Rifle · SAAMI (not in current Z299)
.404 Jeffery
W.J.
- Caliber
- 0.422″ · 10.72 mm
- Introduced
- 1905
- Case
- Rimless
- Primary use
- Dangerous Game, Big Game
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1905
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Inventor
- W.J. Jeffery
- Manufacturer
- W.J. Jeffery
- Standard
- SAAMI (not in current Z299)
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 113 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:16
- Primer
- Large Rifle Magnum
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 52,939 psi, CIP transducer
- Eff. range
- 300 yd
- Max range
- 3900 yd
- Recoil
- 60–80 ft·lb
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for .404 Jeffery.
Performance
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 10.72 | 0.422 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 11.56 | 0.455 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 13.46 | 0.530 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 8.5° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 13.84 | 0.545 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 13.79 | 0.543 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.27 | 0.050 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 15.84 | 0.624 | ≈ |
| Case length | 73.02 | 2.875 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 89.66 | 3.530 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .404 Jeffery is highlighted below.
Factory loads
Being verified
Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.
Suitable powders
2 reloading powders listed for .404 Jeffery, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .404 Jeffery
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Introduced by W.J. Jeffery in 1905 for magazine rifles rather than double rifles. The rimless design fed reliably in bolt-action Mausers. Professional hunters in Africa adopted it widely. Its case dimensions influenced cartridge designers for a century — the .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, and numerous other cartridges all borrowed from the .404 Jeffery's case family.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .404 Jeffery use?
- .404 Jeffery typically uses a 1:16 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .404 Jeffery?
- .404 Jeffery uses a 0.422″ (10.72 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .404 Jeffery still in production?
- .404 Jeffery is active; typical availability is common.
- What is .404 Jeffery used for?
- .404 Jeffery is primarily used for dangerous game, big game.
- What are the best powders for .404 Jeffery?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .404 Jeffery include N170, Reloader 25.
Sources & provenance
- Standard C.I.P. — C.I.P. TDCC — Tables of Dimensions of Cartridges and Chambers
- Standard SAAMI — ANSI/SAAMI Z299 — Cartridge & Chamber Drawings archived
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 51 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →