Safari Express rifle pic thread

[jkingrph]

I have one really good set on a boar I killed here April last year. Had the head European mounted. Shot it with my 9.3 x 62. Tonites pig had small cutters. He was maybe 3 years old. My son in law killed another big boar last year a month before i killed my big one. His was much bigger bodied, but the tusks were about the same. Still big and would do a number on you!!!!!!!!!!

Renault

I have a set of tusks somewhere from a boar I took back in 1973, out in the mountains SE of Izmir, Turkey. They are about 5" long.

 

[Philip A.]

.450/400 NE 3"

Good solid tool, spends a lot of time on safaris...

 

[Oldsarge]

A professional grade. Are we to assume that you are in the business, Phillip?

 

[Roving_Bohemian]

So Phillip, would you like to host a Fedora Lounge Adventure? Or at least join one if we ever get something going like a "vintage- safari"?

 

[Philip A.]

Correct, Sarge, I have the good fortune to be into Safaris and similar bug-feeding, sweat-drenching, thorn-collecting, footsore-friendly things.

Bohemian, I'm actually bent on setting up proper classic Safaris... I happened on this site while looking up classic lore on the Net. I love the bush, and love the guts of the guys who opened the place a hundred-odd years ago. They were not looking for inches of trophy gotten from the back of a pickup, they took their time and thoroughly enjoyed what they were doing, with a sense of propriety that is lost on many nowadays. I'd love to get a few like-minded gentlemen around a fire somewhere between the Equator and the Sudan, in a setting where humming electrical generators and quick emails before going to bed in a plastic shelter would be considered profanities...

 

[jkingrph]

.450/400 NE 3"

Good solid tool, spends a lot of time on safaris...

Beautiful rifle. There is nothing like fine tools, no matter what the job.

I cannot help but to notice the height of both the front and rear sights, I am presuming that it allows you to shoot with a more heads up postion.

As a side note I just received one of the NECG ghost ring rear sights for my CZ, and installed it along with a Patridge type front which is much easier to see than the stock fine dot. The front took a bit of filing on the bottom to get it to the point where it slides in the dovetail, then as they come tall, I carefully filed down the height so it is still about 5/1000 " higher than the orginal to give me a little to play with when I can get to the range. Weather has been so hot this spring and early summer, 105 F downtown about 5pm yesterday. The gun club/ranges where I have a membership is about 50 miles from here, but no fun going out in the heat.

Phillip, your idea of a safari is what I would like, but at my age and my wife's health will never happen. My best times were some wild boar hunts in the mountains of western Turkey nearly 40 years ago when I was over there. They were always day hunts, but we would drive to the area, pick up some villeagers for beaters, along with their dogs, then sometimes hike back into the mountains for an hour or so before setting up a drive.

Your life sounds like an enjoyable one, I wish you many successful hunts and many happy clients.

Jeff

 

[jkingrph]

Looking at the last few posts, I thought of a couple of other forums, that have subsections on African hunting, big bore guns and even double rifles.

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve

http://24hourcampfire.com/


Jeff

 

[Oldsarge]

accuratereloading.com? I know the place well, as does Chasseur. We also occasionally visit http://nitroexpress.com, another site devoted to the shooting and appreciation of double rifles.

Philip, which country are you operating out of, Tanzania? I'd love to go there, having had wonderful times in Mozambique, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Zimbabwe but I fear that the cost structure of the country is beyond me. Tent safaris are at a premium, these days, and I am hard put enough to manage the Zambezi Delta.

 

[Philip A.]

Jeff, the rear sight is removable, it fits into the claw mounts' base on the rib, hence the height (can't make it much shorter if there is to be any elevation-adjusting mechanism).

If you look at the stock, you'll see that the comb is much "straighter" than usual for a double, more akin to a modern bolt-action stock. Since the rifle was coming with scope mounts, I had asked Heym to stock it this way, for two reasons: one, that there would not be a marked difference in sight line between irons and scope, and two because on my bolts, I prefer straight stocks. Lots of people reckon that a straight-back recoiling rifle gives better recoil-handling, and in my experience it's true.

I'd have to shoot the same rifle, same caliber, same weight but with a more classic comb height and slope to be able to accurately compare, but the fact is that this particular rifle is very comfortable to shoot.

Sarge, I live in Uganda. There are five operators here, and the country offers very diverse possibilities.

Costs of safaris (and I mean running costs, what the operators can't really change, not the premiums that some may charge for real or perceived exclusivity/luxury) are largely determined by the weight of the logistics, and in part by the Government fees/taxes.

