Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences Part 20

Written by Neil Harmse

 

 

Chapter 21. Shotgun Cartridges and Their Development Over the Years

 

Today most wing and clay target-shooters using modern shot cartridges show very little interest in the ammunition they use, apart from what they feel is their favourite brand and the ideal load for their specific sport.

 

To gain a better understanding of the development of centre-fire ammunition, we need to go back in time to the year 1850 and onwards, after the first breech-loading centre-fire guns became available.

 

Prior to then, from 1815-1835, gunsmiths were competing to get away from the flintlock. In 1830 the percussion cap, which was the intermediate stage on muzzle loaders, led to the development of pin-fire guns and subsequently opened the way for breech-loading centre-fire cartridges and guns. Thanks must go to Mr JV Needham, who invented and produced the ‘hammerless’ or internal hammer action that started the revolution in the development of the ‘modern’ style of ammunition. The centre-fire cartridge was designed.

 

In 1875, William Anson and John Deeley – who were both employed and associated with Westley Richards – developed and introduced the Anson and Deeley box-lock action, which was so successful in design that it has seen very little improvement up to the present day. This action was ideally adapted for the modern centre-fire cartridge. The action was less expensive and easier to produce than the traditional side-lock action, which was carried over from the days of the hammer and percussion actions. The Anson and Deeley action helped place guns in the hands of general shooters who were neither nobility nor landed gentry and could not afford expensive, handmade side-lock guns from top-name gunsmiths, but also wanted to get involved in the sport of ‘shooting flying’.

 

Side-locks were, and remain, more complicated to produce and are today sought after mostly for more expensive handmade top-grade guns.

 

The first breech-loading centre-fire ammunition was carried over from the days of muzzle loaders and used the traditional black powder propellant. When fired, these cartridges produced clouds of white smoke which sometimes obscured visibility for follow-up shots or even seeing the hits on targets. It was not unusual to see a shooter smartly dodge to one side to get past the cloud of white smoke in order to see the hit on his target. Soon there were calls for cleaner-burning propellant, which led to the development of Schultz powder. This burnt a lot more cleanly, producing less smoke and recoil, and was not as noisy as the old black powder loads. It became popular for its advantages to shooters. Further developments in modern smokeless Nitro powders led to more efficient and faster ignition, with more regular ballistics, less pressure and the absence of fouling, which also meant less corrosion in gun barrels.

 

Today cartridge manufacturers are continually striving to develop and improve the quality of their cartridges, with a view to more environmentally friendly components and consistent results. This is true of all the components which make up the modern cartridge.

 

The first step in the ignition process is the primer. Percussion ignition was first invented in 1807 by Rev Alexander Forsyth, a Scottish clergyman, but required a lot of refining. The early primers were very corrosive and could be unstable. Modern primers have vastly improved and have standardised on a 209-boxer type for shotguns which are largely non-corrosive, give quick and reliable ignition, and are well sealed and protected from contamination by moisture and oils, which are the cause of many misfires.

 

The following is a basic explanation of the firing procedure and sequence:

 

When struck by the firing pin of the gun, the primer should ignite, causing the propellant powder to burn and form a gas. This creates pressure, driving the wad and shot load up the barrel and, on exiting, causes the shot to spread into a pattern given by the choke selection, then on to the target.

 

Briefly, the modern shotgun cartridge consists of a brass or metal base, rimmed to fit onto the extractor or ejector rim of the action and chamber of the gun. The primer fits into this brass base. The body or case of the cartridge, which was traditionally made of varnished paper or card, is today usually plastic. The length of the cartridge body depends on the requirements of the gun chamber. This can range from 2½” (65mm) to 2,6” (67mm), 2¾” (70mm) and 3” (76mm). These are nominal lengths of factory cartridges, but exceptions are a shorter 2” (50mm) and a magnum 3½” (89mm), which are sometimes called for. The 67mm case was designed to allow the use of this cartridge length in either 65mm or 70mm chambers, allowing a slightly heavier load than normal for 65mm chambers.

Cut-away cartridge and wads.

Early cartridges all had fibre or compressed paper or card wads. Today the wad can consist of either formed or moulded plastic or biodegradable fibre. The plastic wad normally has a cup-shaped fore section with segmented ‘petals’ which hold the pellets in place and peel back and open as the shot column leaves the muzzle, releasing the shot in its forward motion to start spreading. This allows for a more controlled spread and pattern.

 

The fibre wad remains behind the shot load, acting as a gas seal and pushes it forward, with the shot column spreading faster on exiting the muzzle to create a more open pattern. The fibre wad is mainly used on game loads.

 

Most modern cartridges are enclosed with a segmented ‘star’ crimp at the mouth. Some cartridges can still be found with a ‘rolled’ crimp, but these are normally older or traditional loads.

 

As previously mentioned, with the trend towards environmental awareness, cartridge manufacturers have made great strides in the development and use of components that are ‘greener’ than in the past.

