Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Updating the 404 Ruger African project

Pretty good. The only letter you have to work on is the 0. If you can get a (404R) on the case without other markings, that would look very professional. Happy to see your project coming along. Nothing is ever satisfactory until YOU perfect it.

Thanks for the encouragement. Yes, the 0 needs work. May try to stamp 404 Ruger - we'll see.

Anticipate this will be the last update before firing tests produce chrono data over the weekend. Found out the easiest way to form development cases (without correct headstamp) is 1 pass through the 404 Jeffery resizer (shimmed to correct headspace) with a tapered expander button. Small but discernible difference in neck diameter and thickness.

416 Ruger (left) and 404-375 Ruger (right)

Fired the initial rounds at the range this afternoon, but the chrono refused to work, so no MV data until next week. Learned a few things at the loading bench. Powders suitable for the Ruger case with the .423" 400 gn TSX are much faster than in the 375 Ruger. Mainly because the volume of the .423" bullet at the max COAL (mag limited to 3.42") allows about 75-78 gns powder. Cases bulge on seating bullets above 80-82 gn charges. So, powders tested today at starting charges were RL-15, BL-(C) 2 & IMR-4064. All gave easy extraction, rounded primers and healthy but reasonable recoil from the bench over bags and a rest.

Also shot a Ruger No. 1 404 Jeffery - recoil less and slower in the Jeff because of the heavier rifle and muzzle brake. Interesting comparison between the old & new.

Have started to think about shorter bullets to increase effective case capacity so waiting for Hornady GSXs and may try Swift AFs (not much shorter than TSXs) and Woodleigh 400 gn RNs (markedly shorter than TSXs). Bullets tried will depend on chrono data next week.

2 shot test groups at 50 yds with all 3 powders. The 404-375 Ruger groups are at 3 and 9 o'clock in the inner diamond, with the 1st group 4" low at 5 o'clock (followed by elevation adjustment). The 2 shots at 3 o'clock 6" right are from the 404 Jeffery. The small holes in the center are 6.5-284s - needed a break between 404 groups.



As usual, wildcatting is never dull because of the interesting problems to be solved along the way.

Have now received the new Hornady .423" 400 gn DGX bullets. These seem to be a good choice for the 404 Ruger as they essentially preserve the entire case capacity to equal that of the 375 Ruger parent case. This will allow another attempt at using the 4350 powders in the 404 Ruger. Firing reports next week. Bullets in all photos are positioned at max COAL (404 Ruger = 3.420" & 404 Jeff = 3.530").


The 404 Jeffery's longer neck is better suited to accommodate the 400 gn TSX.

As an aside:

I am curious as to whether you are building the 404 on the MK II Magnum length action or standard?

I own two .375 Ruger African Rifles. I set one up with a leupold 1x scope, glass bed the action and it is a supurb rifle. I was planning the .416 Ruger for the second rifle but now am following this thread with great interest...

dai

Comments made in error, therefore withdrawn.

Sorry for the confusion -- the aside was to Sactoller who had built a .404 Jeffrey...

I purchased the second Hawkeye for .416 Ruger -- but this project has bound me up in attention to what you are accomplishing....

David

Apologies for the confusion. I've withdrawn my comments.

Finally obtained the initial chronograph readings of a few test loads in the 404-375 Ruger. Hornady 400 gn DGXs with increasing charges of IMR-4350 & H-4350 produced MVs at 15' from 2093-2214 fps, with no case or primer signs of high pressures. These were all starting loads as there is sufficient case capacity with the Hornady bullets to increase these loads by several grains.

The only Barnes 400 gn TSX loads fired over the chrono so far were loaded with RL-15 and produced an avg MV of 2230fps. Next will fire BL-C2 with the TSXs and increasing H-4350 loads with the Hornady DGXs and Woodleigh 400 gn SPs. Target MV is 2300-2350 fps which seems attainable.

Recoil in the Hawkeye African is easily manageable seated at the bench and about comparable to the heavier Ruger MKII Magnum 458 Lott firing 350 gn bullets at ~2400fps.

Gretings,

took the time finally to see how you are progressing. Those chrono readings and the targets look promising. How are you for time before 'bique? Will the .404 Ruger be ready for action there?

Best from Germany.

Fascinating project.

Being a 404 Jeffery fan, but having more standard length actions than long ones laying about, I had long hoped that one of the factories would step up and do what you've done, perhaps naming it 404 #2 or 424 Ruger/Hornady/whatever.

Any idea how the case dimensions of your wildcat compare to those of the proprietary 404 Dakota?

Carl, about 6-7 weeks, so enough time to finalize the 404 loads. I think they'll turn out to be either Swift AFs or Hornady DGXs for the softs and Barnes Banded Solids for the follow ups. The rifle handles very well and you would recognize it as the one you last saw on the Gravena - with a bit wider bore and a more definitive projectile.



