404 Jeffery Caliber

[Ontario Hunter]

No it doesn’t. Nothing has been milled out for a stripper clip unlike in the 425 WR.

Now there's a gun/caliber with some interesting history! Developed in 1909, right on the heels of Jeffery's 404 (1905), the 425 Westley Richards was the first recessed rim cartridge (i.e. rim smaller diameter than case). It allowed Westley Richards to build a rifle on a standard Mauser action using a larger caliber than .423 of 404 Jeffery while retaining the standard bolt. 404 Jeffery rimless cartridge required opening up standard bolt face to the outer limit of what the metal could hold. The recessed rim concept, while it looked good on paper, did have some feeding issues that were challenging to overcome. Eventually, Westley Richards went with a vertically stacked magazine extending below (probably well below?) the standard Mauser floorplate. If yours is of standard staggered box construction, it sounds like you have an early production collector. According to Wikipedia, the standard Mauser action 425 WR with stripper clip port was preferred by game managers for faster reloading. Large scale culling with a 425 must have been brutal ... for the culler!

 

[318AE]

Now there's a gun/caliber with some interesting history! Developed in 1909, right on the heels of Jeffery's 404 (1905), the 425 Westley Richards was the first recessed rim cartridge (i.e. rim smaller diameter than case). It allowed Westley Richards to build a rifle on a standard Mauser action using a larger caliber than .423 of 404 Jeffery while retaining the standard bolt. 404 Jeffery rimless cartridge required opening up standard bolt face to the outer limit of what the metal could hold. The recessed rim concept, while it looked good on paper, did have some feeding issues that were challenging to overcome. Eventually, Westley Richards went with a vertically stacked magazine extending below (probably well below?) the standard Mauser floorplate. If yours is of standard staggered box construction, it sounds like you have an early production collector. According to Wikipedia, the standard Mauser action 425 WR with stripper clip port was preferred by game managers for faster reloading. Large scale culling with a 425 must have been brutal ... for the culler!

You believe quite everything you read on Wikipedia. The 11.2x60 Schuler had a rebated rim and preceded the 425 WR. August Schuler had a patent in Germany on the rebated rim in 1906. It was a commercial failure, and followed later by the 11.2x72 Schuler which was more successful. Take a careful look at the case dimensions and long neck - it’s clear to me where WR got the inspiration.

I’ve never seen an early 425 WR with a staggered box. They all have the extended box, buffalo horn hinge and feeding fingers. I’ve only seen the staggered boxes on rifles from the 50’s and onward. The very high end, best quality ones I’ve seen have been extended box rifles. Mine feed flawlessly, fast or slow, right side or upside down….

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You believe quite everything you read on Wikipedia. The 11.2x60 Schuler had a rebated rim and preceded the 425 WR. August Schuler had a patent in Germany on the rebated rim in 1906. It was a commercial failure, and followed later by the 11.2x72 Schuler which was more successful. Take a careful look at the case dimensions and long neck - it’s clear to me where WR got the inspiration.

I’ve never seen an early 425 WR with a staggered box. They all have the extended box, buffalo horn hinge and feeding fingers. I’ve only seen the staggered boxes on rifles from the 50’s and onward. The very high end, best quality ones I’ve seen have been extended box rifles. Mine feed flawlessly, fast or slow, right side or upside down….

Schuler's German patent #239127 is dated 31 October 1904. It was indeed by all accounts a commercial failure. It may be that Westley Richards was initially able to make a commercial go of the rebated rim concept by stacking the cartridges vertically. I assume this allowed the feeding rails to hold the cartridges exactly under the center of bolt face, thereby giving the cartridge rims maximum height and bolt face maximum depth where the two meet. That way it was essentially impossible for bolt face to slip by a cartridge's rebated rim and jamb into the side of the case during cycling. I read on a cartridge collectors forum that WR eventually changed the rim diameter slightly. If true (IF true), that might account for later made rifles going back to staggered magazines.