.400 Jeffery Nitro Express

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.400 Jeffery Nitro Express
.450-400 Nitro Express 3-inch, 1938-39 WR brochure.jpg
Illustration from the 1938-39 Westley Richards brochure
TypeRifle
Place of origin United Kingdom
Production history
Designer W.J. Jeffery & Co
Designed1902
Produced1902–present
Specifications
Parent case .450/400 Black Powder Express
Case typeRimmed, bottlenecked
Bullet diameter.410 in (10.4 mm)
Neck diameter.440 in (11.2 mm)
Shoulder diameter.520 in (13.2 mm)
Base diameter.548 in (13.9 mm)
Rim diameter.625 in (15.9 mm)
Rim thickness.065 in (1.7 mm)
Case length3.00 in (76 mm)
Overall length3.75 in (95 mm)
Case capacity117.0  gr H2O (7.58 cm3)
Rifling twist1-15 in (381 mm)
Primer typeBoxer
Maximum pressure40,611 psi (280.00 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/typeVelocityEnergy
400 gr (26 g) 2,100 ft/s (640 m/s)3,920 ft⋅lbf (5,310 J)
Test barrel length: 26 inches
Source(s): Kynoch [1] & Barnes. [2]

The .400 Jeffery Nitro Express or .450/400 Nitro Express 3-inch is a medium bore, bottlenecked, Nitro Express cartridge designed by W.J. Jeffery & Co in 1902, intended for use in single shot and double rifles.

Contents

Development

The W.J. Jeffery & Co developed the .400 Jeffery NE from the .450/400 31⁄4-inch Nitro Express, following extraction problems with the latter cartridge.

The .450/400 31⁄4-inch NE was recreated by loading the old .450/400 31⁄4-inch Black Powder Express with cordite, transforming a low-velocity deerstalking cartridge into a genuine big-game hunting round capable of tackling even the largest Indian and African game. The conversion was not initially entirely successful, under the increased pressures of the cordite loading the long neck could stick in the chamber causing the rim to pull off at extraction, [2] a problem not encountered with the milder black powder loadings. To counter this, W.J. Jeffery & Co reduced the length of the case to 3-inches and moved the neck further forward, creating this cartridge, [2] as such it was never loaded with black powder.

Unlike earlier .450/400 31⁄4-inch NE cases the .400 Jeffery NE was standardised on the .410 caliber bullets, renewed interest in the double rifles meant more bullets in this caliber were becoming available.

Dimensions

400 Jeffery Nitro Express dimensions.jpg

Use

The .450/400 NE in both the 3-inch and 31⁄4-inch versions were extremely popular in Africa and India, prior to the introduction of the .375 Holland & Holland they were considered the best all-round African hunting caliber. Both cartridges were extremely popular in India with Maharajas and British sportsmen. [3]

Karamojo Bell started his elephant hunting career with a Jeffery built .450/400 double rifle prior to moving to his famous .275 Rigby. [4] Jim Corbett switched from a .500 Black Powder Express to a W.J. Jeffery boxlock double rifle in .400 Jeffery NE which he used along with a .275 Rigby. [5]

In his African Rifles and Cartridges, John "Pondoro" Taylor stated the 3-inch and 31⁄4-inch .450/400 NE cartridges to be "the grandest weapons imaginable for all big game hunting" adequate for all African game in almost all conditions when used by an experienced hunter. [6] He further stated "I derived greater pleasure from using the .400 than any other calibre; and no weapon behaved more successfully in my hands. I would happily finish the remainder of my career with a pair of them and nothing else-unless it was a third!" [6]

Major Percy Powell-Cotton wrote the "Jeffery .400 ejector express rifle I first carried in my Abyssinian expedition is my favourite weapon for dangerous game. With all nickel-covered bullets it is excellent for head or heart shots at elephant. With the lead just showing at the nose they do good work on rhino and buffalo; whilst with half the lead exposed I do not think you can get a better weapon for lion." [6]

Elmer Keith stated this cartridge would be his first choice when hunting brown bear in Alaska. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elephant gun</span> Firearm of large caliber for hunting elephant and other large game

An elephant gun is a large caliber gun, rifled or smoothbore, originally developed for use by big-game hunters for elephant and other large game. Elephant guns were black powder muzzle-loaders at first, then black powder express rifles, then later used smokeless powder cartridges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Express (weaponry)</span> Term applicable to hunting rifles and ammunition

The term express was first applied to hunting rifles and ammunition beginning in the mid-19th century, to indicate a rifle or ammunition capable of higher than typical velocities. The early express cartridges used a heavy charge of black powder to propel a lightweight, often hollow point bullet, at high velocities to maximize point blank range. Later the express cartridges were loaded with nitrocellulose-based gunpowder, leading to the Nitro Express cartridges, the first of which was the .450 Nitro Express.

