My .404 Jeffery is home

Gert Odendaal

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I am privileged to own a .404Jeffery since Sunday. I bought a .404 Jeff from a person with the name of Mike White, this rifle is 80 years of age. It was used to do the culling of elephants and buffaloes in the 1930 era, when the Ngana (sleeping sickness was rive in the Northern Natal , Themebe region) This rifle shot the last elephant in the Thembe region. I received 80 old ammo as well, and is in the process of shooting it out so I can have brass to reload. A few photos of the rifle and old ammo.

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Nice rifle Gert and a nice piece of history to go with it . if some of the kynoch ammo and boxes are in good condition might be worth keeping them as collector items.... Docman will now wet himself and be your newest best friend!! :kissy::biggrin2::beer:
 
Very nice Gert! I think I'd stop immediately from firing anymore of that ammo. .404 brass can be found, this shooting off ammo for the brass is not necessary. The old Kynoch boxes will only be worth that much more if they're partially/fully filled with ammo.

Besides Docman may stopping wetting himself if you stop shooting up that ammo, and a dry friend is much better than a wet one in my book.
 
I like your rifle, Gert, it looks as if it has a Mauser military action.

Am I right ?
 
Its grand to see another of the older rifles in such good condition coming to an apreciative shooter who will use it as it was intended to be used. Having introduced it to us there has to be a full detail release.

:ranger:
 
Nice rifle!
 
Very Nice and in very good shape its former owner must have taken very good care if it Congrats! and Welcome to AH!
 
..:welcome:.. to AH Gert. Beautiful rifle. You are so welcome at my campfire..anytime..but only if you stop shooting your Kynoch ammo..! :crying:
 
..:welcome:.. to AH Gert. Beautiful rifle. You are so welcome at my campfire..anytime..but only if you stop shooting your Kynoch ammo..! :crying:

Gentlemen, thank you kindly for the kind words regarding my new 80 years old rifle. It surely is a pleasure to have this rifle in my possession. Keep in mind that we really never own a rifle , we are only guardians, to guard over and cherish our precious possessions. These rifles will in later years be transfer to other guardians , whom we always hope will have compassion and love for these grand old rifles as we currently have. Regarding the 80 old ammo, I am enjoying shooting history, enjoying their performances, the long flame from the barrel, the back draft whipping around my face and ears...adrenalin rush,the push of the rifle butt in my shoulder, rocking me backwards it is beautiful .....:clapping::clapping:

Regarding the old ammunition, the Kynog ammo has Brendan primers , so it is not possible/worth the effort to reload it. That I will give up for collectors, but the other ammo is made to shoot, reload and hunt with it, as Mr Von Graff stated , we use it as it is attended to be used, no regrets, just pure honest fun. I will upload more photos of the rifle , especially when I shoot it to show you the long flame it sprouts from its business end.

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I like your rifle, Gert, it looks as if it has a Mauser military action.

Am I right ?

Good Evening to you Nyati, as far as I know, it is a vz 34 action, I stand to be corrected. I think the Mauser sniper rifles, 8x57 was build on these actions. If any member have some information regarding this vz 34 action I would love to know more about this military action. On one of the photos you will notice the thumb-hole is not filed out on the left of the receiver. That is a sure sign of a military action, and the stripperclip rebate is another tell tale regarding a military action, with the bolt handle bend downwards as not to get strangled in a soldier`s webbing and grass ect. A ll sure tell -tales of a military Mauser action.
 
I like the sights on it. I did notice notice too that the thumb-hole was not filed out too! Is the bolt easy to grasp and cycle with the way it is bent?
 
Thanks for the reply, Gert, and yes, you are right, the 8x57 sniper rifle was built on this action.

Congrtulations on this piece of history and enjoy it !
 
Thank you, Nyati, I was thinking about shooting the 80 years old ammo, I think what will really make it very special is if I manage to shoot a nice Kudu Bull with this old ammo, it surely will give a new meaning to hunting. I am sure it can not be repeated by anyone else? Only if they have older ammo than me....makes you think, it surely will be a very special achievement....
 
Thank you, Nyati, I was thinking about shooting the 80 years old ammo, I think what will really make it very special is if I manage to shoot a nice Kudu Bull with this old ammo, it surely will give a new meaning to hunting. I am sure it can not be repeated by anyone else? Only if they have older ammo than me....makes you think, it surely will be a very special achievement....

What a great rifle and in a classic cal. As I get older, my rifles and shotguns seem to do so as well. I think our ancient ancestors had it right and that spirits do inhabit weapons. When we go to the field with such classic arms, I an sure those shades are at our shoulders and looking down the sights with us.
 
Enysse/Red leg

Yes the bolt cycling is incredibly fast and smooth , even with the bolt handle bent down to ensure it did not snug into the webbing of a soldier. While cycling the bolt as fast as I possibly can to imitate shooting at an oncoming animal it is incredibly accurate. After every shot the stock return to its original position, lining up nicely for the next shot, immediately acquiring the target again. I thought of straight out the bolt handle, still contemplating this idea. I will file away the thumb notch. Add a Timney trigger, re-blue it again. Add a barrel band. Along the line I will make some changes to it , but not to many.
 
..:welcome:.. to AH Gert. Beautiful rifle. You are so welcome at my campfire..anytime..but only if you stop shooting your Kynoch ammo..! :crying:

Docman
I did not shoot the Kynoch-ammo, but I will like to sit around your campfire and talk about the old rifles who made their mark in Africa. I am sure it will take more than on campfire to sit around the fire and talk about old rifles. But I really will enjoy it . Where are you making your campfire , just give me a direction I will find it , I will bring the coffee kettle to brew some strong rich coffee.
Regards

Gert
 
Docman, I will like to sit around your campfire and talk about the old rifles that made their mark in Africa. I am sure it will take more than one campfire to sit around the fire and talk about old rifles. But I really will enjoy it . Where are you making your campfire , just give me a direction I will find it

..Gert, just follow the smoke to the big willow tree by the river, you will smell the coffee and will see my Jeffery leaning against my chair. Here's a thread I started last year, quite a bit of fun to read.. :biggrin2:

http://www.africahunting.com/375-up/7684-404-jeffery-ph's-point-view.html
 
Doc, I read a couple of pages of your linked post but there was little in the way of feeding a 404 addiction so for those who want to revel in a realy informative 404 history thread have a read through this link some of us worked on. Can email it to those who want it.
 
...., as far as I know, it is a vz 34 action,......

I only know the vz 24 and the vz 33, later modified to the G 33/40 for the "Wehrmacht". The vz 33 was in use as a sniper rifle in the Romanian army ( with IOR - riflescope ) during WWII.

Mannlicher
 

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