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April 2020 R47,00 incl VATNamibia N$47,00

MAN

FOR HUNTERS & SHOOTERS

HUNDRED POUNDER ELEPHANT

LOOK AFTER YOUR CARTRIDGE CASES

CARRY LOAD DEVELOPMENT

2020 HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES

Self-Defence Pistol Drills

Paul Mauser’s First Ever Nitro RifleMauser

7.65x53mm

Girsan Polymer 9mmP MC 9S

Baikal .45–70 for under R20 000

EXCLUSIVE

Kaokoland Hartmann Zebra

Features

VOLUME 45 NUMBER 4

APRIL 2020

ON THE COVER: Paul Mauser’s first nitro rifle Model

88 in 7.65x53mm. Read more on p36. Photos supplied by Jon Speed.

Subscribe to our Digital Edition, go to www.manmagnum.com

12 Girsan MC 9S 9mmP André Grobler Accurate all-purpose polymer pistol from Turkey

16 A BOY’S RITE OF PASSAGE Kevin Thomas Raised in rural Rhodesia

20 DEFENSIVE HANDGUN TIPS Phillip Hayes So you think you don’t flinch?

22 THE NONCHALANT CLIENT Terry Irwin Trophies are not always important

26 SAKKIE: A HUNTER’S STORY Robin Barkes Rekindling a flickering flame

30 DEVELOPING CARRY LOADS IJ Larivers …with Peregrine premium projectiles

36 MAUSER REVELATION! Jon Speed Never-before seen photos of Mauser’s first nitro rifle

42 OUR NATIONAL BOK Gregor Woods Graceful gazelle with an amazing past

46 BAIKAL DOUBLE .45-70 André Grobler Rough-and-ready big-bore brush-buster

50 KAMANJAB BERGSEBRA Francois Jacobs Kaokoland se rateltaai streep-donkies

54 THE METRIC AND THE IMPERIAL Ian Myburgh Honouring fond acquaintances of old

61 CASE CARE Francois van Emmenes Metal fatigue: the hidden foe

64 HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES 2020 Book early for the coming season

Subscribe to our Digital Edition, go to www.manmagnum.com

TRAIL TALK – 6A Season for Everything

READERS LETTERS – 8Overbore CartridgesOld Licences and PermitsConsistent Hold

CONSIDER THIS… – 10Stranger than Fiction

TEST REPORTSEvolution Eyewear for Shooters – 25Ledlenser MH11 Head Torch – 35

GOOD FOOD – 34Side Dishes

SUBSCRIPTIONS – 55

COLLECTOR’S CORNER – 58Thoughts on Collecting

GALLERY – 67Big IvoryHuntEx 2020 – 10 Years OnSwarovski Automatic Bird IdentifierAging Eyes

MEDIA 24 (Weekly Magazines) Man/Magnum is published

and distributed by Media 24, a division of Naspers

Publisher Theuns Venter Category Manager Armand Kasselman

Debtors’ Accounts Soraya Essop 021-408-3521

Proprietor SA Hunt Publishing (Pty) Ltd Printed by Novus Print

Distribution In the event of retail supply problems contact

Armand Kasselman, 021-503-7164Hand Delivery Network (for SAHGCA Members)

Michel Schoeman – [email protected] Tel: 012-808-9300

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Xcel Park Building c/o Rodericks and Lynnwood Roads, Lynnwood, Pretoria

Editor Phillip [email protected]

Field Editor André Grobler Contributing Editor Gregor Woods Contributing Editor Malcolm Cobb

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Design and Production Talita [email protected]

ONLINE READERS MARKET Gina Mostert

[email protected]

Opinions expressed in advertisements or articles arenot necessarily those of the Editors or Publishers.Readers should take every care with firearms and

ammunition. Magnum has no control over readers’components or techniques and cannot entertain

claims of any nature whatsoever. The Editors reservethe right to change and/or shorten articles and

letters. The Publisher accepts no responsibility forthe content of advertisements.

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Departments

12

6 | ManMAGNUM | April 2020

IN MY HOME province, the hunting season opens at the start of April. For the past couple of months, the devast-ating drought laying waste to large parts of the country has been on every hunter’s mind. At the time of writing this, I spoke to a nephew in Douglas, where many game farmers are being inundated with enquiries by outfitters and hunters regarding the availability of game species for clients and friends. It made me think.

Although I have seen online pictures and short videos taken by truck drivers and motorists, showing weak kudu lying in dirt roads, and by farmers showing exhausted animals on porches during 2019, these images did not really hit home. Maybe the regular news of the ongoing drought in many parts of the country has inured me to the point where the cumulative impact has been lost on me. In an information-overloaded society, it seems that real news travels slowly.

The gravity of the situation finally struck me when attending my niece’s wedding in late November 2019. A family friend, farming just south of Bray in the Molopo, told of warthog running up to their house in search of food and water – showing no fear of humans. During the discussion, it came up that there was ‘not a single leaf in sight’ for many a hectare, and that farmers putting out lucerne bales

to feed core herds of cattle, had game animals feeding among the cattle as if themselves domesticated. I have hunted warthog and kudu on the farm next door to where the warthog run up to the house. The land, 30km south of Bray on the way to Tosca, belonged to my brother-in-law, and the family hunted there every winter holiday for many years. Kudu and warthog were always plentiful, though in that dense habitat, I had to work hard each sea-son for every kilogram of meat. Not long after I began hunting, coming from the open spaces of the Free State, I got lost in the thick bush dur-ing one such outing. Now, it was heart-breaking to hear of this struggle in the area that provided many of my hunting memories.

At the time, it was reported that the situation in the Northern Cape’s north-ern and eastern regions was dire. The farming body, AgriSA, estimated that 20 million hectares were severely affected by the ongoing drought. Wild-life Ranching South Africa (WRSA) reported that the province has lost an estimated two-thirds of its game over the last three years.

I am relieved to hear that towards the end of February, many of these dry regions received rain. The national rainfall forecast for early- to mid-autumn (March-April-May) indicates probabilities of below-normal rainfall over most of the country but higher than normal temperatures. The South African Weather Service’s drought monitor shows that rainfall during Jan-uary 2020 was normal to above aver-age in most parts of the country. It is my sincere hope that reports of ‘normal and above-normal’ rainfall continue. Nature has a fantastic ability to restore itself in quick time and for farmers like those in the southern Free State where rain was also desperately needed, the prospects for the winter now look bet-ter. Towards the end of February, I

enquired after the health of a farmer friend who, earlier, had been seriously worried about the weather, and found him in high spirits. He was also almost fully booked for the hunting season.

I hope that by now, most hunters have decided what and where they will hunt this season. I phoned two of my regular hunting spots in the Free State and game prices for biltong hunters are reasonable. In some instances, prices were very similar to last year’s. Blue wildebeest are available for R4 000 to R5 000, red hartebeest for R4 500 and R3 500, and gemsbuck at R5 000. I mostly hunt for the pot and I’m always looking for wildebeest-size animals. Farmers who sell game by carcass weight are charging between R35/kg and R45/kg. For places to hunt this season, turn to our 2020 Hunting Opportunities on page 64; some good deals are available. Out of interest, I looked up the April 2000 edition’s Hunt-ing Opportunities; gemsbuck were sell-ing at R2 900, springbuck was R12/kg, kudu cows for R1650 and hartebeest cows for R 1400. Those were the days.

Remember, you cannot really put a price on the experience of the hunt – spending a few days in the outdoors, getting some exercise and sitting beside an open fire. If you maintain good manners, you will make friends for life and be welcome to return every season. The memories and the biltong can be savoured long after the money is spent. When booking, try to get all the prices, terms and conditions in writ-ing; book early, hunt ethically and respect the landowner, his property and the animals.

Lastly, HuntEx 2020, South Africa’s most prominent annual hunting and firearms expo, is just around the cor-ner. The event this year seems to hold some surprises that would make a visit worthwhile. Magnum will again have a stand, this time in Hall 5. We look for-ward to meeting you there.

A Season for EverythingTrail Talk by ANDRÉ GROBLER

Don’t miss a single copy

[email protected]@manmagnum.co.za

BACK ISSUES


Overbore CartridgesI enjoyed the article regarding over-bore cartridges by Roger Ingle in your February 2020 edition.

It is indeed true, the ratio of case volume (or mass of propellant) in com-parison with the cross-sectional area of the bore is a huge sinner in so far as bore erosion is concerned.

There is however a third major con-tributor to bore erosion that is often overlooked. It almost seems counter intuitive, but the contribution added by the sectional density (SD) of the bullet is a major one. Allow me to explain.

If we assume a certain maximum chamber pressure in a given calibre, it follows that a heavier bullet (a longer bullet) will be harder to accelerate during the breech pressure stage. For similar bullet shapes and material, the length of the bullet is exactly propor-tional to the SD. For similar breech pressures, the higher SD bullet will not reach the same muzzle velocity as a shorter bullet (unless a magical constant pressure propellant can be found), and it almost seems logical to assume that the slower muzzle velo-city of a longer bullet would be more benign on the erosion of the bore. Nothing could be further from the truth. As mentioned earlier, during the

initial acceleration of the higher SD bullet, the maximum breech pressure (and therefore erosion) needs to be applied for a longer time to get the bullet moving.

This phenomenon has been made patently clear inter alia with

the modern trend to turn the .22-250 into a long-range cartridge by using a quick twist bore (1 in 7 instead of the traditional 1 in 14) to stabilise bullets as heavy as 90 grains. The 90 grain bullets exit at a seemingly pedestrian 3 000fps compared to the traditional 55 grain bullets at 3 850fps, but barrel life drops alarmingly with the longer bullet. My friends who follow this practice with the .22-250 report significantly reduced barrel life. – Andrew Tonkin, Gauteng

Old Licences and PermitsGregor Woods’s request for informa-tion in “Gun Laws in SA History” (March 2020) refers. I was fortunate to acquire a .22 Oberndorf Mauser from a fam-ily member who also provided me with his old licence certificate which is 160x170mm in size, says “FREE LICENCE TO POSSESS AN ARM”, and is signed by the Magistrate, Pretoria, dated 27/10/1937. No mention as to an amount which had to be paid. Interest-ingly the year on the licence corresponds to that of then new Act no 28 of 1937.

On a similarly worded licence dated 20/8/1955, signed by the Magistrate, Johannesburg, an amount of five shillings is indicated. So no longer free.

A third licence under the same Act is 185x325mm in size, and shows an amount payable of R2. It is signed by the Magistrate, Bloemfontein, dated 16/4/1968.

Years ago as a budding collector, I acquired a number of muzzle-loaders requiring merely a permit: “Magtiging uitgereik deur landdros in terme van artikel 35 (d) wet nommer 28 van 1937.”

I remember going to the Magis-trate’s office in Simonstown with my own permit document typed out by me at home. It was exactly according to

a previous example just filled in with the particulars of the muzzle-loader in question. The Magistrate signed it on the spot, stamped and handed it back to me. This one dated 9 January 1962. Very few of my earliest acquisitions had serial numbers, but the permits were granted nonetheless.

I have another permit, with slightly different typed wording, dated 15/7/1971, signed by the Magistrate, Bloemfontein. I don’t recall ever paying anything for a permit. A later permit, dated 29/5/1979, was not typed, but printed and signed by or for the Com-missioner of the SA Police. This was of course under the 1969 Act.

I don’t seem to have acquired any permits dated later than 1983. – Johan van Zyl, Western Cape

Consistent HoldReading Malcolm Cobb’s “An End to Musketry” in Magnum March 2020, I was reminded that a month or so back I was on a local range helping a shooter zero the sights of his .223 M-4 on some 200m gongs. Although we got pretty close to the gongs for some reason we couldn’t get the sights bang on and the hits were going right and left of the tar-get – even on the opposite side to where we were making the sight adjustments.

Eventually the problem was traced to the bipod, which was sometimes with one leg on the edge of the shooting mat and sometimes off. Placing both bipod legs firmly on the ground produced three solid hits in a row – problem solved.

The point is, bipods can be a use-ful aid to shooting but the basics of a firm, consistent ‘hold’ are still funda-mental to good accuracy and no num-ber of add-ons can get the shooter past that requirement. – EJ Thomas, Gauteng

Letters

Share your thoughts and opinions with other Magnum readers. Letters may be edited for publication and pen names may be used. Unless marked NOT FOR PUBLICATION all letters are considered.


THIS STORY IS almost unbelievable and I have hesitated to tell it for fear readers will regard it as fiction.

In 1966, as a 19-year-old in the old Rhodesia, having left England a year earlier to fulfil my boyhood dream of becoming a hunter and game warden, I was at last in the bush. I was posted to Essexvale, just outside Bulawayo; it was hardly the wilderness I longed for, being farming and tribal trust lands, but a step in the right direction. I had a lot to learn about that beautiful country and about hunting and rifles. The district had a fair population of various antelope species and multiple terrain types.

I purchased a standard Mauser ’98 in 9x57mm. This gave root to a love for German calibres that eventually led to my owning a 10.75mm for buffalo con-trol work. The Mauser proved an excel-lent bush rifle, hard-hitting with the ability to plough through the odd leaf or twig when the going got tough. With it I shot kudu, bushbuck, reedbuck, duiker, steenbuck and the odd impala.

I was soon sent to Fort Rixon, the

next police district. The area had sim-ilar terrain and was home to the same antelope species plus leopard, hyena and tsessebe. However, due to the cost and intermittent avai labi l i ty of 9x57mm ammo, I now used my .303 most of the time, and in a fit of utter stupidity sold the 9x57.

In 1978, an old friend invited me to hunt in the Grahamstown district of the Eastern Cape. Eight hunters congre-gated at an old farmhouse for instruc-tions. While I listened to Derek lay out the rules and describe the boundaries, I allowed my eyes to roam in appreci- ation of the other men’s rifles. One looked familiar. When Derek had fin-ished, I walked over to the man with the familiar-looking rifle and asked him if I could examine it, explaining the possibility of it having once been mine. I wish I could say there was a nick on the stock or blemish on the action to distinguish it, but there wasn’t. How-ever, the serial number, which almost matched my police force number, 727710, was the clincher. It was my old friend, twelve years and two thousand kilometres later!

The man had purchased it two years earlier from a gun shop in East London, and had no idea of its history. It was like bumping into an old friend in a pub. The rifle looked well cared-for and it felt good to handle it again. But no, he did not want to sell it. On that hunt I used a scoped Parker Hale .303 and bagged a reedbuck; the 9x57 man was unlucky, and my faithful old friend never got an opportunity to demon-strate its dependability.

Much later, I moved to Zululand and, in 2002, was on a group hunt in the Babanango district. I now had a beautiful English .303 Army & Navy. A mixed bag

of rifles attended the hunt, one a Mauser ’98, and I smiled at its

resemblance to my old 9mm. After being briefed we

by CHRIS PARGETER

Stranger than FictionConsider This...

T moved off in pairs and I ended up with Terry, the Mauser ’98 man.

It was a beautiful farm with sweep-ing valleys, thick acacias and steep, rugged hills that could really be called small mountains. We had the east side of the biggest hill. I had been drawn to the Mauser but did not want to appear over eager to handle another man’s rifle, so I let it be. After a pleasant walk but no sighting of game, we rested next to a massive granite boulder. Terry leant his rifle against the boulder and I walked over to it. Asking permission to handle it, I told him the story of my roaming rifle. He consented, so I imme-diately checked the serial number. Believe it or not, it was ‘my’ rifle!

“Sorry Chris, it’s not for sale. I love it.” Terry had bought it the previous year from a gun shop in Durban. Like me, he had a thing for Mausers and German calibres. Once again, the rifle had travelled, this time over 700 kilometres, and miracu-lously, we had met up again.

Terry suggested, “How about us swopping rifles for the hunt?” Entirely overcome by his generosity, I gladly held on to the Mauser. He picked up my .303 and I waved him through to con-tinue with our hunt. It would be a lovely end to the story by saying I bagged a beautiful kudu with my beloved rifle, but that didn’t happen. We flushed a reedbuck and two grey duikers but we were after kudu, nothing else. At times the going was a bit tight, so I let Terry walk ahead. As a valley suddenly opened up, we hesitated. Two kudu bulls were standing half-in, half-out of the fringe bush at the far end, about 80m away. They had not seen us. Terry looked at me; he was in a better posi-tion to shoot, so I nodded. The bull’s horns measured 51ꞌꞌ.

I have since lost contact with Terry but have no doubt that the 9mm is safe and well-loved. Maybe I will get to meet it again one day.


Girsan

MC 9 Sby ANDRÉ GROBLER

Turkish polymer 9mmP challenger

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Handguns

ManMAGNUM | 13

IN 1993, GIRSAN started making firearms in the Turkish city of Giresan. They estab-lished their name with the Yavuz 16 and the Regard line of pistols and, in 2014, entered the polymer striker-fired market with the MC28 pistol in three models.

Magnum recently tested Girsan’s latest polymer offering, the MC 9S, a single-action, 15-shot 9mmP that works on the short recoil system. It is 191mm long, 135mm high and 33mm wide. Barrel length is 108mm, and without the maga-zine it weighs 700g.

Breech locking occurs when the barrel hood moves up into, and bears against, the front of the ejection port. On fir-ing, the slide and barrel recoil together for a short distance until a cam on the underside of the barrel moves onto a shaft in the frame, drawing the barrel down to unlock it from the slide, which continues rearward to extract and eject the case. The single recoil spring on a metal guide-rod pushes the slide forward, which scoops a cartridge from the magazine, raises the barrel and locks up with it on chambering the round.

The side-walls of the steel slide are grooved front and rear, and angled inwards in front to facilitate snag-free holstering. The slide is 27mm wide with a large ejection port and sizeable extractor. Slide-to-frame tolerances are close – free play is minimal. The slide runs on four rails integral to a steel chassis within the polymer frame. The three-dot sight system is dove-tailed into the slide, with a sight radius of 165mm. The rear sight’s notch is wide enough for fast and clear reference to the front blade.

THERE ARE SEVERAL safety features: an ambidextrous safety lever which locks the trigger, a firing-pin block, trigger-safety, loaded chamber indicator hole and a red cocking indicator at the back of the slide. The trigger’s polymer blade-safety is 8mm wide. Trigger-pull was a constant 6.5lb and like most striker-fired pistols, the trigger has quite lengthy take-up before it breaks sharply with increasing pressure. The short reset can be felt but not heard.

The MC 9S has an ambidextrous slide release button. The disassembly lever is on the left side of the frame. The controls are all low-profile buttons, grooved for secure con-tact. The reversible magazine

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1: The pistol is well balanced with a low bore axis that helped keep muzzle jump to a minimum.

2: The medium grip insert fitted my hand well. The grip and insert texture are rough but not uncomfortable. The flat magazine release button is excellent for concealed carry in a holster.

3: The magazine well is slightly bevelled on the front and sides which helped guide a loaded magazine smoothly and quickly into the grip.

4: The cocked striker protrudes from a recess in the centre of the rear of the slide, visible by the red dot at the end. The three-dot sight system is also visible. Aftermarket sights were not available at the time of writing the article.

5: The ejection port is huge. The slide and sights have no sharp edges.

