400 H&H

[matt85]

Your right and no offense taken but since when are gun nuts sensible??

a valid point indeed! I happen to be living proof of your statement.

-matt

 

[zephyr]

there is the new 465 H&H I forgot to mention.

-matt

I mentioned in my post above it's not on the list of cartridges cause it's parent case was a 378 Weatherby. The ones mentioned all generate from the same parent cartridge. Been in the Holland and Holland store in NYC they have a 465H&H there it's pretty spectacular in every way, but it should be for the price..

 

[Pheroze]

I like the H&H collection! Isnt the 416 Rem Mag based on the 375 too? So it works for the collection, but not as fun as the 400 H&H

 

[zephyr]

The 416Rem was based on the 8mm Rem which was based on the 375H&H..

 

[matt85]

The 416Rem was based on the 8mm Rem which was based on the 375H&H..

correct, but it isnt too hard to make 416 RM brass from 375 H&H brass. just neck 375 H&H up to 416" then fire form the brass with a light/moderate load. the cases will run short but will still be very serviceable. ive made extensive use of converted 375 H&H brass in my 416 RM and have had no issues.

my fire forming load is 75gr of W760 under a 400gr Hornady SP which yields serviceable accuracy at around 2150 fps. once fire formed i typically use the cases with 79gr of IMR 4064 under a 350gr Speer hot-cor bullet for a nice practice load at just under 2500 fps.

-matt

 

[Pheroze]

Sorry this thread seems to have escaped me....
Been shooting and loading for the 400H&H since 2011. Got the 400H&H bug from Duke McCaa and his son of Gulf Breeze Fire Arms after meeting them at the SCI show 2010. Gulf Breeze is a Dakota dealer and they have been selling 400H&H bored Dakota's for some time.
I have shot numerous animals with the 400 including a Cape Buff in Zim in 2012. Can't say enough about this cartridge other than there is no commercial loadings for this round or SAAMI specs, there are a few custom loaders like Superior that loads for the 400H&H.
It will push a 400gr bullet at 2400fps for the magical 5000lbs of energy and send a 300gr TSX down range at 2700fps. Perhaps it is the stock dynamics of my gun but, it's is a very soft shooter and the cartridge feeds extremely easy. Some of the .411 dia bullets on the market are, Barnes, Hornady, Northfork, CEB, Swift and Hawk. Varget, RL15 or H4895 will get you down range.
My rifle started with a new Win mod 70 in 375H&H, a Shilen barrel in .411 dia was chambered and fitted with irons and a Z6 1x6 scope. So far it seems to shoot everything I have put through it sub MOA.
Let me know if I can help I'm not that far from Ontario....

Still tinkering with this idea...it seems to address the criticism of the 375 on larger game but still useful on plains game.

The. 411 diameter bullets are listed for the 405 winchester. Any issue with the integrity of the bullets at the higher fps? I was thinking that at 2700 fps they are outside of their design specs.

Also, did you use solids on your Buffalo?

Thanks.

 

[zephyr]

The 300gr Barnes is more than adequate at velocities of 26-2700fps, I have shot two cow elk with this combo at 100 and 150yrds great performance. A good example of lack of integrity is Hornady's 300gr .411 interlock which was designed for the 405 win. At 2700fps it turns everything into a grey mist, make for a great woodchuck load.
I had CEB turn a .411 dia 400gr solid and 370 gr Raptor which they still have in inventory I shot my Buff with the 370gr Raptor. I have a Buff and Eland hunt in the works for the fall of 2017 and I am thinking of using NorthForks 360gr Soft if I take this rifle.
The folks at New England Custom Gun have reamers for this cartridge and they have done more than a handful of 400H&Hs.
I see that you are in the Ontario area, I live in north central Vermont if you have any interest in shooting my rifle.

 

[Pheroze]

Thanks, I really appreciate the offer. When I am back from my first safari this summer I may take you up on it!

I really like the cartridge but the availability of components and dies has me concerned.

 

[Pheroze]

I still keep circling around this cartridge like a moon. Here is a recent article that has me thinking again.

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/2/27/not-a-question-of-need-the-400-hh-magnum/

If my 308 Norma project is a success I may just update my 375 to this next.