Viejo, although I'm not an expert on the Dakota cartridges, it's my impression that the 404 Dakota is a blown-out full length version of the 404 Rimless NE. So the head diameter is 0.545" and the length ~2.875". The Ruger case is 0.532" head diameter and 2.580" length. The 2 advantages of the Ruger case in the 404 application are that an unmodified standard-length (belted) magnum action can accommodate and feed the 404 Ruger, and that you can fit 3 404 Ruger cartridges in the magazine. The 404 Rimless NE, venerable case that it is, will only fit 2, unless a drop belly mag is used. Like your thinking on the naming convention for the new cartridge.

Hey Moe, come now, you have been a loony long enough to know that one never build a "more definite" rifle; it is the "definite" in the works always...dare I say the ulitmate?

Looking forward to action reports of the .404 Ruger.

Wildcatter 264,

Thanks for the info on your case; I could be wrong about the Dakota, but I thought it was '06-type case length. Anyway, it was impossible to find info on it doing an internet search a couple of years ago. Besides, you've created an alternative to both it and the 404 Jeff with readily available, strong, less expensive brass.

Viejo

Viejo, you're right on the length of the 404 Dakota, it's a std-length case. I was able to find the Dakota case dimensions on their website. The 404 Dakota is 2.580" (as near as I can decipher from their drawing), so it's about the length of the 358 Norma and would fit in a std length action.

Range session today to chrono Barnes 400 gn TSX, 400 gn Banded Solids and Swift 400 gn AF. All chrono data obtained at 15', Temp = 68 F.

Swift 400 gn AF, Fed 215M, BL (C)-2 74-77 grains, COALL = 3.420"
MV (avg)= 2190 - 2285. The 77 gn load produced stuck cases, so constitutes a significant overload in my rifle and I consider it unsafe. The conclusion is that a slower powder will be needed with the Swift AFs to reach target MV. For now will discontinue testing the Swifts and resume later in the summer with IMR-4320, RL-15 and IMR-4350.

Barnes 400 gn TSX, Fed 215M, BL (C)-2 73-76 grains, COALL = 3.420" MV (avg) = 2200 - 2252

Barnes 400 gn Banded Solid, Fed 215M, BL (C)-2 74 grains, COALL = 3.420" MV (avg) = 2273

Further chrono session within next 2 days.

Target used as aiming point at 25 yds for chrono firing. All the bullets used seem to produce good accuracy, with 100 yd firing next week. The barrel has retained its accuracy after the re-bore. Small holes are 9.3x62. Fifteen .423" shots are aggregated in the groups at 11 o'clock (small right upper target), 9 o'clock (to the left of the right point of the central diamond) and at 6 o'clock (bottom point of central diamond). One Swift AF at 3 o'clock.

Moe,

good work - the TSX look good, despite their great length.

Close to 2300 fps with the solids is not to cough at either.

Looking forward to the next results.

So, there is a 9,3at your disposal, now?

What is your schedule?

Carl, you're right the TSXs seem very promising at this point. I may not give up on the AFs completely just yet though. I'm pretty sure at today's session I'll see the solids around 2350 and that should be enough, about 4900 ft-lbs and all the penetration I should need.

The 9.3x62 was sort of an unexpected opportunity and takes the place of a particular favorite, a 35 Whelen. First chrono of the 286 Prvi Partisan factory loads though only showed 2090 fps. If I had more time I'd load 250 Accubonds, but instead will take a 300WSM with 180 Partitions PP as a 2nd rifle. Leaving on July 30 and will return in Mid-August. Stay tuned, some interesting things may yet happen and the photos of the trip should prove interesting.

Latest results involve firing the Hornady DGX, Barnes Banded Solid and Swift A-Frame. All are 400 grain 0.423" bullets.

Because pressure appears to spike fairly rapidly with BL(C)-2, H-414 was used for the latest firings. Further testing with H-380 seems indicated in late summer. Other components are Fed 215M primers, and Hornady cases. The cases were formed by either expanding 416 Ruger cases or forming and trimming 375 Ruger Basic (cylindrical) cases. A Redding 416 Ruger FL sizing die with the neck reamed an additional 0.005" and a tapered expander button was used for the forming in a single pass. COAL with all bullets = 3.420"

Firing results (T = 61-66 deg F, instrumental readings at 15'):

Swift 400 gn AF, H-414 73-83 gns = 2150-2252 fps KE = 3612-3939 ft-lbs
Hornady DGX 400 gn H-414 77-82 gns = 2200-2269 fps KE = 3760-3969 ft-lbs
Barnes Banded Solid 400 gn H-414 75-80 gns = 2166-2239 fps KE = 3651-3898 ft-lbs

Recoil (max) with the 8.25 lb rifle in a Rimrock stock is about 45-53 ft-lbs, but fairly fast.

After returning from hunting with the 404 in August will write a detailed article on the development of this cartridge. Seems close to ideal for buffalo with any of the 400 grain expanding bullets tested. On the light side, but probably usable on elephant with the monolithic solids, as these loads surpass original 404 Jeffery ballistics.

Would like to thank muledeer (Dennis) for the original idea and Ray for his encouragement on the project.