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release button is flat, square and finely grooved – ideal for snag-free concealed carry.

The frame has a Picatinny rail and the broad trigger-guard is squared and grooved for a supporting finger-hold. The grip has textured front and sides for a secure purchase, even with wet hands. Interchangeable back-straps are supplied in three sizes, also textured for grip. The front strap is slightly flared at the bottom to support your pinkie and protect it during fast mag changes which are facilitated by a bevelled magazine well.

The Girsan comes with two Italian-made, steel, double- column Mec-Gar magazines. One has a grip extension and 15 witness-holes at the back; the other has only three witness-holes on the right-hand side at the 5th, 10th and 15th rounds. The magazine floorplates and followers are polymer. I found it easy to load 15 rounds in each.

To disassemble the pistol, make it safe then draw the slide fully back and push the slide release button up. Turn the takedown lever clockwise into the upright position. Push the slide stop lever down then carefully move the slide forward while simulta-neously pulling the trigger until the slide is drawn off the front of the frame. Remove the recoil

spring and barrel from the slide. Re-assemble in reverse order.

For the range session, I took Sellier & Bellot FMJ 115gr, PMP JHP 115gr and CCI JHP 115gr, plus reloads with Bullet Corp coated RN 124gr and Frontier RN CMJ 124gr bullets. I fitted the medium back-strap, rendering the MC 9S com-fortable and well-balanced in my hand, with all the controls within easy reach when shooting with one hand only. When applying a two-hand hold on striker-fired polymer pistols, I have an unfortunate habit of riding my thumb on the slide release button, which has taught me to count my shots.

THE STANDARD MAGAZINE dropped freely whether empty or charged. With the extended mag, the bottom of my hand pressed against the extension; this held the magazine in place, forcing me to shift my grip to allow it to fall free. A friend with medium-sized hands, and another with smaller hands, experienced the same problem. I suggest carrying the pistol with the shorter magazine, reserving the extended mag for backup.

I did a double-tap exercise at 7m, placing two controlled shots in the A-zone of an IPSC target as rapidly as possible. When drawing, I got an excellent first-time grip on the pistol, with fast target acquisition. Then I did a failure-to-stop drill from concealment, which entails putting two shots in the central A-zone and one to the head’s A-zone as rapidly as possible.

6. This group was shot against the clock with a

full magazine of 15 rounds. 7. The magazine with the extension afforded a full grip but slowed down my magazine change time.

8. Three shots against the clock to a steel plate at 25m. 9. Note the standard Picatinny rail, squared trigger guard and ambidextrous manual safety and slide release buttons. 10. The MC 9S comes in a plastic case with two magazines, two additional grip inserts, cleaning brushes, oil bottle, magazine loader and manual.

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April 2020 | ManMAGNUM | 15

I followed this with an emergency clearance drill, against the clock, including a magazine change, having loaded a dummy round in each magazine to cause stoppages. Here I lost time through having to shift my grip when it impeded the fall of the extended magazine. When clearing the stoppages, I initially used my left thumb and forefinger in a ‘slingshot’ grip to rack the slide, but my thumb became too sensitive. I found that the stronger, overhand push-method afforded a better grip on the slide without my little finger obstructing the ejection port.

During a later session, a fellow shooter and I did several grouping exercises at 7m, 10m and 15m, employing two-handed as well as strong- and weak-hand-only holds. The Girsan proved accurate with the various factory loads and reloads, and my fellow shooter was as impressed as I. All cases were ejected unmarked, landing 2.5m away in the 3-o’clock position.

THE GIRSAN MC 9S retails for R7 800 and is well worth con-sidering for everyday concealed carry, sport shooting and security work. We thank Dave Sheer of Johannesburg for pro-viding the test pistol. Contact them at 011-440-0345.

11. Using the finger rest at the front of the trig-ger guard. 12. With a proper two-handed grip the sight picture was imme-diately available for a follow-up shot. 13. The pistol was easily accessible for a good first-time grip in this old Bianchi holster.

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by KEVIN THOMAS

... during a bygone era

Our house was on the banks of the majestic Sabi River - now called the Save River.

Many pools in the vicinity contained hippos which were left in peace unless they plundered crops.

Local Ndau tribesmen and boys would often abandon their fishing efforts and tag along on my hunts.


A Boy’s Rite of Passage


MMY GENERATION GREW up handling guns and hunting game. I first became familiar with guns and the smell of gun oil around 1957. On my 7th birthday I received my first gun, a .177 Diana Model 1 airgun. It was a break-barrel with a blue tinplate action and a wooden stock. Eventually, as the gun became worn from use, you could watch the pellet in flight.

At the time, we had a dairy farm on the east-ern border of British Colonial Rhodesia (Zimba-bwe), where I was born. The Diana constituted my introduction to gun safety and to going out shoot-ing on my own. My dad periodically hunted for the larder, kudu being the venison of choice. He had a WWII era Oberndorf Mauser in 7x57, but I wasn’t allowed to handle it unless he was cleaning it.

Like many farm-dwelling white kids of that time, I had a ‘minder’. He was the son of one of our farm labourers and a few years older than me. His family were of the Ndau tribe, a sub-grouping of the Shona people and his name was Makan-dende. He thought the Diana capable of dropping a duiker or even a bushbuck. Once, when we were walking to a field where my dad was working, we disturbed a magnificent bushbuck ram. It stood majestically, staring at us in the early morning mist, before giving a throaty warning bark and fleeing. I took a quick plink at it with my trusty Diana and Makandende actually disappeared into the bush to search for blood! When he returned, he looked at me and mockingly remarked, “Wa posa” (You missed).

Within two years of receiving the Diana, I had worn it out, and my dad bought me a .22 calibre Falke Model 90, a superb German-made air rifle which launched its big pellets at around 490fps. I was nine years old and in seventh heaven. My father insisted that I was not to shoot anything I couldn’t eat. To test him, I shot an egret – he made me cook and eat it. I didn’t test him again. Doves and green pigeons were my most sought-after prey, though the Falke also proved adequate on spurfowl.

WITH MY TRIBAL friends tagging along, I’d endeavour to collect about ten doves before we made a fire and prepared a birds-only feast, cooking the plucked and gutted carcasses on skewers angled over the flames. We even had coarse salt, carried loosely in my one trouser pocket.

Come evening, I sat on our lounge carpet in the light of a hissing Tilley lamp and lovingly oiled the air rifle. Interest-ingly, Falke are said to have made only about 400 of the Model 90 – to this day I wish I had kept mine.

By the age of 12 I had two rifles: the constantly-used Falke, and a hand-me-down Remington .22 LR, known throughout southern Africa as a ‘two-two’. The Remington had belonged to my grandfather, who’d then passed it down to my father. It was never really given to me; I just sort of took it over. Hard use had removed all its blued finish. It had a six-shot magazine and despite its age, it was highly accurate.

At the end of each school term my dad would buy me 250 rounds of Eley-Kynoch hollow-point for the Remington and a box of 500 Marksman pellets for the Falke. By the time I

Within two years of receiving the Diana, I had worn it out, and my dad bought me a .22 calibre Falke Model 90, a superb German-made air rifle which launched its big

pellets at around 490fps. I was nine years old and in seventh heaven

Here I was 12 years old with my 12ga side-by-side and young Labra-dor, Shandy.

LEFT: Our second son, Keith, as a 10-year-old with his first springbuck taken with a .270 in the Ciskei during the mid-1980s.


returned to boarding school at the end of the holidays, there weren’t many rounds of either type remaining. In those days, buying guns in Rhodesia was easy. In Chipinga, a small vil-lage close to where we farmed, the gun shop and liquor store were one and the same. Guns and ammunition were on the left, and alcohol on the right. Try finding such a shop any-where today!

VERVET MONKEYS CONSTANTLY plundered my mum’s vegetable garden; consequently I shot a lot of them with that .22 rim-fire. In those times vervet monkeys were classed as ‘vermin’. Later, as wildlife conservationists became more enlightened, crop-raiding animals were reclassified as ‘prob-lem animals’, irrespective of species.

For my 12th birthday my folks gave me a Belgian-made Alro 12ga side-by-side shotgun – a non-ejector with double triggers and 28ꞌꞌ barrels. By then we had relocated from the Chipinga farm to the embryonic Chibuwe Irrigation Scheme in the Sabi Valley. It was wild and remote, an absolute Eden for a young boy who loved hunting. The shotgun added a new dimension to my hunting forays, as Chibuwe and surrounds had numerous huge natural pans which attracted various waterfowl species in their hundreds. A .22 bullet sent through the reed-beds saw clouds of wild ducks and geese suddenly lift off, blackening the sky, at which point the shotgun took over.

Late one afternoon, just as the light was fading, I shot an African wildcat in a dense riverine thicket. I held back my excited yellow Labrador, Shandy, while a tribal youngster

TOP: Kudu in the lush bush.ABOVE: An impala taken by me as a youngster.

In our region, most fathers chose the impala as the species whereby they introduced their sons to serious hunting.

For my 12th birthday my

folks gave me a Belgian-made

Alro 12ga side-by-side shotgun – a non-ejector with double

triggers


belly- crawled into the thicket to retrieve the dead cat. We then skinned it, made a fire and barbequed the hindquarters. Shandy ate most of it and, after experiencing the taste, I never tried cat again. I was also chastened by my father for shooting a species that did a lot of good.

Hippo frequently plundered tribal crops, as did marauding elephant. Whenever this happened, Tom Orford, the government game ranger living upriver of the irrigation scheme, would arrive to deal with the problem. Throughout his lengthy Game Depart-ment service, Orford used a .505 Gibbs and it was he who encouraged me to pursue my post-school career, initially as a game ranger, and then after political changes in the country, as a PH.

In time, I longed to shoot something bigger. Impala were well represented in the surrounding mopane woodland and were the usual quarry on which Rhodesian youths cut their hunting teeth. Geograph-ical location has a lot to do with the particular species a youngster gets to shoot when learning to hunt. Across south-ern Africa’s varying terrain, the choice is usually one of impala, warthog, springbuck, mountain reedbuck, common reedbuck or blesbuck. In Zimbabwe, it was mainly impala and warthog. My opportunity to grass an impala eventually came and I heart-shot it with a borrowed .22 Hornet. The 45-grain factory load at about 2 650fps ensured a clean kill.

SOON AFTER BECOMING a cadet game ranger in 1968, I bought my first .22 Hornet and over the next forty-six years I always owned one, and used it to cull hundreds of impala, warthog, mountain reedbuck and springbuck.

Thinking back to my boyhood, it must have been quite a comical sight to see me and my entourage of followers head-ing out hunting. Aside from my regular ‘bearers’ (who shared my sandwiches), there were always lots of ‘hangers on’. Quite simply, as we moved along the Sabi riverbed hunting birds and monkeys with the Falke 90, the .22 rimfire and the 12ga, young boys and men would stop fishing the pools and backwaters and tag along with us. Protein of any sort is highly valued in remote rural Africa.

My own sons were blessed with a similar boyhood in a place called Ciskei. Our home was also rural, relatively remote and surrounded by plenty of wildlife, though it was during the new era of game ranching and high game fences. As a father, I’m truly thankful for the boyhood they had.

Sadly, Africa is rapidly changing. Ever-more frequently now, we read or watch news reports of elephant in Zimbabwe and Mozambique being poisoned by poachers using cyanide – at times, entire cowherds. Cyanide is an organo-phosphate and doesn’t break down. A while back, eighty-four endan-gered white-backed vultures and a few other vulture species were found dead alongside a cyanide poisoned elephant car-cass in Mozambique. Any animal that feeds on it will die – a

terrible, ongoing cycle of death and destruction that makes me want to weep in frustration.

As I grow older, I appreciate more just how privileged I was to have seen the tail-end of the old Africa. My hope too, is that the sport hunter of today never takes for granted what is indeed a very special privilege – to be able to hunt well-managed game on a sustainable basis.

My dad was intol-erant of crocodiles and shot a number

of them using his 7x57mm Mauser.


by PHILLIP HAYES

Practise with dummies

I

Defensive Handgun Tips

I’VE BEEN CARRYING my trusty old CZ75 Compact pistol on my right hip for decades, and through the years, fired thousands of rounds. However, for the past six years, I have fired only a few shots every couple of months to ensure that I keep my basic handgun skills up to scratch – or so I thought. Recently I realised with a shock that these pitiful efforts of emptying a maga zine every once in a while were totally inadequate to prepare or keep me in shape for any handgun use, sport or self-defence.

Yes, I’m on the range almost every week, handling firearms and shooting, but recently putting myself to the test

with some emergency drills with the help of a friend acting as range officer and using a timer to add a bit of pres-sure, left me embarrassed at my now non-existent handgun skills.

As I explained in Trail Talk, March 2020, the first problem to arise was that, in casually emptying a mag or two at informal targets, I’d never really noticed how far sightedness had affected my shooting ability. Yes, I was aware I needed glasses for reading, but now for the first time it became abundantly clear that I cannot focus on my front sight.

Secondly, I ‘suddenly’ have a severe case of trigger jerking when firing a

string of shots against time, sending some of my shots low. Adding a dummy round to the magazine (I did not know which of the ten rounds it was) illu s-trated this clearly with the barrel moving sharply downward on pulling the trigger on the dummy round.

Thirdly, my emergency drills were hopelessly rusty. Loading a dummy round to simulate a dud in among the live ammo in my magazines forced me to perform the tap, rack, assess, engage drill to clear the stoppage. My initial immediate action drills can only be described as those of a novice. Add-ing a mag change to the drill made things even worse. The exercise ended with me fumbling around as though I had ten thumbs, trying to catch the ejected magazine with my weak hand to prevent it hitting the ground and losing precious time mid-exercise try-ing to recall the next steps of the drill.

THE FIRST PROBLEM men-tioned cannot be solved by practice at the range, so I will not discuss it. However, for

problems two and three there are easy fixes.To smooth out my trigger pull I

reverted to a simple drill: load a maga-zine with five or more rounds, insert the loaded mag in the pistol, chamber a round and then remove the mag. You then draw the pistol from your holster


and fire two rounds at a target between five and ten metres away. Of course only the first shot will go off, but dry firing that second shot imme-diately after the first (working against time) will reveal trigger pull problems. Three range sessions and about 50 rounds later my trigger control is much improved. Of course dry firing alone also helps, but I’ve found that the dry firing after firing a live round had me furious with myself more often as the live round gave rise to trigger jerking the second shot, more than dry firing only. Doing this exercise each time you visit the range, even if only using five rounds, will improve trigger pull. It has the added benefit of improving muscle memory for reloading.

TO WORK ON my tap-rack drill, I load six rounds in each of two magazines, among which is one dummy round in both magazines. The dummy can be loaded anywhere in the mag, preferably

not first or last. To ensure that you don’t know the sequence in which the dummies are loaded, you can get a friend to load the mags, but I do it myself. After loading, I spin them around behind my back and then push them randomly into the mag holders on my left hip. I pick a magazine, load and holster the pistol. I set a timer on 20 seconds, at the buzzer I pull the pistol

and fire six rounds (dummy included) at a target, clearing the stoppage when it occurs, change magazines and fire the rest of the shots, again clearing each stoppage as it occurs.

After three range sessions spent practising this, I can now comfortably perform the drill in about 14 seconds while keeping all ten shots in the target’s A-zone. Of course the aim is to further improve my time.

Both these drills are easy to master and ideal to get the basics of handgun shooting under control.

Lastly, not being able to buy dummy rounds at my local retailer I decided to make my own. I loaded two rounds exactly the same as the others, but without primers or powder. I sprayed them white with a quick-dry spray-paint, but any colour that makes your dummies stand out from the live rounds will do. I use the spray-paint sparingly and clean and respray after about every third range session.

Using the MantisX firearms training system revealed trigger control problems.


AA FRENCH HUNTER, coming to Tanzania to visit a missionary friend, contacted me to arrange a few days hunting while there. He needed to hire a rifle and did not want a safari or any elaborate camp, being quite happy to sleep rough for a few nights to hunt a kudu.

Michel duly arrived and, after some practice with my .30-06, we set off to hunt the Wami River area near my hometown of Morogoro. I took two one-man tents with bedding and a tarpau-lin, all of which fitted into my Land Rover. It was the height of the dry sea-son so there was little chance of rain. I also took one man to cook and look after the camp.

On the third day, Michel shot a good kudu. He wanted only the horns, not the cape, which isn’t unusual for Euro-pean clients who seldom mount their trophies. During the hunt Michel had expressed interest in doing a full safari to hunt buffalo and possibly an ele-phant. I described my safari operation in the Selous Game Reserve and we agreed on dates for the following year. He paid the deposit for the Selous safari and left very satisfied.

FOR HIS SELOUS hunt, Michel brought an 8mm Mauser rifle and a .470 Jeffery double. His main interest was a buffalo after which he would con-sider an elephant and other trophies.

As usual, I started the hunt with lesser game such as impala and harte-beest for the pot and then moved onto sable antelope and a kudu. These were both good trophies but again, he wanted no skins. As is common among many French hunters, he manifested a dislike for including a professional hunter in any photos. I think this

stems from France’s Colonial African period, when French hunters had no professional guides and even had to take their own equipment with them. They did not want it known that they were guided and backed up by a PH. I once stayed with a client in Paris, who took me to a live pigeon shoot. I did well, and afterwards a group of shoot-

ers came up to congratulate me. Their interpreter asked if I was a profes-sional hunter. When I replied in the affirmative, the group laughed and comments passed between them. Apparently my client had told them he always hunts alone and that I was his camp manager who looked after his equipment between safaris.

by TERRY IRWIN

Every hunter has his own agenda

The Nonchalant Client

Photo by Philip Huebsch.


Michel carried this one step further by trying to plan and conduct the hunts himself while on safari with me. His efforts became annoying when we started hunting his buffalo. On the first day he followed my directions, but after that he wanted to decide everything himself.

ON DAY TWO he asked me which way we were going and I told him we would hunt downstream from camp. “No,” he exclaimed shaking his finger at me, “I wish to go upstream.” I explained that it was too dry upstream and there were no buffalo there. He insisted, so we went upstream. We wasted a whole day look-ing in all the places he wanted to hunt. This went on for a further five days, then at dinner he said there was no game in the area and that we should move to another block. As I had only this block

allocated to his safari, we could not move. I decided I’d better put a stop to this, so I told him he was paying a lot of money for his safari and that a large portion of the fee was for my advice. I told him of all the experience my tracker and I had of hunting in this area, and suggested that he let us decide where we should hunt. He very sheepishly agreed saying he was only trying to help.

The next day we found four buffalo bulls downstream from our camp, lying in a wallow in the dry riverbed. However, when we got into a shooting position and Kisengi, my tracker, handed Michel his double rifle, he refused to take it. He wanted to use his ‘carbine’, adding that his ‘express’ was only for elephant. I told him it was

illegal to shoot buffalo with that calibre and pointed out that he had only soft-nosed bullets for it. With the delay and arguing the buffalo took off. We followed

them for two hours until they crossed into the adjoining block and we had to abandon the hunt. That evening I explained at length about thick-skinned animals and how his 8mm soft-nosed bul-lets would hardly penetrate a buffalo’s hide.

