Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Question for the .400 Whelen Crowd

No insight on the brass but at least the Qualcart has a thicker rim and correct headstamp.
I also have some AHR Howell Basic I used to make .400 Whelen.
Just necked it down, have not fired it.
QC, R-P, AHR: Will take a pic(s):

I have a set of c4hd 40) Whelen griffin & Howe for sale if you like.

Thanks for the pics and info as always RC. That variance between the three brass manufacturers is interesting. I was actually thinking about a factory crimp die yesterday and put a .405 Winchester LFC die in my midway cart but haven't checked specs to see if it would work or not.

I have a friend with some Swiss screw machines, looking for work.I have suggested he turn brass solids for some of these more rare caliber sizes. Thoughts?

I appreciate that but already have a set.

21”

Beauty!

Yep, mighty nice, Iclimb.

And here is the latest load revision
and the 43-load list for the 400 Whelen at AmmoGuide:

That data is invaluable RC. Thank you curating that!

Welcome, my pleasure.
If you want your 360-gr North Fork load spelled out there:

-Bullet (Bullet overall length and BC also helpful if known)
-Brass
-Powder Charge (comment as to whether non-compressed or compressed)
-COL
-Any chrono results (and distance to chrono unless LabRadar or other direct MV)
-Barrel length
-Any alterations to G&H/Petrov chamber, such as re-throating,
or any and all other information to be detailed in the comments, such as Pac-Nor barrel make and twist, etc.

I would be happy to give you credit in the comments at AmmoGuide.
Going for 44th load in the list.

I appreciate that. I am actually planning to send this rifle off to get some feeding work done to it so that I can hopefully work with a longer COL. Will get more serious on load data after that.

Thanks for that data!

Riflecrank, any suggestions where I can find the dies to draw out the bullets? I see the setup with the arbor press etc…I reckon I need die’s

Iclimb,

What is the barrel length on that beauteous .400 Whelen ?

I use LEE and CH4D base-pusher, bullet-sizing dies, collected over the years.
I have not been able to find any of the N.O.E. sizers that I need, so have not tried them.

LEE are less expensive than CH4D, if you can find them.
Used to be able to custom order those.
Same for the CH4D.
I got some ready-made off the shelf by internet order, some by telephone call to ask/custom order, etc.
The same dies are useful for sizing lead bullets too, as well as applying the gas checks.
Soft lead sizes true.
Hard lead alloys might spring back .001".
Jacketed and Monometals of brass and copper might spring back .0015" to .002".
My hardcast ".458-caliber" bullets pushed through a .460" sizer will end up at .461" diameter,
whether using a LEE or CH4D bullet sizer.

Here are my CH4D dies for going from .416- to .411- to .408-caliber:
.412
.410
.409
.408
.407
.406

Just to show that I like LEE dies too, for going from .408- to .395-caliber (pet wildcat),
I use these LEE dies:
.405
.400
.397
.396
.395
.394

21”-22” actually can’t remember hahahah I’ll look. It swings awesome. Ok I’ll have to get ahold of CH4D and see what they have. So is the pusher universal? I assume the sizing pieces listed are like bushings of sorts and the piece they fit in is like a universal die? I need to find some info. Please forgive my naivety…

The standard CH4D and LEE bullet-sizer dies are a one-piece, steel die body with proper sizer hole bored through it
plus a pusher rod for each sizer.

NOE has a die body that accepts different sized inserts.
I hope they are-all steel parts.

LEE has recently added a new type sizer that is similar to the NOE in being a die body with inserts.
Aluminum parts house the steel inserts for the LEE, however.
I have tried that one, compliments of gunner500.
After sizing some .510 to .505,
I could not get the threaded parts unstuck, they were "cold-welded" by the arbor press.

Maybe NOE can handle jacketed and monometal sizing as well as cast lead.
Until I have tried it, I can only recommend the "unibody" sizers from LEE and CH4D.

Thanks I’ve emailed CH4D and I’ll look for an arbor press…
.416 Whelen next time 🤣🤣

Put this video together tonight. Let me know what you think or if I should change something. Pretty easy to change it as the main actor and production crew all work cheap.

Great vid MedRiver

Thanks beretzs. I just put together another one using bullseye and corn meal. I used this method on my .30 Gibbs project and like being able to do it inside my shop anytime I want. Not as fun as actually shooting stuff though

That's the same way I used to form Mashburn brass back in the day. Like you, I just ended up switching to using bullets. Now, with stuff harder to get I might get back to Bullseye again!