404 Jeffery - coated HC boolits?

[Jack Stevens]

Hi guys!

New to this board, but not to the .404 Jeff.

I've been handloading for my rifle for some years now using jacketed bullets but would like to try coated hard casts, if available - specifically a 400grn. .424 dia boolit.

Anyone know who currently offers such boolits for sale?

Failing that, are there any hard-cast mold makers in the U.S. offering a 400grn/.424 mold for Jeffrey shooters to make their own?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Nevada Mike]

Accurate Moulds makes moulds for .404J bullets. I was directed to them by another AH member.

 

[bruce moulds]

steve brooks will make a mould to your design.
bruce.

 

[cmk]

I might be "that member" .

Accurate Molds are quick and provide a great service.

I basically went through their catalogue of existing shapes and specified the basic model I wanted, and the exact measurements. After some emailing back and forth these turned up in the catalogue as the 43-350K and 43-400K.

To understand what measurements would be best for your rifle, you should probably make a chamber cast or 'slug the barrel'.

I use a blend of wheel weights, linotype and pure lead for casting, and then powder coat and gas check the bullets and size them to .425

 

[Jack Stevens]

steve brooks will make a mould to your design.
bruce.

Thank you!

Is Steve a member here? Or would you have his contact info? Thanks.

 

[Jack Stevens]

Accurate Moulds makes moulds for .404J bullets. I was directed to them by another AH member.

I might be "that member" .

Accurate Molds are quick and provide a great service.

I basically went through their catalogue of existing shapes and specified the basic model I wanted, and the exact measurements. After some emailing back and forth these turned up in the catalogue as the 43-350K and 43-400K.

To understand what measurements would be best for your rifle, you should probably make a chamber cast or 'slug the barrel'.

I use a blend of wheel weights, linotype and pure lead for casting, and then powder coat and gas check the bullets and size them to .425

Thanks, I'll try contacting them.

 

[bruce moulds]

jack, just google steve brooks moulds and you will find his website.
bruce.

 

[Jack Stevens]

I might be "that member" .

Accurate Molds are quick and provide a great service.

I basically went through their catalogue of existing shapes and specified the basic model I wanted, and the exact measurements. After some emailing back and forth these turned up in the catalogue as the 43-350K and 43-400K.

Mould 43-400J is what his webpage is showing for the .404 Jeff. Maybe that's new? Is that the same mould you have?

He also doesn't specify resulting diameter out of the mould. How are you getting .425 dia.? Maybe I'm not following how it's supposed to work. Thanks!

 

[bruce moulds]

brooks moulds will cast very close (less than 0.001") to what you order.
the beauty of this is no sizing is required.
another website to try is buffalo arms.
they list everything as out of stock, but will make the mould, and their moulds are excellent quality.
does powder coating add thickness?
bruce.

 

[cmk]

@Jack Stevens
No I have the K variant. I don't recall exactly how it came about, but it was something like "I like the 43-400J, but I want to have a wider meplat, and thicker nose".

I slugged my barrel and measured it to .424, so I wanted the bullet to drop out of the mould at no less than .425. I did measure the throat section in order to get a bullet with a snug fit. There are Youtube videos describing the process of slugging and/or making a chamber cast.

Most of the other measurements (like width and depth of lube grooves etc) are not from me, but are suggestions from Accurate.

So you (the customer) specify the diameter you want to have, and what alloy you plan to use. Accurate will calculate how much larger the mould has to be to allow for shrinkage as the lead cools.

There is another forum very much dedicated to bullet casting and of course a ton of videos on youtube.

Send me a PM if you want to know more.

 

[bruce moulds]

just looked at buffalo arms moulds.
they have one called jim 424400 specifically for 400 jeffery.
they can make it 425 rather than 424 if that is what you want.
it is actually quite a nice looking bullet.
bruce.

 

[Proneshooter]

Mould 43-400J is what his webpage is showing for the .404 Jeff. Maybe that's new? Is that the same mould you have?

He also doesn't specify resulting diameter out of the mould. How are you getting .425 dia.? Maybe I'm not following how it's supposed to work. Thanks!

Jack,
Actually it does specify the diameter. Click on the design your looking at and a drawing will come up specific to the bullet chosen. The drawings are a bit "busy" with all the numbers but that design is spec'd to come out of the mold at .426 and the 43-400K is speced at .425. Yes powder coating will add to the diameter. Lee used to make custom push through sizers but the last I looked they are no longer doing custom sizes, you may want to give them a call and see what they say. The push through design is the best method I have found for powder coated bullets.

 

[Jack Stevens]

just looked at buffalo arms moulds.
they have one called jim 424400 specifically for 400 jeffery.
they can make it 425 rather than 424 if that is what you want.
it is actually quite a nice looking bullet.
bruce.

I saw they had this mould, but it's listed as 'Out of Stock' unfortunately.

Product # JIM-4244400, a 2- cavity mould (so I assume it cranks out 2 boolits at a time(?)). Takes Saeco handles.

.424

Buffalo Arms Company Quality Doube Cavity Cast Bullet Mould for 404 Jeffrey chambered firearms. Nominal diameter .424", round nose weighing 400 grains. ***Uses Saeco Handles ***

www.buffaloarms.com

The barrel on my .404 is a McGowen, chrome-moly. The bore is right at .423. So this .424 dia/400gn mould looks to be what I need. If I powder coat them, it would go to .425(?)

 

[bruce moulds]

jack,
they seem to make them for orders unless a very popular model.
order it and it won't take long.
it certainly would look nice in a loaded round.
on request they can change the diameter.
bruce.

 

[Jack Stevens]

jack,
they seem to make them for orders unless a very popular model.
order it and it won't take long.
it certainly would look nice in a loaded round.
on request they can change the diameter.
bruce.

Thanks for the info, Bruce!

 

[Ray B]

Photos of the Accurate Moulds model for 404 Jeffery, called the 42-375J. I haven't miked the bullets but they work well in the 404 J , Lothar-Walther barrel.

 

[deewayne2003]

I have been curious about the powder coated bullets also.... Does anyone have a source where they can be purchased ready to go?

 

[Jack Stevens]

Photos of the Accurate Moulds model for 404 Jeffery, called the 42-375J. I haven't miked the bullets but they work well in the 404 J , Lothar-Walther barrel.

View attachment 391643View attachment 391644

Another question, for you guys who have any of these 404J moulds, is: are you using gas checks (and with or without the powder coating)?

An acquaintance who makes and sells HC bullets (no 404J mould, unfortunately) said I'll need to find or make GCs to run these bullets above 1600fps.

Where do you obtain the correct size GCs for .424-dia Jeff bullets?

 

[Nevada Mike]

It is my understanding that most .404 cast bullet makers use a .44 gas check.

 

[Ray B]

Another question, for you guys who have any of these 404J moulds, is: are you using gas checks

Where do you obtain the correct size GCs for .424-dia Jeff bullets?

Mostly I load them without gaschecks- reduced/low velocity loads for "range time". I've put a few 44mag gaschecks through the .423" sizer die and they work, but I'm concerned about damage to the die, so my son is making a form to reduce the gas checks from .429 to 423. the only problem is that it seems everything including gas checks have gotten to be scarce.