 

As a result of concerns about pollution of the environment (especially wetlands) caused by lead from shot pellets, cartridge manufacturers are now producing non-toxic shot using Bismuth, copper-coated or annealed steel pellets. These have a number of drawbacks, but research is ongoing. There is also a marked controversy in the claim that pollution from lead pellets causes problems. To date, no proof of this has been forthcoming, but it

is nevertheless wise to be proactive in this regard. For many years, lead shot had a 0,5% antimony added for hardness and this is now also treated by electroplating with either copper for hunting loads or nickel for clay target, small birds and pigeons. This reduces pellet deformation, keeping the pellets spherical to allow consistent patterns.

 

Pollution from wads has also been problematic, mainly in areas where high-volume shooting takes place. A number of game loads are now loaded with biodegradable fibre wads, which have a short lifespan once exposed to outdoor conditions. These wads are made from compressed wood materials, with paraffin wax as a binder to give added strength. Plastic wads are also a problem, especially in areas where they could be ingested by livestock. Research into the use of photodegradable wads, which have a limited lifespan when exposed to outdoor elements and sunlight, is ongoing. Plastic wads have a UV light stabiliser to give longevity, but photodegradable wads have this stabiliser removed or reduced, which allows them to break down into smaller pieces within a few weeks when exposed to sunlight.

 

Non-corrosive primers and progressive burning propellants are also the subject of continuing research in striving for more efficient and cleaner performance. Numerous overseas manufacturers, particularly in the UK, regularly select random cartridge samples from batches on their production lines and submit these for chronograph, pressure and velocity testing sometimes twice a day (morning and afternoon). Some have their own testing tunnels, but also send check samples to various proof houses. Some do tests of the loading machines for dosage rates of both powder and shot on an hourly basis. Velocity is measured at 2,5m and 10m from the muzzle and a ballistic analyser is used to calculate velocities. In this way, the quality of cartridges can be monitored and improved on an ongoing basis. Based on this research, UK and other manufacturers have a preference for single-base nitrocellulose powders in which the burn rate is determined by the surface area of the flake. For example, a larger flake area burns faster for light weight charges, whereas a smaller flake gives a slow burn used for heavier weight charges or smaller calibres where pressure build-up is rapid.

 

American propellants mainly use double-base nitrocellulose powder with an element of nitroglycerine added to it. This allows for a more energetic burn, but a dirty one, leaving residue in the barrel. An advantage of this propellant is that it is more stable in extreme temperatures.

 

The next time you load a couple of cartridges into the chambers of your favourite shotgun, spare a thought for the difficulties faced by early-day shooters and give thanks for the hard work, research and innovation that make our shooting today easier, safer and trouble-free.

To order Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences – the complete book with illustrations (US $15 excluding S&H), contact Andrew Meyer at andrewisikhova@icloud.com

Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences Part 19

Written by Neil Harmse

 

 

Chapter 20. Understanding The Shotgun

 

 

New shooters being introduced to the shotgunning sport may find the many terms and techniques rather confusing, with words like ‘load’, ‘bore’, ‘gauge’, ‘choke’ and others bandied about by more experienced shooters without explanation. Let me attempt to clarify these terms.

 

The sporting shotgun is usually of three types: firstly, the double-barrel, either side-by-side (s x s) or over-and-under (o/u) configuration. Secondly, there is the single-barrel, singleshot and thirdly, the single-barrel, multi-shot, either pump (or slide) action, or auto- (self-) loader. Just to muddy the waters, there is also the combination, which is a shotgun barrel (or barrels) with a rifle barrel. These are more popular in Europe than in South Africa.

 

Most sport shooting or field sports favour the double-barrel, with the over-and-under design being more popular nowadays. The side-by-side version is more traditional and there are many shooters, especially the older generation, who still prefer this style. The side-by-side usually has a slimmer, sleeker action and is lighter to carry and use over long periods in the field than the over-and-under. These are ideal for waterfowl and terrestrial game bird-hunting.

 

Because of the barrel configuration, the over-and-under has a deeper, bulkier action, is heavier and is therefore able to withstand heavier loads or charges than the side-by-side. This allows it to contend with more sustained shooting volumes, such as done in clay target-shooting.

 

Double-barrel guns come in two main action designs. The box lock is a shorter action and appears more truncated at the rear, with its strikers, springs and working parts all housed inside the action body. Box locks are easier to manufacture and generally more robust. The side lock is more intricate and labour-intensive to manufacture, with its firing mechanisms and springs individually pinned to separate side plates extending rearwards behind the standing breech of the gun. These side locks provide extended flat outer surfaces to allow for extensive engraving, especially scenic engraving, making them a popular choice for best-quality guns. However, this is not to say that the box lock is in any way inferior.

A side-by-side shotgun with sidelocks.

An over-and-under box lock shotgun.

American sportsmen generally favour semi-auto and pump action guns for waterfowl and upland bird-shooting, but in the UK and South Africa, these are not readily accepted in shooting circles. This is mainly for safety reasons, as a double is visibly safe when the action is open, which is not the case with a pump and auto-loader. These have magazines which can normally take about five cartridges, but in terms of South African regulations, they must be plugged to accept only two rounds. Multi-shot pump guns are mainly used by law enforcement and security services in South Africa.

