Shooting the .404 & .333 Jeffery

We fire two shots each through the Jeffery rifles using the sights they came supplied with.

[@GavilanStudios1]

Love both rifles but the .404 is literally a hats off kinda rifle!😂

[@peterconnan5631]

My grandfather had a .404 built by Mauser. Single square-bridge action like your .333. I don't know what it weighed, but that rifle was a great pleasure to shoot. It had less painful recoil than any .375 I have shot. The only time it ever hurt me was the day I shot it prone. In short sleeves. Shoved me back almost a foot.

[@Kostas53757]

Beautiful rifles

[@roadkillanonymous4807]

Thanks for sharing! Classy rifles there…

[@sgtmajtrapp3391]

Used a custom .404 on buffalo wonderful cartridge. Never had the chance to shoot .333, in fact, never have seen one for sale but find it very interesting. I have used the 9.3x62 on a lot of big game one of my favorite cartridges and by far the most popular of the medium bores until the .375 H&H surpassed it in the 50's. My .404 was a custom SAKO with express sights but did recoil like your LW .404 in fact it was a smooth shooting rifle and accurate. I subscribed very interesting thanks for obviously fine work. Hope you have a blessed Christmas.

[@MrPh30]

Look on German Hubting Guns page, under Archives on Barella there is a double rifle in .404 Jeffery . Under Schiwy there is a very famous Magnum Mauser in 9,3x70 which is necked down .404 case.

[@rigbymauser]

Using shootingstick doesn`t exactly help controlling the recoil either of a light rifle in a medium caliber(yes....404 is medium). For hunting carry the 8-9ibs .404 all day must be nice. Never mind the recoil in a hunting situation.

[@acharyajamesoermannspeaker6563]

Interesting. There are ways of adding weight.

[@TimberTramp]

I fear the amount of these gorgeous parts of history were destroyed during buybacks and/or anti-arms legislation 😢… beautiful rifles sir!

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

A sobering thought ……

[@gavingaming123]

Beautiful rifles, do you know the history of these rifles ? Thanks for sharing. All the best from Scotland. Garry

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

Unfortunately, other than manufacturing dates, I was not able to get any further info...

[@davidgendron1953]

Beautiful rifles as usual!! What is the velocity of the 333 with 300gn bullets? And what are other bullets popular in the 333?

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

Hi David, Kynoch produced a 300gr bullet published at 2200f/s and a 250gr bullet published at 2500f/s. I know speer at some point had a 275gr bullet available-I do not know if they still do. I shoot woodleigh 300gr softs at 2069f/s. I put some new Kynoch through the chrony and they left the barrel at 2162f/s.

[@davidgendron1953]

@@oldcolonialtreasures114 thanks for the reply!!

[@SLG1911]

I like that 404! How heavy is it? One reason it hits you hard is that you aren't really holding it. If you use your support hand in one of several better ways that work, you will minimize the recoil as much as possible. I'm not trying to get down on you at all, I really enjoy your content. I would love to shoot that gun, as the 450-400 is a favorite of mine, and I love lightweight guns.

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

Thanks for the comment. The 404 weighs 8lb 10 oz. Don't worry about your comment, you are 100% correct, in a true hunting situation I fully agree, the front hand must hold tight and help 'push" the rifle into the shoulder. For the purpose of the videos, I did not want to change the hold and I treat all rifles regardless of caliber or whether they are bolt action/ double, the same way. This may not be smart but gives a true comparison as all are shot the exact same way off the sticks. At least the first shot. I did the 416 Rigby in a 10lb gun (scope excluded) just recently and it slipped off the shoulder slightly with the first shot. So being 100% consistent does come at a price. Somewhere I will also shoot my 450-400 3" WJ Jeffery and at just short of 11lbs and with a different balance it is actually a pleasure to shoot. Please don't be sensitive to feelings here, my purpose is to share and to learn and what you said is perfectly valid!

