Yes that would likely help!
Big gun poll
- Thread starter Greener Jim
- Start date
I did wonder how long it would be till you joined in.
Couldnt agree more mate, moderation is the key I think with the bigger stuff. How is the 458 with renewal time close/gone?
Couldnt agree more mate, moderation is the key I think with the bigger stuff. How is the 458 with renewal time close/gone?
Hi Yorkie, my .375 is also a Blaser, I used to have a double, but a frightening experience convinced me that sometimes two shots isn't enough. Picture this, Sweden, middle of the night, well below-20, I've run out of Coffee half an hour ago, pee bottle is full and I've just about reached my cold tolerance limit. I'm gonna go back to the lodge, I get out of the hut, lean the rifle against the wall to put on my pack. Then I heard a noise behind me, grab the rifle turn and see what it is. A bloody big Keiler!! With the combination of cold, tiredness, fear etc I clean missed with the first shot. Now... Comes the decision, do I fire again and leave myself with an empty gun and then a very well engineered, expensive club? Or do I try and reload? Luckily the second shot dropped it, but it was clean underpants time. Hence the Blaser.Hi Gunner.
I am glad someone else remembers this. I recall seeing some targets at Minsterly of Lion, Buffalo etc and asking what they were used for and being told it was for shooting the 'African' Rifles.
I have absolutely no NEED for a Big Bore Rifle but what the heck has that got do with anything? I WANT one! I am pretty sure however my FLD would not accept that.
When I did my level 1 a Gent from Ireland used a Blaser in .375 H+H! Needless to see we all wanted a go at the end of the Day. I fired 3 shots Prone and was surprised at how little it recoiled compared to what I was expecting. Winchester factory ammo.
Yorkie.
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Hi gunner.
Sounds like you have an excellent experience there. You could have always thrown the pee bottle at him
. The Blaser I shot was a repeater, R93?Any problems with Wakefield getting the .375?
Yorkie.
Yorkie, I personally had no problem getting the .375, BUT! They would only let me have it for what they call 'point of embarkation' at first. This meant that I could only use it against quarry abroad. I could zero on approved ranges over here but only with solid bullets. Eventually they decided that I could use it in Britain on any land I have permission to shoot on. Kind of em eh? It does take a while but if you use your head and don't do anything stupid they eventually see sense.
browning525
Member
I love my big bores! I currently have 3 doubles, (not including drillings), the largest of which is a 577/500no2BPE. Quite the journey to piece together all the components, and then cast your own lead pills to use on game. Recently used this old double hammer-gun to shoot a pair of black bears this spring in northern Alberta.
I have a couple of doubles in 9.3x74, one I used to shoot my bison with.
After years of using the big guns, I find that a well constructed bullet will hold together and do less damage on game than a supersonic pill that explodes on impact.
I have a 458wm, not sure why yet
, and a 45-120 that is pushing me to the limits to find a decent load for, but that is part of the journey as well! I have a 458x2" (glorified 45-70) that has taken both bear and a cougar for me (built on a rem 660 action, weighing in under 6 lbs.) I am currently on my third (or is it fourth?) .375 HH. Great for everything from,....well, just EVERYTHING! I have used it for bear to antelope. Never found a .375 that wouldn't group if I did my part.
Where I roam the mountains in the fall to hunt elk, we consistently run into grizzly bears. I take some reassurance knowing I pack enough gun to handle any situations that arise. And, quite honestly, the big-bores are just plain fun to shoot!
I have a couple of doubles in 9.3x74, one I used to shoot my bison with.
After years of using the big guns, I find that a well constructed bullet will hold together and do less damage on game than a supersonic pill that explodes on impact.
I have a 458wm, not sure why yet
, and a 45-120 that is pushing me to the limits to find a decent load for, but that is part of the journey as well! I have a 458x2" (glorified 45-70) that has taken both bear and a cougar for me (built on a rem 660 action, weighing in under 6 lbs.) I am currently on my third (or is it fourth?) .375 HH. Great for everything from,....well, just EVERYTHING! I have used it for bear to antelope. Never found a .375 that wouldn't group if I did my part. Where I roam the mountains in the fall to hunt elk, we consistently run into grizzly bears. I take some reassurance knowing I pack enough gun to handle any situations that arise. And, quite honestly, the big-bores are just plain fun to shoot!
Thanks for that mate. Sounds like you have a good selection of big bores! Not even slightly jealous I promise 
I have a 45-120 too and am about to start load development myself so I'm sure I'll feel your pain soon enough!
I have a 45-120 too and am about to start load development myself so I'm sure I'll feel your pain soon enough!
Sounds like you're on my wavelength. I want a 50 cal dangerous game rifle but I doubt I'll get that approved for deer.....
What bullet are you using in that 45-70 mate?
What bullet are you using in that 45-70 mate?
Wrens Mews
Well-Known Member
Quite an interesting thread, as someone who shoots more than his share of large calibres (.50bmg and above) some of the inaccurate comments made me smile.
I have just returned from the .50cal World Championships in the USA where we did 500 rounds roughly each over 3 days of shooting (No detached retinas)
Targets from 1k to over 2.5k this year.
Anyone interested in shooting large calibres in the UK who is looking for range access to enable this, drop me a PM.
You will see all sorts from 'normal' calibres, then 375CT, 408, 416, 460, 50bmg, .55, 14.5, 20mm and others in between most weekends on a range in the UK.
I have just returned from the .50cal World Championships in the USA where we did 500 rounds roughly each over 3 days of shooting (No detached retinas)
Targets from 1k to over 2.5k this year.
Anyone interested in shooting large calibres in the UK who is looking for range access to enable this, drop me a PM.
You will see all sorts from 'normal' calibres, then 375CT, 408, 416, 460, 50bmg, .55, 14.5, 20mm and others in between most weekends on a range in the UK.
Kano383
Well-Known Member
Yep... You can have a handy DG big bore that you can carry all day and still be able to point it at something in the evening, and you can have a big bore that you can shoot all day at the range.
But it's not the same rifle... Or it's not the same loads.
There is no point shooting a rifle beyond the point where you get bruises: the moment you start getting uncomfortable, put it down. If you shoot at the range, there is no point going there with full-house loads in a 9lbs .500...
Likewise, there is no point carrying a muzzle-heavy 13lbs .404 on a hunt: after just a few hours under the sun, that thing will become more of an impediment than a piece of equipment. And profanities will slowly start dribbling from the corners of your parched mouth...
I've been shooting medium to large bores since about 15yo. This includes off the bench & I was well under 60kg wringing wet back then. The trick to shooting these well is to stop shooting as soon any bad habits start, then pick up a lighter caliber & shoot it till you can settle your nerves. Then go back to the big bore & start again. The best way to tell if you are in control of a big rifle is have a mate chamber a round (or not) & hand you the rifle. You shouldn't know if there is a round or not for this, nothing will give you a more honest appraisal of your ability/fear of a rifle than a bad flinch when the pin drops on an empty chamber.
Its a well accepted "rule of thumb" that at least 200 rounds per year out of large guns is the minimum needed to maintain control over them. As for physical injuries? IMO any healthy person in their teens should be able to shoot a 458 without any harm with the correct supervision & form.
Sharkey
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