400 H&H

[Pheroze]

I LOVE the rifle but the expended cartridge damage shown isn't good.

There seems to be an issue with the loaded ammo I bought. My handloads did not have any problems. I started another thread about it

Thoughts on RCC brass

I bought some loaded ammunition for my 400 H&H. The case stuck and I had to knock it out. I pulled one bullet and measured everything. It all seemed to be in order. And, while I don't know the powder used, the weight of the charge was well within the range I would expect. From my pictures the...

www.africahunting.com

 

[CoElkHunter]

There seems to be an issue with the loaded ammo I bought. My handloads did not have any problems. I started another thread about it

Thoughts on RCC brass

I bought some loaded ammunition for my 400 H&H. The case stuck and I had to knock it out. I pulled one bullet and measured everything. It all seemed to be in order. And, while I don't know the powder used, the weight of the charge was well within the range I would expect. From my pictures the...

www.africahunting.com

That's GREAT news! Congrats on finally getting your dream rifle! Beautiful rifle BTW in a great cartridge.

 

[Pheroze]

That's GREAT news! Congrats on finally getting your dream rifle! Beautiful rifle BTW in a great cartridge.

Thank you! I really enjoy shooting it. It will be my goto for the foreseeable future

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Thank you! I really enjoy shooting it. It will be my goto for the foreseeable future

@Pheroze
There's only one thing better than a 35 Whelen and that's
A 400 WHELEN. Even more of an already good thing.
Bob

 

[Rosch]

There's only one thing better than a 35 Whelen and that's
A 400 WHELEN. Even more of an already good thing.
Bob

Dont You ever get tired, to say the same again and again???
I think, everybody in this forum knows already, that You like everything, which is connected to Whelen. Get a tatoo, name Your dog this way or paint it on Your house, but please spare this *Whelenmania* and pay some respect. Talk about the stuff, the threadowner wants to talk about ! And, he isnt talking about a Whelen, isnt he?

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

@Pheroze
There's only one thing better than a 35 Whelen and that's
A 400 WHELEN. Even more of an already good thing.
Bob

I wonder how the 400 H&H compares to the 400whelan, as in at normal large game ranges, does it really lack when compared
gumpy

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I wonder how the 400 H&H compares to the 400whelan, as in at normal large game ranges, does it really lack when compared
gumpy

@Grumpy gumpy
Stupid me read the post wrong.
I thought it said 400 Whelen but as usual I was wrong
The 400 H&H would be an awesome. Pity it's not a factory cartridge but hey what do I know.
Bob

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

My question was a serious one, I know there is a reasonable powder difference, but I was wondering how it would equate to use on game. A bit like the discussion on 416 rigby vs 416 rem mag. I don’t recall anyone having used both on here, the whelan and H&H that is.
And I did wonder about the whelen comment, but it was no reason for someone to get their knickers in a twist
gumpy

 

[Pheroze]

I am the first to admit the 400 H&H does not necessarily hold anything over any other 40 cal in the range. But, I do really like the case design. I also think it is like the middle bowl of porridge in the fable - it's just the right amount of everything to do what it is designed to do. Mine shoots like my 375 but will hit like a 416.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

The concept behind it is sound, and I agree that it looks good, it would be fairly simple to change from 375 to 400 for a better hitting cartridge, possibly just a barrel change.
gumpy

 

[Pheroze]

The concept behind it is sound, and I agree that it looks good, it would be fairly simple to change from 375 to 400 for a better hitting cartridge, possibly just a barrel change.
gumpy

Does need a reamer as the case is shaped so differently.

 

[steve white]

Wonder if a reamed 400 barrel would also require work to the feed rails?

IMO, the 400 H&H is a cartridge that, if you were dropped into this world with no knowledge of other similar cartridges, would be an instant hit, and acquit itself well in the hunting fields. I like it, but wonder about availability.
I wonder if my 375 H&H Sako safari could be reamed out and converted? Any ideas?

 

[steve white]

Hey guys,
rebated rim?
Here's the interesting story (from Wikipedia) about that rebated rim and a big game cartridge, which never made it actually:

The .425 Westley Richards (11x67mmRB) is one of the classic African big-game rounds. It is a cartridge invented by Leslie Bown Taylor of Westley Richards, a gunmaking firm of Birmingham England in 1909 as a proprietary cartridge for their bolt-action rifles.

Since before 1912 Rigby were Mauser agents in the UK and managed to persuade Oberndorf to develop and produce special Magnum actions for them, other British companies who wanted to compete with their .400/350 Nitro Express big five game hunting rifles had to improvise and use standard-length Gewehr 98 actions, which only allow approximately 84 mm cartridges to fit into the magazine (a bonus was having a shorter bolt throw).

The round was the first in Great Britain (and the first major in the world) to have a rebated rim, one that is smaller in diameter than the case body, an invention which Taylor patented in 1908. This allowed it to be used in converted G98 rifles with standard bolt faces and not have them weakened by widening.

However, it complicated the magazine design: when the cartridge is pushed forward and the bullet rides up the feed ramp, smaller diameter rim dives down and tends to slip under the bolt face (especially in absence of special measures to ensure reliable feeding), which may cause a serious jam. To solve this problem, Taylor developed (and patented in 1909 a proprietary single-stack magazine akin to Belgian Mauser, which similarly extended below the stock. However, many rifles were and are nevertheless produced with standard G98-type flush double stack, double feed magazine, which works quite well as long as the spring remains strong enough.

The rebated rim also allows government game officers and authorized hunters to use standard stripper clips for rapid reloads when culling rogue animal.



View attachment 580766

OT, but those measurements are not that far off from the 11.2x60, are they?

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Does need a reamer as the case is shaped so differently.

I should have stated that as a given, my bad. I was alluding more to what Steve White queried with the feed rails.
gumpy

 

[Riflecrank]

Keyholing ?

 

[Riflecrank]

About the .425 WR:

"The round was the first in Great Britain (and the first major in the world) to have a rebated rim, one that is smaller in diameter than the case body, an invention which Taylor patented in 1908."

I learned something there.
I would have thought the Germans were doing rebated rims before anyone else.
Having to qualify it with "major" does make me suspicious.

 

[Pheroze]

Keyholing ?

I don't believe so. They overlapped. I will take it out again soon and see. I am hoping to try different loads soon too.

 

[Pheroze]

Wonder if a reamed 400 barrel would also require work to the feed rails?

IMO, the 400 H&H is a cartridge that, if you were dropped into this world with no knowledge of other similar cartridges, would be an instant hit, and acquit itself well in the hunting fields. I like it, but wonder about availability.
I wonder if my 375 H&H Sako safari could be reamed out and converted? Any ideas?

I don't see why not.

 

[Wyfox]

Another great bullet option for the 400

.411 Cal-377gr Shock Hammer™ - Hammer Bullets

This is our heaviest of the .411 Cal Hammer Bullets. It is a bit longer in the nose, so will likely be a bit long for the 405 Winchester lever actions. It should work well in the single shot rifles as well as bolt actions. This will be a great option for guys that have built dangerous game...

hammerbullets.com

 

[smokepole]

could a pre 64 375 h&h be rebored to 400 h&h or do you need to do a new barrel. Thanks