Double rifle in .405 Winchester

[sestoppelman]

The listing, down in text you will find reference to the .405 double. https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...rifle-cal-30-30-or-7x57r.cfm?gun_id=101971921

A 405 double is not unheard of, but the 3" NE makes me think its a typo or custom caliber.

 

[Jgarner197]

A 405 double is not unheard of, but the 3" NE makes me think its a typo or custom caliber.

I just got an email response back from Whitworth Arms and the 405 3” NE is a wildcat. Sadly the EU he states has made this little project impossible to complete as they will not allow Wildcat cartridges. I did ask if in “theory” a standard 405 Winchester could be done.

Here was his response verbatim:

Straight 405 not very interesting, no real improvement over a 9.3x74R which are fairly common and inexpensive. No good bullets available for DG. That's the reason they are not offered by Chapuis, Merkel etc.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I just got an email response back from Whitworth Arms and the 405 3” NE is a wildcat. Sadly the EU he states has made this little project impossible to complete as they will not allow Wildcat cartridges. I did ask if in “theory” a standard 405 Winchester could be done.

Here was his response verbatim:

That sucks.. You should tell him a wildcat with little brass availability (I’m sure) isn’t very interesting either lol

 

[Jgarner197]

That sucks.. You should tell him a wildcat with little brass availability (I’m sure) isn’t very interesting either lol

I had something very close to that typed up and chose to just delete it and not respond lol

 

[sestoppelman]

I just got an email response back from Whitworth Arms and the 405 3” NE is a wildcat. Sadly the EU he states has made this little project impossible to complete as they will not allow Wildcat cartridges. I did ask if in “theory” a standard 405 Winchester could be done.

Here was his response verbatim:

I had a hunch that might be it. There is such a thing as .405 basic brass that one can buy. Its overlong to be trimmed to desired length.

 

[HWL]

I just got an email response back from Whitworth Arms and the 405 3” NE is a wildcat. Sadly the EU he states has made this little project impossible to complete as they will not allow Wildcat cartridges. I did ask if in “theory” a standard 405 Winchester could be done.

Here was his response verbatim:

Wildcat cartridges are allowed in the EU.

Because of CIP in most EU countries, CIP regulations have to be followed.

But finally, you go to the proof house, your firearm is tested and you get your proof marks on your rifle.

A .405 3" doesn't make much sense.... a .450/400 2 3/8" NE, aka 10,3x60R Swiss is practically identical to the bullet diameter and performance you can expect.

Just my two cents


HWL

 

[Hunter-Habib]

The Belgian brand, Raick Freres made more double rifles in this caliber than perhaps any other gunmaker in Belgium. The double will allow a hand loader to seat their bullets further out, thus increasing case capacity,

Yes, the .405 Winchester can (within reasonable limitations) be used very successfully against a lot of African game. A gentleman I know used a Raick Freres boxlock ejector in .405 Winchester for leopard. His preferred load is:
Hornady case + 300Gr Barnes TSX + 55.5Gr RL15. He gets 2136 fps out of his rifle, but getting the damn thing to regulate with this load was hell.

 

[crs]

H-H,
Thank you for your post above on the .405 DR . Such knowledge is rather uncommon.

I also have a .405 DR which regulates with 300grain Hornady bullets at 2250 fps and 400 grain Woodleigh bullets at 2100 fps.
My other .405 WCF is an 1895 Winchester that chambers the 400 grain Woodleigh bullets crimped at the cannelure and kills Cape buffalo and water buffalo quite well. It also kills all it shoots. The ballistics are such that with 300 or 400 grain NF solids it is up to any African game. I have not taken them all yet but am working on it.

 

[crs]

HWL stated "A .405 3" doesn't make much sense.... a .450/400 2 3/8" NE, aka 10,3x60R Swiss is practically identical to the bullet diameter and performance you can expect."

HWL, will you please educate me on some 450/400 terminology?
I am not accustomed to seeing the 2 3/8" NE used to describe this cartridge. I have seen Hornady 3 inch, Kynoch 3 inch, and Kynoch 3 3/4 inch on boxes of ammo. Confused I am.

Hornady ammo box also lists 400 grain muzzle velocity to be 2050 fps and I have found that t is sufficient for Cape Buffalo.

Thank you,
CRS

 

[Hunter-Habib]

H-H,
Thank you for your post above on the .405 DR . Such knowledge is rather uncommon.

I also have a .405 DR which regulates with 300grain Hornady bullets at 2250 fps and 400 grain Woodleigh bullets at 2100 fps.
My other .405 WCF is an 1895 Winchester that chambers the 400 grain Woodleigh bullets crimped at the cannelure and kills Cape buffalo and water buffalo quite well. It also kills all it shoots. The ballistics are such that with 300 or 400 grain NF solids it is up to any African game. I have not taken them all yet but am working on it.

Thank you, crs. Ever used Barnes 300Gr TSX in your .405s ?

 

[crs]

H-H,
I have used the 300 grain TSX on Nilgai and red 300 pound red deer and they shot through and were not recovered , but for Mono solids on DG, I am committed to North Fork because of past successes. Over the years I have accumulated .405 and .458 loads that were dramatic successes in Africa and the US and they get the call when the game is big and bad.
Heck, I have good proven Leopard loads 0f 300 grain Nosler PP which create DRT on shin skinned game, but are only for thin skinned critters.
I got hooked on NF back when the only Barnes bullets were smooth sided and fouled the barrels.