nice rifle. I wonder if the sidemount holes have threaded plugs that were “blended” with the outside surface by file and sanding, rather than welding? I don’t mind sidemounts on ‘03s, but I hate it when they put holes through the left wall lettering on Oberndorf and DWM Mausers. Irrational, perhaps, but it just bugs the heck out of me!

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
Quality Cartridge makes cylindrical headstamped cases.

I just bought some [QC 400 Whelen] with a 300 TSX bullet loaded, the neck diameter is .4385-.439". It may be a little fat for most chambers.

I have a Remington 700 that was originally a 30-06 that I had rebarreled to a 35 Whelen. I am now considering having it rebored to a 400 Whelen by JES Rebore. The barrel is 21’ long and has plenty of diameter, so no concern with that, however is there any concern with the 21’ barrel and a 400 Whelen? I also am going to need to get a front sight added to the rifle, any specific suggestions? I am most likely going with a peep sight versus leaf.

Not if that is what you want; I prefer longer barrels for eveything though. 24-26.

20-21" will make for a handier rifle .
I prefer short barreled rifles.
A banded front sight is nice. If the band is put on well it becomes a pretty permanent situation.
As a low powered optic is faster and more precise on target. I would go that route and have irons for just knocking around. For my purposes that is bear protection for spring/summer/fall. Which equals 6 months at best where I live.
But even then, if a person uses good scope caps and doesn't thrash their rifle with neglect and abuse a good scope will hold up well.

I resurrected this thread because I too have joined the .400 Whelen club with one built on a 1903 Springfield action. I have been going through the thread to compile loading data and info on case forming.

Has anyone tried CFE223 powder for the 400?

Pardon my butting in on this, but ,,

After looking up the history of the 400 Whelen, I learned that the effort was meant to get the performance of the .405 WCF out of a cartridge with a .30-06 case. Further reading showed that the 300 grain velocities were the SAME as the 300 grain bullet in the.405 WCF.

WTF ? Much ado?
I will stick with my .405 WCF where I can shoot bullets of 210, 300, 350, 400 grains from the same case and rifle chamber.

Wildman6, What am I missing?
Also , I use N133 to keep peak chamber pressures down. What is the reason for use of the CFE223 ?

I guess one of the reasons for the .400 Whelen is that you can take a cheap military action and make it into a thumper. Can't say the same for the .405W.

As per CFE223 why not try it you may like----MIKEY LIKES IT!

Hip

CRS- you are missing the fact that the 400 Whelen is an 06 based cartridge- not rimmed. Opens the possibility of using actions not suitable to the 405 win. You need to bury this horse at throw away the shovel.

KDA55,
Actually, I am aware of the background of the 400 Whelen and ignored that while teasing a couple of the other folk reading this post.
Thank you for the explanation though.

So sorry, I missed the subtlety of your teasing. Looked like a solid pitch for the 405 on the Whelen thread.

I am a fan of the Winchester 1895 .405 and have two of them and one double rifle in .405 Winchester.

However, I also understand that many shooters prefer a cartridge without a rim as on on the .405 cartridge. I think the time has long passed to go back to rimmed cartridges except for special cases such as double rifles and single shot rifles.

Charles, I have enjoyed your .405 adventures on this and other forums. Thanks for having shared them. Also agree that a rimmed case is "the more elegant solution" for single shots and doubles. One doesn't encounter rimless shotgun shells, does one?

Split the difference? Make a rimmed 400 Whelen for the 1895?

quote:

Originally posted by wildmansix:
Has anyone tried CFE223 powder for the 400?

Yes.
Somewhere on this thread a fellow used his 400 in Africa on several animals and was using CFE223, I emailed him and got some of his info and started playing around with that powder and 300 grain Barnes TSX bullets.

There is talk of CFE223 in the .416 Taylor over at the campfire. It wouldn't have occurred to me to use it in these applications, but I lost track of new powders years ago.

According to QuickLOAD:

400 BW, 300 Barnes X, CFE223

107% 2512fps 50062 psi

Will a pre-64 model 70 30-06 action feed original case spec 400 Whelen without any problems or need for modification?

I believe it would. DPCD is the authority on the 400. I have two, one of which was built by Tom.

WE have the 416Rem so it brings to mind the only difference between men and boys is the cost of mens toys!