New to AH from Nebraska

[glh]

Just joined and looking forward to the website.
I'm a former crop duster of 29 years in the business,along with my wife,we sold the business in 2003 and I now operate heavy equipment for the county.
Started hunting North America in about 1985 and have been in the lower 48 as well as Canada and Alaska.Have been lucky taking five bull elk,mule deer,whitetail,Dall sheep,mt. lion,moose,a couple black bear,one brown bear,one int. grizzly,wolf etc.
Always wanted to try Africa so June 2013,booked a hunt with Chris Troskie,CT Safaris,RSA,my wife and I spent seven fabulous days with Chris.Ended up taking a 39" Cape buffalo as first animal followed with 54" kudu,warthog, impala and zebra.Could not have had a better time and want to go back soon.
Used a double rifle in .450 NE, of my own making, on the buffalo.Got to say that was the high point in the hunting career.Used a Win. 70 in .300 WBY. for everything else,handloads consisted of 220 gr. Nosler Partitions in the .300 at 2840 fps.Complete penetration on everything,the .450 was loaded with 480 gr. Hornadys and that worked well.
Too bad there is only one "first trip" to Africa.
Have told people if you have to borrow the money by all means get over there and see what it's all about!

 

[spike.t]

welcome, and nice hunt for a first timer! . please show us some photos of your double you made , and of your hunt

 

[Bobpuckett]

Welcome to AH glh! I had a friend in Alaska now living in Florida tell me the exact same thing, it was years later before I went and I'm still kicking myself in the Butt for that.

 

[peras]

Welcome to AH!

 

[James.Grage]

Welcome to AH...

Good to have another member

So how the Team going to do this year???

It been 30 + years since i worked in the state..

 

[CAustin]

Welcome the the site sir. Hope you will post pictures.

 

[enysse]

Welcome to AH!

 

[bluey]

gday glh
welcome to AH ,enjoy the site .
l too would enjoy seeing your own ,made double ,and lots of pictures of your first hunt , with chriss.
love an intro that makes you go ohyeah i gotta see that ......

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Welcome to AH glh!

 

[Royal27]

Welcome!

I wanna see tha pics too!!!

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Welcome to AH glh! Glad you found us...

 

[Nyati]

Welcome to AH, glh !

And, yes, we just need to see those pics

 

[glh]

I am a total computer know nothing,stuggle to get the thing turned on.Uploading photos is much worse than pulling my own tooth.Will try to get some pics up but will have to call in an expert.Thanx!

 

[Jfet]

Welcome!
Welcome!
Welcome!

 

[JamesJ]

Welcome to the forums. I would like to see some pics of the double!

 

[glh]

Here's a pic of the double rifle with the buffalo.

The kudu bull, zebra and impala

.

 

[JamesJ]

Nice looking rifle and some beautiful trophies congrats. What was the base action for the double or did you start from the ground up?

 

[buchnerl]

Very good looking trophies sir, and seems like you really enjoyed the hunt!

Welcome to the forum and enjoy our AH community out here!

 

[glh]

Nice looking rifle and some beautiful trophies congrats. What was the base action for the double or did you start from the ground up?

Started with a new action,double underlugs,greener crossbolt and made of modern carbon steel.Used the original monblock threaded to accept the machined barrel shanks.Made the parts and pieces such as quarter ribs,barrel ribs,front block,etc.Put everything together,got it regulated and proofed.All this work takes roughly 80-100 hours,regulated with new Hornady .450 NE ammo.Also,have found a handload recipe that shoots as well as if not better than the factory stuff.The rifle prints rt. barrel on top of lt. barrel one inch apart at 50 yd. that's if I do my job.I have had the best luck with Federal 215 primers,these doubles can have a somewhat weak firing pin fall and some primers are too hard,not the Federals.The thing I like so much about this gun is it goes bang every time and doesn't double.
You would think that just picking up a double and shooting it well would be easy,not so for me.Seems like there is a certain knack one has to develop to get good at it.
Decide to go the Deluxe route with this rifle,a,good friend ,Winston Elrod,Chesaning ,MI. did the custom stock and rust blue.The result was more than good enough for me!Many people think the only rear sight for a double is a shallow V, I departed from the mainstream and used a ghost ring rear.To me a shallow V can result in not getting the front bead down in the V under duress or poor light.This should get some comments!Anyway was able to get two well aimed 60 yd. quick shots on the buff which was partilly obscured behind a green bush.First soft point "on the shoulder" the animal stumbled forward,next shot before he made it ten feet and hunched up standing there swaying back and forth.A few more and that was it! What great memories!

 

[Wheels]

Welcome to AH.

Congratulations on your hunt. Thanks for the story and photos.

All the best.