After two more days of hunting, I got Michel to within

twenty yards of two good buffalo bulls. He agreed to use his .470 and shot the buffalo, which was standing broadside, in the shoulder. It ran off but we found it dead fifty yards away. Once again, only he could appear in the photo.

Michel now decided he wanted to

We wasted a whole day looking in

all the places he wanted to

hunt

ABOVE: Michel with ‘his’ tracker Kisengi. LEFT: Michel was interested in buffalo.


hunt an elephant. These were numer-ous and fairly easy to hunt. The old bulls had their own drinking spots away from the cow herds and usually drank during the hottest part of the day. Michel could not understand why I was passing up so many bulls, he was happy to shoot the first one we approached. He did not insist on any particular trophy size but agreed that we should look for a big tusker.

HIS FRUSTRATION SEEMED to increase when, a week later, we still had not shot an elephant after passing up many with long tusks. I explained that the Selous elephant were small in body size and their tusks were thin. However, living in such soft green habitat and not having to dig in salt-licks, Selous elephants grew very long tusks. Usually, the working tusk was not worn much, and since the bulls seldom fought, there were few broken tusks.

One day we were following a ridge, scanning the valley below, when I spotted a large lone tusker heading towards the waterhole ahead of us. As we approached, I saw the bull had veered off and was travelling towards a dense thicket. We left the vehicle and hurriedly proceeded down the valley. Soon we had picked up his tracks; he was slowly feeding into the wind as he went.

After about half an hour we heard him just ahead of us and soon caught up. The wind was blowing towards us and we were able to stalk to within 25 yards. It was then that I saw both tusks, which were long and carried good weight – I was sure it was a hun-dred-pounder. I mentioned this to Michel, who showed no extra excite-ment. We stalked to within 15 yards of

the bull and when it turned broadside, I explained where to aim at the shoul-der. Michel raised his rifle and seem-ingly without aiming, fired. The elephant collapsed instantly, the hindquarters going down first. He had shot it in the brain! Once again, he had done things his way but at least this time, it was the right way.

This very old bull was obviously a 100-pounder and Michel agreed it was a ‘good elephant’ but, not knowing

anything about record books, he did not understand when I explained that it qualified for entry in the book. He requested that I take a photo of him with ‘his’ tracker.

We returned to camp, and I sent Kisengi with a team to extract the tusks. At that time,

they were the largest set of tusks we had taken in the Selous, a beau-

tifully matched pair weighing 111lb and 108lb. Michel showed no more interest in this pair of tusks than he did in his buffalo and other trophies. I could not help feeling they were wasted on him and wished I had reserved the bull for a client who badly wanted, and would appreciate, a hundred-pounder.

I WAS FURTHER shocked when, back in Dar es Salaam, Michel asked me if he could sell his tusks. I naturally refused

and told him it was his best trophy. The following year when I visited his home in Paris, the tusks were not

among his other trophies.

It was then that I saw both tusks, which were long and carried good weight – I was sure it was a hundred-pounder. I mentioned this to Michel, who showed no extra excitement

A lone Selous elephant.


EVOLUTION EYEWEAR APPEAR ED on the market in 2007 and the company now offers various models of sunglasses, safety and s h o o t i n g e ye w e a r. Magnum recently tested Evolution’s Switch 4 eyewear.

The unisex style Switch 4 package comes with four inter-changeable one-piece lens sets (spanning both eyes) in grey, yellow, orange and purple. Being polycar-bonate, the lenses are impact- resistant, shatterproof and comply with the EN166 European standard for protective eyewear, carrying a class 1 rating, meaning suitable for continu-ous use.

The lenses have a high UV protec-tion rating (UV400) and are rimless, offering unobscured vision. They are lightweight, with scratch-resistant coatings that help repel water, oil and dust and limit fingerprint smudges.

Evolution states that the smoky-coloured (including grey) lenses reduce all light equally and are best for general wear in bright light and sunny condi-tions. The package we received had smoky-coloured lenses with a blue hue, and amber-coloured lenses giving your surroundings a ‘warm’ appearance and also increasing contrast – objects appear in sharper focus – which are suitable for most weather and light conditions. The yellow lenses enhance light, provide high colour-contrast and are ideal for low light, low visibility and cloudy conditions. The purple lenses are excellent for all-round use, dulling the brightness of objects and increas-ing contrast.

THE NOSE PADS are of soft, non-slip rubber and fasten onto a hard-plastic clip attached to the ‘bridge’ of the one-piece lens set. The arms are attached by means of ‘temple tips’ which fit onto the sides of

the lens-set, and are of lightweight, durable plastic with a textured soft rubber strip making skin contact behind the ears.

THE LENS CASE includes a printed diagram showing how to switch lenses in two easy steps. To disassemble, hold the lens-set and pull off the temple tips by gently tugging them downwards. Insert the sides of the chosen lens-set into the small slots in the front of the respective temple tips; apply light upward pressure and the two parts snap together. An audible ‘click’ con-firms they’re in place. Likewise with the nose piece – a ‘click’ affirms that it is securely attached to the bridge section of the new lens-set.

I wore the smoke-coloured lenses as everyday sunglasses for a couple of

months. They were comfortable even when worn for long periods,

and gave no discomfort when worn with electronic ear-

muffs during some lengthy shooting range sessions. The fit was snug enough not to shift even when I fired rifles of

significant recoil. Used in conjunc-

tion with scopes, the lenses showed no distor-

tions towards the edges when I turned my head, nor

did they hinder my vision even when shooting at dis-

tances up to 500m. The lenses fitted the contour of my face well and wrapped far enough around the sides of my orbital bones to give adequate protection.

On the range, I mostly used the yel-low and amber lenses. The yellow lenses would be helpful at indoor shooting ranges for their light-enhanc-ing ability.

Obviously, no lenses can be smudge free, but water ran off them leaving no marks. A single shake got rid of small-ish drops leaving the lens blemish-free during a rainy day on the range.

THE FOUR LENSES come in a hard carry case with a sponge recess for each individual lens, a soft pouch, cleaning cloth and an assembly pam-phlet. Evolution also has an option to accommodate prescription lenses with protective eyewear.

Quality eyewear is something every shooter should take seriously.

Evolution shooting eyewear is purpose-made and is to be recom-mended.

I have seen the Switch 4 package advertised online in South Africa

from about R700. For a retailer near you contact National

Cartridge Company at 065-964-9161 or email pta@ suburbanguns.co.za.

Evolution Eyewear for Shooters Test Report

by ANDRÉ GROBLER


flkasjd flkjaslkdfj

ABOVE: The warthog lies where it fell to a neck shot. ABOVE RIGHT: Author loading a muzzle-loader while Sakkie looks on with interest.BELOW: Sakkie prepares to fire at a warthog on the distant open ground.


THIS IS THE story of Sakkie, a man whose dream of being a professional hunter was cut short by a single gun-shot that shattered his left leg.

I met Sakkie when PH Neil Pretorius fetched me for a two-day excursion into the bush. Sakkie hailed from a town in the Western Cape and had ridden all the way to Port Elizabeth on his motor-bike. Neil had already told me how his friend had lost a leg in a hunting acci-dent through no fault of his own, and now had an artificial leg. The traumatic incident had occurred four years earlier and caused Sakkie to lose all interest in hunting, the outdoors, and anything to do with firearms. But now a flicker of the old flame was beginning to flare once more and Neil wanted to get his friend back into the bush and hunting again. I felt honoured to be a part of this endeavour.

We headed north in the Land Cruiser, our destination the foothills of the distant Zuurberg Mountains, a leis-urely trip of about an hour and a half. Our accommodation would not be the 5-star lodge used by the overseas cli-ents of Tootabi Hunting Safaris, but a large shipping container converted into

a comfortable three-roomed cottage. Owner/outfitter Loodt Buchner kindly allowed us to sleep here and hunt a warthog or two.

The three of us were itching to get into the bush, so our gear was soon unpacked and the rifles made ready. Since our primary objective was for Sakkie to shoot a wart-hog, he would use Neil’s .270. My intention had been to use a .50 cal-ibre muzzle-loader but, due to ominous black clouds and a light driz-zle, the conditions were not favourable for hunt-ing with black powder; I decided to carry only my camera . I was pleased to see Neil sling his .458 Lott over his shoulder because we would be wandering around in buffalo country.

With Neil leading, we walked across the open hilltop then began a slow descent into the huge valley. Sakkie brought up the rear and I watched with interest how he coped with the broken

ground. He did just fine – in fact, better than I was doing; my 80-year-old eyes struggled to find good footing.

Heading down the slope, we hugged the bush line with the grass-lands on our left. Every so often we paused to examine an open patch through a gap in the bush. We had a

few moments of excite-ment when we spotted a war thog but the encounter was brief and in seconds the hog was gone. And so it went for a few kilometres; walk, stop, look, then walk again.

WHILE THE TWO rifle-men were up ahead scanning the bush, I looked across the open plain hoping to spot the

animals usually found there. On previ-ous hunts in the area, I had seen springbuck, blesbuck, impala, blue and black wildebeest, and zebra. But now, due to the long drought, the grassland was fast becoming a dustbowl and there wasn’t an animal to be seen.

TSteps in a journey of triumph over tragedy

Sakkie: A Hunter’s

Storyby ROBIN BARKES

Sakkie brought up the rear and I

watched with inter-est how he coped with the broken

ground. He did just fine – in fact, better

than I was doing

A happy Sakkie with the first animal he’s bagged in four years.


After a while we were nearing the valley floor when suddenly I noticed that Neil and Sakkie had stopped to glass a distant corner of the parched plain and that Neil had set up the shooting sticks. I hurried over and made ready my camera as Sakkie rested the .270 on the sticks and took aim. I couldn’t see any-thing out there, but the blast of the shot was followed by the distant thwuk of a bullet hitting flesh and bone. Seconds later, with a loud cheer, Neil confirmed the successful hit and threw his arms around his friend to con-gratulate him.

WHEN THEY POINTED out where the warthog lay, I gasped in amazement because it looked half-a-mile away. Using his bin-oculars with a built-in r a n g e - f i n d e r, N e i l announced that the dis-tance was only 173 yards – an excellent shot. I grumbled to myself, “I’m too darn old for this long-range stuff; better stick to muzzle-loader ranges where I can count the ani-mal’s eyelashes.”

Leaving Sakkie and me at the spot, Neil set off on

the long walk back to the cabin to fetch the truck. While we waited, I again applauded Sakkie for his good shoot-ing, especially considering it was the first time he had fired a rifle in four years.

“Well, that’s not strictly true,” he replied. He explained that in the area where he lives, there has been an explosion in the rock pigeon population, and these birds had formed a habit of resting and messing on the roof of his home, when not feeding in the sur-

rounding wheat fields. So Sakkie had bought an air rifle and kept his eye in by sniping at the pesky birds. “Heck,” he said, “I must have shot about eighty of the blighters.”

Eventually we heard the growl of the truck coming across the veld. Neil picked us up and we headed for the downed warthog. It was a young sow, neatly shot through the neck with no damage to the best-eating parts. Neil swiftly gutted the carcass and, after loading it, we headed back to camp

where we hung it in the shade of a tree with a stick holding open the cavity to allow the mountain breeze to cool it down.

With a few hours of daylight left, we headed for the steep hills that rose up to become the Zuur-berg Mountains. Neil fig-ured there could be no better way of boosting Sakkie’s spirits than to let him have the pleasure of seeing wild animals in the bush again. As we trav-elled slowly along the rough road that ran through the jungle-like bush, Neil pointed out places where visiting for-

Sakkie fires his first ever shot with a muzzle-loader.

The hunting vehicle makes its way through the thick East Cape bush.

eign hunters had shot various animals, including buffalo.

During our ramble, Neil showed Sakkie deep cuttings in the earth at dif-ferent places. Some years back, during my first venture into the area, these strange cuttings had mystified me – some had been laboriously dug out but others were blasted through solid rock. The mystery was solved when I learned that the cuttings originally held the rails of the very first train line from Port Eliz-abeth into the interior. It must have been a wonderful trip through that wild and beautiful countryside.

WE SOON BEGAN spotting animals on the bush-covered slopes surround-ing the track. It was strange seeing antelope like gemsbuck in the thick bush but, lack of feed on the drought-stricken plains had such species seek-ing nourishment in the bush. On one small open hilltop we saw the unusual sight of kudu, impala, bushbuck and a troop of baboons all looking down on us. Later, when we crossed a more

open area, we saw herds of blue and black wil-

debeest, red hartebeest and blesbuck all milling about together. Although the dams along the valley floor were all bone dry, the swampy ground between them held lush green grass which explained the absence of grazing ani-mals on the dry plains. Then at dusk, we were lucky enough to see a herd of buffalo – a per-fect ending to our game viewing. Most import-a n t l y, S a kk i e h ad enjoyed every moment.

It was dark by the time we arrived back at the cabin but a big camp-fire soon provided all the light we needed. It had been many months since I’d last sat around a hunting camp-fire, and years since Sakkie had done so. Needless to say, a passing squall of rain was not enough to dampen our spirits – though it ruined the cigar I had saved for the occasion.

The next day, in the early morning sun, we enjoyed coffee and rusks before I hauled out the muzzle-loader for Sakkie to have a few shots. He had

never seen an old-fashioned gun in action and looked on with interest as I went through the loading procedure with a light charge of powder for target shooting. I think everyone remembers

their first shot with a muzzle-loader. I could see that Sakkie relished the moment, standing there in a cloud of white smoke and taking in the distinctive aroma of burnt gunpowder. His next shot was even m o r e s p e c t a c u l a r because, for realism, I used my full hunting load of 90 grains of powder in front of a

heavy Maxi-ball. After that shot all the grinning shooter could say was, “Wow, that was terrific!”

I guess you could say that our short, but very enjoyable, interlude in the bush ended with a bang. I am sure the outing has helped Sakkie on his road back to enjoying the bush; the challenge of the chase; and to cherish once again all the things that make a man what he was born to be – a hunter.

The first train from Algoa Bay into the interior once puffed its

way through this cutting.

Needless to say, a passing squall of

rain was not enough to dampen our

spirits – though it ruined the

cigar I had saved for the occasion



I RECENTLY ORDERED 250 170gr .45-calibre Peregrine SD (self-defence) bullets to work up a carry load for my 1911 pis-tol. Peregrine Bullets of Pretoria have a well-deserved reputation for high-quality monolithic rifle bullets, and I was intrigued by the concept of a monolithic hol-low-point for handguns. Pere-grine’s website says the SD bullet is specifically designed for one-shot stopping capability and for use in all popular hand-guns; it is also a very good tactical bullet and can be used highly effectively in counter -terrorist appli-cations.

Peregr ine recom-mends a muzzle velocity of around 1 200fps. I did a theoretical comparison between the Peregrine SD bullets and the Federal Hydra-Shoks I was car-rying at the time. The Federals are typ ica l jacketed ho l -low-points, the 230gr adver-tised as having muzzle velocity of 900fps, indicating muz-zle energy of 414ft.lbs. On paper, Peregrine’s rec-ommended velocity of 1 200fps for a 170gr bullet easi ly tops this with 544ft.lbs.

I worked up test loads starting at 1 000fps as a baseline for my full-size 1911 Frankengun built on an Essex Arms frame. Cases were once-f i red Winchester Western .45ACP; I used Winchester large pistol primers and Somchem’s MP200 propellant.

I HAVE ALWAYS been wary of theoretical projections of a bullet’s ballistic performance, but a program we’ve had a lot of success with in Zimbabwe – and which is also recom-mended by Peregrine Bullets – is QuickLOAD (QL). This is a Windows-based application which predicts ballistics perfor-mance based on the cartridge case, the projectile, the barrel length, the propellant, and the cartridge overall length. QL

has served us very well when developing rifle loads, espe-cially for heavy, dangerous game cartridges. QL’s default database has some 2 500 projectiles, 1 200 cartridges, and over 225 powders extant, but is also tailor-made for input-ting data directly for working up your own loads.

The principle behind QL is determining the actual internal capacity of the cases used. This is achieved by weighing

I

by IJ LARIVERS

…using Peregrine’s self-defence bullets

Developing Carry Loads


empty once-fired cartridge cases from a production lot, then filling the cases to overflowing with water and weighing the water-filled cases. Working on the premise that 1cm3 of water weighs approximately one gram at 40°C, the added weight of the water is then used to establish the liquid vol-ume and in turn the case capacity. It is important to use cases from the same manufacturer and to meas-ure a number of cases, say ten, from each production lot. When inputting that data into QL, you use the average case capacity.

This software clearly demonstrates how changing variables affect ballistic per-formance, and can predict the effect of variables such as ambient temperature (especially important when developing dangerous game loads for places like the Zambezi Valley), bullet seating depth, and barrel length. However, QL is merely a computer simula-tion; this portends certain limitations. When using any such program, it is the shooter’s responsibility to cross-reference the software’s predictions with load data supplied by the propellant manu-facturer, and to employ caution when working up any load. While I have been impressed by the accuracy of QL’s predic-tions, I strongly urge you to heed these warnings.

I ASKED QL to predict a suitable charge of MP200 to achieve velocities of 1 000fps, 1 100fps and 1 200fps using the above components. The variable here was the propel-lant; I also used S121, S221 and MS200. QL didn’t give me any options that would achieve even 1 100fps within safe working pressures. So, I got in touch with Peregrine’s ballis-tics expert, Adriaan Rall, who told me that the QL data was a couple of beats off for their SD bullets. He sent me his own data, which was 7.6gr of MP200. Peregrine’s excellent little reloading manual also had a 7.8gr charge, but I didn’t go that far. I started with the QL prediction of 6.9gr, keeping a close watch on pressure signs and felt recoil. Velocity was but one variable I sought; more important to me were accu-racy, reliability, and an estimation of terminal performance.

When charting new reloading territory, I cannot over-emphasize the need to err on the side of caution and to make haste slowly with propellant increments – not only

I cannot over- emphasize the need to err on the side of

caution and to make haste slowly with propellant incre-ments – not only

for safety’s sake, but because increased propellant weight does not necessar-ily translate into increased bullet

performance


for safety’s sake, but because increased propellant weight does not necessarily translate into increased bullet perfor-mance. This was a mistake a lot of wildcatters made with their so-called ‘improved’ loads in the days before everyone owned a chronograph. Some of their loads lived up to expec-tations but, quoting Field & Stream’s gun guru David Petzal, “In real life, most improved rounds produced piddling increases in velocity but huge increases in pressure.”

I assembled five rounds of each test load on a single- stage RCBS press, using the Hornady Lock-n-Load electronic

powder measure to provide a very accurate and consistent charge. A quick check confirmed that the bullet diameter was in fact .451, so all good to go.

I WANTED A reliable, accurate and manageable load. I used a LabRadar Doppler chronograph, which can track a projectile to record diminishing velocities up to 100 metres. It records maximum and minimum velocities, and calculates averages, standard deviations and extreme spreads (see table).

FAR LEFT: Chris Paken-ham setting up the LabRadar chrono-graph.

BELOW FAR LEFT: We developed loads in 9mm and also in .44 magnum.

BELOW: Peregrine’s monolithic bullets are well presented, and the bullets tipped the scale at exactly the stated weight.