 

Just a point on safety: I remember an incident where a group of us were on a bird shoot. One of the party was a man of continental extraction, who was using a semi-auto shotgun. We had returned to the vehicles for a welcome coffee and a sandwich and noticed that his gun was leaning against the car with the action closed. When asked if it was unloaded, he assured us that it was, and promptly picked it up and pulled the trigger. With a loud bang, a shot went off, fortunately into the air.

 

Everyone was shocked, not least the owner of the gun. Needless to say, he was never invited to a shoot again. This just proves the point of the danger of semi-auto and pump action guns.

 

Barrel length is a matter of purpose and personal preference. There is a common misconception that the longer the barrel, the further (or harder) the gun will shoot. Longer barrels are solely to add muzzle weight for balance and ‘swing’. Common sporting barrel lengths are 25-30” (63-76cm), with 28” (71cm) being the most versatile for all-round use. Dedicated clay target-shooters normally opt for longer barrels. In my experience, barrels of 30-32” (76-81cm) appear to deliver a downward muzzle ‘flip’, while barrels of 25-27” (63-69cm) seem to give an upward ‘flip’. The 28” barrels are more stable, with no significant muzzle ‘flip’.

 

The distance and spread of the shot charge are determined by the degree of choke, and not the barrel length. It is not clear who first came up with the idea and design for the choke on shotgun barrels to give various spreads of pellets, but it is known that Alexander Pape first patented the design in England in 1886. Thereafter, WW Greener went on to improve and develop chokes on his guns. The choke is the constriction within the last section of the muzzle which concentrates the shot pellets. A full choke has a tighter constriction and gives a tighter pattern, resulting in denser shot patterns for longer range. True cylinder means no restriction at all, allowing the shot to spread more widely after leaving the barrel muzzle. 100 The most popular and versatile chokes for all-round shooting are improved cylinder for closer shots and modified choke for longer shots. Many modern guns come with a set of normally five interchangeable screw-in choke tubes, rendering the gun suitable for any type of shooting and range required.

 

The term ‘bore’ is derived from the age-old English tradition, whereas ‘gauge’ is an American term meaning the same. The bore or gauge of the barrel is calculated from the number of pure round lead spheres or balls of equal size which fit through the barrel and which, together, would weigh 1lb (454g). Where 12 balls of 0,729” (18,5mm) diameter (the diameter of a 12-bore barrel) weigh 1lb, the gun is a 12-bore. Twenty smaller balls of 0,617” (15mm) diameter would denote a 20-bore gun. Obviously, the numerical bore designation increases as the bore becomes smaller. Nowadays shotgun bores or gauges for all practical purposes are mainly 10-bore, 12-bore, 16-bore, 20-bore and 28-bore, which are popular sizes. An exception is the .410 shotgun, which is not a bore designation, but is a calibre and is the actual barrel diameter measured in inches.

 

Chamber lengths also deserve a measure of understanding. Many older guns (roughly pre-WWII) have chamber lengths of 2½” (65mm) and longer cartridges must not be used in these guns. They may seem to fit into the chamber, but when they are fired, the crimp opens into the forcing cone, which is a restriction ahead of the chamber at the start of the actual barrel. This can cause raised pressure to dangerous levels. Most modern guns have chambers of 2¾” (70mm) and some guns may be chambered for magnum loads of 3” (76mm).

 

Let us have a brief look at cartridges and loads. (These will be covered in detail in a following chapter.) Today most shot cartridges have a metal case head (base and rim) and the walls of the case are made of plastic with a fold or ‘star’ crimp at the mouth. Varnished paper cases are available for those traditionalists who enjoy the nostalgia of shooting vintage-type loads in vintage guns. Pellet size in game bird or clay target loads is usually numbered from number 9 shot, which is small (2mm) to about number 3 shot (3,3mm) or even number 1 shot (3,7mm). The larger pellets are usually used for hunting geese and larger birds. There are tables available showing recommended shot sizes for use on various game birds. As a rule of thumb, 8, 7½ and 7 are usually used for clay target doves and pigeons, 5 and 6 for terrestrial game birds and duck, and 3 and 4 for geese and waterfowl. Generally, 5 and 6 shot sizes are a good all-round compromise. Shot loads are normally shown in grams, being the weight or mass of pellets in a load. A 28g load (1oz) of number 6 shot would have about 270 pellets in the cartridge. Most game loads are 28-32g, with 34g being a heavier game load. Obviously, the bigger the shot size, the fewer pellets will be in the load. It is generally acknowledged that pattern kills, so the more pellets striking the bird or target, the higher the chance of a kill. Larger pellets mean less dense patterns and a higher chance of a lost bird. Until recently, most modern cartridges had a plastic cup wad enclosing the pellets, which effectively improved shot patterns and reduced bore leading. Nowadays, though, many game loads are being loaded with biodegradable fibre wads, which are environmentally friendly, but open the patterns somewhat.

