Nitro Express Goodness (56K warning!)

Riflesmith said:
That is a beautiful rifle! I am with you there is something mystical about a double rifle. Who are you hunting with on the next trip and what make of bullet are you planning on using? Congrats again and you are doing Africa the right way - with a double rifle!!
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A-Zone and I are both going for a month :eek: I used to think that the proper test of friendship was living together in a tent for a week in the Alberta bush somewhere. But 4 weeks in Africa should pretty much establish things for good :D

We'll be starting things off hunting with outfitter Pierre Moolman for with 3 or 4 days on the coast of South Africa, not too far from Port Elizabeth -- hunting for caracal, bushpig, cape grysbok, and blue duiker.

From there, it will be a couple hours drive to the Pearston area (still in the Eastern Cape) to take a crack at some of the species we didn't collect when we were there in 2007. I'm not completely sure what A-zone has planned, but my list during these 4-5 days include common reedbuck, jackal (never did slow down enough last time to shoot one), warthog, fallow deer, klipspringer and possibly a better lechwe than I took last time if I can find a good one.

From there, we'll be flying to Victoria Falls, with time to see the sights and then get in a bit of fishing for tiger fish (think 10 - 20 lb. piranha and you'll be about right).

And then, the grand event. We'll be getting picked up by our outfitter, John Sharp (who's also a pilot with his own plane), and flown directly into the hunting concession in the bushveld, where we'll be spending the following 15 days looking for leopard, buffalo, and a host of plainsgame species. Most of the plainsgame species overlap with what's available to hunt in the Eastern Cape, but with a few differences -- such as giraffe, greater southern kudu (larger horns than the greater cape kudu, though whether or not they're different subspecies is debatable), limpopo bushbuck, genet, civet, wildcat, honeybadger and hyena.

By the end of all that, we'll likely have run out of ammo -- so it will probably be time to head home :p

As for bullet choice, we're both still working that out. My plan so far is to load the double with a 400 grain Hornady DGX (expanding) in the right barrel and a 400 grain Hornady DGS (solid) in the left. But I need to get some range time to see if I can get that combination to regulate properly.

I'm not sure what A-Zone is taking for his light rifle, but I'm going with a .30-06 loaded with Barnes 168 grain TSX bullets for general use, and 165 grain Hornady Interbonds for the leopard.
 
Neo said:
A-Zone and I are both going for a month :eek: I used to think that the proper test of friendship was living together in a tent for a week in the Alberta bush somewhere. But 4 weeks in Africa should pretty much establish things for good :D

We'll be starting things off hunting with outfitter Pierre Moolman for with 3 or 4 days on the coast of South Africa, not too far from Port Elizabeth -- hunting for caracal, bushpig, cape grysbok, and blue duiker.

From there, it will be a couple hours drive to the Pearston area (still in the Eastern Cape) to take a crack at some of the species we didn't collect when we were there in 2007. I'm not completely sure what A-zone has planned, but my list during these 4-5 days include common reedbuck, jackal (never did slow down enough last time to shoot one), warthog, fallow deer, klipspringer and possibly a better lechwe than I took last time if I can find a good one.

From there, we'll be flying to Victoria Falls, with time to see the sights and then get in a bit of fishing for tiger fish (think 10 - 20 lb. piranha and you'll be about right).

And then, the grand event. We'll be getting picked up by our outfitter, John Sharp (who's also a pilot with his own plane), and flown directly into the hunting concession in the bushveld, where we'll be spending the following 15 days looking for leopard, buffalo, and a host of plainsgame species. Most of the plainsgame species overlap with what's available to hunt in the Eastern Cape, but with a few differences -- such as giraffe, greater southern kudu (larger horns than the greater cape kudu, though whether or not they're different subspecies is debatable), limpopo bushbuck, genet, civet, wildcat, honeybadger and hyena.

