If its affordability and availability that concerns you, the .416 Remington might be the best value. If I were forced to pick a single cartridge-and-bullet combination for all my dangerous-game work, itd be my .404 Jeffery, loaded with 400-grain Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilized Solids to 2,280 fps. Though the Rigby is capable of higher velocities via handloading, I dont really feel its necessary in a dangerous game situation. Thats my view from here and its hard to argue with reality. for 4,020 ft.-lbs. Brands include Hornady, Lapua, Nosler, Remington, Silver State Armory, Nammo, Prvi Partizan, Winchester and mixed range fired.. You have entered an incorrect email address! The .404 Jeffery was designed to duplicate .450/.400 ballistics in a bolt-action rifle. Want to use it on elk, moose or plains game? The .458 Win. Its recoil, while higher than that of the .375 H&H, is manageable in a well-fitting rifle. The 400-grain bullet for the .450-400 3-inchthe smallest diameter of the lothas a sectional density of .340. Bearing marked similarities to the earlier .350 Rigby Magnumthey share the same 45-degree shoulderthe .416 Rigby used a unique bore diameter and a case large enough to prevent extraction problems in the heat of Africa and India. With a slight shoulder of 8-30, the Jeffery case feeds like it was greased, and was an undeniable blend of striking power and low recoil. Aside from that, it will NEVER equal the efficiency or ballistics of the .458 Winchester Magnum. The game rangers of Tanzania, Kenya, and North and South Rhodesia were issued .404 Jeffery bolt-action rifles for game control work. There are many good bullets in the 230- to 270-grain range that will make for a flat-shooting load. Good article but maybe a little to focused on older classic rounds. Recoil for both the 9.3x62 and .404 Jeffery are noticeably less than the .458 Win. DoubleTap has offered factory ammo for it in the past, but it remains a handloaded proposition. Sauer 404 Blaser R93 Blaser R8 Ultimate Beretta BRX1 . M77 Timeline. Any member who have these two caliber bullet`s expanded version pictures available ? https://www.garrettcartridges.com/penetration.html and https://www.garrettcartridges.com/modern4570.html. The .416 Rigby and .416 Remington are the most popular, followed by the .404 Jeffery. But I'm not sure you could see that depending on the bullet you're using. More important is the rifle they are chambered in. Weatherbys .416 will push a 400-grain bullet to 2,700 fps, with a correlative recoil level. The Jeffery design saw the light of day around 1909 (accounts vary), to mirror the ballistics of the earlier .450/400, but in a repeating rifle. of energy. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Like the .300 H&H, the .300 Winchester is designed to headspace off the belt, but the clever reloader can adjust the cartridge to headspace off the shoulder. But it does get an ill-proportioned amount of chatter on at least one forum. That, combined with the fact that the ball powder Winchester used to fuel the .458 had a tendency to clump, resulting in squib loads, almost equaled disaster for the .458 Winchester Magnum. 6,5 - 284 Norma. No sane gun writer would ever put those words in print, and Im a longtime proponent of the .375. Lots of classic rounds but something is missing. Rigby has recently announced the release of the .416 Rigby No. . But that sounds like a good enough educated guess. It shares the same case length as the .375 H&H and fits perfectly in a magnum-length action. I'm all for different strokes for different folks, but the 29 year old PH is as ignorant as they come and probably doesn't even understand the purpose of a double rifle.The purpose (the elitists that use themyou know, the guys that survive dangerous game) is to allow you to instantly provide a follow up shot without lowering your gun. Swift High Grade Dangerous Game ammo in .404 Jeffery. Nobody claims it to be the most accurate fast .30, but it's been a favorite of mine for nearly 40 years. The legacy that WDM Bell leaves us is that perfect shot placement, coupled with proper bullet construction, trumps caliber every time. The big Gibbs case will need 130 to 145 grains of powder to push those huge bullets, and it pushes the big 570- and 600-grain slugs to 2,100 fps, for just under 5,900 ft.-lbs. Eight major concealed carry insurance programs are now available to the millions of Americans who carry concealed. Thats 5550 ft-lbs! Chambered in the Ruger Hawkeye African rifle, the .416 Ruger is affordable, effective and, for reasons I cant quite explain, remains an unpopular choice. He thought the full-length case of the .375 H&H (2.850 inches versus 2.500 inches for the .458 Winchester) would alleviate the case capacity problem and maybe even give a bit more velocity, and Mr. Lott was absolutely correct. The 0.350-inch difference in length changed the entire game, and the belted Lott case will push a 500-grain bullet to 2,300 fps, for over 5,900 ft.