 

Much is said and written about being ‘gun-fit’. Unless you are sufficiently well-off to order a bespoke gun made to fit your personal physique, you will have to make do with the ‘average’ gun off the shelf. Fortunately, most leading gun manufacturers have done much research into the measurements of the average person and the guns are manufactured by CNC process to fit most shooters, without much alteration.

 

The most common problem with a gun off the shelf is stock length (length of pull). This is measured from the front surface of the trigger to the rearmost centre of the butt-plate or recoil pad. If this is too long, it can be shortened by a competent stock-maker by cutting a slice off the butt end of the stock. If it is too short, the stock-maker can add a spacer or thicker recoil pad to lengthen it, depending on the length of your arms and neck, as well as your shoulder width. Most other problems of fit can be adapted or corrected by good gun mounting and style. Muscle memory is wonderful and by ‘fitting yourself to your gun’ and continually practising correct gun mount, your shooting will improve dramatically.

 

A wise shooter once said: ‘Shooters will improve their shooting by using a gun with a shorter stock, more open chokes and a shorter barrel.’ Whichever gun you use, go to a shooting range and have an instructor check your hold, style and mount. Once you feel comfortable and know the right moves, stance and mount, go home and practise these over and over. Standing in front of a mirror can help. (Please make sure your gun is unloaded before you do this!) For dry-firing, invest in a good set of snap-caps or dummy cartridges, which will prevent firing pins or strikers from being damaged.

 

As with any expensive piece of equipment, a gun should be cleaned and oiled after use during the shooting season, and at least once or twice during storage in the off-season. A good cleaning kit and gun oil are essential for the maintenance of your firearm. There is a trend among some shooters of simply pulling a bore-snake (pull-through) through the 102 barrels after a shoot and then putting the gun away. This is highly inadvisable. Although the barrels may seem clean when one looks down them, there will be powder and lead residue which are not easy to see and could cause corrosion or damage. I suggest using a rod, brush, patches and woollen mop to give the barrels a thorough cleaning, followed by a light coat of oil. Wipe all the metalwork with a lightly oiled cloth. Do not spray a lot of oil into the action or barrels. Light oiling is all that is required, as too much oil is also detrimental, especially to the stock and wood. Use a cotton bud or small art-painting brush to get into the inner parts of the action and fore-end mechanisms to remove grass seeds, dust and other debris. Remember to oil under and around the safety catch. If sweat and moisture get under this, they can cause rust and seize the catch. Lightly wipe the wood with a good stock oil or stock wax once or twice a season, especially in wet weather, and again before long-term storage. A good idea is to wipe a light coating of petroleum jelly along the junctions of the wood and metal around the locks and action to prevent moisture or rain from getting into the action. When storing my guns in a safe, I enclose them in a good silicone oil-coated gun sock such as ‘Sack-Up’ or similar and then stand them muzzle-down to allow any excess oil to drain downwards to the barrels, rather than soak into the wood. Never store guns in a bag or case, as this may cause them to ‘sweat’ and rust.

 

Looking after your gun in this manner will ensure that they give trouble-free service for your lifetime and that of the next generation. Many guns well over 100 years old are still shooting as well today as the day they left the gun-maker’s bench.

To order Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences – the complete book with illustrations (US $15 excluding S&H), contact Andrew Meyer at andrewisikhova@icloud.com

Formula: AHG + John Rigby = One Very Happy Hunter

Dear John Rigby Co. and Maria,

 

I wanted to write and tell you how thankful I am to own a John Rigby 416 rifle. It arrived last Wednesday!!! Your company and willingness to participate in the African Hunting Gazette drawing with the prize of a 416 is just incredible. What an honor to win this rifle knowing that John Rigby himself created his rifle over 110 years ago.

 

When I met some of the employees at the John Rigby booth in Dallas at the Safari Show, I was so impressed with their professionalism and experience with guns. It was obvious this was far more than simply a job; it was a passion and now I’m the beneficiary of that passion and pride.

 

Thank you to everyone who made this possible. I will always treasure it and the hands that made it. Hopefully it finds its way on a hunt in Africa soon.

 

Sincerely,

 

Steve McGrade

Wato – The Book

By Brian Watson

 

Wato – The Book is a beautiful 324 page hard cover compilation of some of Wato’s hunting adventures in wild Africa and other wilderness places.

The book can be purchased here: https://watosbook.square.site/

To give you a taste of what’s in store between the covers, here is just one chapter for your pleasure.

The Happy Walk

 

Perched comfortably in the pointy end of a 747 on the way to Johannesburg, the flight stewards dimmed the lighting for the long hop over the Great Southern Ocean. As so often happens after a pleasant dinner and some equally pleasant drinks, a calm close to sleep overtakes your senses. At this point, most of the other passengers were dozing or wearily staring at some drivel on the entertainment monitor. I looked out the window to the left and watched the icebergs of Antartica bobbing in the sea.

