Hello all,

I am going to purchase a CZ African Classic in .404 Jeffery, with 2 crossbolts and Mercury Recoil Reducer. Anyhting else I should have cusotmized on this rifle? Thank you kindly in advance for your input, It will be much appreciated.
Cheers

Make sure it is properly bedded and you should be good to go

quote:

Originally posted by eurocentric:
Hello all,

I am going to purchase a CZ African Classic in .404 Jeffery, with 2 crossbolts and Mercury Recoil Reducer. Anyhting else I should have cusotmized on this rifle? Thank you kindly in advance for your input, It will be much appreciated.
Cheers

...................................YA ,,, Make sure it fits you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!If it fits you ,, and you don,t have to fit it .. You will shoot it very well ...........Make sure all the recoil lugs are bedded.............I,m going to shoot my 458 Lott CZ with out cross bolts until I break the stock ,,,whick hasn,t happened yet .....But it has been properly relieved ,,,, and the recoil lugs have been bedded with JB Weld .......No recoil reducers except the factory pad

Just three things:

1. Make sure it feeds.
2. Make sure it feeds.
3. Be sure to make sure that it feeds.

Thank you, I have shot the Lott and wont ever again. I can handle the 404 Jeff. I will take it a gunsmith when I receive it to make sure the bedding part is taken care of.

quote:

Originally posted by eurocentric:
Thank you, I have shot the Lott and wont ever again. I can handle the 404 Jeff. I will take it a gunsmith when I receive it to make sure the bedding part is taken care of.

What mj said, it needs to be 100% w/ your chosen ammo. Bedding is important, maybe a trigger job. Good choice on the 404j. I also had a Lott that just proved too much of a good thing for me. The 404j however is almost a joy to shoot on or off the bench.

The "make sure it feeds" is good advice. By that, work that bolt hard....and fast....just like Mbogo is fixin' to stick a horn up your arse....because he might just want to do that. I have a Heym bolt in 404 that loves everything except NF flat points.
You'll love the caliber....PM if you need any loading info.

Good luck.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

good choice, even though I haven't gotten one yet! The 404 was a very popular DG round during the day; and there is nothing wrong with the CZ that a bit of tlc can't perfect.
I'll have one, maybe next year after I get back from Africa. Saturday I get to talk to the CZ people and try and whine them into building a standard grade in 300H&H!

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost.

The first quote.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

Sound advice gents. I do plan to reload, a new hobby for me and a great one at that! Is anyone making or reloading lighter bullets for this caliber, 300, 350 gr? I would like to use this round for everything.
Cheers.

GSC has a spiffy 320-grainer that could go anywhere up to 2800 fps in your CZ.

My CZ .404 Jeffery has a 10" TWIST McGowen barrel and it is a good one. It is closer to .424" groove than .423 by my crude slugging.
Krieger was advertising theirs as .424" last time I checked.
Lothar Walther's were slugged as precisely as .4226" by Mike Brady, IIRC.

I have a lot of experience with the 10" TWIST Mcgowen stainless on my M70 also. Works great with the full diameter bullets. GSC and North Forks were on the plus side of .423". TSX's tend to be smaller than .423" diameter and I would stay away from them, I have simply not messed with them in 404.

North Forks may be gone but it sounds like Hornady might be making bullets for the 404 soon.

Seems to be a good time to trot out the picture of the GSC bullet again:

Great info. Thank you. I feel like a kid now, cant sleep until my rifle comes in.

eurocentric - What kind of price tag is that rifle carrying now? I have one that is unfired in the box and it can be bought. It has had the bedding and cross bolts checked, all OK and the trigger smoothed a tad. I have a set of Redding dies, brass and bullets and a Talley QD mount. Just can't seem to make it fit into my scheme of things (other guns) so have kept it unfired. It's just setting there waiting for Idaho Sharpshooter or someone else to make a move on.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

after all alterations, its around $2900. I will keep your offer handy, wish I would have known about it sooner. Cheers

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
GSC has a spiffy 320-grainer that could go anywhere up to 2800 fps in your CZ.

My CZ .404 Jeffery has a 10" TWIST McGowen barrel and it is a good one. It is closer to .424" groove than .423 by my crude slugging.
Krieger was advertising theirs as .424" last time I checked.
Lothar Walther's were slugged as precisely as .4226" by Mike Brady, IIRC.

