One Of My Final Shikars

Another very thrilling encounter. When will you be visiting Hoss Delgado and his illustrious grandfather?
 
View attachment 310677
Rumesh and our client with the Sambhar deer and the leopard .

What a marvellous day ! We secured not one trophy , but two before sundown. One was a large Sambhar deer . The other was a massive leopard. Not only did we secure a leopard , but what was more impressive was that , even the leopard , after getting wounded , did not manage to trouble us much . Surely , fortune had smiled upon us that day. After cutting the leopard open , we discovered that only one of the eight LG pellets had penetrated the brain of the leopard. Two were found inside the cavity of his nose . The rest had flattened against the skull of the leopard.
The Winchester silver tip bullet had done devastating damage to his brain. The very first Winchester silver tip bullet had only ruptured a single lung.
I certainly liked the feel of that Astra 12 bore . It was a very comfortable shot-gun to use and the recoil of the gun ( which weighed upwards of seven pounds ) was in no way , unpleasant . My client would have a bigger in my life fifty years later. That client was Don Fernando Delgado. I never saw Fernando again after that Shikar . However , fifty years later , we would run in to each other again , in the strangest of circumstances.
In 2019 , his grandson , a member of these forums known as Hoss Delgado , would write a post which mentioned my former Shikar partner , the late Karim Chowdhury by name . It was through pure good fortune that l would find this forum on the internet one day when l was doing a search on the internet about Kynoch lethal ball cartridges ( to see if they were being manufactured anymore ) . For fifty years , l did not have any contact with the international hunting world anymore. But in 2019 , l am proud that l have become a member of African Hunting forums .
And that , dear readers concludes another account. My next article will be slightly different. If anyone has any questions about Shikar in India from 1950 to 1970 , then please let me know. I will compile a separate article to answer each and every curious reader's questions in a chronological manner. I hope that this account has proved enjoyable . Someday , l hope l see another Astra side by side shot-gun again , although l am curious as to why that barrel had bulged in the first place.

Thank you again for another wonderful glimpse of hunting in that lost age. I am stunned by the ability of your trackers to successfully walk down a leopard and spot it in sufficient time for your client to have an opportunity for a shot. A couple of outfitters offered a similar hunt in Namibia for a few years using San trackers. I am simply in awe of such skills.

The only thing that typically will cause a bulge is an obstruction. If it leaves the barrel as the shell is fired, a bulge results - usually at the start of the choke. If it doesn't, the barrel will blow open - usually somewhere around the forearm and before the beginning of the choke. Less often, such a bulge could be caused by an above proof load of buckshot or a slug. Quality Spanish guns of the period copied British game gun designs, and so, even if 70mm, it would have been designed for field and not magnum loads.
 
View attachment 310677
Rumesh and our client with the Sambhar deer and the leopard .

What a marvellous day ! We secured not one trophy , but two before sundown. One was a large Sambhar deer . The other was a massive leopard. Not only did we secure a leopard , but what was more impressive was that , even the leopard , after getting wounded , did not manage to trouble us much . Surely , fortune had smiled upon us that day. After cutting the leopard open , we discovered that only one of the eight LG pellets had penetrated the brain of the leopard. Two were found inside the cavity of his nose . The rest had flattened against the skull of the leopard.
The Winchester silver tip bullet had done devastating damage to his brain. The very first Winchester silver tip bullet had only ruptured a single lung.
I certainly liked the feel of that Astra 12 bore . It was a very comfortable shot-gun to use and the recoil of the gun ( which weighed upwards of seven pounds ) was in no way , unpleasant . My client would have a bigger in my life fifty years later. That client was Don Fernando Delgado. I never saw Fernando again after that Shikar . However , fifty years later , we would run in to each other again , in the strangest of circumstances.
In 2019 , his grandson , a member of these forums known as Hoss Delgado , would write a post which mentioned my former Shikar partner , the late Karim Chowdhury by name . It was through pure good fortune that l would find this forum on the internet one day when l was doing a search on the internet about Kynoch lethal ball cartridges ( to see if they were being manufactured anymore ) . For fifty years , l did not have any contact with the international hunting world anymore. But in 2019 , l am proud that l have become a member of African Hunting forums .
And that , dear readers concludes another account. My next article will be slightly different. If anyone has any questions about Shikar in India from 1950 to 1970 , then please let me know. I will compile a separate article to answer each and every curious reader's questions in a chronological manner. I hope that this account has proved enjoyable . Someday , l hope l see another Astra side by side shot-gun again , although l am curious as to why that barrel had bulged in the first place.
Thank you again for another wonderful glimpse of hunting in that lost age. I am stunned by the ability of your trackers to successfully walk down a leopard and spot it in sufficient time for your client to have an opportunity for a shot. A couple of outfitters offered a similar hunt in Namibia for a few years using San trackers. I am simply in awe of such skills.