To offer a "hunt" in a fenced farm, run from a "camp" in the back of the owner's residence allows for much cheaper options than to organize an expedition 500 miles from the first shop and 200 miles from the first road , with 2 or more vehicles, staff, and complete self-reliance for a dozen or so people for two or three weeks. These are two extremes, and there are all the variations in between.

 

[jkingrph]

Phillip, I had noticed the ghost ring was attacted in the claw mount base, and had thought the height was to place your eye in a plane similar to what it would be when using a scope. I did not notice anything about the stock, really because I am not familiar with double rifles, they are just not popular or in use here. The closest thing I have in stock configuration is a little Darne shotgun, it's very straight, but in 28 ga recoil is almost non existant.

 

[Roving_Bohemian]

Watching History Channel's "TopShot" online... I'm both inspired (by the insane shooting) and mollified: out of 16 of "the world's best shooters", 4 of them have the afore-mentioned "stupid-mark"!

 

[Oldsarge]

That doesn't surprise me. For a couple of generations, now, Americans have just taken it as a given that rifles must be scoped and that any rifle that won't group into a minute of angle is worthless. This is nonsense, of course, but there you are. At some time during those gentlemen's careers they attempted to make a hard-recoiling magnum group like a varminter. I wish I knew why this obsession continues to exist. Whenever I go to the range with my big guns I put up a set of home made shooting sticks and have great time without injury. I will be the only one. Even those few who do shoot hard kickers will be curled up on the benches getting the snot kicked out of themselves and, I suppose, relishing their machismo for doing so. Not this bwana! If your game is hunted in clear weather and shot at less than 150 yards, there is no reason for a scope. Fish and Wildlife published studies show that 98% of all big game, especially in North America, is shot at under 125 yards. Two of my rifles are scoped and four have peep sights. I believe that demonstrates my opinion.

 

[DUKE NUKEM]

BARNES 400 GRAIN .416 TSX Range Report

 

[Doublegun]

I enjoyed carrying and shooting my G&H, fitted with a Lyman 48, so much during our deer season that I removed the scope, rings and bases from my Pre-64, Winchester M70 in 300H&H and am relying on the factory iron sights. The rifle handles so much better without the scope. With a 26" barrel the rifle is a fairly long rifle but it feels light and lively in hand and is a pleasure to handle and carry. I think far too many American "sportsmen" feel that every rifle needs to be fitted with as much glass as can be fit on the gun. These are the same guys who show up at the range a few days before the opening of hunting season shoot until they can get a couple of rounds into a paper plate at 100-yards. There is no substitute for quality time behind the trigger and learning to shoot properly.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi Sarge

I love peep sights, easy to use and no stupid marks. One of the world's best rifles in a few ways, is the SKS. It shoots 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards new out of the box, AND after you back over it with the truck.

Later

 

[Story]

accuratereloading.com? I know the place well, as does Chasseur. We also occasionally visit http://nitroexpress.com, another site devoted to the shooting and appreciation of double rifles. .

Along with doubleguns.com's forums. http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm&c=1

While we're on appropriate forums, I stumbled upon this article

http://www.africahunting.com/huntin...-tiger-tamer-12-bore-howdah-double-rifle.html

Anyone else watching the fake Kavanagh out there?

 

[Chasseur]

Thanks for reminding me to be more active on those forums Sarge!

Philip, nice looking double rifle there!

 

[jkingrph]

I posted this over on the display case by mistake.

I was wanting a peep for my Ruger #1 and found this over on the 24hourcampfire.com forum, so please do not credit me with the idea. The picture is from there and I only wish that rifle were mine.

The sight is made from cutting down and reshaping a Burris Ruger to Weaver adapter and an XS lo Weaver backup sight. I sawed and ground off excess material then using files made a large lap joint, and joined the two pieces with some countersunk 4-40 machine screws, then cold blued everything. I have not shot it yet and may have to change the front sight height.

I did like it well enough I ordered a couple of more sights and a set of adapters to make another pair for the two remaining #1's I have with iron sights.

Here's the picture.

 

[Renault]

Redfield made a one piece scope mount base back in the 50's and 60's that has an intergral flip up peep sight apeture built into the back of the base. You still see them show up every once in a while. Naturally you had to remove the scope to use it.

Renault

 

[DesertDan]

That is pretty slick!
I've always wanted a Ruger #1 but right now all my rifles have either bolts or levers.