I have a lot of experience with the 10" TWIST Mcgowen stainless on my M70 also. Works great with the full diameter bullets. GSC and North Forks were on the plus side of .423". TSX's tend to be smaller than .423" diameter and I would stay away from them, I have simply not messed with them in 404.

North Forks may be gone but it sounds like Hornady might be making bullets for the 404 soon.

Seems to be a good time to trot out the picture of the GSC bullet again:

.....................Why would any one want [[HEAVY FOR CALIBER ]] bullets when there are these bullets available //???

quote:

Originally posted by eurocentric:
Hello all,

I am going to purchase a CZ African Classic in .404 Jeffery, with 2 crossbolts and Mercury Recoil Reducer. Anyhting else I should have cusotmized on this rifle? Thank you kindly in advance for your input, It will be much appreciated.
Cheers

Mercury should only be used as media for rectal orifice thermometers, not for reducing recoil.

quote:

Originally posted by husky:

quote:

Originally posted by eurocentric:
Hello all,

I am going to purchase a CZ African Classic in .404 Jeffery, with 2 crossbolts and Mercury Recoil Reducer. Anyhting else I should have cusotmized on this rifle? Thank you kindly in advance for your input, It will be much appreciated.
Cheers

Mercury should only be used as media for rectal orifice thermometers, not for reducing recoil.

Curious, do you not like the merc. reducers or? I have one in my 404j. It seems to do the job.

........Are the African Classics set up the same as the 550 Safari Mags ....With the integral express sight base and recoil lug abutment being integral to the barrel ???

fireball,

epoxy bedding is always a good idea.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

quote:

Originally posted by shagunse:
........Are the African Classics set up the same as the 550 Safari Mags ....With the integral express sight base and recoil lug abutment being integral to the barrel ???

Yes they are, in the ones I have seen, of the first run they made, but they had a barrel band sling stud, as the only difference.

The ones I have seen from that first batch had 1:10" TWIST McGowen barrels.

An NECG custom front sight is a nice aesthetic touch, and should be an easy option.

quote:

Curious, do you not like the merc. reducers or? I have one in my 404j. It seems to do the job.

fredj338,
Do you use your 404 jeffery as a rectal thermometer or what?

My stubborn opinion is that a rifle called African Classic does not have any mercury recoil reducer or muzzle brake, nor does it have a modern recoilpad.

I should be made the 'Classic' traditional way with a hard rubber Silver's recoil pad if not a steel but plate.

If the 'Limey's' survived the recoil from a big bore without any broken shoulder 100 years ago, I believe we modern man of the 21st century should also survive the recoil from a 'Classic African' rifle, else do not call it Classic -because it isn't.

quote:

If the 'Limey's' survived the recoil from a big bore without any broken shoulder 100 years ago, I believe we modern man of the 21st century should also survive the recoil from a 'Classic African' rifle, else do not call it Classic -because it isn't.

Yes, but the recoil affected our heads and made us all congenitally stupid....

come to the DRSS shoot in Houston next month. Just for you I will take the recoil pad off and remove the mercury recoil reducer. I got serious money that says you can't hit a 9" paper plate at 100 yds with any of my "African" rifles.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

quote:

Originally posted by enfieldspares:

quote:

If the 'Limey's' survived the recoil from a big bore without any broken shoulder 100 years ago, I believe we modern man of the 21st century should also survive the recoil from a 'Classic African' rifle, else do not call it Classic -because it isn't.

Yes, but the recoil affected our heads and made us all congenitally stupid....

One bit of advice I've heard regarding recoil that makes since is that if you've played high school football and have been hit before, shooting a big bore shouldn't be a problem... it doesn't really hurt per say, it just shocks the senses.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
come to the DRSS shoot in Houston next month. Just for you I will take the recoil pad off and remove the mercury recoil reducer. I got serious money that says you can't hit a 9" paper plate at 100 yds with any of my "African" rifles.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

Hi
I am sorry, but I can't make it. So i will go to the range and shoot some rounds with my .404 Jeffery with Silver's pad (my .505 Gibbs isn't ready yet, but yes it will also have a Silver'r -the Classic African style you know )instead and send you a thought when you are shooting your combined rifle/rectal therometer at your range in Texas!

