A good range day.

salmonchaser

salmonchaser

Ammo Smith
Dec 13, 2013
6,276
9,390
Took the newly re-barreled 275 Rigby #1 and my 375 HH to the range today. I thought about running a ladder test with the 275 as it is a new barrel and initial examination had revealed that the chamber was to the tight end of Sammi specs. Instead I just loaded my favorite load 49.5 gr. Rl 17 with the bullet seated right at .1 off the lands. 3.085 if it matters. This load was pretty good in my worn out barrel, generating just a touch over 2900 fps with a 140 Accubonds. Average for 10 rounds was 2990 with an SD of 7.2. I allowed 3 minutes between shots to avoid over heating the barrel. I was happy with the 100 yard group. Then dialed for 400. I’m not touching a thing between now and elk season.

My 375 HH has been giving me fits trying to get a good load with 300 gr Swift A frames. We’ve done ok but I’m not happy. Loaded up some 300gr tsx with H4350, seated .05 off the lands which equals 3.755 in my #1. Generated 2600 fps and a group I can live with. The first three were damn near perfect so I broke with my 3shot #1 rule. Got two a little high. Need to pull her over and up an inch but she’ll hunt.
My PH was pretty insistent if I was going to hunt Cape Buffaloe with a single shot. Swift A frame or Barnes.

The barrel is a Pac Nor. I have four Pac Nors now they sure seem to shoot. Nice thing about Pac Nor is they do work on #1s and understand the critical dimensions of the first six inches of barrel so the 1/4 rib sits correctly.
 

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Looks like you are ready to hunt!
Tell your PH to tell the skinners to sharpen their knives! 😄
When is your hunt planned for again?
 
Blkram said:
Looks like you are ready to hunt!
Tell your PH to tell the skinners to sharpen their knives! 😄
When is your hunt planned for again?
Click to expand...
Off the top of my head May 26 to June 5. Plus or minus a couple days. I'm only after a cape Buffaloe and southern Greater Kudu. Plan is to use the 275 Rigby for Kudu.
I also plan to hunt elk with the 275 Rigby. I'm betting a140 AccuBond at dang near 3 grand will be enough gun.
 
salmonchaser said:
Off the top of my head May 26 to June 5. Plus or minus a couple days. I'm only after a cape Buffaloe and southern Greater Kudu. Plan is to use the 275 Rigby for Kudu.
I also plan to hunt elk with the 275 Rigby. I'm betting a140 AccuBond at dang near 3 grand will be enough gun.
Click to expand...
WIsh you the best hunt and memorable adventure!
Keep shooting good groups!!!
Cool that you'll be using the No.1s! = Classy!
I'd say your A-Frame load is minute of Buffalo! :cool:

Not sure yet when I'll be going back for my eland...looking at possibly going to the Limpopo and adding the Limpopo bushbuck and a honey badger to the Livingstone Eland hunt (Last outfitter has friends with concessions in the Limpopo).
Or going back to the same place for a Cape eland and a roan...sent me a quick video of a monster blue bull on the mountain near where we had our accident in May. Long distance and shaky, but man is the bull ever dark! Very cool. They are going into their rut now.) 🤔
Just need to plan for when I am mobile again and can handle the hills and longer stalks...

Orthopaedic surgeon figures I may be walking without crutches again in 5 weeks...but my family Dr is less optimistic as my tibia had still not fully healed after 20 weeks (was a pretty bad beak when it was crushed). It is still getting better day by day! :D
The good news is that the DVT in the leg has resolved, and I am now waiting for referral to the new Ortho in Dawson for scheduling the removal of the plate from my shoulder. (current Ortho leaving at end of the month.) 😄
This will get me back to being able to shoulder firearms and drawing a bow again, sooner.
 
Nice shooting Don. You are ready to go!

Gil
You are getting there. Slow and steady.
Full recovery is in sight. Keep at it, you’ll get there!

JD338
 
Looks like you're ready to go! I've always wanted to hunt a Kudu and Eland. I know a guy that's been on several plains game hunts. He's got Eland and Kudu, among other animals. That Eland is huge.
 
highoctane said:
Looks like you're ready to go! I've always wanted to hunt a Kudu and Eland. I know a guy that's been on several plains game hunts. He's got Eland and Kudu, among other animals. That Eland is huge.
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You gotta go!
It will be worth every penny!
They can be difficult to find, and get a shot at, but that is all part of the hunting adventure on these elusive and majestic animals.
And I can say first hand that while I thoroughly enjoy watching hunts for these on tv and Youtube, I much prefer the first hand experience!
Even an unsuccessful stalk or hunt, is memorable! (I enjoyed 6 out of 8 days chasing eland (unsuccessfully)!
I know a fellow that made 6 trips before he got a shot at a kudu...they are aptly named the "Grey Ghost"! I hunted 6 days to get mine on my first trip.

The bushbuck and nyala are also great animals to hunt, with the bushbuck being the more challenging of the two...at least in my limited experience, having only been twice so far.
And yes, it is true, you'll be planning for a return trip even before you get home from your first trip!
 
highoctane said:
Looks like you're ready to go! I've always wanted to hunt a Kudu and Eland. I know a guy that's been on several plains game hunts. He's got Eland and Kudu, among other animals. That Eland is huge.
Click to expand...
While I’ve several mistakes that I would go back in time and change if I could. Near the top of the list would be not going to Africa sooner. I should have started while I was still working but after the kids were done with school etc. I certainly could have pulled off more trips. That being said I’m blessed to have done two and the third on the horizon. The eland in the photo my guide and his hunter just got him a few days ago. He is huge. All I know is the mountain he was killed on as I took my Waterbok off that ground.
I agree with Gil, Bushbuck and Nyala are great trophies. I really enjoy Nyala, not sure if I’ll ever shoot another but it would be easy to just be focused on finding a better one every time I hunt. Kinda remind me of mule deer hunting, it’s tough to find and anchor a great one, but you catch enough glimpses of them to know they are there.
WHEN you decide to go due diligence is important. Get good references. I talked to a guy on my way home that had been on the same plane as me going to South Africa. He took four animals and as he described it all were at the same corner of the property near the high fence.
The outfit I hunt is a bit over1,000,000 acres free range, spread between 4 ranches. It’s rare you’ll see any of the other folks who are in camp. You may occasionally see a fence on the neighbors but it won’t impact your hunting.
When you’re ready there are a number of us here who can steer you towards good hunting.
 
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