By the end of all that, we'll likely have run out of ammo -- so it will probably be time to head home :p

As for bullet choice, we're both still working that out. My plan so far is to load the double with a 400 grain Hornady DGX (expanding) in the right barrel and a 400 grain Hornady DGS (solid) in the left. But I need to get some range time to see if I can get that combination to regulate properly.

I'm not sure what A-Zone is taking for his light rifle, but I'm going with a .30-06 loaded with Barnes 168 grain TSX bullets for general use, and 165 grain Hornady Interbonds for the leopard.
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My light rifle was decided quite some time ago. It is going to be a Sako TRG-S in 30-06 (Thank you, Rembo!) with 165 grain Barnes Triple Shocks for plains game, and Leopard. That rifle is a delightfully accurate and consistent piece.
 
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longbranch* said:
Beautiful rifles gentlemen. We'll be with you in spirit. Damn I need a better job or I'll never get "over there"...siiigh!
Cheers
Geoff
Victoria,BC.
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Geoff,

If getting over there is important, there's always a way to do it. I'm not the first guy on this site to say so, but you can find yourself hunting in Africa for nothing more than the cost of a hundred little sacrifices. It's the coffee you didn't buy today, or the bag lunch you'll bring tomorrow, or the couple of extra hours you put in every week doing something on the side that pays a little cash. Figure out how to put $5-10 a day towards the trip, and you'll get there faster than you would think. A plainsgame hunt in South Africa really isn't all that expensive -- for what a non-resident pays to hunt a deer in Alberta, one can have a mixed bag hunt in South Africa for 5-6 different species! But whether it's one animal or several, the point is that you'll be hunting in Africa. There's nothing else like it. When you stalk across that ground, you'll feel so alive you'll think the rest of your life was a dream.

If it's important to you, you simply must do it. Let everyone else worry about colouring inside the lines. This is your life, and there aren't any dress rehearsals. Too soon, we all discover that the most precious commodity in our lives isn't money, but time.

My apologies if that sounds like a bit of a soapbox speech -- it's really meant only as some heartfelt encouragement. I wish someone had said that to me sooner than they did ;)
 
Africa

Very sound advice NEO. I've had the "Africa dream" for over 30 years, time to get serious now as I'm 51 now and figure I only have about another 50+ years (lord willing)!. Thanks again for the pics and inspiration.
Cheers
Geoff
 
Neo said:
Geoff,

If getting over there is important, there's always a way to do it. I'm not the first guy on this site to say so, but you can find yourself hunting in Africa for nothing more than the cost of a hundred little sacrifices. It's the coffee you didn't buy today, or the bag lunch you'll bring tomorrow, or the couple of extra hours you put in every week doing something on the side that pays a little cash. Figure out how to put $5-10 a day towards the trip, and you'll get there faster than you would think. A plainsgame hunt in South Africa really isn't all that expensive -- for what a non-resident pays to hunt a deer in Alberta, one can have a mixed bag hunt in South Africa for 5-6 different species! But whether it's one animal or several, the point is that you'll be hunting in Africa. There's nothing else like it. When you stalk across that ground, you'll feel so alive you'll think the rest of your life was a dream.

If it's important to you, you simply must do it. Let everyone else worry about colouring inside the lines. This is your life, and there aren't any dress rehearsals. Too soon, we all discover that the most precious commodity in our lives isn't money, but time.

My apologies if that sounds like a bit of a soapbox speech -- it's really meant only as some heartfelt encouragement. I wish someone had said that to me sooner than they did ;)
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Ironically, many people would get to Africa faster if they quit buying guns or sold off some of the surplus. I'm lousy at takeing my own advice, but if fortunes change and I have pick between hunting and a gun collection the EE will get a pile of new ads and I would have a few more "free" trips.

For the younger folks, its easier to arrange to make money than it is save large sums from a more modest income.
 
Neo has hopefully inspired some of you to do what you have always wanted to. That is buy a double rifle. Last spring I saw a picture of someones double rifle they had just purchased and it kicked me in the ass to do the same.

