Winchester Model 70 in 404 Jeffery

[dhughes66]

I would love to have a rifle in 404 Jeffery unfortunately all current production ones in 404 are out of my price range currently. Made me think that if Winchester chambered their Model 70 Safari Express in 404 Jeffery I think it would be a good seller for them. A "working man's" caliber in a "working man's" rifle. What do y'all think?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[dhughes66]

I think of Winchester did that it would do something similar to what Ruger chambering their M77 RSM in 416 Rigby to that caliber. Just a thought from a man who loves rifles he can't afford

 

[Aiden204]

Does anyone make a factory 404 Jeff thats not a boutique/high end rifle? Its always seemed like a cool calibre to me, id be interested to see if there was a gun similar to the CZ 550 that came in 404 Jeffery

 

[Maskell Shotgun academy]

they would need to change a lot on the new actions for it to work with the 404 Jeffrey, its not the same as the older ones from what I hear.

 

[375Fox]

I think Winchester likely sells their 375, 416, 458 in safari express faster than production to justify another caliber in that model. I have nothing against it, but I never understood the appeal of a 404 Jeffery compared to other cartridges, especially considering very limited factory ammo options.

 

[Nevada Mike]

I would simply rework a Model 70 SE in .375.

 

[Maskell Shotgun academy]

I would simply rework a Model 70 SE in .375.

that was tried by a very competent smith and it was not a success, however the older New Haven action worked,
maybe it was a lemon action but it also never shot the 375's really well

 

[deewayne2003]

Find a m70 in 300RUM and have it rebarreled

 

[Maskell Shotgun academy]

Find a m70 in 300RUM and have it rebarreled

yes that would work

 

[Nevada Mike]

that was tried by a very competent smith and it was not a success, however the older New Haven action worked,
maybe it was a lemon action but it also never shot the 375's really well

What was the problem(s) ?

 

[Maskell Shotgun academy]

What was the problem(s) ?

mag box, follower, and I can't remember what else he said, scraped it and used a older action without issues

 

[Tucketed]

A very competent gunsmith can make a post 64 model 70 in 375 HH a 404. Many of us have them. Actually not a lot of modifications. Dennis Olsen knows it well. My rifle takes my Swift A frames and CEB solids. Dennis is not the only one that can do this.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I’m one who doesn’t get the love for the 404, there’s just no positive means to headspace it.
That said a 400 grain bullet doing 2300 feet will kill the same if it is .416 or .423.
I would just buy a 416 rem mag or re barrel something to 416 Taylor.

 

[Maskell Shotgun academy]

A very competent gunsmith can make a post 64 model 70 in 375 HH a 404. Many of us have them. Actually not a lot of modifications. Dennis Olsen knows it well. My rifle takes my Swift A frames and CEB solids. Dennis is not the only one that can do this.

absolutely, but the original thread was about the winchester production of a new 404, not the older converted actions

 

[Tex .416]

They likely turn out and sell more .270 and .308’s in a week than safari class cartridges (excluding .375) will sell in years. I was a member of NSSF for a while. Sales for ammo and rifles above .300 Win Mag are miniscule. These companies are in business to make a profit. They will make what sells.

There is not enough market demand to even support ammo manufacturing for the .404 Jeff other than by Hornady and even that is erratic and infrequent at best. .416 Rem dwarfs the .404 in ammo sales, yet Winchester only runs M70 .416’s every couple of years or less often.

 

[uplander01]

Cz apparently really left a whole in the market at that price point. I really don’t think anyone is going to be able to fill it. Winchester with the 3 africa calibers and that’s about it

 

[dhughes66]

It's a shame there just isn't enough market support for big bore rifles. They are fun to shoot. Technically the 404 is a medium bore but you get my point. Lol

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Find a m70 in 300RUM and have it rebarreled

That's exactly what I did. A long lead time to get a Krieger barrel, but once Dennis Olson got done with it, it is a real shooter. Recently took my first cape buffalo with it.

Thread 'I joined the 404 Jeffery Club today'

Dec 17, 2018

For the last couple of years, anyone that's a regular on this site knows there has been a lot of positive comments and chatter on the 404 Jeffery. To be fair, that same statement can be made for..........pick a caliber. However, the 404 seemed to have a special place in African history and fills the spot in my gun battery for something bigger than my 375.

As many of you know, the two popular ways of achieving 404 nirvana is the CZ-550 or find a Winchester Model 70, preferably in one of the RUM cartridges, and have it re-barreled and a little other tweaking from a gunsmith.

I sent...

• 375 Ruger Fan
• Replies: 116
• Forum: .375 & up

• 

 

[Nevada Mike]

mag box, follower, and I can't remember what else he said, scraped it and used a older action without issues

So this was a 'one off' problem gun, but another .M70 action worked fine?