Higher velocity may give more impressive muzzle energy, but I wanted to test other factors, including the bullet’s reliability in feeding, its deformation with repeated chamber-ings, its accuracy, terminal perfor-mance and recoil recovery time.

Loading for a cartridge overall length of 1.250ꞌꞌ, which is well within the SAAMI maximum of 1.275ꞌꞌ, I experienced no problems with magazine fit or reliability in feeding (the SD ogive is very similar to that of an FMJ ball projectile). To check for deformation I chambered several rounds ten times each; these exhibited the expected markings on the bullets, but the SD’s petals were pretty much unaffected.

I have a 16-pound recoil spring in my 5ꞌꞌ- barrelled pistol; I expected my SD loads to bite some, but the recoil was not at all noteworthy. At 20m, the 1 070fps load – pretty much the velocity I had decided on – shot into ‘minute of IDPA tar-get A-zone’, which is exactly what they are intended to do.

When the FBI assesses any cartridge, they test for pene-tration, velocity and accuracy. I had yet to test for penetration. Many years ago, I was assisting the late Detective Superinten-dent Charlie Haley to do comparative terminal performance tests with various dangerous game bullets. Charlie was the commanding officer of Police Forensic Ballistics in Harare, and Don Heath of National Parks had asked him to evaluate several different bullets. Charlie came up with what he called the ‘ele-phant sandwich’, which consisted of numerous water-soaked telephone directories interspersed with the odd elephant femur and hip-bones. This proved quite effective for testing bullet penetra-tion and expansion. At the time, I’d been read-ing anything I could find by Dr Martin Fackler, who was the originator of modern ballistic gela-tin, which is probably as good as it gets for termi-nal performance tests. To my mind, wet tele-

phone directories provide the same comparison potential: a bullet’s performance in a wet paper medium may differ from the same bullet’s performance in ballistic gelatin, but wet paper nevertheless provides a consistent medium for compar-ing the performance of different projectiles in the same medium. Besides, here in Zimbabwe, phone books were in plentiful supply, as no one uses landlines any more.

So, I took a heap of water-soaked phone books out to the range and let fly. My load penetrated 19cm into this medium, which I consider acceptable. The recovered bullets

had expanded to 29mm and looked pretty much l i ke those on Per-egrine’s website.

PEREGRINE ’S SD BULLETS measured up to the company’s claims, and I had a lot of fun playing with all the latest toys like the L a b Ra d a r c h r o n o -graph.

ABOVE: Working up the test loads with varying pow-der charges.

RIGHT: Accuracy at 20m was more than good enough.

At 20m, the 1 070fps load – pretty much the velocity I had decided on – shot into ‘minute

of IDPA target A-zone’, which is exactly what they

are intended to do

BULLET POWDER MP200 MUZZLE VELOCITY

MUZZLE ENERGY

170gr SD 6.9gr 921fps 320ft.lbs

170gr SD 7.0gr 991fps 371ft.lbs

170gr SD 7.1gr 1 011fps 386ft.lbs







Good Food

by CHARLOTTE-ANN AUCAMP

THE YEAR IS in full swing and I’m sure you will be preparing quick and easy meals. Here are two simple recipes that you might like to try.

CHILLI AND TOMATO JAMThis jam makes an excellent accom-paniment to cold meat leftovers and it goes well with a variety of other dishes – even a plain cheese sarmie.

INGREDIENTSn 1kg ripe tomatoes, washedn 8 to 12 red chillies (can use all colours)n 8 garlic cloves, peeledn 80g fresh ginger, peeled and roughly choppedn 600g white sugarn 200ml red wine vinegarn 1 teaspoon saltn 4-5 glass bottles, sterilized

METHODCut half the tomatoes into small 5mm pieces and put aside. Blend the rest of the tomatoes, the chillies, garlic and ginger in a food processor. You can remove some of the chilli seeds before blending if you want a milder jam.

Put the puree into a large thick-bot-tomed pot. Add the sugar, red wine vin-

egar and salt. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring constantly. When boiling, turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the chopped tomatoes with the seeds and skin. (You need the pectin in the seeds to set the jam.)

Cook gently for 30 to 40 minutes, skimming off foam as it forms. Stir every five minutes to move the solids that settle on the bottom of the pot. When it is done, pour carefully into warm steri-lized glass bottles and allow to cool to room temperature. Keep in the fridge.

LABNEHLabneh is a popular mezze dish in Middle Eastern households. As we have a few groups of Lebanese clients during the hunting season, I have made a Free State version of this dish. It is easy to make and very versatile.

INGREDIENTSn 1 litre double cream plain yoghurtn 1 tablespoon saltn 1m cheesecloth (buy at any hab-erdashery shop)n 2-3 glass bottles, sterilized

METHODMix the salt into the yoghurt.

Use the cheesecloth to remove excess whey from the yoghurt. Place the cheesecloth in a colander or mesh strainer or funnel to give it some support. If the cheesecloth pulls or falls into the colander (no matter how careful you are), clip the cloth to the edge of the colander with clean clothes pegs, or hold it in place with a large rubber band if that works with the shape of the colander.

Place the colander in a high container so that the bottom of the colander is not touching the bottom of the container.

Pour the yoghurt mixture into your secured cheesecloth.

Keep in the fridge for 2 days to let all the water drain out.

Place in sterilized glass bottles and keep refrigerated. In sealed bottles, the labneh will keep for up to three weeks.

Labneh can be mixed with fine bil-tong, grated cheese, fresh herbs, spring onion and many other options. Serve cold with whatever you fancy such as farm bread, toast, crackers, pita etc.

Side Dishes


THE LEDLENSER MH11 head torch is this German company’s first Bluetooth enabled outdoor light that works in conjunction with a smartphone and the Ledlenser Connect App. The App extends the standard capabilities of the MH11 as a head torch in that it affords customized settings. You can operate the MH11 torch by using only its manual switch or with the App, which is available for Android and iPhone.

The torch weighs 179g and is 88mm wide out of its hard plastic cradle; the part which contacts your forehead is soft foam rubber. In the cradle, the beam can be adjusted through 120-degrees up or down. The cradle’s durable head-band also has a strap going longitud- inally over the top of your head. The adjustable elasticized bands attach to a broad plastic disc at the back of your head for a comfortable and secure fit.

The LED output is 1 000 lumens attaining a maximum range of 300m. The rechargeable 18650 3.6V battery has a minimum burning life of four hours and a maximum of 100 hours, depending on use. The torch comes with a USB magnetic charger.

THE MH11 HAS three mode set-tings: App mode, white (light) mode, and RGB mode. You can switch modes by holding down the on/off switch at the top for varying durations.

White mode has four power set-tings: 750 lumens provides high output suitable for most outdoor situations; low power saves battery life and is suit-able for reading and close working con-ditions; mid-power provides a medium output for general work. Mid-power mode also has an Optisense function whereby the torch automatically adapts to the existing light conditions and helps to counter glare. On Blink func-tion it sends out light impulses at regu-lar intervals and the Boost function emits 1 000 lumens for a short duration if needed. Rotating the milled ring on the lens housing adjusts the beam from a very wide field of view to very narrow reaching out to 300m.

RGB mode uses the red, green and blue LEDs. Red works well for reading and provides a measure of night vision. Green is suitable for low-light condi-tions such as fog. Blue is best for signalling.

Connected via Bluetooth, the App mode’s main menu shows the four pri-mary functions: direct control, timer,

intervals and switch profiles. With direct control, you can set the bright-ness of the white beam to three ener-gy-saving levels, and it gives you access to the red, green or blue LEDs. Also, the Blink and Optisense functions can be used or disabled. Settings used in direct control cannot be saved.

Using the timer function, the torch can be set to turn on (for 20 minutes at 150 lumens) at a specific time or be turned off, within a 24-hour cycle. The intervals function sets the torch to blink at particular intervals, while in use, such as every ten minutes as a timer.

The App’s real benefit is in the switch profiles setting which enables you to personalise the torch’s function, programming it for specific light needs. Eight profiles can be saved for

different scenarios using all the torch’s abilities. For example, you can set a profile for hiking or general camp use. After a profile has been created it is sent to the torch. The phone can then be put away as the torch is pro-grammed to the pre-defined profile settings. There is an S.O.S. function which can only be activated through the App. This sends a distress signal in Morse code (3x short, 3x long, 3x short).

The MH11 has an IPX4 water class-ification (resistant to water splashes from any direction) and an IP5X dust rating (the inside is protected from dust). It can be hand-held as a torch. I used it at the coast for a

couple of weeks. On full flood setting, the white light

was bright enough to l ight up the whole backyard for every-

one to see c l e a r l y during a b r a a i .

With the f o c u s e d

b e a m o n Boos t I cou ld see

people moving in the shadow of a dune on the beach at 250m. I

used it to walk along narrow footpaths between the dunes and the coastal bush – it was like being in sunshine.

THE UNIT’S MANY App functions were almost daunting and I used the sup-plied Quick User Guide extensively. I then lost the User Guide, but fortu-nately it is available on Ledlenser’s website. At a recommended retail price of R2 500, the company’s flagship out-door head torch is not cheap, but it is an excellent package for all night-work, hunting, fishing and camping. In South Africa, this torch has a two-year war-ranty if not registered online. If regis-tered online, with a unique code, the warranty is for seven years. For more information contact Awesome Tools on 021-981-6672.

Ledlenser MH11 Head Torch Test Report

by ANDRÉ GROBLER

Mauser

Revelationby JON SPEED

Paul Mauser’s First Nitro Rifle Model

2

1

Exclusive


1: Rifle Model 88, right view.

2: Model 88 system dismantled, right side with maga-zine. Note the magazine cut-off lever to facilitate single-shot use while reserve ammo remains in place. Note push-button magazine release behind the maga-zine.

3: September 22, 1888 Mauser letterhead, an inter-nal company document to Paul Mauser from Director Schmid informing Paul that his Belgian patents had been processed.

4: October 8, 1888 Ludwig Loewe letter to Paul Mauser informing him that if any UK representative could con-vince the British to accept the New Model 88 Mauser, Loewe-Mauser would pay up to 15% commission on the total value of any finalized contract. At the time, Paul was in London, at the Kaiser Royal Hotel.

5: Joe Jonas’s letterhead, September 1, 1888, to the Mauser company’s office manager, Mr Gronki, giving dates and status of trials in London.

Please Turn Over4

5

3

EDITORIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Jon Speed, widely acknowledged as the world’s foremost living authority and author on Mauser rifles and history, has afforded Magnum the privilege of being the first to

present these never-before published images and details.


IIN HIS CLASSIC books on Mauser rifles, Ludwig Olsen’s description of Paul Mauser’s Model 1888 test rifle in calibre 7.65x53mm was based solely on images from the Mauser Patent book of 1908 – he never had the opportunity to lay hands on an actual example of this rifle. Ludwig’s first trip to Mauser’s Oberndorf factory and museum took place sometime in 1956. The first examples of this model only came back to Oberndorf in 1968, by which time not even the folks at Mauser had any idea what this rifle represented.

At the end of WWII, with the French occupation of Germany, France had taken over the Mauser factory at Oberndorf on April 15, 1945. The French took the entire Paul Mauser col-lection and the company’s reference collection back to France. As part of a new post-war diplomatic relationship between France and Germany, the French returned 600 rifles to the Mauser factory, among which were two examples of Paul Mauser’s Model 1888 test r i f l e in ca l ib re 7.65x53mm Rimless (not to be confused with the German 1888 Commis-sion rifle in 8x57 rim-less). The Mauser factory hired Hans Lockhoven to make a full assessment of these r i f les . The detailed B&W images used for this story came from Hans Lockhoven before he passed away a few years ago. Hans and I had talked about this rifle’s place in Mauser his-tory; here is the story of how this rifle came to be.

In 1884, Paul Mauser was working on creating a better black powder

cartridge than the standard German 11mm used in his Model 71/84 rifles. This new round was of 9.5mm calibre and had slightly higher velocity with a lighter bullet. Hoping to attract interest in this cartridge, Paul made up a few Model 71 type single-shot rifles in the new calibre to hand out to procurement officials from several countries. Mean-while, by 1886, Mauser and the Ludwig Loewe firm (which owned the Mauser company) were in the process of draw-ing up a contract with Turkey. Paul decided to offer his new 9.5mm round in a new upgraded Model 71/84 type rifle. Also by 1886, the French had

developed the first new nitro propellant for use in smaller calibre rifles. The crit-ical time had arrived when new and better rifles in smaller nitro calibres were coming on line.

BEFORE THE FINAL Turkish contract was drawn up, Paul Mauser received a letter from Germany’s General Baron von der Goltz who was one of a team of German army officials responsible for training the Turkish Military in their modern war methods. Goltz questioned Paul Mauser about his efforts with his 9.5mm round and felt the time had come for Germany to develop new rifles

to handle the up-and- coming smaller calibre nitro cartridges. The problem was that Paul had committed his factory to building a New Turkish Model 87 rifle chambered for his 9.5mm cartridge, and since the Turk con-tract was almost ready to sign, he could not back out of this deal which involved a total of 550 000 rifles and carbines.

Paul Mauser consid-ered Goltz to be the most knowledgeable of all the high-ranking German mi l i tary o f f i c ia ls in regard to arms and ammunition production.

Model 88 system dismantled; left side with magazine.


Turkish inspectors at Oberndorf shooting range in 1903, shooting for group sizes with the New Model 1903 Rifles in 7.65mm, the first Mauser to use what we call the Intermediate system. The Turks bought 200 000 of these rifles.

Paul and Goltz became good friends and kept in touch on all matters during the Ger-man/Turkish relationship up to and throughout WWI.

The Turks also liked Goltz for his unique skills in dealing with them in terms of their culture and military abilities. In 1916, to show their high regard for Goltz, the Turks minted a medal embossed with a bust of Goltz.

The Turks had heard about the new nitro ammunition, so they included a clause in the contract to state that if Paul Mauser created any new mod-els, his production line had to drop the Model 87 and com-mence production of Paul’s new models for the remaining numbers ordered in the con-tract and for a similar price. This would put the Mauser factory under increased pres-sure in every aspect involving blueprint drawings, new tool-ing, gauges, test procedures, materials etc.

By early 1888, Paul Mauser had decided to develop a new nitro cart-r idge, the 7.65x53mm (rimmed), and design a new rifle to accommodate it. Paul was influenced by world famous German ballistics expert, Professor Wilhelm Hebler, who, in 1886, wrote in detail about the need for new ammunition in calibres in the 7–8mm range, and new bullet types and new powders. Hebler ran tests comparing Germany’s old black powder 11mm round with the new cartridge in calibre 7.65mm. Hebler and Goltz knew that black powder rifles were obsolete and so did Paul Mauser.

While these various events were developing, Paul heard through his industry contacts that the Spandau arsenal was also developing a new rimless 8mm cartridge and rifle, which would become the commission Model 88. This rifle was first produced by the

Ludwig Loewe Company. Later, this rifle was made by other German State factories as well as Austria’s Steyr Company, Paul Mauser’s biggest com-petitor! Within a few months Paul had developed his 7.65mm round and had

studied the patents of various bolt- action systems whose bolts had vari-ous types of multiple locking lugs. Paul worked night and day to come up with a robust new bolt-action system, the bolt of which had two large rear lugs that locked into corresponding recesses in a solid receiver bridge (unlike his Model 71 and 71/84 that had split-bridge receivers like the Mannlicher).

FIDEL FIEDERLE, DESIGNER of the famous C96 ‘Broomhandle’ auto pistol, did most of the machine work on the Model 88 test rifles. Engineer Drössel supervised the test shooting for accu-racy on all these Test rifles.


Paul Mauser chambered his first rifle for the .303 cart-ridge for submission to the

British rifle trials. The Brits showed little interest as they preferred their Lee Enfield model over all others tested

LEFT: Mauser Patent Book 1908 shows D.R.P. No. 45561, April 18, 1888, New Model rifle. Note use of a rimmed case which was soon conver-ted to rimless. Paul Mauser had chambered his first rifle in .303 for the British rifle trials.

LEFT: Clip set-up in Mauser’s 1888 system, from patent book 1908. Such drawings are not to scale but simply to show the principle.


Paul Mauser chambered his first rifle for the .303 cartridge for submis-sion to the British rifle trials. The Brits showed little interest as they preferred their Lee Enfield model over all others tested. Paul was disappointed but then had the opportunity to submit his rifle for Belgian trials starting in late 1888. This rifle was in Paul’s new 7.65x53 (now with a rimless case).

PAUL MAUSER HAD a close friend named Joe Jonas, who was a major steel provider (Continental Steel) in the UK. Jonas was Paul’s inside man regarding arms development in the UK and other countries. He went on to become well-known in UK politics.

Paul had big hopes for his new rifle, but during test-fir-ing in Belgium, a cartridge ruptured, resulting in some minor damage to the bolt-face and extractor of his two-part bolt. Due to this failure, his rifle was dropped from the trials. Crushed by this event, Paul stated that it was most likely an incorrectly loaded cartridge and not a fault of the rifle, but no one would listen.

Paul went on to develop a new cartridge clip, unlike the

Steyr system which employed a packet-type unit which remained inside the magazine box until all the rounds were used up, and was then ejected.

Paul was determined to get a Mauser rifle back into the Belgian tri-

als, so within three months he designed an all-new solid-bridged action employing a one-piece bolt with two large dual-opposed locking lugs at the front of the bolt. He made up a trial rifle, later designated the Belgium 89, which he submitted to the trials. This

new model swept all other competitors off the field and went on to bring Paul and his firm world acclaim.

Paul Mauser offered his new Model 89 rifle to the Ger-man military, but because Loewe, Spandau and other state factories, as well as Paul’s biggest competitor, Steyr, were in full production with the Commission Model 88 rifle in 8mm, the powers that be did not want to disrupt the industry. It was not until 1895, when Paul designed his New Model 95 rifle with its three-lug bolt, which then evolved into the legendary Mauser Gewehr 98, that he found worldwide acclaim. And the rest, as they say, is history…

Paul Mauser’s bolt with two rear locking lugs could have been modified into a more usable practical system, as in modern times Mauser has used such concepts in hunting rifles, namely the Models 77, 83 and 86.

Bolt stripped, showing its two main parts: the shaft with two rear locking lugs and the bolt-head with guide-rib. The guide-rib also acts as a dust-shield when the bolt is closed, having ridges on the side that match recesses in the receiver wall. The bolt locks up like a bank vault with no play at all.

Test target, September 4, 1888, for rifle number 4 set up with the new clip loading function. The clips fed ammo directly into the removable magazine.

He made up a trial rifle, later designated the Belgium

89, which he submitted to the trials. This new model swept all other competitors off the field and went on to

bring Paul and his firm world acclaim


Our National Bokby GREGOR WOODS

The springbuck in history

A mature female springbuck. Photo above and below by Philip Huebsch.


IIT IS GENERALLY assumed that the springbuck was chosen as South Africa’s national animal because it was our most common species, and for its historical association with the early Cape, birthplace of our nation. That may be so – although I can find no historically recorded reason for this choice. Interestingly, the early Dutch settlers encountered many other species, including the Big Five, before encounter-ing the springbuck some 30 years (and possibly as long as 120 years) after their arrival.