-lbs of energy. In 1909 William Jeffery introduced the .404 Jeffery, a 400-grain bullet of .423-inch diameter. Yes, the .45s have more weight and a greater frontal diameter, but the energy figures between the lower .40s and the .45s arent radically different: They both have roughly 1,000 more ft-lb at the muzzle than do the .375s. vs. .458 Lott7mm Rem. Components are precision machined from billet aluminum and protected with Cerakote. Learn how your comment data is processed. Nostalgia? When a client shows up in camp with a Remington or a Weatherby in any caliber, you know the hunters experience probably does not extend past the clerk at the gun counter. So which are the best dangerous game cartridges of all time? Mag. My own favorite handloads drive the 400-grain bullets at 2280 fps, mainly because thats where I found the best accuracy; my Heym Express .404 Jeffery will put three shots into 0.75-inch at 100 yards. when I hold it right. To date, we've had a short overview of the following big-bore cartridges, and the machinery that fires them, in comparison to my favorite Big Bore, the .458 Winchester Magnum: .404 Jeffery; .416 Rigby; .500 NE; .458 Lott; .416 Weatherby Magnum; .505 Gibbs; .460 Weatherby Magnum and, last week, the .470 NE. The model PCR is renowned for its out of the box accuracy due to the 5-land barrel, which Remington found too expensive to continue producing in its line range, rather than the usual 4 . Jeffery introduced their .404 in 1909. Mag. Secondly, most of the factory loads are using a 500-grain pill and are struggling to get the velocity without generating really high pressures. The full-length magnum action for the US model, however, is manufactured in the same plant where mine was made (in Czech Republic). Modern hunters have forgotten how to stalk their prey. "The Ruger No. Though it isnt among the most popular cartridges in the safari worldyet it has earned a place of reverence among professional hunters and those in the knowit has received a facelift as of late, with modern loads sending those 400-grain slugs at 2325 fps, for 4,800 ft.-lbs. of energy at the muzzle. But my affection for Big Bores isnt limited to .458. While it doesnt feed very well in a bolt-action rifle, there are many double rifles available in this chambering, and Ruger chambers its fantastic No. The .450-400 3-inch is also known as the .400 Jeffery. Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the May 2020 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. Placement of the projectile is quite important, really more so than its size unless its a fragmentation grenade. Winchester engineers opened up the .375 H&H belted case to hold .458-inch diameter bullets, in a straight walled configuration, and cut the case length down to 2.500 inches, so as to fit in a .30-06-length action. The 130-grain bullets leave the barrel at 3300 fps, and the 150-grain slugs are moving at just about 3150 fps; the trajectory is similar to the 7mm Rem. Similarly, the 375 H&H Mag sired all of Winchester's belted magnum cases, namely the 264, 338, and 458 Winchester Magnums as well as the 7mm Rem Mag. Yet, pushing a 400-grain bullet to 2,375 fps is a recipe thatll most certainly have great success in the field. Use any of the high weight retaining bullets we have available now and I'd guess you'd not see measurable difference. There are those who find the lighter cartridgesthe 9.3mms and .375sto be the pinnacle of versatility, because they offer trajectories similar to some of the popular deer cartridges, such as the .308 and .30-06, yet carry enough horsepower to handle even the largest game. And, Ive found theres a definite ramp-up in recoil when you go to the 500-grain, .45-caliber cartridges, which run at 2,150 fps and upward. Vel. I am considering a a build for a 404 jeffery and am having a devil of a time getting a definitive answer as to what actions would be ready-candidate for conversion to a 404. Based on a shortened, blown-out, straight taper, .375 H&H Belted Magnum case, the .458 Winchester is designed for magazine rifles with standard (.30-06) length actions. Compared to the venerable .450-400 3-inch NE, it has a definite advantage in terminal ballistics and an increase in recoil. In its Nitro loading, a 400grain jacketed bullet was launched at 2150fps. I used this excellent cartridge for a handsome Cape buffalo in Mozambique. The 400-grain .416-inch bullet has a sectional density of 0.330, and that plays a big part in the penetration for which it is so famous. Compatible with HK MP5 models and variants, Zenith/MKE