 

My thoughts rambled and rattled around my brain, flitting between important people in my life to just how this giant flying goose manages to stay airborne, and finally settling on previous exciting or rewarding hunts I had participated in, and of course the unpleasant experience of Kariba. Most notably, was the first Jumbo I had hunted on the banks of the Limpopo River many years ago. Such was the euphoria and heightened sense of self that overwhelmed me then, I vowed then I would pursue more of this adrenaline rush. Accordingly, I undertook a votive understanding that in what was left of my lifetime, I would hunt at least ten of the Africana Loxodontos species before I cashed in my chips.

 

Up to this point, as well as that initiate Limpopo trophy bull, there have been two non-trophy bulls from the Rifa, two ‘Zambezi Ladies’ from the same district, a non-trophy bull hunted in the vast tall reeds of the Caprivi Strip, a massive bull from Namibia’s Bushmanland, and a scrawny old gent from below the Kariba Dam in Zimbabwe that have been notched onto my hunting stick.

 

Numero nuevo beckoned somewhere in the huge Hwange Reserve of Zimbabwe. I will be hunting under the guidance of an old mate Marthinus Koch of MJK Safaris. My usual hunting partner, Ian Head of World Safari Expeditions and I had socialised with Tienie (Marthinus) many times in the Rifa and at SCI expo’s over the previous years, subsequently forming a good regard and appreciation of him. After an overnight stay at Joburg and a short flight to Victoria Falls, Tienie is to pick me up at the airport.

 

After meeting with Tienie and his safari business partner Lindon Stanton at the airport kiosk, and then picking up Lindon’s client Peter from Queensland off a later flight, we went and had lunch at a restaurant overlooking one of the magnificent gorges of Victoria Falls. We then did some shopping for some of the essentials we would require over the following days, like whiskey, gin, and bourbon along with a few bottles of wine to go with our meals, and of course some nice cigars to toast any success we may enjoy. Essentials collected, we then made our way to a fantastic camp on the bank of the Zambezi River, a drive of about one and a half hours from Vic Falls.

 

Even though this camp was beautifully positioned on the bank of the Zambezi River we were warned not to get to close to the waters edge because of the prevalence of the huge crocodiles. I later saw a croc that had just been shot off this very bank and it was a monster measuring something over 16 feet long. It was creepy when we were fishing, to see several heads lingering just clear of the water nearby, but did put your self-preservation mode into high gear.

 

Early next morning we drove out in the chill dark dawn towards the Eastern fringe of Hwange. This was the end of an African winter and while I was comfortable in the cab of the vehicle, I shivered at the thought of the trackers huddled in the freezing wind on the open back of the truck. A mental note was made to be on the lookout for a warm jacket to buy for them at a later date. The trip would take us several hours, with a couple of short stops along the way to check known places where Elephant frequent, usually where they came down from the hills to water at the Zambezi before returning for their daily feeding places. Once at the area we immediately contacted a small herd. Sensing a quick climax to my hunt, gun belts were strapped on, rifles loaded and checked and a brisk walk into the bush ensued.

 

The herd was found close by with individuals spread through the thick vegetation. It was soon apparent that there were only cows in the herd, and, as some had calves at foot, we proceeded with a lot of caution. One large cow unexpectedly approached our position from behind so it was necessary to make a very prudent and nervous withdrawal. Thankfully the cow did not catch our wind and we were able to get back to the vehicle without incident.

 

Further searching failed to find any more herds or individuals, so we turned back towards camp and checked other trails along the way, seeking information from various natives that had local knowledge of the game activity around their areas. One area adjacent to the bank of the Zambezi held some very large tracks that were 24 hours old. We would come and inspect this game trail the following morning in the hope that these Elephant had come to drink at the same spot.

 

The next morning, having checked the previously mentioned area without luck, we moved to another mostly dry river system. The day became hotter and many large bull tracks were found, and I was starting to think these animals were the ghosts of Hwange. No animals were contacted. At the end of the river, we had to cross over to get to the truck that had come to pick us up. Crossing the water here was tricky with a particularly nasty form of reed dominating. In order to avoid falling into the water and thereby testing your chances with an unseen croc, you naturally tried to hang on to the reed but it was laced with nasty fine thorns that unmercifully pierced your skin. So, it was take your chances with the slippery rocks, unseen crocs, or grab hold of the needles and put up with the pain. I chose pain.

 

The area however seemed to hold promise, and as Tienie explained, he tried to take animals out of different areas thereby avoiding make whole herds overly skittish. We decided to visit this same place again tomorrow, but walk from the other direction. A better strategy was used next time however, as the trackers cut some substantial branches that we were able to walk over much more safely. And with no needles! Using the wind, we did a large loop out from the river and back, hoping to find the owners of those huge tracks. In all, we tried this three times but still no animals were detected. Tienie dug into his box of tricks to find a new approach that may reward us with some success.