The only thing that typically will cause a bulge is an obstruction. If it leaves the barrel as the shell is fired, a bulge results - usually at the start of the choke. If it doesn't, the barrel will blow open - usually somewhere around the forearm and before the beginning of the choke. Less often, such a bulge could be caused by an above proof load of buckshot or a slug. Quality Spanish guns of the period copied British game gun designs, and so, even if 70mm, it would have been designed for field and not magnum loads.

.... and just saw the response concerning buckshot. Evil stuff through a good game gun.
 
Thank you again for another wonderful glimpse of hunting in that lost age. I am stunned by the ability of your trackers to successfully walk down a leopard and spot it in sufficient time for your client to have an opportunity for a shot. A couple of outfitters offered a similar hunt in Namibia for a few years using San trackers. I am simply in awe of such skills.

The only thing that typically will cause a bulge is an obstruction. If it leaves the barrel as the shell is fired, a bulge results - usually at the start of the choke. If it doesn't, the barrel will blow open - usually somewhere around the forearm and before the beginning of the choke. Less often, such a bulge could be caused by an above proof load of buckshot or a slug. Quality Spanish guns of the period copied British game gun designs, and so, even if 70mm, it would have been designed for field and not magnum loads.
Red Leg
Thank you so much for your appreciation . You are a good friend. I cannot speak of Africa , but regarding India , l can say that Garo tribesmen make the best trackers . It is as if they were blessed by Divine Providence to track animals . I once related a story here titled " Two brothers , a .3006 rifle , a jeep and a very angry leopard " . In that account , the trackers had to track a leopard through thick foliage which had been wounded with a pointed armor piercing military surplus .3006 calibre bullet ( which produces dismal blood trails , as l am certain that you know , given your experience with both sporting arms and military arms ) .
Yet , against all odds and with less than two hours of sun light , they had succeeded. I am most fascinated by this leopard hunt from Namibia with San trackers . Is the report available on these forums ?
 
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.... and just saw the response concerning buckshot. Evil stuff through a good game gun.
Red Leg
Your comment is insightful as always and very correct. The gun originally had a full choke barrel and a half choke barrel when l had first seen Fernando bring that gun in 1964. It weighed in the ambit of 7 pounds and already had the bulge near the end of the muzzle ( at about 30 inches towards the end ) . Fernando had cut the barrel length down to 28 inches and that gave the gun zero choke. When l pursued that leopard , the gun was loaded with LG cartridges , but that must have been done for an emergency. As you have stated , regular use of LG cartridges in that Astra 12 bore shot-gun ( despite the fact that it had no longer any choke ) would doubtlessly harm the gun eventually , by perhaps making the box lock mechanism ( or " action " , as you American gentlemen refer to it ) get loose.
 
Excellent report. Thank you for taking the time to share that with us. It would have been a joy to hunt in India before 1972. Now our experience is only through such fine reporting......Bill
Bill
Thank you so much for your kind words and support. I really think you would have killed hunting Royal Bengal tiger . It is a most magnificent sport.
 
Again, thank you Mr. Rahman for an interesting hunt. It is so interesting that you have connected with Mr. Delgado’s grandson. I am interested in the times of change in your country. If it is possible I would enjoy a brief (I actually would enjoy a biography as long as you wanted to make it—you are a great writer!) biography of what happened in your life after the Hunting was unjustly taken away—if this is not too painful or too much of a request from me. Thanks for what you have given us. It is a true gift.
 
