When the Big Guns Go Head to Head

Since I joined the club there are a few things I've learned. Firstly it really is an acid test for:

1. Your rifle and scope setup
2. Any issues with feeding or ejecting
3. Your ability to shoot offhand without taking your head off the stock
4. Your ability to hit the target out to 100m offhand
5. Your ability not to get fatigued firing 50+ rounds excess of 4100fpe
6. How much your wallet can stand
7. How hot you can get your barrel before the wood starts to burn
8. Your ability to shoot under pressure of time, accuracy and of course a bollocking as they are playing for sheep stations.

The members of my club that went over are a great bunch of guys and very welcoming to new chums, they are excellent shots and shoot a variety disciplines, from shotguns to handguns. They hunt all over the world not just for African big game. They can shoot 100m offhand with open sights with 9.3x74R up to 500NE that unbelievably accurate. My eyesight isn't that good so I use either an aimpoint or a scope but there is a point penalty.
 
Blimey some recoil there...

That lion at the beginning made me jump...:scared:

That lion target will test you. If you haven't reloaded in time the lion is already on you. You can see some people using the bolt guns haven't cycled in time before its already hit the stops. This is a good demonstration why a double is a good back up in this situation and open sights or a red dot makes it easier.
 
It can be expensive alright. So you really got to reload and buy in bulk. Some of those doubles in the competitions cost an arm and a leg but they do get used both in practice, competition and hunting. You can see the really well practiced guys they will have the art of reloading and firing seamlessly and you can see that in the video.
 
That looks like a lot of fun. I must say shooting a double rifle is great fun. Even mine in 8x57jrs. There is a competition very similar to your video but shot with ordinary full boar rifles that i shoot every year. Last year it was cancelled due to the very warm, dry weather and the risk of fire. It attracts between 150 and 200 competitors. Several years ago on one stand there was a young man shooting a .460 weatherby and the other lad shooting that detail used a lever action .30-30. Amusing to watch.
 
I'm so impressed with what I saw on that video that, this Christmas, I'm going to build a rail system in 2" square box section right in front of my range back stop with a traveling target driven by a 18v drill

Ideas are thanks to Tiff at the Roundhouse who has already done much the same with his running boar range - thanks Tiff

Limitations of my site means that I will probably only shoot .22 (largely coz of the noise) at 25 through to 5 m

Should still scare the sh one T out of participants as the moggy comes snaking along the grass

But one can dream .... :-|
 
Thanks for the link.
It would be worrying the number of feed issues some of the shooters appeared to have if out on a real dangerous game hunt! Are there specific calibres or actions which have problems ?
 
I don't know what rifles they were using that had feed issues in the video but there are known issues such as ruger #1 with case extraction getting caught on safety catch. You need to change safety catch so it sits flush. Otherwise the following happens.

 
Nice to see some lefties amongst the heavy hitters.

Also noticeable that the doubles allow a much quicker second shot, but beyond that they're about on level par with the bolt actions when you factor in the fumbling in the belt for the next 2.

Thanks for posting.

Novice
 
I'm so impressed with what I saw on that video that, this Christmas, I'm going to build a rail system in 2" square box section right in front of my range back stop with a traveling target driven by a 18v drill

Ideas are thanks to Tiff at the Roundhouse who has already done much the same with his running boar range - thanks Tiff

Limitations of my site means that I will probably only shoot .22 (largely coz of the noise) at 25 through to 5 m

Should still scare the sh one T out of participants as the moggy comes snaking along the grass

But one can dream .... :-|
Love to see the setup once its working.
 
Looks excellent. One of our club members shot a rogue lion that was harassing a local village after a 9 hour track using a double rifle open sights with one shot to the head after the original video was made. His ph was shocked but surprised how well he shot. This is what practise does for you.
 
I have not any tales of daring do but I do remember as a 18 year old trainee ranger in Kafue NGP having to attend an elephant cull.

The family group was routinely causing damage to local villagers' crops and the Dept was called upon to do something about it.

It is something I'll never forget and never want to see again

Despite that, the ranger's job was the career I wanted - sadly it was not to be; but I was able to qualify with FGASA some years later

Now at 60 it isn't likely to come to pass - however one can dream :rolleyes:
 
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