Check Out My New 404!

[small bore]

Raven Rocks Precision seems to have Norma brass in stock today for the 404 Jeffery. Good luck.

 

[bwanamrm]

A classic rifle in a classic African DG round. One of my favorites... it should provide you a lifetime of service!

 

[BC Tal]

Thanks. It’s a Mauser Werke Oberndorf

The crown over N proof indicates it’s a late 1930s Oberndorf. The serial number would tell you the exact year of production.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Yeah I am not a huge fan of Hornady either but that’s all I could get at the time and now that I am in Alaska it’s even harder to find 404 ammo. I definitely will get some Bertram brass when I can find it. Thanks

RWS brass is crap. A box and a half came with my 404 dies. Cases are too short and rim thickness is inconsistent. Hornady brass is good, but they put way too much gas in their loaded ammo. I would pound out the bullets, toss the powder, and reload more modestly for range use. I load 80 gr of Accurate 4350 behind 400 gr bullets. Recoil is tolerable.

 

[Rule 303]

RWS brass is crap. A box and a half came with my 404 dies. Cases are too short and rim thickness is inconsistent. Hornady brass is good, but they put way too much gas in their loaded ammo. I would pound out the bullets, toss the powder, and reload more modestly for range use. I load 80 gr of Accurate 4350 behind 400 gr bullets. Recoil is tolerable.

Your right about RWS brass. Had some in 8X68S. All had to be annealed or the necks would split on second firing.
H4350 (AR2209) 89 grains max listed 2390fps
Varget (AR2208) 81 grains max listed 2405fps
Just some loads and you can drop them down to 80 grains as mentioned by OH or 75 grains Varget for similar velocity.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

89 gr = 2390 fps for 400 gr bullet? Oofdah! Those would kick ya. Just as well trade the 404 in for 416 Rigby. Same level of shooter brutality. My data said 77 gr A4350 was the minimum 404 load but those pushed out the primers (believe it or not that = not enough pressure). I don't have a chrono but I'm guessing 80 gr is flying about 2200 fps. As I recall Hornady boxed ammo is gassed up to +2350 fps. Why? I would think their bullets would perform better with less velocity.

Hornady brass snaps over reliably. While not something I would advise on a regular basis, snap over is certainly a capability one wants with DGR in an emergency situation. RWS inconsistent rim thickness = inconsistent snap over. That brass is relegated to range use and not the best for that given short case length. Hornady brass new in the carton was clearly annealed at the factory. Good stuff. Keep in mind that 404 is not a belted cartridge and with its gently sloping shoulder can be finicky about snap over. If everything isn't just right with loading dies and bolt face/extractor the cartridge can be pushed ahead into the chamber when bolt is closed instead of extractor snapping over on rim (cartridge is dropped in empty chamber vs loaded from magazine). I even had to relieve some of the extractor spring tension before my Mauser would reliably snap over on 404 rims. Also improved cartridges jumping to bolt face when loading from the magazine. It can be finicky.

 

[TXhunter65]

Beautiful....Congrats!

 

[Dirtdart]

Yeah I am not a huge fan of Hornady either but that’s all I could get at the time and now that I am in Alaska it’s even harder to find 404 ammo. I definitely will get some Bertram brass when I can find it. Thanks

Raven Rocks has Norma .404 Rimless NE head stamped brass in stock that would go well with that beautiful rifle of yours.

 

[Russ16]

Beautiful!

How long did it take Noah to complete the stock? Do you have his contact information you could share?

 

[steve white]

Alright!!

 

[Roughneck]

Yeah I bought 50 pieces of the Norma brass. Thank you

 

[Roughneck]

Beautiful!

How long did it take Noah to complete the stock? Do you have his contact information you could share?

Russ, it was about a year to get the rifle back. I will message you later with his contact info.

 

[Monski]

My stock from Noah took around the same time frame.

 

[Russ16]

Russ, it was about a year to get the rifle back. I will message you later with his contact info.

Awesome that’s much faster than some I’ve talked to.

 

[Captain Munro]

Congratulations! That's a fine rifle! I am happy to say that I actually know the feeling of getting a new to me 404 Jeffery!

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

Drooling

 

[John Telford]

Please check that your ammo cycle’s completely from full to empty magazine.
What are you hoping to hunt?
Thank you for choosing Botswana!

 

[Roughneck]

Please check that your ammo cycle’s completely from full to empty magazine.
What are you hoping to hunt?
Thank you for choosing Botswana!

I went to the range yesterday and shot 20 rounds through it off the bench and both Hornady factory loads cycled with no issue. It shot right at an 1” with the DGX and about an 1.5” with DGS. It was my first time shooting a 404 and it wasn’t much more recoil than my 375h&h that I brought to shoot along with it. When I got the barreled action before I got it stocked I ran a bunch of dummy shells that Dennis Olson had through it to check function.

 

[John Telford]

I went to the range yesterday and shot 20 rounds through it off the bench and both Hornady factory loads cycled with no issue. It shot right at an 1” with the DGX and about an 1.5” with DGS. It was my first time shooting a 404 and it wasn’t much more recoil than my 375h&h that I brought to shoot along with it. When I got the barreled action before I got it stocked I ran a bunch of dummy shells that Dennis Olson had through it to check function.

I love the 404!
Nothing builds confidence more that having done range time with your big bore.

 

[cmk]

What a beautiful rifle!! And in a great caliber as well!