I am having a .404 built on a 1909 action and I am wondering even after re-case hardnening will I have to keep my .404 loads to the orginal 400 gr @ 2100 fps ?? Even the starting loads in one of my manuals are above this ?? I am wondering wether in hind sight I may have been better doing my .404 on a cz ??

The action is according to my smith a good specimen, to my ignorant eye it also looks fine.

What do you folks think ??

1909 kept at low velocity?

huh? this would feel like a 22 compared to your nyati!!

howdy PC, been awhile!!
jeffe

Jeffo,

How are you mate ?? I have moved house etc. and my computer mudded it's unders hence my in frequent visiting of the forum.

I am sure I have bandwidth seperation anxiety...as I have been irritable and bad tempered whil not having access to this site

Yes the .404 will be for swallows

In all seriousness do 1909's have to be kept at orginal ballistics (2100 fps ?)

This is the Argentine 1909 action, right? So my question is why? I didn't know that the Argie 09 action was somehow defective. Another way to put it is, "What are the pressures you're talking about?"

PC,
would be a good one to run at least original velocities to start... these actions have held 458 win mag, 338, 35 norma, 300 win, etc etc etc....

hope your pc fiends it's way out of the ruts!!

.423 for swallows... don't shoot a buzzard, they'll fight back!!

jeffe

I have loaded mine up to 2653 FPS with a 400 gr. bullet. That was with 95 grs. of IMR-4831 (the only powder for the 404 BTW)...That load was tested for velocity and pressure at Nothfork Laboratories and passed in flying colors but their velocity was a bout a 100 FPS short of my chronographed velocities, due to barrel length of their test gun as I recall....That is one of the loads that Mike used in bullet development...

My regular load is 93 grs. of IMR-4831 for 2400 FPS...

RL-15 is my distant 2nd choice of powder for the 404......

I sure wouldn't shoot my 404 at 2100 anymore...I have shot Buffalo with it at that velocity and it sure worked just fine, but for some unknown reason, I feel better at 2400, its just one of those thumb sucking deals...my security nite-nite....

Thanks folks 2400 fps with the 400 gr woodleigh is all that is all that I want from this rifle and it looks as though I will be able to load to that. Ray I think the Aussie equivalent to the powder you mention is AR2208.

Ray, I was loading up some IMR4831 & 380grNF to ty this weekend. I am only looking @ 82gr, I'm hoping for 2200fps. Just for fun I put in 90gr & it almost fills the Norma case. Is your 93gr load compressed abit? Also, have you tried the Barnes 400gr solids?

You might want to ask Customstox about this. He was a participant in the making of an ACGG Mauser Action .404 Jeff Rifle a year of two ago. It was a beauty (there may even still be photos of it on the guild website) and I am sure he would know what such a rifle was capable of.

Blue

I would be interested in hearing more about that rifle. I am also wondering if there are any non premium .404 bullets out there ??