The .416 Rigby is a rifle cartridge designed in 1911 by London based gunmaker John Rigby & Company, for hunting dangerous game. It is the first cartridge to use a bullet of .416 inch diameter. The rifles, as built by John Rigby & Co., were initially made up on the Magnum Mauser 98 action, although in later years, some were made on standard length actions, a perfect example being the rifle used by legendary professional hunter Harry Selby. Other famous users of the cartridge were Commander David Enderby Blunt, John Taylor, and Jack O'Connor.

The Nitro Express (NE) series of cartridges are used in large-bore hunting rifles, also known as elephant guns or express rifles, but later came to include smaller bore high velocity British cartridges.

The .600 Nitro Express is a large bore Nitro Express rifle cartridge developed by W.J. Jeffery & Co for the purpose of hunting large game such as elephant.

The .577 Nitro Express is a large-bore centerfire rifle cartridge designed for the purpose of hunting large game such as elephant. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in single-shot and double express rifles for hunting in the Tropics or hot climates in general and is a cartridge associated with the golden age of African safaris and Indian shikars.

.450 Nitro Express also known as the .450 Nitro Express 31⁄4-inch is a rifle cartridge designed for hunting dangerous game such as elephant, rhino, cape buffalo, lion, and leopard. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in double rifles for hunting in the Tropics or hot climates in general and is associated with the Golden Age of African safaris and Indian shikars.

The .475 No 2 Nitro Express is a British rifle cartridge developed by Eley Brothers in the early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.577/500 No 2 Black Powder Express</span>

The .577/500 No 2 Black Powder Express, also known as the 12.7mm British No 2, is a British centerfire fire rifle cartridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.500 Black Powder Express</span>

The .500 Black Powder Express was a series of Black powder cases of varying lengths that emerged in the 1860s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.450/400 Nitro Express</span>

The .450/400 Nitro Express is a Nitro Express rifle cartridge that is produced in three case lengths: 23⁄8-inches, 3 inches and 31⁄4-inches, and is intended for use in single shot and double rifles. The 3-inch and 31⁄4-inch versions are considered classic Nitro Express cartridges.

The .333 Jeffery and .333 Jeffery Flanged are medium-bore rifle cartridges developed by W.J. Jeffery & Co and introduced in 1908.

The .450 No 2 Nitro Express also known as the .450 Nitro Express 31⁄2-inch was developed by Eley Brothers in 1903.

The .400/350 Nitro Express, also known at the .400/350 Nitro Rigby, is a medium bore rifle cartridge developed by John Rigby & Company.

The .450 Black Powder Express also known as the .450 31⁄4-inch BPE was a popular black powder cartridge in the late 19th and early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.450/400 Black Powder Express</span>

The .450/400 Black Powder Express cartridges were black powder rifle cartridges introduced in the United Kingdom in the 1880s.

The .500/450 3+1⁄4-inch Magnum Black Powder Express, is a centerfire rifle cartridge developed in Britain.

The .400 Purdey, also known as the .400 3-inch Straight and .400 Purdey Light Express 3-inch, is an obsolete rifle cartridge developed by James Purdey & Sons.

The .360 No 2 Nitro Express is a centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Eley Brothers and introduced in 1905.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.461 Gibbs</span>

The .461 No 1 Gibbs and the .461 No 2 Gibbs are two obsolete proprietary rifle cartridges developed in 19th century Britain.

References

  1. ↑ Kynoch Ammunition, "Big Game Cartridges", kynochammunition.co.uk, archived 21 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Frank C. Barnes, Cartridges of the World, ed 13, Gun Digest Books, Iola, 2012, ISBN   9781440230592.
  3. ↑ Paul Roberts, "Nitro big game rifles", ezine.nitroexpress.info, retrieved 13 November 2015.
  4. ↑ Ganyana, "The 450/400 Nitro Express", soulofacarp.com, retrieved 21 November 2015.
  5. ↑ Terry Wieland, Dangerous-game rifles, ed 2, Down East Books / Shooting Sportsman Press, 2009, ISBN   978-0-89272-807-7.
  6. 1 2 3 John Taylor, African rifles and cartridges, Sportsman's Vintage Press, 2013, ISBN   978-1-940001-01-2.
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