 

The following day, we went to a new area, and found fortune after Lindon radioed us after sighting the tracks of five large bulls crossing an old cornfield close to our position. Once on the tracks my spirits were lifted as we now had a real chance of catching these animals. The walking was easy with tracks clearly visible. The day wore on and it appeared that we were not gaining any ground on our quarry. After 31 kilometres, the tracks were lost in a melding with a cowherd. Soon after, we abandoned our effort as the bulls were clearly on an intense quest and had no thought of stopping or even slowing. The Landcruiser was radioed and we returned to camp for another night of frivolity, all fortified by the lovely Scotch supplied by Peter, another Aussie. I supplied the Romeo n Juliet cigars that I picked up for an absolute song while passing through Vic Falls.

 

We left well before sun up next morning hoping to catch those bulls as they returned to their day resting place. Success; tracks of the same group were found crossing the gravel road at the place where we abandoned the chase yesterday. They were fresh and amazingly, showed that the bulls had continued to their resting/foraging place and then returned during the night to drink. It was now 6.30 in the chill morning as we prepared our gear and ourselves for what was anticipated as a successful hunt. Reluctantly I shed my warm jacket, although the coming day would be hot, but carrying extra clothing was always a bind. Looking out across the veldt, I wondered how long it would take to catch up with these long striding giants.

 

At the start, the track was easy to walk with lots of sign a novice could read. By 11am, the dung was fresh and hot, indicating we were getting very close. There was only one small problem; the wind was blowing from behind and the inevitable happened, at some distance in front of us, far enough that we couldn’t see them, the bulls caught our scent and bolted. The sharp-eared trackers heard the animals rushing off, so we had no choice but to stop and wait to avoid putting any pressure on them. Most of the party lay in the dry grass and dozed, except for one that amused himself by taking photos of me snoring loudly with a very unattractive slack mouth.

 

After 30 minutes or so we continued the chase. The rest was therapeutic, so we plunged on with a refreshed effort. Just as well we had rested, as now the trail became harder and harder. We traversed gullies and steep ridges of the increasingly hillier terrain. Halfway along one very narrow path on a sharp ridge-line, I marveled at just how well coordinated these Elephant were, as I was being very careful not to slip and fall off and down the extremely steep sides. My thoughts were answered as the tracks then disappeared over the edge. Amazing…five huge bulls simply turned at 90 degrees and went straight down the steep incline. I would have loved to witness this happening; presumably they sat on their bum and skidded to the bottom.

 

It was now our turn, so after unloading our rifles we too made the descent. To say it was difficult would be to understate the situation. We had to be wary of rocks the size of grapefruit rushing downhill when the person behind you dislodged one. I never got hit, but one sharp rock crashed into the stock of Miss Rigby, leaving a very nasty dent. Still, I purchased that beautiful rifle to use, not to look at in a glass case. The bottom of the mountain was reached with a collective sigh of relief.

 

Slowly, but surely the small herd of bulls were overtaken. By now it was mid-afternoon and everybody was beginning to feel jaded. As we started along a well-treed gully I thought, if I were an Elephant, this lovely shaded place would be the perfect place to stop and rest during the heat of the day. Almost immediately, one of the trackers stopped to listen. Inspired by him the other trackers followed his lead and sure enough they could hear the sound of Elephant feeding. My, ‘Useless as tits on a bull hearing sense’, could pick up no recognisable sound, but we continued on with renewed vigor.

 

The going was now thick and it took another 30 minutes of maneuvering in among the palms and trees before the giants appeared before us in a clearing. The size of these majestic animals was astounding. They were not overly large in the body because of the steep terrain they inhabit and therefore, possessing a svelte Jenny Craig physique. They were however, huge tall rangy animals with thin tusks.

 

One moved toward our position and started to feed while facing front on at about sixty metres. Tienie and I were stuck out in the open and unable to move without risking spooking the already nervous herd, and having to start all over. My preference would have been to take the risk and try and manoeuvre closer but Tienie calmly lay his rifle on his thigh and put his fingers in his ears. His confidence in my shooting abilities was appreciated but when I shot, the great beast instantly twirled and ran. Another shot at the hip from both of us also failed to bring the target down.

 

Dean, the apprentice PH, caught all the action on video, which appeared to show that the first shot missed several inches to the right, but this was later, found to be incorrect. We soon found blood on the brush about one meter from the ground, indicating that it was coming off the front of the beast and probably out of the trunk. We took a positive out of this, as the animal should be badly wounded and not too far away. Even when tracking a wounded Elephant and his four large mates it ain’t always easy, so it took the trackers a little time on the hard packed rocky ground to make their way towards the herd. Once again it was the remarkable hearing of one tracker that gave us the vital clue. Even at over 200 metres he heard the heavy gasping of the stricken animal.

 

The rest of the herd was surrounding him in a protective gesture and with the wind swirling we were unable to get any closer without being detected. After several tense minutes of trying to identify and isolate the constantly milling herd, they suddenly broke cover and ran down the valley. We chased, and when the valley made a loop to the right, we ran up the bank just in time to see them rushing back to the left at a distance of about 60 metres. Tienie was the first to identify the wounded beast and without hesitation threw up his 500 Jeffries and with a great running shot to the head put the animal down in emphatic fashion. We approached cautiously, in case the running herd came back, but their departure was also emphatic. A quick insurance shot and everybody heaved a sigh of relief, with a few wry smiles to cover the anxieties we all felt.