[@SLG1911]

@@oldcolonialtreasures114 Very cool, thank you. I'm watching your longer comparison video of the 333, 404 and 500 now. You have some real treasures there! I have used a 9# Ruger #1 in 450-400 and rather enjoyed it. If you want to part with that 404, let me know:-) I assume the 500 recoils similarly to a 458WM?

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

That 500 is significantly more than my 505 Gibbs.... actually the 404 is listed on Guns International with the case, case content and reloading materials: www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/rifles-african-dangerous-game-safari-magazine/wj-jeffery-magazine-express-mauser-404-jeffery-pre-war-manufacture-fully-cased.cfm?gun_id=101948299

[@martinreinhold6589]

OK. Why are you holding the .404 like that? I have a .404 Jeff in Parker Hale. Possibly a bit agricultural compared to the rifles you shoot, but by the same token it doesnt usually blow my hat off. I use it on Australia Buff. Of the .40 plus cal rifles it has the least recoil IMO but when I shoot it I dont usually hold the front end up with my pinky....or not at all. Get rid of the sticks and hold the front end. You will find it works wonders for accuracy, felt recoil, and keeping your hat on your head. That said I do love your channel.

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

Hi Martin, thanks for the questions and comments: The Parker Hale is a fine gun and I do think will perform as good as any other make ! On the reason for simply resting the front end in the sticks and using sticks, I made the comment early on when I started the channel that all shots would be taken on the exact same targets, from the exact same spot over the same sticks and with the rifle in the exact same location, right hand pulling butt to shoulder and simply resting it in the stick cradle- the purpose for this was to have a way to see how different calibers reacted when held the exact same way. This is I agree fully not the way to hold when hunting, but that was not the purpose at the outset. The purpose was to see what a specific bullet and rifle design did, if all were shot similarly. There are only a few rifles to follow, Westley Richards in 318 and 425 in a double and then the modern Rigby in 275 and 416 Rigby. So we are almost done with the rifle review and shooting exercise. Then I will change over to videos on actually hunting with some of these rifles and focus more on those experiences, and bullet performance. I hope this explains better why I did all of it the same way. Thanks for the interest.

[@victorperry2088]

Really enjoy your videos. The 404 Jeffery really appeared to kick you hard. What is the actual weight of the rifle, you didn't 't mention? I own a 458 Lott that weights about 11 pounds and I don't think it has close to the kick your Jeffery has.

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

Just over 9lbs, but the stock is too short for me…as well

[@raystack6250]

Possibly an 11oz Graco mercury reducer would take you over 9 lbs

[@richardkramer1094]

A .404 Jeffery in a lightweight rifle…someone wasn’t thinking! It’ll knock your teeth loose and make you lose your hat.🤣🤣🤣 nice rifles though.

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

Maybe in the 1930’s the hunters were tougher 😳!

[@richardkramer1094]

@@oldcolonialtreasures114 I doubt they were any tougher than some are today. I don’t mind a heavy recoiling rifle, I just prefer not to shoot them more than once or twice.

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

@@richardkramer1094 I fully agree !!

[@pcka12]

Are the cases all based on the 7.9mm Mauser?

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

I do not believe so. However, the 404 was introduced in 1905 with a neck diameter of 11.48 mm and the 333 Jeffery was introduced in 1908 with a neck diameter of 9.1 mm. The 333 Jeffery did use the 404 as a parent case.

[@pcka12]

@@oldcolonialtreasures114 thank you, You speak about the neck diameter, I wonder about the base (meaning in case of confusion of terminology on my part the bit which contacts the bolt)?

[@oldcolonialtreasures114]

@@pcka12 I checked base diameter for 333 and 404 is 13.7 mm and 13.84 mm respectively and for the 7.9 mm Mauser is 11.94 mm , so substantially smaller .

[@pcka12]

@@oldcolonialtreasures114 thank you for taking the trouble

[@ericfrontczak8016]

Brown synthetic stock with proper comb height I'd add a limbsaver pad

[@bahubalbaba7886]

Instead of shooting over a shooting stick like in a hunting safari , try shooting it with proper and FIRM HOLD with both hands, then it is POSSIBLE that it will not hurt your shoulder. 🙈