Who would you recommend to make some new barrels for a 450/400 3" Jeffrey?

I assume JJ would - who else?

Palmer
I have seen 3 or 4 sets of completed double rifle bbls by J J.
They looked just like original bbls.
Do you plan on using the ribs and sights from an original set of bbls or are you adding a set of 450/400 bbl to an existing double making a 2 bbl set?

Give us the deatils.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:

Do you plan on using the ribs and sights from an original set of bbls or are you adding a set of 450/400 bbl to an existing double making a 2 bbl set?

Give us the deatils.

This rifle has had its barrels cut short by a previous owner. I took it to JJ and he speculated that someone had run over it with a vehicle then decided to cut the barrels off. The problem was it wasn't very accurate.

For about $600 I had JJ re-regulate it 2 or 3 years ago - after which he shot an inch and a half group of 4 shots at 50 yds. So it shoots ok and actually is quite handy.

I have shot a couple of buff with it and if I ever have to go into the bush after a wounded leopard again this is the rifle I hope to have in hand because it is quick to point and easy to get thru brush with.

Nevertheless, I would like to have another set of barrels the original length just for deer, hogs, fun and just because...

I don't want to destroy the original barrels just have another set made - even knowing it doesn't make any financial sense.

Kirk Merrington can also do it.

new_guy
I am not familiar with Kirk Merrington. Where is he located?

Palmer
Is that a 450/400 that has 20 or 21 inch bbls?
I saw one for sale a few years ago. Have you thought about having 450 3 1/4" Nitro bbls added? Then you would have a 450 and a 400.

quote:

Originally posted by Palmer:
new_guy
I am not familiar with Kirk Merrington. Where is he located?

Allen - Kirk is located in Kerrville, TX. http://www.kirkmerrington.net/

He's an English-trained gunsmith and one of two gunsmiths (JJ is the other) I would trust my gun with, and he's also one of the few state-side gunsmiths capable of making a set of barrels from start-to-finish.

You could probably save some money by having him order and fit a new set of chopper-lump barrels, he or JJ could order your barrels from that maker in Austria (I can't remember thier name, but they supply a lot of barrels to the trade) and fit those barrels to your gun.

Either way, Kirk is well-qualified to do the work and JJ would agree with that statement.

I suspect that a set of made-to-order CL barrels would run you anywhere from 7-10K. If you had them order a set and fit them, you could probably bring that down a bit - but not much, I suspect.

I love 450NE No2's idea!

JPK

JPK
Thanks for the support.
Palmer if you get the second set of bbls in 450/400 you will be constatly CONFUSED
Do I use the long 400 bbls or the short 400 bbls.
What to do... What to do...

However if you get a set of 450 3 1/4" bbls, the choice between them will be crystal clear.

N E 450 No2
Thanks for confusing me - just before you run off to Africa - may the smoke from the campfire on your first sundowner drift toward your chair. Yes, 20" barrels so it may be the one you saw.

new_guy
Thanks for the information on Kirk. I will contact him as well as JJ.

JJ tried to discourage me by saying the rifle would not be worth investing the money for new barrels. He is right no doubt but...

quote:

Originally posted by Palmer:
Who would you recommend to make some new barrels for a 450/400 3" Jeffrey?

I assume JJ would - who else?

You must contact Authur Smith in colchester in England. He make chopper lumps barrels for
Purdey H&H and so on. He can make you a set of barrels duplicating the original rifling. I don`t know of anybody else who can do this?
Run me a PM for his Private phone#.

Allen:

I'm pretty sure I remember hearing about this gun several years ago. As I recall, a W. J. Jeffery .450/.400 3" with barrels cut to 19" or so. I think J. J. said the bores slugged a bit large - .414" or so. Is this the same gun?

A guy I know has an A. Hollis & Son (built by H. Leonard, who also built some of the Jeffery rifles) in .450/.400 3". He recently added a new set of chopper lump .500 3" Nitro barrels. I haven't handled it yet, so can't comment on how it worked out. Jeffery used a number of trade makers, but the frame size of the .400s seem to be about the same. Since the .400 barrels work, another caliber would make sense.


J. J.'s new barrels look and shoot great. He really does a fine job. He would be my choice in the US.

I wouldn't use Kirk for rifle barrels. Kirk trained as a barrel maker at Churchill's and is a talented guy. However, by his time, the Brits were sending what little rifle barrel work there was left out to the trade, mostly to Ferlach. Kirk is a shotgun guy. J. J. is a rifle guy.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

Mark,
You fellows amaze me with your memory and knowledge of double rifles. You are of course correct.

The number on the under rib is 2548.
The rest of the information under the barrels is:

NP
450/400 EX
cordite 60 - 400 max
BP (with a crown emblem)
BV (with a crown emblem)
It has a serial number of 28715
On the barrel flats are a pair of crossed swords with a letter at 12 o'clock position and a numeral at the 6 o'clock position.





What is your thought about caliber and length for a new set of barrels?

Allen:

My memory for such things is pretty good. Your Leonard number is 600 units later than mine. I'm thinking mid '20s. Kinda hard to tell, but I don't see a case length mark (3") on the flats, which would mean proof before the 1925 Rules of Proof went into effect. The Jeffery number is from a block that was used between 1920 and 1935 - not a lot of help there. Good thing we don't have to guess. The crossed swords the with letter at 12 o'clock is the Birmingham DATE CODE, which was adopted July 1, 1921. Get me the letter and I can tell you the year it was proved.

To my way of thinking, I'd either go up or down, say a set of .375 Flanged Magnum barrels with a claw mounted scope, or .500 Nitro. These are pretty big actions and I don't know how the geometry would work out with the .375. The gun the fella added .500 barrels to is an A. Hollis & Son .450/.400 3", a Leonard gun just like yours, mine, Rusty's, and bobc's. I'll see if I can arrange for Rusty and I to go give it a look. We'll give you a report.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

I am with Tony on this one, new barrels, new caliber. The .375 Flanged is a great one, but ballistically very close to the 400. The 500 would be neat, but the 450 would at least give you inexpensive and readily available bullets! It would be about the only inexpensive aspect of this adventure! I too, share the urge to repair and refurbish old pieces of firearms history, it rarely makes financial sense, but you sure get a lot of satisfaction from it. While you may never recover the entire outlay, having a DR with 2 sets of barrels in DG calibers sure wont hurt its resale, but only my widow will ever know. Lee.

Mark,
Thanks for the info. I believe the letter above the crossed swords is a D. I will check tonite.

I remember Rusty telling me a couple years ago that it was a 1924 code letter. There definately is no case length mark on the flats.

Lee,
We see this about the same. It makes no sense but I want to do it anyway. Rather like getting an old English sports car running again when a new Toyota would be cheaper.

Allen:

Yes, D is for 7/1/24 to 6/30/25. They're proved as barreled actions, in the white, and must then be stocked, regulated, engraved and finished, so I imagine it was delivered in '25 or '26. What does it weigh?
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

quote:

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:
Allen:

Yes, D is for 7/1/24 to 6/30/25. They're proved as barreled actions, in the white, and must then be stocked, regulated, engraved and finished, so I imagine it was delivered in '25 or '26. What does it weigh?
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

400,
It is definately a "D" and it weighs 9 lb 10 oz. Thanks for the info.

Have to spoken to Butch Searcy about making new barrels for you?

quote:

Originally posted by 577NitroExpress:
Have to spoken to Butch Searcy about making new barrels for you?

At your suggestion I e-mailed him. He replied that I should call and talk about it but he would only consider it for previous customers of his who are not in a hurry.

Since I meet both these pre-qualifications this is a possibility so thanks for the suggestion.