According to Historical Mammal Incidence in the Cape Province, Volume 1, by CJ Skead, the earliest (but uncon-firmed) record of what may have been springbuck appears to be that of Olof Bergh who, in 1682, near Garies (Vanrhyns-dorp area) wrote what translates as: “About two hours from Olifants River, I saw so many wild bucks that they were uncountable, and I shot one there.” The description “uncountable” suggests springbuck, but without more infor-mation, is not definitive. Conceivably, gemsbuck could have been another possibility.

It was not until 1773 that the next sighting was recorded by Mas-son and Thunberg in the Bokkeveld of the Ceres district – regarded as the first positive record. The Bokke-veld was named for the springbuck migrations seen there. Then, in 1796, the naturalist, François le Vail-lant encountered springbuck “on the way to Little Namaqua land after passing Koekenaap and Krakeel klip on the west coast” (north of the Olif-ants River).

Historically, the springbuck’s nat-ural habitat was South West Africa, extending southwards into Little Namaqua land, and the Kalahari, extending southwards into the Northern Cape, Free State and Northwest Province. Early Cape encounters were largely in times of the great migrations which drove the massive con-gregations southwards. These were not frequent, but immensely impressive.

In June 1823, George Thompson saw a migration near Beaufort West which he estimated to number 100 000 in a solid column 80km long. During the drought of 1860, a migration headed south into Little Namaqualand where there was neither water nor grass, and the herds died in their thousands. One report said, “Millions of them crossed the mountain range and made for the sea. They dashed into the

waves, drank salt water and died. Their bodies lay in one continuous pile along the shore for over 30 miles, and the stench drove the Trek Boers, who were camped near the coast, far inland”.

Another account says that a migration, walking steadily, took three days to pass a given point. On reaching the Orange River, those coming from behind pushed those in front into the water where they drowned in their thousands.

During the era of black powder and lead bullets, a single springbuck made a difficult target. Historical accounts indic-ate that hunters seldom if ever tried to shoot individual ani-mals – they fired into the massed herds – usually riding after them on horseback. In Travels into the Interior of Africa via the Cape of Good Hope, Volume 1, François Le Vaillant, trav-elling on the Sundays River south of the “Sneeuw-Bergen” in the late 1790s, encountered “a large number of Spring-Bock” and decided to spend the whole day hunting them. He killed

seven, and later wrote, “Although they are swift runners, on a horse one can easily catch up with them. As they run in a dense herd like sheep, they impede one another, and this slows them down. If one aims one shot carefully, it can go through two, sometimes three, and even more.”

THE FRENCH NATURALIST, Adul-phe Delagorgue, hunting the Karoo in 1838, wrote of seeing swirling col-umns of red dust rising 200 feet into the air, as large herds of “spring-booken… 3 000 to 10 000 strong, crossed each other’s paths as they swept over the plain.” He had to keep assuring himself that it was not a vision. He describes hunting these

herds with a party of seven Boers, all mounted on horseback, yet who “brought back only eleven spring-booken after three hours of relentless pursuit”. Springbuck meat was regarded as the very finest, and the local farmers rarely killed an ox or a sheep, as springbuck meat supplied all their needs.

Gordon Cumming, who hunted in SA from 1844 to 1849, wrote of witnessing a vast springbuck migration in the Beer Valley area of the Karoo. Awoken in the wee hours by the noise of their travel, he lay in his wagon listening to them for two hours until dawn, and then could not believe his eyes as he beheld the ground “covered with a dense living mass of springboks, marching slowly and steadily along…” They were

In June 1823, George Thompson saw a migration near Beaufort West which he estimated to number 100 000 in a solid column 80km long

Drawing titled “Springbuck Feeding” by the naturalist and artist JG Millais from his 1885 book, A Breath from the Veldt (Galago reprint 1986).


emerging from a gap in the distant hills, flowing past his camp and disappearing over a ridge opposite, a further mile away, the mass being half a mile wide, continuously “pouring like a flood of some great river”. He watched it for a fur-ther two hours, un- abated, then mounted up and rode among them, firing into the mass until he’d killed fourteen, then ceased, adding that he could have killed 30 or 40 in a morning, and was astounded that they “allow me to ride so near them”. Later, he saw a further mass of springbuck which “infinitely sur-passed” that which he’d seen that morn-ing, densely covering the plains for as far as he could see in any direction.

Springbuck will drink if water is available, but can survive without it, obtaining sufficient moisture from the vegetation. Clearly, these migrations were due to a coin-cidence of huge populations and severe droughts destroy-ing the vegetation. The vast herds would congregate where the last grazing and browse remained, until it ran out, forcing them to trek.

I doubt that these were migrations to seek new habi-tat. I think this was nature’s way of controlling their num-bers. Virtually all the ‘migra-tory’ springbuck died during the trek. Those leading, ate whatever grazing they encoun-tered, leaving the ground bare; those coming behind died of thirst and starvation along the way. I know of no record of any arrival of masses settling in pastures new, nor of local populations increasing in numbers after a migration. There is no record of migrations returning whence they’d come once the rains started again. They all just perished.

With the spreading of farms after the Great Trek, the ‘migrations’ drew to an end. In 1878, William Sandeman, author of Eight Months in an Ox Waggon, visited a Free State Boer named Grunveldt, who’d clearly hunted exten-

sively on his farm, for the pickings were slim. They rode at full g a l l o p s t r a i g h t towards a distant herd of about 30 springbuck, but with 300 yards still separ- ating them, the herd took off at “an aston-ishing pace”. Grun-veldt dismounted and f ired six or seven shots into the herd, with Sandeman copy-

ing him, but neither hit any. Sandeman wrote of using a Westley Richards falling block (probably a .450 No2 Musket) and a “long-range rising block rifle” (possi-bly a Swinburne in .577/.450). They galloped after the same herd, which took off at 400 yards this time; a lucky shot from another ‘fusillade’ brought down one springbuck. By then their

horses were exhausted.

T R A V E L L I N G T O T H E Pretoria- Lydenburg area, San-deman crawled to within 400 yards of a ‘nice lot of spring-bôk’ and fired into their midst, luckily dropping one. They ran off and he fired four more shots into the mass, felling another. He rode back to camp for a pack-horse; on his return to the carcasses less than an hour later, vultures had left him nothing but the skulls and bones. He told a Boer of this, who showed no surprise, saying he had several times shot into a herd at 800 to 900 yards, and

by the time it took him to ride directly to the carcass, vultures had swooped down and stripped it.

Sandeman wrote that prior to the wholesale slaughter of the herds when they were changing their summer or winter quarters, “…it was no uncommon thing for a waggon to have to pull up for an hour at a time while the herds crossed the path in front… spring-bôk went past in such crowding masses that they never swerved as shot after shot was fired into the line; but that is a thing of the past. The bôk are now [1878] so wary that, however big the herd, it is no easy matter to get within shot unless on horseback…”

A fine old springbuck ram; note the rearward-curling horn tips – a sign of mature age.

There is no record of migrations returning

whence they’d come once the rains started again. They all just perished

Two springbuck rams fighting during the rut. Note that they curl their tails between their legs when fighting.


In A breath from the Veldt, the naturalist JG M i l l a i s , wrote , “Although the spring-bucks of today [1895] are but a scattered remnant of what they were… they are still by far the commonest representative of the antelope tribe in that country.” The Boers wi th whom Mi l la is hunted used Martini Henrys; he does not state what calibre he used. By now, however, the era of small-bore jacketed bullets and nitro propellants was under-way; the world already had the 8x50R French Lebel, the 8x57 Mauser, the .303 British and the 7x57 Mauser. These flat-ter-shooting rifles could reliably hit the vitals of an individual springbuck at ranges up to 200 yards.

Millais writes of ‘coursing’ for springbuck, which was clearly a British introduction. In sporting terms, coursing refers to running down the game with greyhounds. In this instance, the hunters followed on horseback and with horse-drawn two-wheeled scotch-carts. Millais says a good grey-hound can catch a springbuck or run it to a standstill.

He wrote that the Boers hunted springbuck by means of a properly-worked chain of hunting carts or mounted horsemen stretched across the veld at intervals of 1 000 to 1 700 yards, guided by an old hand usually positioned in the centre giving directions. “… if the game be properly played and the line well kept, each and every shooter will get good sport.” He adds, “A rifle shooter going out by himself into the Karroo stands but a poor chance with the bucks…” The Boers, hunt-ing in a party, “largely contribute to each other’s sport by driving the bucks to one another.” This long moving line seemed to confuse the herds, several hundred in number, which moved back and forth, not knowing at which point to try to circumvent the approaching hunters. Millais fired 25 shots before wounding a ram, which they lost. He later shot, at 300 yards, the only springbuck bagged by anyone that entire day; next morning he shot one at 400 yards and another at 200, all aimed at individually. This suggests Millais was using a modern small-bore nitro calibre.

The last massive migration was recorded in 1896, wit-nessed by WC Scully. Inevitably, farm fences, borehole water and flat-shooting rifles ended the migrations. But they cer-tainly left a memorable impression.

How did the springbuck come to be our national animal? Politically, ‘South Africa’ did not exist until the Union was formed in 1910. The coat-of-arms of the Cape Colony from 1875 until 1910 included a black wildebeest and a gemsbuck. In 1895, the Blignaut brothers, Piet and Phillip, represented

the SA Amateur Ath-letic Association at the English championships. They wanted to wear an emblem for identifi-cation, and being regu-lar springbuck hunters, they got their eldest sister to embroider a springbuck on their vests. In 1906, Paul Roos, captain of the first local rugby team to play against Eng-land, wanted a sym-

bolic name to prevent the British press from inventing one for the SA team. It is said that his choice of a springbuck was impromptu, but the Blignaut family claims it was at the sug-gestion of Piet and Phillip who knew Roos.

IN 1910, WHEN the Union of SA was formed, Arthur Holland, of the Government Printing Works in Pretoria, designed a national coat-of-arms – he chose a springbuck emblem. Whether he was influenced by the Blignaut-Roos choice is unknown. The springbuck remains SA’s national animal.

Drawing by JG Millais showing a ‘coursing’ scene – the hunting of springbuck with greyhound dogs, horses and horse-drawn scotch-carts.


by ANDRÉ GROBLER

Baikal Double .45-70

Disassembled for easy transport.


BAIKAL IS ONE of three firearm brands from Russia’s Kalashnikov Concern, manufacturers of a wide range of civilian and military weap-ons. The Baikal and Ishmash brands focus mostly on civilian hunting and sporting firearms, while the Kalashnikov brand focuses primarily on military arms.

The test rifle, Baikal’s MR-221 double, is one metre long overall and weighs 3.1kg. The lacquer-finished walnut stock has a low comb for open sighted use, with no cheek-piece and no cast-off, hence is adaptable for both right- and left-handed use. It has a somewhat swept-back pistol-grip, well-suited to double-trigger rifles, with fairly coarse cut chequering for a secure hold. The skeletonised recoil pad is 22mm thick.

The slightly beaver-tailed fore-end is 215mm long, 50mm wide, but shal-low, with chequering similar to that on the hand-grip; its recessed release- lever, positioned centrally, is spring-loaded and smooth-operating.

The box-lock action is beefy and robust, and the metal-work is blued throughout, but for the triggers, which are gold-coloured. The tang-mounted safety-catch engages automatically on

opening the action. When the safety is engaged, it reveals a small spring-loaded steel bead just ahead of it. When pushed forward to disengage, it reveals a small, red indent behind it, indicating the fire position.

The top-lever is within easy thumb-reach but was somewhat stiff – doubt-less just newness – and I had to consciously push it all the way across to open the barrels. The smooth-faced double triggers are 5mm wide; the front one’s length of pull is 35.8cm, and the rear one, 33.7cm. Both triggers broke cleanly at about 5lb pull.

THE 23.6-INCH barrels have an integrated quarter-rib into which the rear sight blade is

dovetailed and which is also grooved for mounting a scope or red-dot sight. The rear sight is held in place by a screw, has a U-notch, and is adjustable for windage. The front sight-ramp forms part of the solid-looking muzzle link and is finely grooved to prevent reflection; its

sight-element is a post, adjustable for elevation.

The barrel chambers appear solidly fused together and the chamber walls are 6mm thick – stout for a .45-70. The barrels are not soldered together, but separate to facilitate regulation by the owner to the load of his choice. They

are joined at the muzzles by a robust l ink. The left

barrel is fixed; the

BThe Baikal’s open action and Leupold scope. The extractor pushes the empty cases out of the chamber far enough to be easily removed by hand.

ABOVE: Barrel chambers - the walls are 6mm thick.LEFT: Breech face, double under-bolts. RIGHT: Barrel lumps with bites.

Rugged bushveld ‘breker’


barrel’s regulating screw is in a rib beneath the barrels ahead of the sling-swivel. Rotating the screw adjusts a wedge system which moves the right barrel in relation to the left, to coincide their respective shots to a point-of-aim at a distance of your choice. The rib is made of sheet metal, and visually closes the gap between the barrels.

THE ACTION WAS newly stiff and did not fu l l y open un less I tugged down the barrels at the final stage to enable me to extract the spent cases and to ensure the cocking rods set the strikers. The extractors drew the spent cases far enough out to enable me to grasp them easily. The barrels locked up very tightly against the standing breech.

The test rifle arrived with a Leupold

VX Freedom 1.5-4x20 scope ready-mounted and two boxes of .45-70 ammo: Winchester 300gr JHP and Hor-nady 325gr LEVERevolution FTX.

Using an X-bag, I bench-rested the rifle and found the left barrel to be zeroed at 100m. The Winchester ammo, clocking 1 928fps at the muzzle,

put three shots into a 46mm group. Four shots with the Hornady ammo printed a 56mm group, three of these clustering into 40mm. I then fired at a 50m target to determine the distance at which the barrels were regulated. The two Hornady bullets struck 56mm apart, precisely on the same horizontal line; the Winchesters hit further

apart but also on the same horizontal line. I did not attempt to adjust the reg-ulation as this can be a time-consuming exercise requiring many identical loads. Still using the scope, I took fast shots at various 50 and 75m targets, and found the rifle to be accurate.

I then removed the scope to try out the open sights. Shooting freehand, I fired at a 300x300mm gong from 25m and both barrels were spot on. There-

The rifle fitted me well and

mounted smoothly for quick shots,

including follow- up shots

ABOVE: With open sights the Baikal mounted smoothly for quick shooting and felt recoil from offhand shots was negligible.

LEFT TOP: Three-shot group at 100m with Win-chester’s 300gr JHP. MIDDLE: Shots from 25m with the HornadyLE-VERevolution ammo. BOTTOM: Four-shot group at 100m with Hor-nady’s 325gr bullets.


after I fired several shots at the gong from ranges between 25 and 38m. With the open sights, it was as if the Baikal had suddenly come into its own, with both barrels landing shots right next to each other.

The rifle fitted me well and mounted smoothly for quick shots, including fol-low-up shots with the second barrel. Felt recoil from offhand shots was neg-ligible, whereas the Baikal kicked heav-ily when fired from the bench. However, doubles aren’t designed for bench-rest-ing, nor meant to be tack-drivers. This rifle is probably intended for driven European boar hunts where the action is close, fast and potentially furious, and for that, it’s perfect.

I THINK THE .45-70 cartridge is well suited for low-cost double rifles. Intro-duced in 1873 as a military cartridge for the single-shot Springfield ‘trapdoor’ rifle, its designation indicated a .45 (.458) calibre bullet driven by 70 grains

of black powder. The original muzzle velocity with a 405gr bullet was 1 333fps. American hunters took to it for hunting game all the way up to bison, moose a n d g r i z z l y bears. The cart-ridge retained its allure and was later pro-duced as a nitro cartridge, though factory smokeless ammo was not loaded to its full poten-tial due to the many black powder .45-70 rifles still in use. According to Cartridges of the World, in mod-ern-made rifles designed for smokeless propellants, careful hand-loads with H-4198 powder can take the 400gr bul-let all the way up to 2 000fps, and 300 and 350-grainers to 2 200fps. PMC offers a 350gr factory load at 2 025fps. The .45-70 is a good choice for large

thin-skinned game in dense bushveld. It also lends itself exceptionally well to cast lead bullet loads.

The Baikal feels light, but is nicely balanced and points well with open sights. While it is no beauty, it is solid and rugged, which is what you want in a low-cost working rifle. Baikal is known for robust, durable firearms at an affordable price; this rifle retails for R19 000. For more information contact Savuti Arms on 011-744-2539.

TOP: ‘Made in Russia’ and Baikal brand name under the receiver.

BUSHILL MOA BAGRRP R595

Learn more at www.bushill.co.zaDesigned by the experts in

bench bags for extreme accuracy and versatility in load develop-

ment, sight setting and shooting fun. Light weight rear and front

bags with height adjustment.

AIR ARMS DIABOLO FIELD PELLETSAir Arms 4.5mm 8.4gr Diabolo Field Pellets RRP R229 for tin of 500Air Arms 5.5mm 16.0gr Diabolo Field Pellets RRP R319 for tin of 500Learn more at www.bushill.co.zaAir Arms’ bespoke and super accurate pellet range, manu-factured to factory specifica-tions for Air Arms, by JSB.

BISLEY PCP FILLING STATION AND CYLINDER RRP R5 825Learn more at www.bushill.co.zaNew in SA, the Bisley 5 litre, 300 Bar PCP cylinder with integral gauge, high pressure hose and stand. A complete charging solution.

‘S CHOICE ‘S CHOICE ‘S CHOICE ‘S CHOICE ‘S CHOICE

MAGNUM REGULARLY TESTS products to find quality and good value worth sharing with our readers. If it meets the mark, then the product gets a ‘thumbs up’ with the ‘Magnum Choice’ seal. When you see an item in-store with the special sticker or badge you’ll know that its been chosen by the Magnum team. Below is a short list of our current selection. So look out for the seal of approval and ask for the products by name.


Kamanjab Bergsebradeur FRANCOIS JACOBS

...klippe kou in Kaokoland

LINKS: Die plek waar die jag begin het is geleë in die oop vlakte op die horison in die agtergrond. REGS: Natuurlike watergat in die berge.


TYDENS ŉ KOUE oggend op Potchef-stroom, net voor die wintervakansie, het ek na die jagveld verlang en reëlings getref vir ŉ Hartmann-bergse-bra jag in Kamanjab se onherbergsame berge in die noorde van Namibië. Dit was nog altyd ŉ groot droom om dié sebra in hulle natuurlike habitat te jag, maar ek was nog nie suksesvol nie. Dié vakansie was ook die eerste keer dat ek my meisie, Renate, sou saam neem ‘huis toe’.

Die plaas waar die jag gereël was het diep in die bergreeks gelê en het slegs een pad gehad wat deur dit geloop het. Die res van die plaas was vir kilometers slegs te voet toegank-lik. Renate en ek was vóór dagbreek by ŉ watergat. Ek het onmiddellik die vars spore gevolg. Die spore is ŉ berg

oor, so ook ŉ tweede en by die derde berg het ek die spoor verloor. Terwyl ek op die spoor was, was ek weer in verwondering hoe dié sebras dit regkry om nou voetpaadj ies langs steil kranse te volg. Ons het besluit om na die naaste bergkruin te stap en van daar die valleie met verkykers te deur-soek na die sebras.