 

[Pheroze]

The 300gr Barnes is more than adequate at velocities of 26-2700fps, I have shot two cow elk with this combo at 100 and 150yrds great performance. A good example of lack of integrity is Hornady's 300gr .411 interlock which was designed for the 405 win. At 2700fps it turns everything into a grey mist, make for a great woodchuck load.
I had CEB turn a .411 dia 400gr solid and 370 gr Raptor which they still have in inventory I shot my Buff with the 370gr Raptor. I have a Buff and Eland hunt in the works for the fall of 2017 and I am thinking of using NorthForks 360gr Soft if I take this rifle.
The folks at New England Custom Gun have reamers for this cartridge and they have done more than a handful of 400H&Hs.
I see that you are in the Ontario area, I live in north central Vermont if you have any interest in shooting my rifle.

I saw that Swift has 350gr and 400 gr in 0.410. Also, their new solid in .410. Do you know how this bullet will do considering it is 0.001 undersized?

 

[zephyr]

Mr. Boddington was pretty non- committal in his article and seemed a bit hung up on the fact that the 400 grn cartridges that he shot did not exceed 2400fps, (not quite sure that an animal would notice a 70 fps difference).
The 400H&H for all intensive purposes is still a Wild Cat as there have not been any SAAMI pressure testing done. I have been loading .411 dia CEB bullets and feel very comfortable with a 400grn bullet crossing my chronograph at 2400fps.
Swift does make a .411 dia 35o bullet, I have a box on my shelf and NorthFork makes a 360grn .411 bullet that I think I will be taking to Zim this August.
Shooting a bullet 0.001 undersized should not effect accuracy but a steady diet may have some effect on the throat but this is a question that is better left to the accuracy and barrel boys on this forum.
I have had some trouble loading .410dia bullets with my C&H dies, not getting enough neck tension I have turned down an expander ball but to no avail, may have to turn it down some more or purchase a collett die.
Having the option of shooting .410 dia bullets certainly opens up a few more options for bullet selections, be cautious though as many of those bullets were made for the the 450-400 and may not perform at the higher velocities from a 400H&H.
The invite still stands if you want to visit and shoot my 400 when the weather warms.

 

[Pheroze]

Thanks, for the info and the invite! I'll pm you about that.

 

[Jimbob]

Zephyr, the 400 H&H isn't a wildcat as it's CIP registered. Pressure is set at 63,817 psi.

 

[zephyr]

Jimbob, thanks is there a site that shows CIP registered pressures?

 

[Pheroze]

That's a good start. Maybe someone will publish load data soon. I checked with Woodleigh and they don't have any for their bullets.

 

[zephyr]

There is a collection of load data in Pierre van der Walt's African Dangerous Game Cartridges but no pressure data.

 

[Jimbob]

Jimbob, thanks is there a site that shows CIP registered pressures?

Sure is http://www.cip-bobp.org/homologation/en/tdcc_public?page=1&cartridge_type_id=3

 

[Pheroze]

There is a collection of load data in Pierre van der Walt's African Dangerous Game Cartridges but no pressure data.

I bought the book. I could only get the Kindle version. So I downloaded the app...The charts are completely illegible and I can not figure out how to zoom on them. Stupid app. I contacted Kindle so hopefully I will get this info.

The writeup about the 400 H&H certainly discloses the genius of the cartridge.

 

[Albert GRANT]

Mr. Boddington was pretty non- committal in his article and seemed a bit hung up on the fact that the 400 grn cartridges that he shot did not exceed 2400fps, (not quite sure that an animal would notice a 70 fps difference).
The 400H&H for all intensive purposes is still a Wild Cat as there have not been any SAAMI pressure testing done. I have been loading .411 dia CEB bullets and feel very comfortable with a 400grn bullet crossing my chronograph at 2400fps.
Swift does make a .411 dia 35o bullet, I have a box on my shelf and NorthFork makes a 360grn .411 bullet that I think I will be taking to Zim this August.
Shooting a bullet 0.001 undersized should not effect accuracy but a steady diet may have some effect on the throat but this is a question that is better left to the accuracy and barrel boys on this forum.
I have had some trouble loading .410dia bullets with my C&H dies, not getting enough neck tension I have turned down an expander ball but to no avail, may have to turn it down some more or purchase a collett die.
Having the option of shooting .410 dia bullets certainly opens up a few more options for bullet selections, be cautious though as many of those bullets were made for the the 450-400 and may not perform at the higher velocities from a 400H&H.
The invite still stands if you want to visit and shoot my 400 when the weather warms.

Thanks, for the info and the invite! I'll pm you about that.

Zephyr's offer is an honest one and he's a good guy, I'd take him up on it. I stopped in when I was in VT and had a good chat with him. Got to see some sweet rifles too!

 

[BC.Pat]

Mr Martini has made some beautiful 400H&H http://www.martinigunmakers.com/actions.htm

cheers
Pat