Disappointed In My New 404 Jeffery

[Tanks]

Funny comment but not true The truth is hold the rifle tight so it doesn't slap you around like a little bitch. Haha
...

Hold it tight, but let recoil happen rather than forcing all recoil forces to go back to your shoulder.

 

[ActionBob]

Hold it tight, but let recoil happen rather than forcing all recoil forces to go back to your shoulder.

Yes exactly, don't let it slap you, hold it tight into your shoulder, but not on bone. The muzzle will rise some, let it rock you back a bit but maintain footing. If I'm shoot the big ones much, I feel it more in the small of my back than my shoulder the next day

 

[colorado]

Agree. Hold the forearm more tightly than you would a 30-06 but otherwise shoot it the same. Roll with it off hand, don't fight it on the bench and use some padding.

 

[Andrew Short]

Definitely true in my experience. Stock fit is crucial.

My first >.40 bore DG rifle was a CZ 550 .416 Rigby with the American stock. I worked up handloads to 2300 fps, shooting maybe 250 rounds.

The Ruger RSM rifles are great design except for the stock, (and possibly the ejector mechanism when worked at speed). Aesthetically, they are one of the finest rifles made in the American market.

Some rifles are like women, beautiful and eye catching, but treacherous.

So, a Ruger RSM .416 Rigby caught my eye, and I traded the CZ and too much cash for the Ruger.

While I was proficient with the CZ, that Ruger beat the piss out of me. The recoil was stunning, literally, in that after the first shot, cycling the bolt from my shoulder was difficult as my arm went numb. So, I sold it.

The RSM in 375 H&H is not too bad in recoil, as it is so heavy. A lighter, well-fitting Winchester 70 Alaskan .375 is much easier to shoot for me, even with the Monte Carlo stock, it just fits.

Whitworth Interarms Mark X are my favorite DG factory stocked rifles. They just fit me.

That’s very interesting as I found RSM 416 to be a much more tame rifle than my 404. My 404 was absolutely brutal to shoot.
I also have a 375 RSM and it’s no worse than any of my 7mm rifles.

 

[Jack Stevens]

That’s very interesting as I found RSM 416 to be a much more tame rifle than my 404. My 404 was absolutely brutal to shoot.

Was this a stock CZ .404 or something custom?

And with what ammo was it "brutal to shoot"?

 

[Milan]

He already ssf old the rifle. Looking for a new one to his liking if he can find one.
Krish

I know. That´s why i commented how old the post was. I was simply focusing on the Ruger stocks. Stock fitment was discussed before/above also but I was just confirming that Ruger stocks do not fit everyone and if for me CZs fit better maybe the OP would have found those more forgiving also.

 

[Andrew Short]

Was this a stock CZ .404 or something custom?

And with what ammo was it "brutal to shoot"?

It was a MRC 404 JEFFERY. Pics are in the thread.
Ammo was Hornady DGS, DGX and handloads with 84g h4350

Again, my 416 recoil is significantly less and a pleasure to shoot.

 

[colorado]

Sell it.

 

[Andrew Short]

Sell it.

It was sold over a year ago to another member…. Apparently no one read the thread.

 

[Milan]

Whitworth Interarms Mark X are my favorite DG factory stocked rifles. They just fit me.

Interesting. I too had a Whitworth Interarms Mark X. It was in 375 H&H. It was slimmer and lighter than the CZ 550 and yet felt great to shoot. I attributed that solely to the stock design and fit. I sold the rifle but miss the stock.

 

[Jack Stevens]

It was a MRC 404 JEFFERY. Pics are in the thread.
Ammo was Hornady DGS, DGX and handloads with 84g h4350

Again, my 416 recoil is significantly less and a pleasure to shoot.

Poorly designed rifle for the cartridge, ... not to mention it was loaded wrong. Hornady's .404 ammo is really 416 Rigby-velocity ammo topped with a .423 diameter bullet.

Get a proper .404 rifle and load or shoot proper .404 ammo, i.e., @ 2050-2150fps, and you will have no issues, ... unless maybe your name is Francis Macomber.

Don't be a Francis!

 

[Backyardsniper]

Poorly designed rifle for the cartridge, ... not to mention it was loaded wrong. Hornady's .404 ammo is really 416 Rigby-velocity ammo topped with a .423 diameter bullet.

Get a proper .404 rifle and load or shoot proper .404 ammo, i.e., @ 2050-2150fps, and you will have no issues, ... unless maybe your name is Francis Macomber.

Don't be a Francis!

If you want to shoot 400+ grain bullets at 2000-2100fps why not just run a 45/70. Much cheaper rifles and a lever action is way faster than a bolt action.

 

[sierraone]

Get a proper .404 rifle and load or shoot proper .404 ammo, i.e., @ 2050-2150fps, and you will have no issues, ..

@Andrew Short This is exactly what I run through my RSM 404 with 400 grain Barnes TSX for hunting. My son handloads them for me. On the range I usually shoot Hornady. I have a lot of them I bought before ammo got so expensive.

 

[Andrew Short]

Get a proper .404 rifle and load or shoot proper .404 ammo, i.e., @ 2050-2150fps, and you will have no issues, ..

@Andrew Short This is exactly what I run through my RSM 404 with 400 grain Barnes TSX for hunting. My son handloads them for me. On the range I usually shoot Hornady. I have a lot of them I bought before ammo got so expensive.

I actually Spoke to Matrix today (who took up AHRs) work and they will build me a 404 on CZ action. Strongly considering this.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

If you want to shoot 400+ grain bullets at 2000-2100fps why not just run a 45/70. Much cheaper rifles and a lever action is way faster than a bolt action.

Different sectional density though

 

[Jack Stevens]

Different sectional density though

As in 400grns with a .423-dia versus 405grns with a .458-dia, I believe?

 

[Jack Stevens]

If you want to shoot 400+ grain bullets at 2000-2100fps why not just run a 45/70. Much cheaper rifles and a lever action is way faster than a bolt action.

There's no downside to owning a .45-70 lever gun. I bought one about 8-yrs ago specifically for deer hunting because the .45-70 is a straight-walled "deer-legal" cartridge in my state. Mine's a Marlin SBL from their custom shop and it's extremely accurate.

That said, a proper .404 Jeffrey rifle, properly loaded, isn't merely a different platform for hunting, it's in a different class in its own right.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

As in 400grns with a .423-dia versus 405grns with a .458-dia, I believe?

Yes sir. Swift A-Frame .423 SD is .319 and for argument’s sake Swift offers a .457 400 gr A-Frame with an SD of .272

 

[colorado]

It was sold over a year ago to another member…. Apparently no one read the thread.

My bad, good decision though.