 

We examined our quarry and found surprisingly, that my first shot was exactly on line, thereby disproving the video footage. Apparently, the bull pulled his head up at the shot and the bullet entered the skull ever so low. Such is the difference between a perfect killing shot and a stuff up.

 

Relaxed now, the crew gulped some water while a few pictures were taken and the return to camp contemplated. I said to Tienie, “Please don’t tell me that we have to walk back over those bloody mountains”. He answered, “Yeh Wato, but it will be a happy walk”. Happy walk??? By now our GPS showed that we had covered 32 kilometres in pursuit of these Elephant, it was 4 o’clock in the afternoon, and we had to go back over Mt Kilimanjaro then Mt Everest via Mt Fuji.

 

With roughly 2 hours of daylight remaining the long walk back commenced. In no time at all we were climbing in the twilight. We were up that well known creek in a barbed wire canoe with a ice cream stick for a paddle. I said what every one of us was thinking, “Someone is going to get hurt if we continue, what are our alternatives? Tienie agreed, “We only have one, I’ll radio the truck and the driver will have to meet us at some point on the river, and we must go back down the mountain and walk out via the river”. The climb back down that mountain in the now dark was horrendous, with more scars being inflicted on Miss Rigby’s beautiful stock as I used her as a walking stick, but we finally reached relative safety at the bottom. With no light apart from a rapidly fading battery from my cell phone, we headed off downstream with only a small amount of light from the moon to show our way.

 

By now we had been travelling for over eleven hours and had run out of water two hours ago. The uneven rocks of the riverside and sharp thorns and reeds made for more unpleasantness. The thought that there could also be unseen dangers lurking along the riverside in the form of Hippos or Crocodiles was also playing on our minds. Two hours later and thirst started to take its toll. Reluctantly, we decided to chance the river water. I asked Tienie if I would die of some exotic parasite if I drank this water without adding the antiseptic Vodka I had left at camp, and he answered, “No, but you might die if you don’t drink it.” I love a cheerful bastard.

 

Pushing on through the murky night, the time approached midnight. Someone suggested we stop and have a sleep. Dean gathered wood and dry reeds and proceeded to start a fire. Some of the lads lay down on the sand that lined the river. Nope, I couldn’t agree with this. “Get up fellas, lets keep going as we can only be about two hours from the truck” I said. As the next youngest member of the team was only half my age, I’m sure they were only thinking of poor old me by calling a stop. So, with a hoop and a holla we set off once more.

 

Sure enough, after a particularly tough section of the trek through two meter high reeds we glimpsed a fire ahead. Our driver had reached the reached the riverside along an almost non-existent track and lit a fire to help guide us in. Remarkably, it took another hour to reach the fire, but the heat of the coals warming our bones and the taste of those stale sandwiches meant for lunch some thirteen hours ago screamed paradise. I now state, without fear of contradiction, a hot cup of tea has never before or since, tasted soooooo good.

 

The one disappointing thing about the hunt was I slept in until about 10am next morning. I suppose that was understandable given the rigours of the day before, but I missed an important part of the hunt process. At daybreak a team of men went out leading seven Donkeys all the way back to where the Elephant fell. They then skinned and butchered the carcass, loaded the lot on to the Donkey’s baskets and walked back out. I would have loved to seen and helped with this procedure, and been able to take what would have been, some remarkable photos.

 

In all, we had covered 54 kilometres on that hunt over 17 long hours. We got our Elephant and managed to return unscathed even though the rifles were not so lucky. It took some days to recover from the bone weariness and blisters, but Oh!!….what a happy walk.

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Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences Part 18

Written by Neil Harmse

 

 

Chapter 18. The Slug Gun

 

As I approached my mid-60s, I decided I would ‘retire’ from game hunting and concentrate on wingshooting. I have a passion for vintage and well-made side-by-side shotguns, and it gives me great pleasure to step into the veld with a gun that is over 100 years old and still shoots as well today as it did when it left the gun-maker’s bench.

 

This is the epitome of the gun-maker’s art. I sold my hunting rifles and kept a selection of favourite shotguns with which to pursue my chosen sport.

Winchester Model 37 slug gun after restoration.

In the areas where most of my wingshooting takes place, I often come across warthog and feral pigs which do a lot of damage to farmers’ crops, causing a loss of income for the landowner.

 

This sparked an interest in me to hunt these problem animals, but I had no gun appropriate for the task. Carrying a few rifled slug loads in a pocket while hunting birds was not an ideal solution, as these are not at all accurate in my vintage side-by-side shotguns and could be damaging to them. My thoughts turned to a dedicated slug gun.

 

During a visit to the Krugersdorp workshop of my good friend and gunsmith, Hennie Mulder, I mentioned that I was looking for an old single-barrel 12-bore shotgun such as a Harrington and Richardson, Stevens, Savage or similar to convert to a slug gun as a project.

