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  1. #1
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    Default .404 Jeffery, scarce or not?

    I am having an itch for a bigger bore than I have currently available. 9,3 x 62 and 45/70 Govt Marlin is the largest currently available. So I have done a lot of reading and asking around and visited a few gunshops and shot a few of the bigger bore calibers. I don't want to start a "XXX vs YYY" discussion. I have narrowed it down to either a .416 Remington or .404 Jeffery with the latter seeming to win it in my heart.

    There is a lot of information on the www about scarcity of .404 Jeffery ammunition and/or reloading components (bullets.) Most of them are 3+ years old posts and opinions or opinions from persons that can easily be deducted that they have read something somewhere and just re-post the same. At all the gunshops I enquired there was .404 Jeffery ammo and .423 bullets of more than one configuration available. (was it my lucky day or not?)

    So my question is; "Is it true that .404 Jeffery components are difficult to get or is it a historical issue."

  2. #2
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    Default Re: .404 Jeffery, scarce or not?

    Chat to Gert Odendaal on the forum.
    He will be able to advise on the availability of components.
    His friend Johan Greyling also made a special run on 404 Jeff rifles for a good price. Maybe there is one left
    A roaring Lion kills no game

  3. #3
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    Default Re: .404 Jeffery, scarce or not?

    I can speak from experience, you won’t be dissapointed with either caliber , the 416 Rem does however offer more versatility and options .

  4. #4

    Default Re: .404 Jeffery, scarce or not?

    All of those are good calibers and their ammo is available, however it is expensive. I do not want to start a debate on which is better, the 458 Lott shoots ordinary .458 rounds and .375 cases blown out to .458 (.458 Lott). Much much more affordable and the comparison between calibers is a debate for another day.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: .404 Jeffery, scarce or not?

    If you posses the esteemed qualities to own and love a 9.3x62, you deserve nothing less than a .404Jeffery when you want to level up.

  6. #6

    Default Re: .404 Jeffery, scarce or not?

    Most definitely not scarce!

    Just in local bullet manufacturers there are:
    Frontier
    Kriek
    Peregrine
    Rhino
    Claw
    Stewart

    Cases are available aplenty

  7. #7
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    Default Re: .404 Jeffery, scarce or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by DWB View Post
    Most definitely not scarce!

    Just in local bullet manufacturers there are:
    Frontier
    Kriek
    Peregrine
    Rhino
    Claw
    Stewart

    Cases are available aplenty
    Deon has his own 404 Jeffery and has used it extensively, he came a long way since ammo was scarce for the 404 Jeffery . Johan Greying and I solved that problem by fire forming .375 H&H Magnum brass to 404 Jeffery brass. I still shoot these brass today, that is about seven years back.
    To me the 404 Jeffery rifle is probably the perfect caliber:
    It is the cartridge that has been used to spawn other calibers. A range of other calibers like the short magnums.The RUM series of magnums ect..
    The Jeffery company as well as German company utilise this caliber , .423 " . The Jeffery company use the 404 Jeffery designation since standardisation was non existent then. The German company designated the caliber as the 10.75 x 73 mm.

    This is a magnum caliber rifle with a very low chamber pressure ..the claim to fame of this caliber. Although other makes/brands /designs comes in the same design they can not claim the lowest chamber pressure ....

    I use my 404 Jeffery for bush veld hunting as well as for plains game hunting. Shooting species from duiker to eland . If you have the resources you can hunt elephant as well.
    Dr. Kevin Robertson view the 404 Jeffery shooting a 450 gn solid/soft nose at 2150 ft/s as the ultimate set up for buffalo as well as for elephant hunting.
    Whatever you do when buying a 404 Jeffery, do not make it a "safe queen" You can even hunt guinea fowl when using solids
    Yes, ammo/brass/bullets are plentiful in South Africa, you can buy it at any gun shop and it is about average prices ...Keep in mind if you have a caliber you will accumulate brass, bullets and ammo for it over time..as for any other rifle you have , so the "expensive" part is only theoretical...

  8. #8
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    Default Re: .404 Jeffery, scarce or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by MyLani View Post
    Chat to Gert Odendaal on the forum.
    He will be able to advise on the availability of components.
    His friend Johan Greyling also made a special run on 404 Jeff rifles for a good price. Maybe there is one left
    Good day to you MyLani, yes, you are correct Johan has a two 404 Jeffery rifles available, it is working rifles , no gold inlays, bells or whistles yet still a beautiful rifle build by Johan Greyling an extremely knowledgeable gunsmith who did his trade in the previous South African army in the eighties when we were doing our part as conscripts. Johan specialised in armory used by the Reconnaissance and Parachute divisions known as the "Parabats"...He did his trade over a period of five years, doing work as a gunsmith at the Potchefstroom artillery...he is one of the only gunsmiths I know off who is capable of making a .500 Jeffery round feed flawlessly in a Mauser 98 action...
    As pointed out there are no shortage of bullets, brass or live ammo. I purchase all my ammo from Hansie Minnaar who draw 404 Jeffery brass as well as make bullets..
    Johan Greyling is the only manufacturer of high quality black powder in South Africa at this moment. He will become the largest provider of Black Powder as well..

  9. #9
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    Default Re: .404 Jeffery, scarce or not?

    Having played a little with both calibres, I have a few observations:

    Both should do the job. No question about their terminal performance. The happless buffalo is also quite unlikely to tell them apart.

    I like the rimless case on the 404, coupled with the lower peak pressure. The lower pressure has several advantages, an important one being it's much more gentle recoil impulse. (It has more of a push and less of a bite.)

    Components for both are available, so that's a non-issue.

    416 Rem rifles are still made in several factories, so you can buy one off the shelf.

    404 Jeff rifles are mostly a custom build option.

    I would opt for a 404, with the 416 a close second.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: .404 Jeffery, scarce or not?

    Thanks for all the input. I have definitive answer by reading all the comments and am well pleased that it is the answers I were wishing for, and that is that the .404 is NOT scarce anymore. And by that also not overly expensive for a large bore rifle. My mind is made. .404 it will be. I am busy with 3 other rifle projects that are not completed and are planning a .25-06 project as well. After that will come the .404 which I bet will be my last firearm. Then I am sorted with regards to numbers and calibers for all my needs. Maybe then more shooting and less buying and building can take up more time and resources.

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