Reeder Custom Guns - 400 GNR

Has anyone played around with trimming the case length on the 400 GNR to something that would fit a pistol? either

- 1.383" (Casull length); or
- 1.29" (magnum-length)?

Has anyone tried using brass from the higher pressure cases in the 30-30 family? e.g. 375 Winchester, 225 Winchester, or 360 Buckhammer?

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I would think under both options (shortening, or using higher pressure, cases), you would have to inside neck ream,

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It predates the .41 Remington a couple years. Norma loaded the ammo. Making the cases from .30-.30 is a bit laborious (rims too big and thick) so I use special lathe turned .41 REM and .40 S&W dies. Trimmed to 1.27” as the old gun requires. It’s basically a rimmed version of the much later 10mm Auto Magnum.

From my experience all the rounds you mentioned are no more robust than the common .30-30. I’ve made .375 and .225 Win. from .30-30.

The Herters round was ahead of its time, a real in-the-middle .400 round. Better filled the .357 and .44 (actually .43) gap. A boy named Lee Martin did one too, a little longer, but arrived at the same place. Gary’s .401 GNR gets there lots easier, .44 Mag necked to 10mm. A little brother to the .410 GNR!

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Though superficially similar to the old 401 powermag, this would be a much higher-pressure, and therefore higher-power round in either magnum- or casull-caselength.

The 401 bobcat in both 1.29” and 1.40” versions would be a better comparison, however it uses the 220 swift as a parent cartridge, which unfortunately is tapered. Using 30-30 brass like the 400 GNR gives the advantage of a straight wall. Even better, 225 Win brass gives the superior .473 rim diameter and 0.049” rim thickness.

Whether 401 GNR “gets there lots easier” depends on knowing where “there” is.

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400 GNR - Short?

neck ream

Yes, it’s called the .401 Herters Supermag

401 GNR #2- 445 SM necked down

No, not quite