.404 JEFFERY - A Professional Hunter point of view

[Gert Odendaal]

The 404 Jeff is as deadly and devastatingly effective now as it was in 1905. Using premium ammunition available today, it is more suited for dangerous game than the 375 H&H.

It is a much overlooked calibre by modern day hunters, who seem to prefer more modern day calibres, which is a shame.

400 gr (26 g) 2,300 ft/s (700 m/s) 4,698 ft·lbf (6,370 J)
450 gr (29 g) 2,150 ft/s (660 m/s) 4,620 ft·lbf (6,260 J)

I definitely agree, all you really need in Africa is a Mauser 404 Jeffery and a Mauser 8x57 JS caliber rifle....nothing more....

 

[Rob404]

I get 2363fps out of my Jeff using 84gs of Win760 it's also proven to be the most accurate of all the powders I tested

 

[IvW]

Excellent! All that is needed.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

At this stage my 404 Jeffery is the most accurate rifle with open sights I have, I did scope it and increased the accuracy a lot since I can see what I am aiming at now..the only down side is I am not able to use it for fast shooting now...not that I will be hunting dangerous game anytime soon...

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I think that calibre 404Jeffery is versatile.
I use cartridges from RWS with nose bullet 400gr ( 26g ) and from Hornady with DGX bullet 400gr.
Caliber 404Jeffery is excellent for dangerous game.
Witold

 

[rookhawk]

The .404J is being unfairly compared to other cartridges, miserable cartridges at that!

.404j has 15% more recoil than a .375HH and does significantly more damage. That sums it up. A true magnum power cartridge that doesn't hurt to shoot. .416, and .458 do not fit the "pleasing to fire" test.

 

[John458Lott]

"When a client shows up in camp with a .375 Holland & Holland, you immediately know that have a practical and able chap as a customer, a wise and knowledgeable hunter who will listen to reason.

When a client shows up in camp with a .458 Win Mag, you know that most likely the only experience the hunter has had is reading the pages of Outdoor Life magazine, probably 30-year-old editions.

When a client shows up in camp with a Remington or Weatherby in any caliber, you know the hunter's experience probably does not extend past the clerk at the gun counter.

When a client arrives with a double rifle, you know you have an elitist for a customer, much like the guy coming down the charter-boat dock at the marina carrying a fly rod, and you approach him with caution.

When a client shows up with a .416 Rigby, you know you have someone who has studied and respects the rich history and traditions of the sport of dangerous-game hunting.

But when a client shows up in camp with a .404 Jeffery, you know this is someone who cares enough about said history and traditions to go to the immense trouble of obtaining and loading a rifle long sacrificed to the gods of mass production and commercialism. You take a liking to this guy immediately."

Very cool Doc.

What do you call a client who has a 375 H&H, a 404 Jeffery & a 458 Lott but turns up with only his 375 for his first Cape Buffalo Hunt? A fool?

But next time I'll bring the 404J. Promise!

Mind you the 375 performed superbly! Its only adequate for Buffalo but just the right side of adequate.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Sometimes I wonder where this crap comes from?

I know if I had a experienced or non experienced hunter book a hunt and he showed up with a brand new Heym Martini Mauser in .404J and a few boxes of premium factory ammo. I would not only feel that he was properly armed for anything. I would probably try to buy or trade him out of that rifle (and ammo).

I wish the client that we have in the field today was using my .404J instead of my .375 H&H.

Oh well, at least most of these posts are very old!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Classic time proven dangerous game caliber with lots of African history ( being the standard issue rifle of most colonial era game departments ) .

Here are a couple of scans from James Purdey’s 1946 and 1968 catalogs , respectively . Even from the time when Purdey first started to make bolt action rifles , the .404 Jeffery was always an offering .

 

[Rare Breed]

LOL!!! This is going to create an interesting thread Doc sure knows how to get it started.... I like it

I would disagree with your doubles comment. Based on this forum those of us with doubles certainly did not start there. We buy them based on nostalgia and the study of hunters of yesteryear. I my self hunted over 40 years before I bought my first double and it was not my first gun on an Africa hunt. I have owned two 416 Rigbys…nice gun but certainly not the be all end all whatsoever

 

[Nevada Mike]

I have read the same quote that the OP posted - somewhere years ago.

In an case .404J is my choice even before I knew it was coool.

 

[Martin77]

"When a client shows up in camp with a .375 Holland & Holland, you immediately know that have a practical and able chap as a customer, a wise and knowledgeable hunter who will listen to reason.

When a client shows up in camp with a .458 Win Mag, you know that most likely the only experience the hunter has had is reading the pages of Outdoor Life magazine, probably 30-year-old editions.

When a client shows up in camp with a Remington or Weatherby in any caliber, you know the hunter's experience probably does not extend past the clerk at the gun counter.

When a client arrives with a double rifle, you know you have an elitist for a customer, much like the guy coming down the charter-boat dock at the marina carrying a fly rod, and you approach him with caution.

When a client shows up with a .416 Rigby, you know you have someone who has studied and respects the rich history and traditions of the sport of dangerous-game hunting.

But when a client shows up in camp with a .404 Jeffery, you know this is someone who cares enough about said history and traditions to go to the immense trouble of obtaining and loading a rifle long sacrificed to the gods of mass production and commercialism. You take a liking to this guy immediately."

Love this!

 

[bowjijohn]

I like this write up - simply because it appeals to my ego

My first job was as a game ranger (sort of) in Zambia at a time when the 404 jeff was the issued rifle

Curiously my rifle was a 303 Mk 4 - but hey ho !!

I do love the 404 jeff though - it is mild enough to not introduce a flinch , but packs a punch.

More than that - it packs history !

What are we?

The last relics of a bygone era of romantic fools who have Africa in their blood - whether borne there or come to love it - it doesn't and cannot leave you

It is an infection from which we cannot recover - the 404 Jeff (amongst others) typifies this sad and happy malaise

 

[Manny R]

Doc I like your thread....
When I was in Africa a few weeks ago I showed up with my 404 Jeffrey and my 500NE Double Rifle Heym. If the Buffalo was out of my Heym comfort range I had my 404 Jeffrey as my back up.
So what would they think of me ?? HAHA

 

[xausa]

"When a client shows up in camp with a .375 Holland & Holland, you immediately know that have a practical and able chap as a customer, a wise and knowledgeable hunter who will listen to reason.

When a client shows up in camp with a .458 Win Mag, you know that most likely the only experience the hunter has had is reading the pages of Outdoor Life magazine, probably 30-year-old editions.

When a client shows up in camp with a Remington or Weatherby in any caliber, you know the hunter's experience probably does not extend past the clerk at the gun counter.

When a client arrives with a double rifle, you know you have an elitist for a customer, much like the guy coming down the charter-boat dock at the marina carrying a fly rod, and you approach him with caution.

When a client shows up with a .416 Rigby, you know you have someone who has studied and respects the rich history and traditions of the sport of dangerous-game hunting.

But when a client shows up in camp with a .404 Jeffery, you know this is someone who cares enough about said history and traditions to go to the immense trouble of obtaining and loading a rifle long sacrificed to the gods of mass production and commercialism. You take a liking to this guy immediately."

I wonder what this hypothetical PH would have thought of me. I showed up in camp with with a custom bolt rifle built around a self designed .505 cartridge, which duplicated .500 NE in performance, a Krieghoff "Teck" O/U double rifle in caliber .458 WM, with extra barrel sets in .375 H&H and 20 gauge 3" Magnum, plus a pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in caliber .300 H&H. My actual PH showed a certain amount of confidence in me by sending me out with only my gunbearer for accompanyment after various animals, including some "dangerous" ones. In fact, the first animal I shot, a hartebeest, was shot with my .300 H&H. The PH was sitting in the car observing, some 50 yards away. I downed the animal with a single shot at around 300 yards.