Ek het harde lesse geleer op my vorige jag na sebras in die berge. Die belangrikste item wat enige jagter moet hê tydens so ŉ jag is goeie en gemaklike stapskoene. Alhoewel die betroubare Namibiese koedoeleer veldskoen sy plek het in die jagveld, los

dit maar by die huis as jy berge gaan aanpak, anders gaan jy huil. Jou jagklere moet vaal en aangepas wees vir die dorre berg-wêreld. ŉ Goeie verkyker en afstandsoeker is ŉ moet. Dit is baie belang rik om gereeld onder ŉ boom te gaan sit om elke vallei en kruin deeglik te fynkam vir enige beweging. Dit is

gewoontlik ŉ bewegende oor of stert wat die bergsebra weggee.

OMDAT EK SELDE verder as 150m skiet, het ek my betroubare Mauser -geweer in .30-06 saamgeneem. Dit was toegerus met ŉ Swarovski Habicht 4x36 teleskoop en ek het handgelaaide 180gr

TLINKS: Daar was kameelperde aan die voet van die berg. REGS: Die tweede sebra wat geskiet is en my Mausergeweer in .30-06.

Die belangrik-ste item wat enige jagter

moet hê tydens so ŉ jag is goeie en gemaklike stapskoene


PMP patrone gehad. Dit is ook bel-angrik om iets te ete te neem en genoeg water vir minstens 12 ure se stap. Omdat Renate by was het ek ŉ ligte piekniek-ete gepak met romantiese bedoelings. Sy was egter ná agt ure se stap in die skroeiende hitte nie meer so opge-wonde oor haar eerste besoek nie. Ons het ook eers teen laat middag drie sebras gewaar, maar hulle was baie ver.

Die Hartmann-bergsebra, wat in groot dele van Namibië se berg-reekse voorkom, is een van die gehardste diere. Hulle oorlewing in droë dorre areas, insluitend die Namib woestyn, is vir my ŉ natuurlike wonder. Die gemiddelde massa van ŉ volgroeide Hartmann is tussen 210 en 230kg. Hulle is besonders goed gekamoefleer teen ŉ bergagtige agtergrond en raak maklik weg as jy jou oë van hulle afneem. Hulle vel met wit en swart strepe gee jagters verkeer-delik die idee dat hulle sou uitstaan in hulle omgewing. Bergsebras lyk ook altyd nader as wat die afstand werklik is en daarom moet ŉ jagter

baie seker maak hoe vêr die skoot is. Dit is hoogs onwaarskynlik dat jy ŉ sebra sou gewaar voordat hy jou gewaar. Soms hoor jy net klippe rol en kan jy seker wees dit ŉ bergsebra was wat op die vlug geslaan het. Ek het geleer dat hulle tydens die hitte van die dag in ŉ skaduwee kol onder ŉ bergkruin rus tot temperature in die valleie weer daal. Vroegoggende en in die aande beweeg hulle dan weer af op soek na weiding en water. In die berge is wind geneig om te dwarrel en ek het geleer dat dit altyd beter is om so hoog as moontlik op die berg se kruin te loop, maar nie so dat jou silhoeët maklik gesien kan word nie.

RENATE, MET DIE meeste toerusting, het onder ŉ boom gewag terwyl ek verder agter die drie sebras aan- beweeg het. Die terrein voor my sou veroorsaak dat ek soms die sebras buite sig sou hê en daarom het ek ŉ rotspunt bokant hulle as mikpunt ge-

BO: Hartmann-bergsebras is goed gekamoefleerd in die berg terrein.

ONDER: Die sebras het my tot hoog in die berg laat klim.


identifiseer. Daarna het ek elke vallei en mopaniebos tussen my en die sebras as skuiling gebruik om nader te beweeg. Na meer as ŉ uur se bekruip was hulle skielik minder as 80 tree voor my gewees. Dit het gelyk of hulle reeds van my geweet het, maar het nie weggehardloop nie. Toe ek aanlê het bokkoors my oorval sodat my hele liggaam gebewe het. Ek het my hele lewe lank gedroom om ŉ Hartmann te jag, maar daar is niks wat jou kan voorberei vir die oomblik as jy die sneller moet druk nie. Ek het diep asem gehaal en die geweer in my skouer gelig. Die skoot was oorverdowend in die berg. Vir ŉ oomblik het ek getwyfel oor die skoot want al drie sebras het nog steeds na my gestaan en kyk. Dit was die vreemdste gedrag wat ek nog ooit gesien het. Die sebra waarna ek geskiet het het toe ŉ paar tree gegee en gaan lê. Die ander twee sebras het 20m verder geloop en weer gaan staan. Ek het weer die geweer gelig en nog ŉ bergsebra op die blad geskiet wat 60 tree verder neergeslaan het. Ek was baie gelukkig dat die twee karkasse nie teen die steil afgrond afgerol het nie.

Nadat Renate by my aangesluit het het ek skielik besef wat se reuse taak voorlê. Die roete terug na die voertuig was omtrent 8km oor berge en deur valleie, en dit het donker geword. Toe

dit pikdonker raak het ons vir so ŉ rukkie gewag vir die maan om op te kom - dit was gelukkig volmaan en ons kon darem so min of meer ŉ paadjie sien. Die stap na die voertuig was ŉ naelbyt-affêre. Uiteindelik het ons by die bakkie aangekom en opstal toe gery. Ek het vinnig iets geëet en toe sewe slagters opgelaai om te help om die sebras te herwin. Ek het met die terugstap orals stukke toiletpapier aan die bome vasgemaak, sodat ons die pad na die sebras maklik in die donker sou kon kry. Elk van die slagters het ŉ koplig gehad en ons het genoeg tou

saamgevat om takdraagbare vir die vleis te maak.

Ons het die 8km in die berg agtige terrein met ŉ volmaan en kopflitse aangepak. Teen ongeveer 23:00 het ons na vier ure se stap by die kar-kasse aangekom. Die slagters was teen dié tyd nie meer baie opge-wonde nie veral toe hulle besef hoe ver die vleis en velle teruggedra moes word. Om die gemoedere te lig tydens die afslag het ek ŉ vuur gemaak en vir hulle lewer gebraai. Om die twee sebras te slag en die honderde kilogram vleis op die self-

gemaakte takdraagbare te pak het ons amper die hele nag geneem. Met die terugtog het van die moeë slagters eenvoudig inmekaar gesak en wou net tou opgee. Ons was eers teen sonop weer by die bakkie.

By die opstal het ek met my vuil lyf en klere in die bed geklim! Ek was aan die slaap voor my kop die kussing getref het.

DIE MOORDENDE DAG kan nie maklik vergeet word nie en ten spyte van die swaardra uit die berg het die velle mooi behoue gebly. Vir ŉ onvergeetlike ervaring moedig ek jagters aan om dié sebra te voet te jag. Renate (en ek) het die jag oorleef en hoewel sy my seder-tdien op baie jagtogte vergesel het, sit sy haar voet neer vir nog ŉ sebrajag in Kamanjab se berge!

Vir ŉ onvergeetlike ervaring moedig ek jagters aan om ŉ

bergsebra te voet te jag

BO: Die skrywer met vaal jagklere wat gepas was vir die dorre bergwêreld.

ONDER: Son opkoms voor die dag se jag begin.


MY FATHER’S COUSIN, Nick and I have always shared a love for guns – more specifically rifles – and the great out-doors. Whenever we could, we’d be out camping or hunting. Nick was a land surveyor and had the privilege to survey and to explore parts of South Africa and neighbouring countries that we can only dream of. I desperately wished I could live his life, but he was away from home for long periods and this meant sacrifices, mostly family life.

Nick is a traditionalist and loves his metric calibre rifles, specifically Mausers, and his Land Rovers. His camping gear reflected the safaris of yesteryear – everything utilitarian but with both the traditional and practical items required to live comfortably in the great outdoors.

Some time back, Nick’s health took a turn for the worse and he was diagnosed with debilitating diabetes. Sadly, I lost contact with him. Recently I took a chance and called at his last known address. To my elation he was there and we had a wonderful time catching up on our past experiences together; the stories, experiences and memories flowed freely. We spoke of hunting, rifles and the great outdoors and we felt as if we had missed out on nothing! Isn’t that hunting camaraderie?

When we chatted about our favourite rifles, he looked me straight in the eyes and announced that he wanted me to take over the rifle that, many years ago around the campfire, he had promised I could have when he moved on to the happy hunting grounds. I declined but he vehemently insisted. It was my dream rifle, a single square-bridge Oberndorf Grade

The Metric and the

Imperialby IAN MYBURGH

A mentor, a rifle and a vehicle honoured

M

MAIN LEFT: The 9.3 on the saddle from which I took my shot.


A Mauser in 9.3x62 manufactured in 1933. Again I refused his offer, insisting that we would yet hunt together, but he got the upper hand and won. For fifteen years I had been looking for a traditional, metric Mauser but the Boer OVS Mauser was out of my financial reach, and now Nick, in an instant, had fulfilled my dreams.

I left with an elated but also heavy heart because I was taking Nick’s beloved rifle from him. Nick noticed this, and gestured that I should come with him. We walked outside and he took me to his second love, a Land Rover 110 Defender and announced that I should leave in style, as he physically could not drive it anymore!

This was truly a privilege as I had been part of the team that built these vehicles in the 1990s. I instantly became sentimental, and that is where the idea was born that I would go on a hunt in this Land Rover and with this rifle, and honour Nick by telling the story in Magnum and dedicating it to him. I would hunt with the Imperial and the Metric!

THE 9.3x62 needs no introduction as it is one of the most versatile and widely used cartridges in Africa. Its recoil is manageable, yet this cartridge can handle anything Africa can mete out – assuming you put the bullet where it counts. Nick gave me a mix of 130-odd cases, of which about 100 were RWS

The Landy at the turnoff to the farm.

.338 Win Mag (left) and a 9.3x62 cartridge.

R450 R780 R1480

R450 R780 R1480

R450 R780 R1480

R200


and Norma, plus a few Lapua. I planned to use a 286gr Nosler Partition for dan-gerous and heavy game, and a 180gr Impala for general plains game. My reason for the latter bullet choice was availability and affordability, and the fact that the 180gr Impala is stable at 2 880fps, affording it a nice flat traject- ory. The ranch on which I intended to hunt called for both long and close shots.

When I resized the cases I noticed fine cracks on the shoulders of about ten of the RWS cases, so I threw them out. I annealed all the cases as I did not

want them cracking under pressure when I took that critical shot.

With the help of my friend Sean, I worked up two good loads: the Impala 180gr with S355 produced 2 880fps with no signs of excessive pressure, and the 286gr Nosler with S355 pro-duced 2 350fps. Be warned, however, that the velocities I achieved were quite different from those stated in the Som-chem tables for the same powder charges, so to be safe, start at Som-chem’s minimum load, or even 10% below that, especially if using an old rifle.

Author with his blesbuck ewe. Notice the two bullet holes – the right hand bullet hole is the second shot that exited.

ABOVE: Dad heading back to camp with his impala strapped to the quad bike.BELOW: Taking a break in the shade with the quad bikes.

Claude’s blesbuck as the sun was setting.


I replaced Nick’s Leupold 1–4 scope with a Leupold Compact 3–9 which I felt would be better suited for hunting a variety of plains game. Originally the rifle had been factory- fitted with a quick detachable side-mount which, though unwieldy, was functional. Nick never liked the look and feel of the side-mount and fitted a quick-detachable ring and base set above the receiver. Because the rings are not interchangeable, I have to live with the height of the rings as they are. The bore was perfect, the rifling sharp, and I was not disap-pointed with its accuracy. Trigger pull, which I regard as a major con-tributor to accurate shooting, broke cleanly at 3.5 pounds.

MY BIGGEST BUGBEAR was the height of the scope above the comb with the rings/base setup. This I remedied by making up a leather cheek piece to elevate my eye while affording me a better cheek-weld for faster crosshair acquisition. Also, the look now lends itself to an Out of Africa rifle.

With the rifle sorted, I turned my attention to the Landy. It had been built in South Africa at the BMW Rosslyn plant. At the time it was built, I was a Project Engineer in the BMW engine plant where we sup-plied dressed gearbox and engine assemblies to the Land Rover assembly line. As a result I have a certain affinity for this specific model. All the Land Rover needed was a new battery and a complete service and it was good to go. My Hilux was not happy!

Next – the hunt. I made a booking for our usual hunting group at a friend’s ranch in Badplaas – our first visit there. The 1 000 hectare ranch has the most beautiful variety of terrains an all-round hunter could ask for. It has a mountain on its northern border and the hunting camp is in a valley through which a natural mountain spring runs. There are open plains, a river with various thickets of bush, washes and gullies allowing for fair-chase walk-and-stalk hunting meth-ods for kudu, red hartebeest, impala, warthog and zebra.

I left at 04h00 in the morning in order to meet the farmer at 06h30 to get the gate keys. The Land Rover went beautifully and although it was minus 2 degrees Celsius outside, and the

heater did not make any difference inside, I was content, feeling as if I was on my own safari.

The farm owner briefly showed us the lie of the land and warned that the game was wild and that we could expect some pretty challeng-ing hunting.

By the second to last afternoon, conscious that we were running out of time, Jarda and I went to a spot where you crest a saddle and have a view over an open plain. Luck was on our side: three blesbuck were grazing, unaware of our presence. The downhill shot was a true 229m measured with my Bushnell Fusion rangefinder binoculars. With no opportunity to get closer I opted to take the shot. Fortunately, I could take my time; I used my bush-jacket as a rifle rest and lay prone so that I was shooting over the edge of the ridge. I held four inches high and squeezed the trigger.

The blesbuck staggered and then veered away from the herd. It walked slowly away from us then lay down. I walked down the slope towards it through some tall, thick grass. At the sound of my footsteps the blesbuck jumped up and I dropped it in its tracks. My first shot had angled down through the chest

cavity and was slightly higher than I would have liked, but it had gone through the top of the lungs. After we had taken photos we loaded it onto the quadbike and took it back to camp for slaughter.

As it turned out, everyone in our party bagged their ani-mals by outsmarting and out-manoeuvring the extremely shy game. It was a nice change from the bushveld, where finding your prey is easy, but the challenge is to get close enough.

The 9.3 did not disappoint and proved how amazingly versatile and suited it is to our African conditions. It really is a beautiful all-rounder. That evening, with the stream bub-bling over the rocks, our campfire burning and the whisky tasting that much better, I drank a toast to Nick and to Paul Mauser and lastly to my faithful steed the Landy.

Everyone in our party bagged their animals by outsmarting

and out-manoeuvring the extremely shy game

LEFT TOP: Author at the river crossing. MIDDLE: Claude with his blesbuck.BOTTOM: A natural mountain spring runs through the camp.


COLLECTING FIREARMS HAS provided me with an immense amount of pleasure over many years. Furthermore, firearms represent some of the best investments I have made – not that I intend selling any. Collecting has also put me in contact with some wonderful people – and a few scoundrels too. It occurred to me that some of my thoughts and experi-ences may be of interest to Magnum readers.

As do most novice collectors, at a young age I feverishly started accumulating every old firearm I could lay my hands on. However, with time, I realised this was not the way to go and I collected only those firearms in which I had a special interest, and got rid of the others. As a result, when new legislation required that we col lect according to themes, it was no hard-ship for me – mine was already in themes. The days when someone might just give you an old Martini or other 19th century firearm that had been standing in a bedroom cupboard for years, are long over. Almost all new additions must be bought, and my disposable income forced me to collect according to my themes.

I must say, I consider it a good thing that a Certificate of Collectability is now required when applying for a licence, as it forces us to research the firearm. What is the point of col-

lecting something you know nothing about? Collecting is more than merely acquiring another firearm; it entails study-ing that firearm’s history, development, manufacture, distri-bution, use, and so on, as well as collecting the militaria and accoutrements associated with that piece, such as bayonets, cartridge clips, cleaning kit, etc. For this, reference books and firearm magazines like Magnum are essential.

As a collector, it is imperative to network widely. Attend col-lectors’ association functions, meet fellow collectors and find out

what they are looking for. If you come across an item that lies outside of your theme, notify someone who collects such

items. More often than not, that person will recipro-cate. Respect dealers: do not press them hard for

bargains; remember they must make a profit or they’ll be forced to

close down. Yes, you are entitled to ask for their best price, but pay what they ask or pass up the item. This way, dealers will get to know you as a good customer, one who does not bicker, and

they will notify you when an item comes in that matches your theme. They will start collecting for you. But they won’t do that for a person who wastes their time haggling about price. If you get to know them well, take them out to lunch occasionally. You may be surprised how such a good gesture pays off.

Thoughts on Collecting

C

Collector’s Corner by RON BESTER

A lovely little .303 double rifle by Lang and Hussey that was professionally restored by

Bennie Laubscher of Paarl. The engraving was freshened by Armin Winkler.

The woodwork has been very badly patched up and the lock-plate is off-dated – 1876. Hardly worth collecting.


The same applies when you do deals with other collectors. Never cheat another collector (there are many ways of doing so). Sooner or later the word will spread. Build up a good name – in the long run, this will pay dividends. If possible, never buy a firearm sight-unseen. If you cannot examine it yourself, try to get a knowledgeable friend to do so. Failing that, insist on good pho-tographs. Beware the seller who is unwilling to send more photos if asked to do so.

WHEN NEGOTIATING A deal with a private individual, I am disinclined to press too hard. If I cannot reach an immediate agreement, I just “plant a seed” by requesting the owner to consider me if he/she is willing to come down in price. I do the same if I know of a firearm I’d like to buy but which the owner does not wish to sell. Once in a while, I’ll make contact again. Sometimes, even years later, I may receive a call and we final-ise a deal. Unfortunately, there are also people who are not true to their word. For instance, some years ago, I was told of a firearm that a man wanted to sell. I phoned him and learned that it was a Westley Richards .318 Rimless Nitro Express rifle. Wow! I asked what he wanted for the rifle. “I had it made for me in the early 1950s while I was living in Zambia. It cost me £400 then. £400 equates to R800 in today’s money. But I also have 100 rounds in tropical tins, so I want R1 000 for the rifle and ammunition.” “Sir, if the rifle is in the condition you say it is, it could be worth quite a lot more. May I send a knowledge-able friend to evaluate it, and if I can afford it, we can strike a deal.” “Okay, that’s fine.” Two weeks later, when my friend phoned him to make an appointment, he had taken the rifle to a nearby dealer and let it go for an absolute song. So, pay what the vendor wants, and once the rifle is yours, let your conscience be your guide.

On occasion I have let an extremely rare item slip through my hands due to financial constraints. For instance, many years (and tears) ago, I had a Colt Model 1873 (Peacemaker) serial number 55 in my hands but I did not have R1 500 to buy it. Do you know what that revolver is worth today? I am still kicking myself. Moral of the story: if you come across an ultra-rare item, find the cash and purchase it. Beg, borrow or… well, don’t steal, but do not let it slip through your fingers. Be a Boer and “maak ’n plan” – you may never get the opportunity again. I can speak from experience, as I have made this mistake a number of times, all of which I sincerely regret.

