.404 Jeffery - To Scope or Not to Scope?

[tward1604]

When I had my 404 built I opted to keep the square bridges but have no provisions for mounting any optic at the moment. I am young with great eyes so irons work fine for me and an optic isn't needed. Maybe one day when needed I will have the bridges machined for mounting an optic.

However at the recent DSC Big Bore Shoot I had the only bolt gun without an optic and it was very apparent that some form of an optic is the superior aiming solution.

Doing it again would I change anything? No, but I do recognize the benefit of having an optic.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Sweet scabbard

Sadly, my Springfield no longer fits in it. I changed barrels in 2020 and this one is a couple inches longer. The 404 Jeffery I'm building will have the same length barrel and wear the same scope so it will probably fit. But I can't see me using that (or any other) gun for horse camp hunting. Those days are long gone. Wait ... wasn't the world record stone sheep taken with 404? Well, it was gut shot with one anyway. The guide eventually killed the sheep while the "hunter" was back in camp staying out of the weather. His story differed significantly from what the wranglers described.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

You can't go far wrong with a straight tube wide angle scope like a Leica 1-6i or a Swarovski 1-6, and there was one for sale on here just the other day. If budget is tight the same spec in a Leupold, but all with red dot.

 

[spike.t]

Mine is sporting a 1-4 Nikon Monarch African. As is my 375 and my Lott if needed. Definitely a fan of scope for buffalo. QD Talley mounts. Iron sights sighted for 25 yards for elephant. Dead on at 100 with scope for buffalo.

Yup that's what came with my 404 that I bought 2nd hand from AHR...with QD mounts....404 and 416s should have a scope in QD mounts as well as iron sights...makes them very versatile

 

[BourbonTrail]

I have a 1-6 on my 416 with QD’s. It worked well from 0-150 yards on lioness, oryx, springbok and warthog. True 1X with illumination reticle was nice for walking up on a downed lion in brush at twilight.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Definitely would scope it with a removable mount. I like the Leupold or Swarovski in the 1x6 and 1x8 powers.

HH

 

[zephyr]

Assuming your eye sight is good … then iron sights would be my pick. If you can’t use iron then a red dot. But I reckon I’ll be in the minority for choosing iron sights.

I’ve seen a couple of experienced shooters with Weatherby eyebrows over years. Including myself. For me….anything over 375H&H I only use iron sights or an Aimpoint.

If you buy a scope…..remember buy once, cry once.

What R eight said

My last 2 trips which I hunted Buff and Tuskless I did not bring a Rifle either Double or Bolt with a scope and don't own a Red Dot
Africa is a much different experience hunting with Iron Sights.....
The gun is a joy to carry without a scope
Getting inside of 50 yards of a Buff and 20 on an Ele makes the stalk and hunt that much more rewarding
Shot a Wildebeest with my Double at an even 100 yards which was a great hunt and even better stalk, really expanded my horizons and confidence when it came to shooting with Irons
Good Luck with your decisions let us know

 

[DmacD]

What R eight said

My last 2 trips which I hunted Buff and Tuskless I did not bring a Rifle either Double or Bolt with a scope and don't own a Red Dot
Africa is a much different experience hunting with Iron Sights.....
The gun is a joy to carry without a scope
Getting inside of 50 yards of a Buff and 20 on an Ele makes the stalk and hunt that much more rewarding
Shot a Wildebeest with my Double at an even 100 yards which was a great hunt and even better stalk, really expanded my horizons and confidence when it came to shooting with Irons
Good Luck with your decisions let us know

That was part of why I asked this question. I wondered if perhaps I could get away with just using the Trijicon SRO, with the irons as the backup. On the one hand, I want to get close, feel the excitement, test my abilities to stalk in close and really experience a dangerous game hunt. On the other hand, I really have no business getting all cocky and demanding to get up close, perhaps putting myself and the rest of the hunting party in unnecessary danger. That was the part of me that said I should be investing in a low power scope fit for this purpose.
Everything I own comes with QD mounts, so maybe I can weight things up when I get there?

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

RedDot

 

[Angelo_orygun]

I’ll cast a vote for a quality 1-6. My last trip over I was dead set on using my irons for the experience, I’m glad I listened to my PH and used a scope when it was business time on Buff. The double lung, heart shot was proof I made the right decision.

The same trip I took a Gemsbok at 200 yards with my 404. Dialed 4 MOA and it’s was DOA.

Scope was a ZEISS V6. For something on a budget, I would look at the 1-5 VX5 Leoupold.

 

[Inline6]

Scope for me too, when a buff disappears in the shadows you will appreciate the ability to use a scope. Or if you have to shoot through a window/small opening to connect. It is better to have and not need than the other way around my .02.

 

[TOBY458]

Low power scope with QD mounts and iron sights. No brainer. You can even have a red dot sight that works on your scope bases, and have three choices. A 20 yard shot at a buffalo out in the open is one thing. A 75 yard shot at a buffalo through a small clearing in the bush is quite another.

 

[DmacD]

Low power scope with QD mounts and iron sights. No brainer. You can even have a red dot sight that works on your scope bases, and have three choices. A 20 yard shot at a buffalo out in the open is one thing. A 75 yard shot at a buffalo through a small clearing in the bush is quite another.

That was my thought too, irons, red dot, and low power variable. Redundancy = options I would think.

 

[DWB]

Having put well over a 1000 shots through my 404 topped with an Aimpoint Micro H1, I am partial to red dots, but you need to get comfortable with them and realize the limitations. Buffalo are black and judging angles is difficult, but if your PH can coach you through the shot it is absolutely doable. Hunting on your own it becomes a tad more tricky.