I just got my CZ Safari Classic and love it, and yes I have the mercury recoil reducer in it. Here's a link to my post

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4711043/m/440108918

404 Jeffery is a lovely round, and Woodleigh is now making 450g bullets for it.

Regards,
Chuck

Husky,

from your posts it seems rather doubtful that you own anything bigger than a 22 rimfire. I hope you are consistent in your preference for "classic" things. I would hate to think you are driving a car with power steering, brakes, automatic transmission, a heater or any of that "sissy" stuff. You swedes seem to have a "thing" about rectal thermometers and anal references...is there something we should know?

regards,

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

quote:

Originally posted by husky:

quote:

Curious, do you not like the merc. reducers or? I have one in my 404j. It seems to do the job.

fredj338,
Do you use your 404 jeffery as a rectal thermometer or what?

My stubborn opinion is that a rifle called African Classic does not have any mercury recoil reducer or muzzle brake, nor does it have a modern recoilpad.

I should be made the 'Classic' traditional way with a hard rubber Silver's recoil pad if not a steel but plate.

If the 'Limey's' survived the recoil from a big bore without any broken shoulder 100 years ago, I believe we modern man of the 21st century should also survive the recoil from a 'Classic African' rifle, else do not call it Classic -because it isn't.

.................................

The member who goes by the handle of Anukpuk has the following as his signature line ."If your gonna be dumb you gotta be tough "..............

Eurocentric:

I have a Safari Classic in .404 Jeffery. When I got it, I had them bed it, put in two crossbolts and do an action job. I shoot 400 grain Woodleighs with it and have never had any feeding problems with it whatsoever. In fact, it feeds like butter. Make sure they do an action job on it. I didn't get a mercury recoil reducer. It really is not necessary in the .404. The CZ is on the heavy side and your should be able to shoot it without difficulty.

Dave

I agree Dave, my 375 H&H is such a pussycat recoil wise with the weight of the CZ Safari Classic and the recoil reducer installed, I'm going to have to get it rebarreled to something with a little more oomf next winter. It's my first medium/big bore and I was concerned about the recoil. Now I'm thinking about having it rebarreled to 470 Capstick ...



Chuck

I guess I will have to be in the “non traditional†“non classic†category according to husky. Last Sunday I had my 458 lott built on a Sako action by Shilen out to the range. No it didn’t have a “modern†recoil pad it had the original HARD rubber pad. I shot a verity of loads one may be close to the 404 400 gr bullet at 2350 and some 500 gr at 2220 and a few left over 600 barnes at 2100. The rifle weight is 8.65 pounds with scope. I do have some of the 600 barnes loads left so Huskey can get the full effect of how wonderful that hard rubber pad is. One of the problems is it is only 1.5 inches wide while my CZ is 1.95 wide. Yes there is a new recoil pad on order and 2 mercury recoil reducers.
Back to what this thread is about.
Eurocentric,
Welcome to the forum. The CZ African Classic in .404 Jeffery is a great rifle and should serve you well. Having it bedded and the other suggestions are all good things.
Bill

I think I must be doing something wrong, as my puny 458 Win mag hurts my shoulder for days -- got knocked around plenty playing sports, just seems to be something that "gets" me.

quote:

Originally posted by eurocentric:
Hello all,

I am going to purchase a CZ African Classic in .404 Jeffery, with 2 crossbolts and Mercury Recoil Reducer. Anyhting else I should have cusotmized on this rifle? Thank you kindly in advance for your input, It will be much appreciated.
Cheers

Model 70 safety.

Obendorf bolt handle.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by chuck375:
I agree Dave, my 375 H&H is such a pussycat recoil wise with the weight of the CZ Safari Classic and the recoil reducer installed, I'm going to have to get it rebarreled to something with a little more oomf next winter. It's my first medium/big bore and I was concerned about the recoil. Now I'm thinking about having it rebarreled to 470 Capstick ...


Chuck .,.



,I,de give a vote for adding a 470 to your battery instead of replaceing your 375 ............No man should be without a 375 .....

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
I think I must be doing something wrong, as my puny 458 Win mag hurts my shoulder for days -- got knocked around plenty playing sports, just seems to be something that "gets" me.

What make rifle? Do you have the original pad? How much does it weigh? And the big one what loads are you shooting? I have a Past recoil shield that really helps.
Bill

quote:

Originally posted by eurocentric:
Hello all,

I am going to purchase a CZ African Classic in .404 Jeffery, with 2 crossbolts and Mercury Recoil Reducer. Anyhting else I should have cusotmized on this rifle? Thank you kindly in advance for your input, It will be much appreciated.
Cheers

Good idea. With new .416Remi offering they might nix that ole' English round from their line. Gee they list .300H&H 4.5kg.