The old ballistics were a 400 at about 2150. The "German Ballistics" are a 400 at 2375 to 2400, same as the 416 Rigby.


I have used both back in the 70s. The 2400 FPS load is just fine and works wonderfully, and I shot a lot more game with the RWS ammo then the old original Kynoch ammo. The old Kynoch ammo I used was probably made in the 30 or 40s. But the old stuff was just fine too.

The 404 was designed to emulate the 450/400 shell, and it did that very well. There is not a thing wrong with the load at 2150. I load my own ammo now at 2150 and it does all I would ever ask of it. I do not actually see the 2400 FPS load doing anything better. It will shoot flatter, but with the rifle I was using that made no difference at all. I never fired a shot with it past about 125 yards and by far most of my shots were at 15 to 35 yards. if I want to shoot 200 yards and farther I have a perfectly good 375H&H that will do all I ask of it. Any game that might make me think of stepping up from a 375H&H is NOT shot far away and it's NOT small.

The rifle I hunted with was made by Jeffery and I was told it was a sale made to Tanganyika back when that was still a country. It was said to have been made in the early 20s.
My 404 now is one I made in a style very similar. The old gun was a single square bridge and those actions are costly and hard to find, so I use a standard GEW size action. I used London Guns bottom metal made for a 375H&H which I opened up for the larger 404 cartridge. Because I am getting old I compromised with my nostalgic side and mounted a 2X scope. The old Jeffery only had the irons, but they were perfectly good for all I ever wanted to use that gun for. The one I made for myself has folding express sights at 100, 200 and 300, all zeroed with the 2150 FPS load. The 100 Yard blade also is spot on at 21 yards for the 1st intersection of it's trajectory, so for most shots it is about perfect for anything I would use I would ask of a 404.
Here is my rifle today (uncheckered at the time of the pic)

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA by Steve Zihn, on [bleep]

Last edited by szihn; 09/15/20.