 

I noticed a faraway look in Hennie’s eyes as he walked over to one of his storage safes. Scratching around in the deepest recesses, he produced an old, very rusty Winchester model 37 which he had taken into stock many years ago. He offered this old gun to me, saying that if it would serve the purpose, I could work on it in his workshop and he would help where he could.

 

Despite the exterior rusty and neglected look, the gun was in sound shooting condition. On dismantling it, we found a lot of rust and surface pitting on the outside of the barrel and action, but Hennie assured me that this could all be cleaned up. So a project was born.

 

The first order of business was for me to polish out the barrel with ISSO bore paste, bore solvent and a piece of ‘Scotch’ pad using a long rod and a drill. With a bit of hard work and elbow grease, the barrel was soon shining again, with extraordinarily few signs of pitting, and appeared to be in quite reasonable condition. Next was using the lathe to cut the 32” (81,28cm) barrel down to a manageable 25” (63,5cm) and carefully crown and polish the muzzle. This also served to remove the extra-full choke and turn it into a cylinder choke, which is ideal for optimum slug accuracy.

Left: Restoration of the Winchester.

Above: The Winchester model 37 before restoration.

Right: Working on the stock.

I had decided to fit a ghost-ring sight which would be tter for my tired old eyes, so I searched for through my boxes of old Magnum magazines and found some articles by Gregor Woods and Koos Barnard covering their ideas and experiences with these sights. I started cutting them out and filing them, and I soon had a couple of prototypes to try out. Hennie had a low-profile, front-sight ramp and bead sight which would serve nicely, but the ghost ring rear-sights I had made were not quite suitable. Scratching among some spares in Hennie’s storage trays, I found a sling swivel ring that I thought would make an ideal sight. At around 4mm, the aperture looked right and if we could find or make a base to mount it on, it would be ideal. Also among the spares, I found a sight base that someone had cut down, which could be adapted. The biggest problem was cutting the radii of the front- and rear-sight bases to match those of the barrel round where the mounting points would be. This was where Hennie’s expertise came to the fore. He carefully worked these down on a lathe until the fit was perfect. He then fixed these onto the barrel with Superglue as a temporary measure until we could bore-sight and test-shoot the gun.

 

The stock was a bit short and needed lengthening, so I added a recoil pad to bring the length of pull up to my required 14½” (36,8cm). Once this was done, I tackled the stripping and sanding of the stock and fore end, which took a lot of elbow grease. I then started filling, sealing and oiling to bring out the grain and give it a durable finish. I used Birchwood Casey’s True Oil, which I rubbed into the stock in very thin coatings, leaving it to dry and set for a day between applications. This was done over a period of about a week. Once I was happy with the seal and finish, I hand-rubbed a mixture of Schaftol and walnut oil into the wood, repeating it several times. I then polished it with a piece of oiled sheepskin. This took days of hard work, but the wood turned out looking good. Well worth the effort.

 

Hennie again came to the rescue with his expertise, doing a wrap-around checkering pattern at about 18 lines per inch to provide a good grip, since we figured the lightweight gun would produce a sharp recoil with slug loads. Before polishing and re-blueing, we went to the range to carry out a rough bore-sight and preliminary firing to ensure the sights were correctly positioned before soldering them into place. Hot Power Guns in Krugersdorp has a convenient indoor range that allowed us to test-fire at 25m, which we felt would give an indication of where the shots were going. We used SP Brenneke slugs, as well as African Rifled Slugs loaded with Borra slugs from Italy. These were remarkably similar to the old SP Penetrator slugs. These slugs produced a three-shot group measuring 3,5cm x 5cm. This was the first time I had used a ghost- ring sight and I was impressed with the quick target acquisition it facilitated.

 

The next and most time-consuming task was removing the rust and grime from the outer barrel, action, interior and flats, as well as all the other nooks and crannies, and then preparing the metalwork for blueing. Fortunately, Hennie offered the help of his able assistant, Sam, who did most of this work. Among his other areas of expertise, Sam was excellent at preparing the metalwork for the bluing tank, so I left this in his capable hands.

 

When the metalwork was done to satisfaction, Hennie applied his special rust-blueing formula which he used for his custom rifles and shotguns. This produces a deep, rich and durable gun-blue finish to the metalwork which protects it from rust and corrosion.

 

Well, finally, the hard work and the long wait paid off. The old gun, which had spent years in the back of Hennie’s gun safe rusting away, now had a new lease on life and had been 96 transformed from a dirty, rusty old ‘sow’s ear’ into a functional, good-looking and working ‘silk purse’, which can once again be taken with pride into the hunting field.

 

My grateful thanks go to Sam, whose draw filing and polishing of the metal to remove the rust and pitting brought it almost to a mirror finish, ready for the bluing tank. Without his hard work, the finish would not have turned out as well as it did. And, of course, my special thanks go to Hennie Mulder for his expert advice and help in achieving the final result of this interesting project.

 

All that is left now is to arrange a pig-hunt for the ultimate test!

To order Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences – the complete book with illustrations (US $15 excluding S&H), contact Andrew Meyer at andrewisikhova@icloud.com


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