On the other hand, steer clear of items that are in a very bad state of repair – or, as we say, a “dog” – unless it is some-thing extremely scarce or you want to fill a gap in your collec-tion until you can replace it with something better. Invariably, such relics do not increase much in value. Value increases exponentially with condition. Junk remains junk.

Consider your wife or partner. First prize if you can also get her interested in your hobby. Otherwise discuss the situ-

An example of a “dog”. What, then, is it doing in my collection? It is

the only handgun I have ever come

across that is marked to the Z.A.R.

A good example of one of the .500 Westley Richards

Monkey Tails bought by the O.F.S. in 1883.


ation with her and come to an amicable compro-mise so that you don’t end up in the dog box for a week every time you acquire another firearm.

Allow me to share my views on cleaning and restoration. I l ike to clean all my military fire-arms, but not restore them. By definition, to restore is to “bring back to original state.” In my opinion, restoring a military firearm decreases its value.

Most collectors have their own ways of cleaning newly acquired firearms, and what follows here is not necessarily the only way. You’ll need a rag (I prefer towelling), brushes (an old toothbrush is fine), and a set of punches and screw-drivers, among other tools. It is of vital importance that you have a good set of screwdrivers, as these must fit perfectly into the slots of the various screws so as not to slip and burr the screw-head or scratch the surrounding metal or wood.

NEVER FORCE A screw. Douse recalcitrant screws with a releasing fluid. For a good, cheap releasing fluid, mix 750ml of diesoline with 750ml of paraffin, to which add 200ml of water-soluble cutting oil. (This is a tip from an old gunsmith with decades of experience.) Apply this to the screw daily, carefully testing it each time with the appro-priate screwdriver until it gives way. Screws invariably come loose, but it may take weeks. If the recalcitrant screw is affixed to a metal part that is removable, and which is not spe-cially tempered, there is another way. Use a small blowtorch to heat the screw and its sur-rounding metal and then immediately flush with cold water. Repeat this process until you can turn the screw (success usually comes after two or three treatments).

I dismantle and strip down the firearm as far as I possibly can. I then remove all dirt, grime, grease and old oil from all metal parts. For this I use Ballistol aerosol spray, but many other solvents are equally good. I prefer Ballistol because of its smell; if they made a Ballistol aftershave it would be my first choice.

Ballistol and 0000 (four noughts) steel wool will remove most of the surface rust on the metalwork without damag-ing the blueing. Mild rust pitting, if not too advanced, can sometimes be removed by scraping it with the edge of an old copper penny. Again, no damage will occur to the blue-ing. The layers and layers of grime on the woodwork can also be cleaned off with Ballistol and 0000-grade steel wool. Be careful, however, not to overdo it and destroy the

patina of the stock. All metal parts are then well-oiled and reassem-bled. The woodwork can sometimes do with a few layers of Scherell’s Schaftol. I use the clear variety. Apply it very sparingly – just one or two drops on the palm of your hand go a long way. Rub it in well, once

a day, and repeat for two or three days. It goes without saying that the bore must also be

cleaned: we all have our own modus operandi for this pro-cedure. Take time to do it properly. It is amazing how well old barrels can clean up if the necessary effort is applied. Lastly, if they are missing, I have no compunction about replacing the correct minor parts, such as swivels, volley sights on Lee-Metfords/Enfields, clearing rods and what-not, especially if the replacement parts have no serial num-bers on them.

GOOD SPORTING ARMS can also be carefully cleaned in like manner. If the piece has minor dings and scratches, with minimal blueing loss or damage to the stock – in other words, showing honest use – I would leave it as it is. How-ever, if damage is more severe, I believe the piece can ben-

efit by restoration which will increase its value. When to clean or when to restore is a decision each owner must make for himself. Restoration must be undertaken by someone very knowledgeable and skilled. If you are not absolutely certain that you can do it yourself, spend the extra money and leave it to an expert. However, just remember that not all gunsmiths, no matter how good, will have a “feel” for classic old and obsolete fire-arms. If yours is a top-grade sporter, go to the best. Let me reiterate that these are my personal views. You may differ, but please do not rush in unless quite certain you’re doing

the right thing. It is best to get informed opinions first, rather than to do irreparable damage.

I sincerely believe that we, as collectors, are the primary custodians of our country’s firearm heritage. Many museums do not want to receive firearms due to legislative issues. Some of those that do have firearms, lack the capacity, or knowledge for that matter, to properly preserve them. It falls to us, the collectors, to do so, no matter how challenging this may be – we must simply do what it takes.

Happy collecting, and may the ‘gun’ of your dreams fall into your lap.

I sincerely believe that we, as

collectors, are the primary custodians

of our country’s firearm heritage

Some of the cleaning

equipment I use.


Practical tips for extending case life

Case Careby FRANCOIS VAN EMMENES

TTHE CARTRIDGE CASE is a vital component – it brings bullet, pro-pellant and primer together and is the only component that can be used more than once. That is, if you look after it.

How do we ensure maximum lifespan for our brass? Firstly, not all brass is created equal. There is a pleth-ora of manufacturers, each using their own raw materials, equipment, tech-niques and quality controls, hence quality differs.

Many years ago, when I acquired my .500 Jeffery, I bought some unfired Star cases – at the time I was unable to find any others in the coun-try. I weighed them individually and was astounded to f ind that the extreme spread in case weight was a massive 88.2gr between the lightest and heaviest. This equated to a 27.2% difference between the aver-age and the heaviest case. There

were five in the batch that weighed more than 377gr and two that weighed less than 320gr. The point is, you should not assume all cases from

the same batch are similar; always weigh and measure them.

Repeated firing of a brass case causes repeated stress. In a millisecond, expanding gasses swell the case to the size of the chamber. As the pressure drops, and provided the cartridge wasn’t overloaded and the case has not been overworked, the brass will be springy enough to instantly contract slightly – but not to its original unfired dimen-sions. When a case is fully re-sized, the die reduces its external dimensions to a set industry standard. Dies that draw an expander-plug through the case neck to increase its internal diameter to specs, add a further stressful event to the pro-cedure endured by the brass. All else being equal, repeated firing and full-length resizing will drastically shorten a case’s life.

Case life can be extended by partial re-sizing or neck sizing only. Partial re-sizing is achieved by slightly raising

Insipient case head separation. The cracks

appear black, meaning the burning gas has been

forced through them i.e. the cracks go all the way

through the wall. Firing it again will certainly cause

the head to separate.

A .243 Lapua case (below) after six firings in a .243 Ackley. Notice the dark ring caused by escaping gasses. Repeated firing of hot loads enlarges primer pockets. This one measured .34mm larger than standard.

Not all cases are created equal. Notice the thick webbing above right hand side case head. Also note the bulged shoulder of the case on the left as a result of forcing too long a case into a seating die.


(unscrewing) the full-length resizing die in the press, so that it does not re-size the full length of the case. Neck sizing is a good option, but ONLY with brass that was last fired in the specific chamber you are reloading for. With neck sizing, the body and shoulder of the case are left unchanged; only the neck is reformed to size to provide a proper grip on the new bullet shank. Typically, the neck’s internal diameter should be .001 to .002 inches smaller than bullet diameter. I own various neck sizing dies of the bushing and collet-type designs and have yet to decide which one works better. The Lee Collet Sizing dies are excellent and do not cost an arm and a leg.

Try to avoid repeated full-length resizing of your brass. The exception is reloads intended for hunting dangerous game, which should always be fully-re-sized to ensure they chamber readily.

ANNEALING CAN REDUCE much of the metal fatigue caused by repeated re-sizing, as it alters the molecular structure of the brass, making it more malleable for reshaping. Cases can crack, and an unseen crack in a loaded cartridge case can result in disaster. Cracked cases, no matter how minute the crack, should be discarded immedi-ately. A good practice is to crush the

neck with a pair of pliers to render it unusable. Anneal your cases regularly to extend case life and enhance accu-racy. Read more on annealing in Magnum’s March 2019 issue (p51).

In 1995, I bought a CZ ‘Brno’ model 600 in .30-06, 100 rounds of Winches-ter ammo and 100 Winchester cases. With repeated annealing, I am still reloading about 80 of these cases after countless shots, with very acceptable accuracy.

In contrast, my .243 Ackley’s Lapua cases did not last five reloads, even with annealing. The Ackley uses higher charges than the standard .243 Win, which proved too much for these cases.

Cracks can occur any-where on a case. Notice the cracked shoulder of this .243 Ackley case.

Too much lube on this .375H&H case resulted in dents forming on

the neck and shoulder.

A 6.5 Creedmoor case loaded to maximum charge. The excess pressure forced brass from the case head into the tunnel of the depres-sed ejector plunger in the bolt face. As the bolt rotated during opening, the extruded brass was sheared off, leaving a bur on the case head. It is easily corrected with a fine file but is a clear indication of excessive pressure.

A .303 case with the tell-tale bulge

just ahead of the case head caused by

an oversized chamber.

A bent paper clip with a sharp bur on the end makes a good inspection tool. This case had to be forcibly removed from the

rifle’s chamber by a gunsmith who tapped it from the inside.


The primer pockets expanded so much that new primers can be finger-seated in the pockets, and one even fell out of its pocket when I opened the bolt after the shot. Discard such cases immedi-ately. A tell-tale sign is a dark ring around the spent primer, caused by escaping gas.

Case inspection should be a crucial step in your reloading routine. For this, a clean case is imperative; a small crack in a dirty case can easily go unno-ticed. I am a firm believer in case tum-bling, either wet or dry, to get my brass looking as new.

A final step in my case preparation regimen is to wash the cases in warm water with a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and half a teaspoon of tartaric acid. It removes any traces of lube or tumbling media. I then let them dry in the sun for at least a full day before a final inspection. Never use abrasive agents such as Brasso or other ammo-nia-based solutions to clean brass. Over time these chemicals can corrode and weaken the brass.

SOMETIMES A CRACK in a case is not visible on the outside, but has started on the inside, normally circular, around the inner periphery some 8 to 15mm from the case rim or extractor groove. A neat little tool to detect these cracks is a paper clip. Straighten it out, bend the one end 90 degrees and snip off a millimetre or so with side-cutters to leave a small bur on the end. Insert this end into the case all the way down to the web, then draw the burred end back against the inner case wall of the case. If there is a crack, the sharpened end of the wire will snag on it. A good magnifying glass and desk lamp are essential equipment for distinguishing between cracks and scratches.

Certain case preparation procedures can also affect case life. Dies of almost all calibres, but certainly those bigger than .458 Win Mag, come with a case mouth expander-plug that slightly flares out the lips of the case mouth to allow easy entry of the bullet base dur-ing seating so as to prevent damage to

the case mouth should a bullet base snag on the lip. Large diameter cases such as .500 Jeffery are more vulner- able to deformation than say, .270 or .223 cases. The neck wall thickness is about the same, but the large circum-ference of the bigger calibre case ren-ders the structure weaker. Flare the case mouths of big cases only slightly and ensure that the bullet base is fully within this flare, and the bullet shank properly aligned before seating. Dan-gerous game calibres should be taper-crimped to hold the bullet in place dur-ing recoil and to resist bullet impact with the magazine wall during recoil. Use either a taper crimp or factory crimp die. When applying a taper crimp, all cases must be of uniform length to ensure con-sistency.

Assuming uniform case length, it is essential to set up your dies correctly for ALL the steps in the reloading pro-cess. When full-length sizing, it is cru-cial to use the right amount of lube. Too little will result in the case becoming stuck in the die (Morkel & Crouse of Pretoria tell me they get about two requests a week to remove stuck cases). Too much lube will cause dents to form in the case shoulders. Normally these cartridges will feed and fire-form with the next shot, but it places undue stress on the brass and reduces case life. Forceful ejection of a spent case (such as from dangerous game rifles where bolts get worked hard and fast) can lead to severe dings in the case

mouth. I correct these by pushing a calibre-sized bullet from a dummy round into the case neck to bring it back into shape before re-sizing.

Certain calibres have their idiosyn-crasies. The ‘doughnut’ effect of the .243 Win comes to mind where brass flowing towards the junction of neck and shoulder causes a raised ring on the inside, reducing the internal diameter of the case neck, thus increasing its grip on the bullet, potentially raising pressures to dangerous levels. Another

cartridge notorious for short case life is the .303 British. Military rifle chambers are deliberately oversized to accommo-date dirty or corroded ammo in battle conditions, resulting in case over-ex-pansion. Full-length resizing causes rapid metal fatigue resulting in case head separation after only 3 or 4 shots.

Lastly, record keeping is essential to keep track of the number of times a batch of cases has been fired, or when last annealed, etc.

A bullet puller can salvage propellant and bullets from a deformed case. Both of these are collet-type bullet pullers: Hornady (left) and RCBS.

A good magnifying glass and proper lighting are useful for inspecting cases.

t Alldays, Limpopo:Brombeek Safaris. Biltong en trofeejag. Kdoe, rbok, gems, eland, vlkvk. Slag en koelgeriewe. S/s akkom, volledig toegerus. Susara 082-554-8922, [email protected]

t Beaufort West, Western Cape:35km north east, against Neuveld mountains. 21x species on farm, 10 to hunt. No minimum group size. www.badshoek.co.za / [email protected]

t Sentrum/Thabazimbi, Limpopo:2 000ha game fenced, 10x species. All inclusive day fee, R500pppn. Johann 084-294-8051, [email protected]

t Bedford, Eastern Cape: Belvedere Safaris. Your ultimate trophy and venison

hunting experience, with a wide variety of species. Full and s/c accom. 082-561-6005, [email protected] / www.belvederesafaris.com

t Alldays, Limpopo: Ledrea Game Lodge. 3 000ha mopane bush. Imp from R1 300, kudu from R6 000, wbeest, eland, waterb. Accom for 12 people, en-suite cha-lets, slaughter ing facilities, cold rooms, guides, vehicle. Ben 082-463-4768, ben@ benheysteksafaris.co.za

t Daniëlskuil, Northern Cape: Mount Carmel Safaris.14x species. Cold room, meat processing, many ex-tras, 2 meals pd. 33 years in business, satisfaction guaranteed. Andries van Zyl 082-578-1989, [email protected]

t Swart Umfolozi, KwaZulu-Natal: Spoor Safaris. 5 000ha with lots of game. Bow/rifle hunting, great trophies. Hunter R400pppd. Bush camp sleeps 10, s/c, cold room, guides, vehicle. Liona 083-275-5390, [email protected]

t Musina, Limpopo: 5 600ha mopane veld. Biltong/trophy hunting. Specialise in corporate and small groups. Accom up to ten hunters/observers. Facebook Riebelton Safaris. Michael 082-469-7856, [email protected]

t Sentrum/Thabazimbi, Limpopo:Rbok R1 200-R2 000, vlkvk R750-R1 000, bwbees R4 000-R6 000, waterb R4 000 -R10 000, nyala R12 000, buf POA, swartwitpens R35 000,

sebra R6 000. Maks 10 per-sone. Leon 082-578-5581, [email protected]

t Zimbabwe: Kholisa Hunting Safaris. Ele, buf, croc, hip and plains game hunts available in Zimbabwe from March to December 2020. Regional hunts available at good rates. +263-7783-68488 (WhatsApp), +263-712- 334550, bstarsafaris@ yahoo.com

t Roedtan, Limpopo:16x spesie. S/s volledige toegeruste huis met slaap-plek vir 9. Gidse, slagters, volledige toegeruste slag/koelkamer. Geen rokers nie. Jag Sondag tot Vrydag. 083-254-6000, [email protected]

t Elandsfontein/ Thaba zimbi, Limpopo: Shabalala Game Ranch. Imp

Find the hunt you’ve been searching for in Magnum’s Hunting Opportunities for 2020. Make a fair deal • Book early • Hunt ethically • Hunt safely... • Good hunting!

Hunting Opportunities

2020


R2 350 (20-24ꞌꞌ), R1 300 (f), bwbees R4 000 (under 26ꞌꞌ & f), wart R2 200 (m), R2 000 (f). Hunter R500pppd. S/c, cold room, vehicle, services of guide & skinners incl. Mike 082-905-0817, [email protected] / www.ssafaris.co.za

t Fouriesburg, Vrystaat:Uitzicht Game Lodge. 10x spesies. Eland, bwbees, blsbk, spbok. Jag al twintig jaar slegs met SA jagters. Hannes 082-856-7181, [email protected] / www.uitzicht-gamelodge.co.za

t Thabazimbi, Limpopo:Imbabala Game Lodge. Special dads & kids, mom

stays free. Imp R1 500, blsbk R1750, wart R1 000, bwbees R3 750, zebra R4 500, eland cow R7 000. 4 sleep-er cottage, s/c. R250pppn. Mike 082-553-7406, mikep@ ersupplies.co.za

t Rhodes/Barkly East, Eastern Cape:Pure Hunt Africa. Grey-wing francolin shooting over English pointers and ultimate Macnabs with mtnreed, brace of greywing and wild trout. F Steynberg 082-640-2930, [email protected]

t Murraysberg, Western Cape:Hattingh Safaris. Backpack

and walk & stalk hunts only. Kudu R45/kg, spbok R42/kg, plus 9 more species. Full catering accom for 9 peo-ple. No minimum groups. Ian Hattingh 082-879-9233, [email protected]

t Alldays, Limpopo:Kaalkraal Lodge. 1 350ha. Biltong/trophy. Kudu, imp, zebra, bwbees, waterb, eland, gir. 5x en-suite serviced chalets, accom for 10, R500pppd. Includes equipped lapa/boma, guides, vehicle, slaugh-ter facilities, cold room, firewood. Cheryl 082-781-1870, [email protected]. Facebook: Kaalkraal Lodge.

t Waterpoort, Limpopo:Wild Rock Safaris. Biltong/trophy/cull hunts, for local and international guests. Plains game to Big 5. From bush camp to fully catered lodges, at fair prices. Charles 084-444-0306, [email protected] / www.wildrocksafaris.com

t Louis Trichardt, Limpopo:Imp R1 000, bwbees R3 750, kudu R4 500, bshpig R2 000, red dkr R20 000. More species available. Hunters R150pppd. S/c accom for 18 guests, cold room, guides, vehicle. Hanno Roos 081-353-3788, [email protected]

accom = accommodation • s/c = self-catering akkom = akkommodasie • s/s = selfsorg

hbees hartebeesthip hippoimp impalakdoe koedoekmpd kameelperdkrok krokodilkspring klipspringerleo leopardluip luiperdmtnreed mountain reedbuckmtn zebra mountain zebraost ostrichrbok rooibokreedb reedbuckrhbok rhebuckrib ribbok

bbuck bontebuck/ bontebokblkwbees black wildebeestblsbk blesbuck/blesbokbshbk bushbuck/bosbokbshpig bushpigbuf buffalobwbees blue wildebeesbvrk bosvarkcroc crocodiled/hert damhertdkr duikerele elephantflwdeer fallow deergems gemsbuck/ gemsbokgir giraffe

rrib rooiribbokspbok springbuck/ springboksteenb steenbuck/ steenbokswbees swart wildebeesttses tsessebevaalrbk vaal rhebuckv/rib vaalribbokvlkvk vlakvarkvolst volstruiswart warthogwaterb waterbuck/wa-terbokwbees wildebeest

