Lefty 315's African photos!

Guy Miner

Master Loader
Apr 6, 2006
17,453
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Okay - Lefty 315 and I go back more years than I'd like to admit. He had hair, and mine wasn't gray when we served together in a galaxy far, far away and long, long ago... He sent me some photos, because he likes to make me feel useful... Here they are!

Oh yeah - he shot 'em - he'll have to tell you the details. All I'll add are some snide comments because I'm pretty doggone jealous of his African hunt.

I used to think Lefty was a pretty good guy - then he sent me this photo... The Oryx, out of everything in Africa, really gets me going. I'd fly to Namibia just to hunt this... No, I can't explain it. Congrats Lefty - ya bum!
JimOryx.jpg


Most of the rest of the hunting world seems to go all ga-ga about Kudu... And yeah, well, I have to admit those are some serious looking horns! Good grief!
JimKudu.jpg


Looking like a true African Hunter - Lefty and his wildebeast. That thing has a cool looking hide. I dunno much else about them. Lefty apparently knows how to shoot them.
Jimwildebeast.jpg


And stripes! An African hunter has to have stripes.
Jimzebra.jpg


More in a bit. Yes, the bum shot more...
 
Warthogs must be fun to hunt!
Jimwarty.jpg


Lefty... I have no idea what this thing is, except it has cool horns...
Jimnumberthree.jpg


More horns!
Jimnumberfour.jpg


Darkness, and yet more horns! Amazing stuff here. This mule deer hunter is a just a tad jealous. Only a wee bit mind you - but I'll post his photos anyway. Such is the burden of friendship. Sigh...
Jimnumberfive.jpg


Posted for Lefty, by Guy... Someday... Someday!

Actually, I'm so very pleased that my good old friend managed to put together this hunt - he's wanted to do it for a very long time, and deserves it more than anyone I know. A great hunt. Very, very cool.
 
Congratulations to Lefty--for a very successful hunt and for having a good friend in Guy (even if Guy is somewhat green with envy at the moment--go get a nice antelope and a mulie this fall, Guy). Those are some neat looking animals. It looks as if it was a great safari.
 
Congratulations Lefty. Most of us dream of such hunts.
 
The first is a blesbok and the second is a impala. I didn't shoot the striped horse or a wildebeast but I shot the other 5 when I was there. That is a blue wildebeat BTW. The blacks are much uglier and the horns hook forward.

There was a lone cross bread mountain and burchell's zebra running with some wildebeast the ranch owner wanted us to take out if we had the chance. I saw it once in the middle of the wildebeast running flat out but never got a shot. They were trying to get rid of it so it wouldn't breed with any new zebra's they brought in.
 
The blesbok had the softest hide of all so far.
Congats on the hunt. Great looking hunt.
Russ
 
Awesome pictures Lefty! Way to go buddy. That looks like one very incredible hunt.
 
Thanks Guy!! I had an amazing time. As I told Guy, it was merely an advanced recon for his upcoming Safari.
 
Lefty,

Congratulations on your safari. Those are some beautiful trophies and they will look awesome on the wall.
Way to go!

JD338
 
Lefty, tell us more about the rifles and loads you used. I'm particularly interested in knowing the details about the No. 1. I couldn't be the only one with such curiosities.
 
Beautiful pictures, Lefty! What an amazing hunt. I used to say I had no interest in hunting Africa. Then a good friend of mine went, and I have been trying to figure out how to finagle a trip ever since. It looks like you had the hunt of a lifetime, sir. Well done!
 
Mountain Goat - ol' Lefty doesn't get on the forum as much as me - guess I'm an addict - so I'll answer up about his guns and loads.

Here's a link to his original post about the hunt, with all the detailed info, but without photos:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19292

And here's a couple of quotes from him about his rifles and ammo:

Day one brought a Gemsbok taken with my 7x57 in a Ruger No 1 shooting 160 grain Nosler AccuBond. The shot was slightly quartering towards me around 120 yards. The Gemsbok ran about 60 yards and dropped. The recovered bullet looked perfect.

I took a nice Kudu bull at around 100 yards using the .35 Whelen and a 250 Nosler Partition.

I was extremely happy with the performance of my chosen calibers for this trip. All animals were taken with a single shot. I recovered a 160 grain 7mm AccuBond from the Gemsbok and a 250 grain .35 cal PT from the Kudu, everything else passed through.

I think that pretty well sums up his hunting with the 7x57 Number One and the .35 Whelen.
 
A couple of classic rounds, congrats Lefty on a great adventure and some very nice animals.
 
Guy, remind me to give you a raise or at least a Christmas bonus for all your hard work! Unfortunately (actually fortunately) my girls sports schedules have kept me hopping since I returned and I appreciate the help.

The 160 Accubonds are clocking at 2750 fps and the .35's are at 2450 fps. They both wear Leupold 1-4 x20's on them and that's all a guy ever needs.

For those who have been to Africa I am sure they will second what I am about to say. You all need to go!!!!!! Even if you didn't (hold your breath) hunt, at least go and take photos and see all there is to see. Everyone always said you start planning your return before you even leave and that is the truth.

As I was planning the hunt and on the way there I was concerned about what the total bill was going to be .Once I started hunting and adding more animals to my list I could care less what it cost. I was not paying to hunt anymore, I was paying to have an amazing experience. You see I am going to die, not sure when, but eventually it will happen to me and all of you too, and I did not want to miss this chance. My only regret now is I did not go sooner in life. Being only in my early 40's I now plan to return several more times. I even have a pretty good idea of the next animals I would like to hunt. :grin: :grin: :grin:
 
lefty315":2c7kzw46 said:
The 160 Accubonds are clocking at 2750 fps and the .35's are at 2450 fps. They both wear Leupold 1-4 x20's on them and that's all a guy ever needs.

Lefty, I would like to hear your loads for the 7x57.. I know how well the mighty 35 works!

Great hunt and look forward to more of them.
 
I am loading the 160's with 48.5 grains of IMR 4350 seated at 3.105 COL. This load shows absolutely no pressure signs whatsoever from my rifle. I just happened to seat the bullets a little out with this load and it shot great, there was no science involved...just luck.
 
lefty,

Can you post pictures of the recovered bullets please. :mrgreen:

JD338
 
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