Life is short and if you really want something you can get it. Suffice it to say my double rifle is in the final stages of completion and I should have it by early May or June.

Thanks to guys like Neo who remind us of what is important!!
 
There is getting to be a LOT of double rifle owners around here!

I like it.


Remember even 10 years ago there were few places in Canada a guy could buy a double rifle form. It seemed to be a special order item only and way over priced (even in double rifle money) . It really pissed me off as I had always felt that if doubles were more accessible to be purchased and viewed there would be 10X the number of double rifle owners. The people were out there the guns were not.

Now days we have great Canadian distributors that actually stock doubles, take nice pictures of them, then post them for sale on the internet to temp us all at reasonable prices. And of course, the more people that buy them, post nice pictures on the intent, talk about them, the more people that become interested...

I love it. Now is the best time ever to be a double rifle aficionado...
 
Double

Riflesmith said:
Neo has hopefully inspired some of you to do what you have always wanted to. That is buy a double rifle. Last spring I saw a picture of someones double rifle they had just purchased and it kicked me in the ass to do the same.

Life is short and if you really want something you can get it. Suffice it to say my double rifle is in the final stages of completion and I should have it by early May or June.

Thanks to guys like Neo who remind us of what is important!!
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Well said my friend. Hmmmmm...time to take a hard look at my collection and do a little thinning. Think I hear a Merkle calling me.(there I go "putting the cart in front of the horse again"!)
Cheers
Geoff
 
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Beautiful rifles! I am just re-re-reading John "Pondoro" Taylor's 1948 book "African Rifles and Cartridges" and in the chapter on "Large Medium Bores" he writes "I've done a lot of shooting with the 450/.400 - and am very fond of it". He goes on to say "I would not hesitate to follow any dangerous animal into any sort of cover if armed with a double .400".
 
by curiosity Neo which reticle do you choose ?

just try with and without scope maybe you ll keep shooting unscoped .....

btw nice investment word ill remember that when ill invest another little toy ...
 
medvedqc said:
by curiosity Neo which reticle do you choose ?

just try with and without scope maybe you ll keep shooting unscoped .....

btw nice investment word ill remember that when ill invest another little toy ...
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The scope has the FD9 reticle. It wasn't really my choice, as the rifle came with the scope already chosen and fitted by Merkel. However, as I look through it, I have to say that they chose wisely! While it certainly wouldn't be my choice for a general purpose reticle, I can't imagine anything getting on target faster at close-to-medium range. Also, for a 24mm objective, I'm nothing short of amazed at how bright it is in low light conditions. All in all, it seems well matched to the rifle. Still looking forward to starting with the irons though!
 
Those 24mm objectives are deceptively bright. They still give you a 5mm (more or less) exit pupil with the magnification up to 5x but down on 1.5x they're almost brighter than with the naked eye. Another reason the VXIII 1.5-5x is my favourite scope.
 
Hey Neo I just finished watching a couple of Boddingtons videos one on buffalo and one on elephant. In both videos Hornady has been a sponsor so not sure if those were actual bullets used but if so they seem plenty effective to me.

I tried woodleighs in my .500 and they shot like a hot damn so don't rule them out. Easy to locate as well. Your fitted case has me intrigued - will have to contact wolverine on Monday to check availability. Thanks again for the inspiration.
 
Beautiful rifles, guys. I've wanted a gun like one of those my entire life, intending to take it to Africa. I finally went a couple of years ago (when I was the same age you are now, Longbranch) and wish that I hadn't waited that long. I sold a whack of guns that I didn't need to help finance that trip, and now I know that I will never buy...er, I mean, "invest in"....a double because it will delay my return to get my elephant! I'll just have to poke the big fella (or lady!) with a plain-vanilla .458 bolt gun.

But if you want one and can afford it, go for it! There is absolutely nothing that can compare to the feeling that comes with the realization of a dream. You will never regret it.

John
 
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