Dream about a 404 or 450/400?

[shuter]

In the fantasy world I like to escape to I see myself getting one...imagine the opportunity to get one of these in a quality rifle...which one is it? I know they are ballistically very close but which one grabs you and why?

Really boils down to whether you hanker for a double/single-shot or a bolt gun, I think. To me, the .450-400 3" (aka .400 Jeffery) has a history and an allure that makes it special. I picked up a Boddington Ruger #1 and love it. Something about the big, rimmed Nitro Express cartridges is very appealing.

Also, in terms of effectiveness, the two rounds fire virtually identical bullets within 100 fps or so of each other, as 2,150 is easily achievable in any rifle chambered to the .450-400. Not sure 100 fps would be detectable to a game animal within the useful range of these cartridges. Both rounds are cool!

 

[bluey]

just starting to yearn for a 404 or maybe a 416, not sure yet ,im told that a 404 can be loaded up to the same energy as a 416.
it will be my first left handed riffle , and even tho l don't really have a use for a firearm that big , just right now , I rekon sooner rather than later ,one will be in my safe

ive already decided that she will blued with a wooden stock , that's going to stun my kids , as l'm a plastic ,stainless type dude.

 

[stug]

My 404 has 400gr Woodleigh RN going just over 2300fps out of a 25" barrel. That is tapping on the heels of a 416 Rigby. You know you have pulled the trigger but it is not uncomfortable.

 

[Velo Dog]

My 404 has 400gr Woodleigh RN going just over 2300fps out of a 25" barrel. That is tapping on the heels of a 416 Rigby. You know you have pulled the trigger but it is not uncomfortable.

Then there is the occasional nut like me who, in not finding an affordable .404, gave up and bought a .416, only to load my ammunition down to original Pre-War .404 ballistics.
If I ever was to plan on taking it to "you know where" for DG, I would slowly but surely man-up with my hand loads until I was training well with proper Rigby ballistics.
I have fired other rifles which gave more recoil than the .416 and I am still alive.

 

[Rob404]

just starting to yearn for a 404 or maybe a 416, not sure yet ,im told that a 404 can be loaded up to the same energy as a 416.
it will be my first left handed riffle , and even tho l don't really have a use for a firearm that big , just right now , I rekon sooner rather than later ,one will be in my safe

ive already decided that she will blued with a wooden stock , that's going to stun my kids , as l'm a plastic ,stainless type dude.

I think CZ makes a Lefty in those calibers

 

[sierraone]

just starting to yearn for a 404 or maybe a 416, not sure yet ,im told that a 404 can be loaded up to the same energy as a 416.
it will be my first left handed riffle , and even tho l don't really have a use for a firearm that big , just right now , I rekon sooner rather than later ,one will be in my safe

ive already decided that she will blued with a wooden stock , that's going to stun my kids , as l'm a plastic ,stainless type dude.

Another convert in the making!

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

In the fantasy world I like to escape to I see myself getting one...imagine the opportunity to get one of these in a quality rifle...which one is it? I know they are ballistically very close but which one grabs you and why?

I dream of 450/400Jeffery because I have 404 Jeffery.
Witold

 

[Heym 88]

I had the same thoughts as the OP. I guess I'm backwards from everybody else. I opted for a 450/400 in a Heym double, and as accurate as this thing shoots, never regretted my decision. Of course would love a bolt in ,404. That would make me happy too !!

 

[ActionBob]

ive already decided that she will blued with a wooden stock , that's going to stun my kids , as l'm a plastic ,stainless type dude.

Welcome back from the dark side bluey... With handle like yours one would expect nothing but finely blued metal works

 

[ve7poi]

built mine on a Winchester 70 controlled round feed that was a 416 rem mag .
Outside of mag box two little bumps need to be ground off then it's three down and one in chamber.

 

[Odinsraven]

My winter project is messing around with savage actions .... just ordered a barrel or 2 to see how it goes ......

First is a 318wr then probably the 425 wr then will see the possibility of the 404 ...

Well as daylight has almost left us until spring .......

 

[Rob404]

My winter project is messing around with savage actions .... just ordered a barrel or 2 to see how it goes ......

First is a 318wr then probably the 425 wr then will see the possibility of the 404 ...

Well as daylight has almost left us until spring .......

I also mess with Savage actions, the bolt makes it EZ to do Normal Swaps, Iv'e never done anything exotic, just swaps from 243 to 223, 308 to 7MM-08 and 30-06 to 338-06 Keep us posted

 

[Odinsraven]

I also mess with Savage actions, the bolt makes it EZ to do Normal Swaps, Iv'e never done anything exotic, just swaps from 243 to 223, 308 to 7MM-08 and 30-06 to 338-06 Keep us posted

This will be my first experience with Savage rifles however from what I have read and understood the switch to 318wr from 3006 should be straightforward ...

If successful then the next move will be the 425 wr ...got some brass and dies in RSA a couple of years back ...so will see how it goes ....... just get a reamer for my gunsmith and see

 

[AZDAVE]

Savage actions make testing projects allot cheaper (did that with the 9.3x62 before I built a custom on a mauser action)and every savage I have shot has been very accurate. The action isn't the most attractive on the market but they are easy to work with and put shots on target. Keep telling myself I need to put some nice wood on one and see how it looks. I know some will give me the silk purse/sow's ear comparison. But then again the owner is the only person that really has to like it.

 

[8x68]

Gotta go 404. Built mine on a M70 CRF in 375H&H. Gunsmith installed a Pac-Nor 25" barrel, made a couple of cuts to the extractor, worked the feed ramp a bit, opened up the barrel channel, and "bob's your uncle" a 404!
I have a 404 (mild ouch), 416 Rigby (heavier ouch), and 450 Rigby (S.O.B of an ouch!). I think the 404 is the nicest to shoot. My 404 prefers 400gr Woodleigh bullets vs 400gr Hornady DGX at the moment. Have 350gr & 450gr Woodleighs just haven't had the time to shoot them yet. What's amazing is that all the big bores I have shoot less than MOA off the bench at 100yds.

 

[Rob404]

The killer with Savages is you will spend the money, but the resale value will never be there, Thats why I kept my Mod down to a Barrel and Bolt head swapping, I will say Savages shoot a lot better than their Price point my 338-06 and 7mm-08 are cheap to re-load and are really accurate, I use Apache Arms Barrels and think they are really well made