I am building a 404 Jeff on standard Mauser. I made my choice based on the history behind the cartridge/action (I'm a historian) and its reputation for temperate recoil (I've had multiple retina detachments). However, I made the decision before fully analyzing the ammo/components situation. Fortunately, shortly after acquiring the action a components deal popped up on the same auction site. For $330 US I picked up new CH dies, 89 new brass, and almost two boxes of Hornady 400 gr bullets. So I'm in pretty good shape. It's not a gun that will be spending a lot of time at the range anyway.
It seems most factory ammo made today is gassed up to 2300+ fps (400 gr bullets). I agree, with modern metallurgy it's just not necessary to push a projectile that heavy that fast to get the job done on dangerous game. Why don't manufacturers simply leave the 404 Jeff in the less recoil big bore niche rather than trying to bump it into 416 turf? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
I think the OP should give serious consideration to 404 Jeff. I'm sure it will continue growing in popularity. Ammo choices should improve.
Ladies & Gents,
I just proof-read my grumpy old man rant here.
And so, I apologize in advance to the OP and all others as well, for derailing this thread.
According to over 100 years of interesting history, maximum pressure / maximum velocity (= maximum recoil) are not needed with the .404 Jeffery.
High velocity is surely called for sometimes, in certain smaller calibers, in certain hunting scenarios, just not with the .404 and similar cartridges.
Be that as it may, I am all for somewhat higher velocity hunting cartridges, firing sharp pointed bullets, in some but not many circumstances.
For long shots at rodents and other vermin plus, a few worthy and usually smallish, hard to hit game animals residing in wide open geography / sparse foliage environments, reasonably high velocity (within recoil tolerance limits) and aerodynamic shaped projectiles are called for.
However, big game hunting, especially heavy / dangerous game hunting is, according to history, better served with large calibers and heavy, blunt shaped bullets, traveling at somewhere between about 2,000 fps and 2400 fps.
The .404 Jeffery (400 gr bullet @ about 2125 fps) was one of the best and still is.
Ontario Hunter,
I agree with you.
Ammunition makers should leave the .404 Jeffery in its original 400 gr bullet / approximately 2125 fps loading.
Likely the reason it gained its awesome reputation would be due to a 400 grain round nose bullet, at that velocity.
The softer bullets of the time did not usually (not usually) break into fragments, when striking large heavy bones at close range.
They generally penetrated well and bagged many thousands of elephant, rhino and buffalo at that velocity.
Of course, when the jacket material was too thin (vintage Kynoch), unwanted bullet fracture and shallow penetration predictably occurred.
Other makers evidently used proper jacket material and at adequate thickness as well.
Because the .404 enjoyed an awesome reputation, up to and including with many well seasoned elephant hunters.
More than a few hunters these days speak negatively about any bullet designed with a lead core and contained within a somewhat harder material “envelope” or “jacket”.
Even when the envelope is malleable steel, they don’t want it.
The buzz term lately appears to be, “cup and core”.
That descriptor seems to be most often used in derogatory context suggesting inadequacy.
My best guess is that this stems from today’s wide spread fascination with extra velocity cartridge designs.
I do agree with them specifically when jacketed lead core bullets are too light for caliber and loaded to higher velocity than the design was intended for, it is no surprise, they deform too violently, often even shattering = too shallow of penetration.
I recall a fellow moaning to me that he had destroyed the skins on some small animals, while hunting in Limpopo District, South Africa, with either 120 or 140 grain Swift A-Frame bullet hand loads, via his 7MM Remington Magnum.
The Limpopo area is primarily thorn forest, which equates to almost all shooting will be at relatively short range.
This fellow was clearly annoyed that he listened to my suggestion (part of my suggestion) that he use A-Frames bullets.
The part he chose to brush off his sleeve, like a cracker crumb, was where I said something about his preferred cartridge not being the best choice for where he would be hunting.
And that, there are better choices for most (most) Africa hunting conditions, name your country of preference.
Also I suggested that, if he insisted on using the 7mm Magnum anyway, I strongly recommended 160 to 175 grain bullets.
Many folks among the buying public are evidently so enamored with uber-high velocity that, the rifle bullet makers are reducing if not discontinuing their round nose designs, in favor of pointed, boat tail designs.
I have seen a photo of live ammunition for sale, loaded with rather pointy mono-metal bullets, even in .5oo Jeffery, 570 grain, (and a relatively small hole drilled into the tip).
Anyone familiar with this excellent charge stopper, no doubt would tell us that, it is definitely not a long range round.
And so, a 570 grain, pointed bullet, loaded into it, makes little to no sense whatsoever.
It appears that most of the hunting world today is infected with Velocity Madness.
Cheers,
Velo Dog.
store.prophetriver.com