Z5-series models, as well as Dakota Tactical, POF, and Omega models chambered in 9mm. of energy at the muzzle, but the main selling point of the .375 is the versatility. The bolt action features a three-position safety on the lock and a classic stock magazine with a hinged cover. Maybe thats giving too much credit I dunno. In the shooting sports we call that reaction recoil or "kick." The casebeing cut downdidn't have the capacity to get those big bullets moving at the advertised speed. I wish all such rousing legends were this alive and this well. John Rigby & Co. released the .450 Nitro Express in 1898, to improve the performance of the old .450 Black Powder Express by using modern, smokeless powder. Im going to Alaska in Sept. for bear, and am taking both my .416 Ruger (scoped) and my G&H custom BA in .35 Whelen.. Save my name and email to use for future comments. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. >223 caliber in Ruger #3?.. In a good double rifle, the .450 Nitro makes a great choice for elephant, hippo and buffalo, effectively taking all three for well over a century. Or, a traditionally loaded 535gr solid at 2450 fps (7130 ft-lbs). Both of these were chambered in .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, .458 Win and .458 Lott. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; that is one of the physical laws of our universe. Then there are a few European firms that traditionally loaded ammo for the nasties of Africa. You really cant ask for any more than that from a dangerous game cartridge. Using the belted .375 H&H case as a platform, the .416 Remington Mag duplicates the ballistics of the .416 Rigby, but in a smaller diameter case and at a higher pressure. battle of the big bores the .458 Win Mag advantagePart 2. The .416 Rigby is a huge rimless case with a 45-degree shoulder. Title Actor Character Notation Date; Deadfall (2012) Kris Kristofferson: Chet Mills: with a scope: 2012 Deadfall (2012) Eric Bana: Addison: with a scope . It is accurate, as hard-hitting as the Rigby, and the recoil is noticeably less than the Rigby case. Its as simple as that! The example was made in terms of different bullet weights and comparing the 458WM to the 404 Jeff. In its blackpowder guise this threw a 325grain lead bullet at 1900fps. .405 Winchester .450-400 3-Inch Nitro Express .400 H&H Magnum .416 Rigby .416 Remington Magnum .416 Weatherby Magnum .416 Ruger .416 Taylor .500-416 Nitro Express .404 Jeffery .425 Westley Richards. I have a .458 Lott and 404 Jeff , I would rather download the jeff than the 458 Lott or WM . 375 Wby Mag; 375 Win; 376 Steyr; 378 Wby Mag; 38-55 WCF; 40-60 Win; 40-65 Win; 404 Jeffery; 405 Win; 408 CheyTac; 416 Barrett; 416 Rem Mag; 416 Rigby; 416 Ruger; 416 Taylor; 416 Wby Mag; 44-40 WCF; 444 Marlin; 45-60 Win; 45-70 Gov; 45-75 Win; 45-90; 450 Bushmaster; 450 Marlin; 450 Nitro Express; 450 Rigby; 450-400 Nitro Express; 457 WW Mag; 458 . Remington model 700 PCR 5L in 308 Winchester. vs. .300 Win. Then it faded into oblivion. Ajai Singh, I am an unapologetic admirer & devotee of the classic british african cartidges. And I also ran the ballistics (computer) on the 600gr and it comes out nearly identical to Barnes in their #3 manual. Both came on to the scene before the World War I, when the smokeless powder revolution had changed the course of cartridge development. The issue posed by the rebated rim was the tendency for the bolt face to ride over the rim and onto the case body, causing a feeding malfunction. Rifles chambered in .505 Gibbs and .500 Jeffery include a mercury recoil reducer installed in the stock. The .450 3-inch Nitro Express This is one of the original success stories, coming at the end of the 19th century, setting the benchmark for the performance of dangerous game cartridges for decades to come. Like everyone, WDM Bell was a product of his times and to hunt the dangerous big game of Africa with such light caliber rifles would be illegal today. at the muzzle. A classic hunting rifle. and is also known as .404 Rimless Nitro Express. Classy and timeless it combines traditional values with the utmost accuracy, excellent ergonomics and safe handling. Based solely on my internal ballistics computer program, the .416 Remington does show somewhat better results from a 400gr when the psi is the same both from 26 tubes. The .375 Holland & Holland Belted Magnum The Three-Seven-Five is undoubtedly the most popular choice for dangerous game, on any continent, for good reasons. BP or smokeless, it's all good. I prefer the 404J. 6,5 Jap. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. Popular in the Krieghoff doubles, the .500-416s popularity has waned as of late; and, with the introduction of the .416 Rigby No. Newer offerings are less flexible in their applications. Ive settled on a score of 60 as minimum for any rifle-cartridge combo to be included in my locker, or even on my wish list! The rifle has a weight of about 4.3kg and a standard barrel length of 61 cm. I have a couple of problems with this article. Based on my research, the 404 is a standard magnum action. Stopping power with its usually intended meaning is a myth. As a handloader, I can use the Lott in a couple of ways. Some feel that the initial loadings of the .404 Jefferythe 400-grain/2150 fps comboare a bit anemic, but for over a century it has worked and worked well. Comparing these two bullet diameters is like comparing big truck engines : the saying " There's nothing like cubic inches " comes to mind. My Heym Express prints them into sub-MOA groups, and my, is it effective. Now offered at an even lower price! That affinity might also include the 9.3s (.366), except I find little motiveso farto select one over .358 or .375. You must log in or register to reply here. Starting with the least potent of the lot, the .405 Winchester is a straight-walled cartridge released in the Model 1895 Winchester lever-action rifle. Muz. However, the .40s arent exactly married to the 400-grain bulletalthough its the most popular. For those hunters who want to approach the energy figures of the .45-calibers, but who still want a trajectory that can make the longer shots, the Rigby is a good choice. Using a .410-inch bullet, the classic .450-400 3-inch load consisted of a 400-grain bullet at 2,050 fps for 3,732 ft-lb of energy. For a sportsman who travels the world, the .375 H&H Magnum is a solid investment, one he or she can use for bears in America or buffalo in Southern Africa. of energy. Some hunters (like Phil Massaro) also recommend dropping down to a 480 grain bullet with the .458 Win Mag. Do yourself a favor get hold of a .423 bullet and a .458 bullet hold them in your hands ..you will really see a big difference between these two bullets..the .458" is really a lot bigger than the .423" no comparison at allthe 404 Jeffery is made for a 400 gn bullet at 2150 f/s it is deadly as isbut if you are not sure of your competency with such a load/rifle,,you can go heavier I suppose? Both are designed to function in a bolt-action rifle, both are (relatively) easy on the shoulder, and can be built in a rifle thats easy to carry. Cartridge Bullet wt. [3] How do I know its .1%? It looked good on paper, but there were immediate problems. This modern rimmed case from Krieghoff uses a 3-inch case to push a 400-grain, .416-inch bullet to 2,300 fps and makes a solid choice for a hunter who wants a double-rifle in .40-caliber. <p>New 2nd generation redesigned version. By the way, an asidepushed from the same case, with the same powder charge, a larger diameter bullet of the same weight will always yield more velocity. An obscure offering from Holland & Holland, this .40-caliber is usually revered by its users. ), and only one was a hunter, and I doubt he was even aware of the .458 Win Mag! The 404 uses more powder, which I guess is due to larger case capacity, and since velocities are similar, I suppose the 404 runs at lower pressure. When a client shows up with a .416 Rigby, you know you have someone who has studied and respects the rich history and traditions of the sport of dangerous-game hunting. The 375 and 416 Ruger outperform their H&H based counterparts, and do so in standard action sizes, which makes them much more useful/wieldable for the average big/dangerous game hunter. Its also easier to get an extra cartridge in the magazine with the narrower Jeffery case than with the big Rigby case. For mine in practical terms results are very similar as far as the rounds go. From there, you've got the various powerful .416s, which use .416-inch bullets as their designation suggests. Having laid bare my soul on these matters, I could further speculate that one might simply choose a modern 12-gauge with rifled tube and accomplish the same things using saboted copper slugs of 400grsbut I wont. The .450-400 (the British naming system uses the parent cartridge first) has gone through several iterations, at various lengths (2 3/8 inch, 3 inch and 3 inch) and has been fueled by black powder and smokeless alike. Availability of ammo is not a factor in this comparison as most dangerous game cartridges are not ones you will find stocked in most any gun store either. 1's are well known for their phenomenal accuracy and essentially fail-proof design. The .458 Winchester was born, claiming to drive a 510-grain bullet at 2,150 fps from the muzzle of the Model 70. Whether you are reloading for handgun, rifle, shotshell or muzzleloading we have what you need. Comparing those numbers with my personal .458 Win Mag, the .458 has a distinct advantage.