MAGNUM publishes these free adverts in good faith as a service to game ranchers who have hunting for sale and, more importantly, as a useful guide to those readers who wish to find new places to hunt. Publication of these adverts does not imply that Magnum endorses the offers made. Make full and unambiguous arrangements, and please check

references before venturing into unknown territory... in more ways than one.



t Thabazimbi, Limpopo: Imp F R1 250, M R2 000, bwbees R3 000, kudu R3 500, wart R1 000, zebra R8 500. More species available. Hunters R570pppd. S/c accom for 8 people, coldroom, guides, vehi-cle. Fred 082-445-0498, [email protected]

t Zastron, Vrystaat:14 spesies op 1 600ha. Bil-tong jag bv. bwbees, swbees R36/kg, eland, kdoe R45/kg, geslag asook uitstaande trofees bv. lechwe. P ragtige bos, savana, bosrante. Jaghuis vir 15 persone. Tania 061-847-1991, Jacques 081-035-0876, [email protected] / www.glenrock-huntingsafaris.co.za

t Musina Limpopo:Imp R1 800, kudu bull R12 000, gems R6 000, wart R1 000, bwbees R4 500. S/c bush camp for 10 people, guides included. 082-784-0920, 082-256-6360, [email protected]

t Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal:Inhlanhla Game Ranch. Trophy/biltong hunts. Kudu R5 500, bwbees R4 500, zebra R5 000, blsbk R1 900, imp R1 500, wart R1 800. Hunters R450, non-hunter R350. Christo 082-375-4615, Monika 082-255-0324, [email protected] / www.inhlanhlagamefarm.co.za

t Zastron, Vrystaat:Diepfontein Plaas. Blsbk (wit en bruin) trofee/vleisbokke vanaf R1 450, swbees vanaf R2 400. Gerieflike s/s geriewe R400pp. Koelkamer en voertuig ingesluit. Afslagfooi betaalbaar. Thea 082-855-2012, Wicus 072-108-7033, [email protected]

t Rustenburg, North-West:Imp R1 200, bwbees R3 500, kudu R10 000, wart R550, gems R5 500, plus more species. Hunters R550pppd. S/c accom for 10 people, cold room, guides, vehicle. Dylan 079-977 3205, [email protected]

t Marble Hall/Roedtan, Limpopo:Diphôfu Game Ranch. 1½ hrs north of Pretoria. Biltong and trophy hunting. S/c lodge accom 10 people. Narizanne 012-346-6305, [email protected] / www.diphofuhuntingsafaris.co.za

t Musina, Limpopo:Mopane Ranch. Ideal for rifle/bow hunting. Kudu, imp, wbees, wart and many more. S/c accom for 14 clients, cold room, vehicle and trackers. 064-533-6557, [email protected]

t Wepener, Vrystaat:Biltongjag. Blsbk R1 450, spbok R900, wit blsbk, R1 600, bwbees R3 200. S/s R180pppd. Nic Coetzee

082-781-8256, [email protected]

t Mkuze District, Kwa- Zulu-Natal:Bayala Nyala Ranch. Imp, nyala & bwbees available. Lodge sleeps 16 in 8 com-fortable rooms. Fully fitted s/c facility. 082-804-7976, mail to: [email protected]

t Heilbron, Vrystaat:Gewone blsbk vanaf R1 700. Pa & seun/dogter asook groepe welkom. Koelkamer & slaggeriewe. S/s jaghut beskikbaar, slaap 8 persone. Dagtarief R200pp. Alwyn 082-540-8474, 058-852-3103 [email protected]

t Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng:Day hunts. Bwbees R4 500, blsbk R2 500, zebra R6 000, eland R15 000, imp R2 500, gems R7 500, red hbees R6 000, waterb R7 500. Coenrad 072-146-5221, [email protected]

t Jagersfontein, Free State:Nietgedacht Boerdery. 80km from Bloemfontein. Blsbk, waterb, bwbees, red hbees, kudu, imp, eland. Accom R400pd. 082-787-9702, [email protected]

t McCarthy’s Rest, Noord-Kaap:Kalahari, 7km van Botswana grens. Gems R4 200, eland R45/kg, spbk R2 000, bwbees R3 400. Jagters R350pppd. Chalets & kampering beskikbaar. Koelkamer en slaggeriewe. Fernando 082-224-5000,[email protected]

t Steenbokpan, Limpopo:Verskeie wildsoorte. Jag-kamp met 2, 3 en 5-bed chalets. Eskom krag, koelkamer en slaggeriewe. S/s akkom vir 10 persone.

Billike pryse. Jan 082-775-2229, Joan 079-397-4309, [email protected]

t Jansenville District, Eastern Cape:Saxony Hunt & Lodge. Biltong hunt. Kudu R32p/kg, spbok R600. Large lodge, groups 8-10. Week-ends June to August. Braai, Wifi, Dstv. R500 day/R500 night fee. 074-356-9845, [email protected], and Facebook

t Zastron, Free State:Highlands Safari Lodge. 16 species to hunt. 083-611-0930, [email protected]

t Platjan, Limpopo:Greco Safaris. Imp R1 500-R1 750, bshbk R12 500, zebra R8 000, dkr R2 000, steenb R2 500, waterb R7 500, wart R950, bwbees R4 250, kudu cow R5 000, kudu bull R7 500-R17 500. R450 hunter/non hunter, Deposit R7 500. M Maartens 082-800-8369, [email protected]

t Klerksdorp, Noord-Wes:KMK Safari. Ons jag die volgende: Buf, kmpd, eland, kdoe, gems, rooi hbees, bwbees, swbees, rbok, spbok, blsbok, swart wit-pens en vele meer. Japie 061-733-1034, 084-373-7874, [email protected]

t Queenstown, Eastern Cape:Rheebokfontein. Eland R11 000/ R9 000, bwb R3 900/ R3 600, wart R650, imp R1 900/ R1 500, kudu R6 500/ R4 000, blsbk R1 800/ R1 600, mtn reed R1 800, zebra R5 500, Kalahari spbok R1 700/ R1 500, flwdeer R2 750, common spbok R1 200/ R1 000, waterb R8 500/ R6 600. 082-494-0819, [email protected]


Big IvoryThe article “In Quest of Big Ivory” by Dr Henk Rall has drawn input from a number of readers. The opening page showed a photo of men standing with two pairs of very large elephant tusks and a car in the background which appears to date the photo as late 1940s. In the text, Dr Rall stated that the photo was given to him by Otilio de Vasconzalez of Mozambique, and that the two tusks on the right side of the photo each weighed roughly 240lbs, and the two on the left each weighed about 220lbs, the elephants having been shot at a waterhole south of Lourenço Marques on a Sunday morning by the Ger-man man appearing in the centre of the picture.

The readers raised various questions, but to cut to the crux, Bill Feldstein emailed the article to his friend, American hunter and author, Joe Coogan (who, incidentally, has just been awarded Gun Digest’s coveted John T Amber Award). Joe thought he recognised the central man in the photo as the late Wally Johnson, one of Mozambique’s most famous professional hunters of that era. Joe Coogan happens to be a personal friend of Wally Johnson’s son, Walter Johnson Junior, to whom he for-warded the article. Walter Jnr positively identified the central man in the photo as his father, Wally Johnson, and the man on the right of the photo as Harry Manners, another of Mozam-bique’s famous ivory hunters of that period. Walter Jnr said he remembered seeing the identical photo in the family album, and dated it at around late 1940s. He says his father shot the two bulls north of Lourenço Marques. As to what became of the tusks, he says that while his father was away on safari, his mother needed money, and sold all four tusks locally for a total of £300 sterling.

We contacted Dr Rall for comment, who told us that Otilio de Vasconzalez, when giving him the photo, also gave him the

stated tusk weights, adding that the hunter was a German, and Dr Rall had accepted this information in good faith.

The stated weights of 240 and 220lbs, if valid, would rank these tusks pretty much equally with the world record tusks – those shot by a slave of Tippu Tib on the slopes of Mt Kili-manjaro in 1898, which originally weighed 235 and 226lbs and are now in the British Museum. (In Africa’s Greatest Tuskers, Tony Sanchez-Ariño states that the Tippu Tib tusks were re-weighed in 1962, giving 226 and 214lbs, having dried out over the intervening 64 years.) A comparison of the two pho-tos shown here clearly reveals the Tippu Tib tusks to be longer and heavier than the Wally Johnson tusks (use the heights of the respective men in the photos for scale, and the size of their hands relative to the diameters of the tusks). Walter Johnson Jnr and Joe Coogan estimate the Wally Johnson tusks to weigh about 180 and 160lbs.

Something about the tusks in the Wally Johnson photo seems odd. The two on the right are both white at the bases (the sections within the elephant’s maxilla) which would seem to indicate their being a pair from the same elephant. The two on the left are not white at the bases, which would seem to indicate they are a pair. However, of the two on the right, the outermost tusk appears very much thicker at the base than the one immediately next to it, which seemingly contradicts their being from the same bull. Likewise, of the two tusks on the left, the outermost one appears significantly thicker than the one right next to it. Going by their respective thicknesses, it would seem likely that the two outermost tusks on each side are a pair, and the two innermost tusks are a pair. But what, then, explains the difference in colouration at their bases? I guess we’ll never know. Our thanks go to those who contributed to this debate. More on these particular tusks will appear in future editions of Magnum. – Gregor Woods

Gallery


HuntEx 2020 – 10 Years On The HuntEx expo, celebrating its 10th year, will be held at the Gallagher Con-vention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng, from 24 – 27 April. HuntEx first opened its doors here as a 3-day event in April 2011, featuring three hunting destina-tions and seven firearm dealers as the main attractions. More than 16 000 visi-tors attended that year. Within two years, visitor numbers had more than doubled and exhibitors increased to 400. Now HuntEx features 40 hunting desti-nations and outfitters, 35 local firearm dealers, plus a growing number of for-eign firearm and optics manufacturers, and other exhibitors.

HuntEx’s Adriaan Woudstra says the expo enables exhibitors to present their products in a world-class environment. He says the average HuntEx visitor has done the homework on prices and prod-ucts and is not easily fooled by sales talk. Exhibitors using the expo to build rapport with potential customers benefit in the long term. “Where else can you potentially get 33 000+ people to see your brand and visit your stand in four days?”

To avoid long queues, the ticketing system has been streamlined. In the past, overcrowding in the halls has impeded interaction between visitors and exhibitors. “Should the need arise, we can temporarily limit access, as having satisfied visitors and exhibitors is more important than cramming people in,” says Woudstra. The average visitor spends about six hours at the show, and some return the next day, as they were unable to explore all 26 000m2.

One of the new attractions at HuntEx 2020 is a shooting range under Hall 1, sponsored by Southern Sky Operations, enabling visitors to test-fire the smaller calibre firearms (.223Rem, 9mm, .22LR) marketed by this company. Having firearms on the premises requires much stricter security than found at other big expos. Visitors bringing fire-arms in order to ask advice of exhibitors can make use of gun safety zones in the halls; specially trained security and emer-gency medical personnel will be present.

Well-aware that the firearms and hunting industries, like all others, are affected by the Eskom power crisis, HuntEx’s organisers have approached purveyors of alter-

native and renewable energy-generating equipment to exhibit this year. Likewise, crime has increased awareness of personal safety, increasing the need for security prod-ucts and services, which will be well represented, as will self-defence firearms. Don’t miss the ATA Arms exhibit representing Turkey’s firearm industry, or the exhibitors from France and USA. Several exhibitors will be launching

new products this year. For newcomers to the sport, several hunting and shooting associa-tions will be present to discuss all the require-ments for participating in the shooting sports. Vis i tors can even take part in archery axe-throwing events!

Wildswinkel will present a timed online auction of specialised firearms and other products aimed at the serious enthusiast. On Saturday 25 April, Classic Arms’s 67th auction of 500 lots of rare and sought-after firearms will again take place. #HelpJag, a charity that is part of a feeding scheme for underprivileged children run

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by Helpende Hand Kosblikkie Project, will assist hunters to bag an extra animal for donation to this feeding scheme.

Visitors are encouraged to make use of the Bullet-pass online ticket system, which is cheaper than buying tickets at the gate and also offers multi-day tickets at reduced prices. The exhibition halls open at 09:00 but the main gates open at 07:00 to allow early visitors to enjoy coffee before official opening time. Visit www.huntex.net or HuntEx’s Face-book and Instagram @huntexnow. – André Grobler

Swarovski Automatic Bird IdentifierSwarovski Optik have launched their 8x25 Automatic Digital Bird ID with Swarovski dG (Digital Guide) – an optical device that combines bird viewing with the automatic digital identification of the bird. It also documents it, or you can live-share it with five other people on their smartphones or tablets. At the push of a button, the bird’s image is transferred from the device using the dG’s app working in conjunction with the Merlin Bird ID app for automatic identification. Your smartphone will almost instantly reveal what bird you have seen. Part of the package is the

Swarovski Optik dG Mammals app that can identify most com-mon European mammals.

The dG is a monocular of 8x magnification with an objective lens diameter of 25mm. The field of view is about 119m at 1000m, and the minimum focusing distance is 2.5m, with eye relief of 17mm. It is powered by a recharge able Li-Ion 2600 mAh battery; regular operating time is six hours and it has an auto-matic switch-off timer. Battery life during maximum operation is 3.5 hours. The power and LED status indicators are visible on top of the housing (3 & 4 above). The dG weighs 550g.

The camera channel is independent of the optical channel, meaning no data or numbers appear in the field of view. The camera’s digital system focal length is approximately 500mm, which is around 10x magnification. The camera resolution is 13MP (4192x3104) and video resolution is HD (1280x720). All the key functions of the dG can be operated using a single button on top of the housing (1/2 above). The housing protection rating is IP67 meaning heavy rainfall will not damage the dG.

The Swarovski Optik dG app connects the monocular with other apps and mobile devices. It is available for iOS and Android. The app is essential for activating the dG and includes several functions. It manages the camera settings, works the live stream facility, transfers photos taken with the dG to all con-nected devices, and enables connection to other apps such as the Merlin Bird ID. The dG can store up to ten images provided there is an active Wi-Fi connection between the dG and a mobile device. If the link to the dG app or another dG-compatible app is interrupted, up to ten images will be stored temporarily. An inte-grated Wi-Fi hotspot allows several people, within a range of five metres, to follow the live stream of the dG. You can also share all the photos and videos on social media using your phone.

SWAROVSKI OPTIK says precise information about the range at which animals can be identified is difficult, because it depends

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on animal size and specific light conditions. However, at about 20m smaller animals can be reliably identified, while the dG can identify larger animals at 100m and further.

The Merlin Bird ID app allows you to identify about 5 000 bird spe-cies worldwide. The dG will be available in South Africa by the end of April and the bird package for Southern African birds can be expected on the Merlin app at much the same time. For more information contact Whylo Distributors on 031-584-8088. – André Grobler

Aging EyesPhillip Hayes’s Trail Talk (March 2020) discussed the age-related problem of the eyes’ inability to achieve a usable compromise of focus on the rear sight, front sight and target when using Patridge sights on a handgun. I have the same problem. It is optically impossible for the eye to focus on three spatially sepa-rated objects simultaneously, but younger eyes can achieve a close enough compromise to facilitate accurate shooting. Not so older eyes. Phillip’s solution of a reflex sight which enables the shooter to place the easily visible red dot on the target is one answer, especially for low-light shooting in a defensive situation.

This reminded me of another solution which my late friend, Fifi Hundt, a Windhoek gunsmith, came up with (readers may recall the article series on ballistics by WA Hundt in SA MAN during the 1980s). Fifi preferred revolvers to auto pistols for defensive use. He didn’t regard ‘combat pistol’ shooting (as Practical Pistol was then called) to be altogether practical, so he formed a club for practical revolver shooters. He found that he and his fellow shoot-ers – whether young or over 40 – achieved better scores (faster times and improved practical accuracy) if they used ghost-ring rear sights on their revolvers. This obviates the need for sharp focus on both sights – you simply ignore the rear sight (your pupil instinctively centres in the ghost-ring) and focus on the front sight. If you need prescription glasses, have a pair made that focus at handgun front-sight distance. I have a pair that focusses at PC screen distance (as distinct from reading glasses) and these work perfectly for handgun use. A slightly out-of-focus target is not a problem, especially at defensive handgun range.

Fifi made the ghost-rings himself and mounted them on any steel-framed revolver, whether stainless or carbon steel, though his preference was for the Ruger Security Six or Ruger Speed Six, both in .357 Mag. Fifi welded (or soldered – I can’t recall) the ghost-rings on so as to become integral to the frame (per-fectly sighted in) and the junction was invisible, even on stain-less steel. Because a handgun’s rear sight is held slightly further from your eye than a rifle’s receiver sight, the ghost-ring aper-ture needs to be slightly larger than a rifle’s. I can’t recall if Fifi put ghost-rings on pistol slides (you could dovetail one in, just like a Patridge sight). I found his ghost-ring sights excellent, but never owned one as I was young enough to use Patridge sights on my .45ACP, and my wife’s .38 special had an aluminium alloy frame. But for older eyes, I think ghost-ring sights on handguns well worth considering. – Gregor Woods

Gunsmith of the Month: Andy FullerAndy lives and works in the Western Cape. He qualified as a gunsmith in 1974 at the Olifantsfontein testing cen-

tre while he worked at the SA Defence Force. Andy special-ises in doing verifications for the Gunsmith Trade Test and repairing all types of firearms. He does not build rifles.

He is working with the PFTC on a program whereby new gunsmiths can qualify, now that Olifantsfontein has closed down, and he has been involved in the introduction of a Trade Test to afford qualification to those who have been working in the industry without any formal qualifica-tion – this is currently on the basis of RPL (recognition of prior learning). Andy is also deeply involved in developing a semi-automatic rifle for sport shooting.

Andy considers Vektor rifle barrels (hammer forged) to be extremely accurate and reliable and SAKO actions would be his choice for hunting and precision rifles, spe-cifically the SAKO TRG action. His favourite wood for hunt-ing rifle stocks is walnut. A regular hunter, mainly in the Eastern Cape, Andy shoots only for the pot. He has been a SAPSA member for about 40 years and still participates. He is a member of the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association and does Dedicated Hunter’s training for SAHGCA in the Garden Route area.

Subscriber of the Month: Wayne van HeerdenWayne lives in Gauteng and his favour-ite hunting ground is the Cumberland region in Limpopo Province. He uses his .44 Magnum for handgun hunting

and also enjoys hunting with his old 6.5x58mm Portu-guese Mauser. For longer shots, he prefers his .300 Win Mag. He is also an avid 12-bore wingshooter and hunts on the lucerne fields on the farm. During his last hunt in the Cumberland region he bagged a warthog.

Wayne also likes sport shooting and participates in matches using his .22LR and .300 Win Mag, shotgun and handguns in 9mmP and .357 Mag. He is a member of the South African Hunters and Game Conservation Associa-tion and the National Hunting and Shooting Association. Wayne has been buying his Magnum magazines at the shops since 2013 and became a subscriber only two years ago.

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