But you can also not go wrong with a low powered scope.

 

[zephyr]

Scope for me too, when a buff disappears in the shadows you will appreciate the ability to use a scope. Or if you have to shoot through a window/small opening to connect. It is better to have and not need than the other way around my .02.

Small openings and shadows... you can also say "No" to the shot and wait for a better one ....
It was late in the afternoon and we had been tracking four Buffalo and one in particular with a very large round front right hoof since lunch, hours later found me sitting on my butt in the cooling dark sands under a Mopani canopy next to my PH and Tracker. Elbows on knees supporting binos we were quietly discussing the Buff and the shot 40 yards away hard in some lantern brush .... I had in my lap my 505 with express sights and honestly I would not have been confident taking that shot with either a Red Dot or Scope in those long shadows and brush and opted to pass. Minutes later the Buff started to move we stood up and waited, slowly he walked into a clearing perhaps 30 yards away turned and looked at us for the first time that day. Offering a slight quartering away frontal shot, the bullet entered just in front of his left shoulder and exited behind his ribs on the off side.. He went maybe 20 yards slowed and called it quits.

 

[Inline6]

Small openings and shadows... you can also say "No" to the shot and wait for a better one ....
It was late in the afternoon and we had been tracking four Buffalo and one in particular with a very large round front right hoof since lunch, hours later found me sitting on my butt in the cooling dark sands under a Mopani canopy next to my PH and Tracker. Elbows on knees supporting binos we were quietly discussing the Buff and the shot 40 yards away hard in some lantern brush .... I had in my lap my 505 with express sights and honestly I would not have been confident taking that shot with either a Red Dot or Scope in those long shadows and brush and opted to pass. Minutes later the Buff started to move we stood up and waited, slowly he walked into a clearing perhaps 30 yards away turned and looked at us for the first time that day. Offering a slight quartering away frontal shot, the bullet entered just in front of his left shoulder and exited behind his ribs on the off side.. He went maybe 20 yards slowed and called it quits.

That works for you and other, only speaking for myself my eye are not what they were. For that reason a scope works better for myself. We don't always get a shot at 30 yards for a multitude of reasons. We also have windows of time 5-10 days. Some have the ability to hunt much longer, most hunts I feel fall into that 5-10 day range. For that type of hunter, why limit yourself? Most people I know shoot better with a RDS over open sites and shoot scopes better than RDS. If OS were better, why do all the top levels competition shooters use RDS and LPVOs?

Understand completely that you want to hunt OS. Like you said, you will have to pass on shots due to the limitations. Most will be served well with a 1X4,6,8 of a quality manufacturer. Everyone is free to make their choice, the goal is to get the animal down with a well placed shot.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Not to hijack, but Warne QD rings came in today and I just mounted my old 3x Weaver on the 404 Jeffery I'm building. I have just under three inches eye relief. Will that be enough? Keep in mind it won't be an ultralight gun (though it is just a standard 98 Mauser) and 404 has relatively modest recoil for a big bore. Hope I'll be okay. Still waiting for Lilge to finish the barrel.

 

[BruceS]

Hello all,
I am in need of some advice regarding my optics options for a BRNO 602 chambered in .404 Jeffery that I have acquired. I am preparing to hunt for Cape Buffalo, most likely in 2025, and would like to hear what those with experience have to say. I have no dangerous game experience, and this is the largest caliber I own, having previously shot a little with a .375 H&H, and a lot with a 9.3x62. Both are topped with variable scopes.

First Option - The rifle came with an AHR quick release mount that will hold a Trijicon SRO (or RMR), so I purchased one to fit. Slick setup, works well. Does anyone run with a similar setup exclusively on their own dangerous game rifle?

Second Option - I have a Meopta 6 power fixed scope that I really like, clear glass, rugged, oodles of magnification for the .404. I would mount this in QD mounts, in conjunction with the SRO. The thinking being that I could perhaps stretch the legs of the .404 and go after a plains game animal or two once the Buffalo hunt was over.

Third Option - I have also looked into the purchase of a quality 1-4, or 1-6 scope, something illuminated with suitable eye relief. I am looking at a used Zeiss Victory HT 1-4, and a used Leupold VX6 HD 1-6 (available funds will dictate, blue collar budget). This could be the dedicated optic, or also in conjunction with my SRO.

What works for you guys that have hunted the Dangerous ones with a .404 Jeffery?

I have always used iron sights on my DG rifles. However now that my eyesight is not what it used to be, I'm going with an rmr on my 404j build. Not a fan of scopes for DG

 

[Inline6]

Not to hijack, but Warne QD rings came in today and I just mounted my old 3x Weaver on the 404 Jeffery I'm building. I have just under three inches eye relief. Will that be enough? Keep in mind it won't be an ultralight gun (though it is just a standard 98 Mauser) and 404 has relatively modest recoil for a big bore. Hope I'll be okay. Still waiting for Lilge to finish the barrel.

That doesn't seem right to me. As in the setup or the scope is wrong. Under 3" is asking for a kiss from the scope.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

That doesn't seem right to me. As in the setup or the scope is wrong. Under 3" is asking for a kiss from the scope.

I just checked my WWII Springfield's eye relief and it's exactly three inches. It's never kissed me. Double checked the Mauser with 3x and it is very close to 3". Difficult to measure eye relief solo.

One factor that might account for a shorter than average eye relief is my eyes are quite deep set and I have a prominent brow.

Here's the Sprinfield with 3x9 Nikon.