Again, thank you Mr. Rahman for an interesting hunt. It is so interesting that you have connected with Mr. Delgado’s grandson. I am interested in the times of change in your country. If it is possible I would enjoy a brief (I actually would enjoy a biography as long as you wanted to make it—you are a great writer!) biography of what happened in your life after the Hunting was unjustly taken away—if this is not too painful or too much of a request from me. Thanks for what you have given us. It is a true gift.
Gesch
Thank you so much for your kind words.
I will gladly oblige.
 
I am stunned by the ability of your trackers to successfully walk down a leopard and spot it in sufficient time for your client to have an opportunity for a shot.
+1 Absolutely amazing!
 
What a great tale worthy of a great recounting! I love the picture. I have a picture of my grandfather in WWII, very dashing fellow it reminds me of him!
He served in Africa during WWII.
Mr.Rahman your stories are delightful and I have very much enjoyed them. Thank you sir!!!
I would dearly like to see the rack on that deer!
 
Red Leg
Thank you so much for your appreciation . You are a good friend. I cannot speak of Africa , but regarding India , l can say that Garo tribesmen make the best trackers . It is as if they were blessed by Divine Providence to track animals . I once related a story here titled " Two brothers , a .3006 rifle , a jeep and a very angry leopard " . In that account , the trackers had to track a leopard through thick foliage which had been wounded with a pointed armor piercing military surplus .3006 calibre bullet ( which produces dismal blood trails , as l am certain that you know , given your experience with both sporting arms and military arms ) .
Yet , against all odds and with less than two hours of sun light , they had succeeded. I am most fascinated by this leopard hunt from Namibia with San trackers . Is the report available on these forums ?
I do not believe so.
 
What a great tale worthy of a great recounting! I love the picture. I have a picture of my grandfather in WWII, very dashing fellow it reminds me of him!
He served in Africa during WWII.
Mr.Rahman your stories are delightful and I have very much enjoyed them. Thank you sir!!!
I would dearly like to see the rack on that deer!
Kevin Masters
You are a most appreciative gentleman and l would have loved to guide someone like you after a Royal Bengal tiger during the days of past. Please forgive me , as l do not have a picture of the deer rack. In the days before touch phones ( or any mobile phones , for that matter ) cameras were cumbersome. I always made it a point to bring a camera along , so that l could relive my memories one day as an old man ( which l am privileged to do , on this site ) . However , l would typically take only one or two pictures of an animal we shot for every Shikar .
 
View attachment 310677
Rumesh and our client with the Sambhar deer and the leopard .

What a marvellous day ! We secured not one trophy , but two before sundown. One was a large Sambhar deer . The other was a massive leopard. Not only did we secure a leopard , but what was more impressive was that , even the leopard , after getting wounded , did not manage to trouble us much . Surely , fortune had smiled upon us that day. After cutting the leopard open , we discovered that only one of the eight LG pellets had penetrated the brain of the leopard. Two were found inside the cavity of his nose . The rest had flattened against the skull of the leopard.
The Winchester silver tip bullet had done devastating damage to his brain. The very first Winchester silver tip bullet had only ruptured a single lung.
I certainly liked the feel of that Astra 12 bore . It was a very comfortable shot-gun to use and the recoil of the gun ( which weighed upwards of seven pounds ) was in no way , unpleasant . My client would have a bigger in my life fifty years later. That client was Don Fernando Delgado. I never saw Fernando again after that Shikar . However , fifty years later , we would run in to each other again , in the strangest of circumstances.
In 2019 , his grandson , a member of these forums known as Hoss Delgado , would write a post which mentioned my former Shikar partner , the late Karim Chowdhury by name . It was through pure good fortune that l would find this forum on the internet one day when l was doing a search on the internet about Kynoch lethal ball cartridges ( to see if they were being manufactured anymore ) . For fifty years , l did not have any contact with the international hunting world anymore. But in 2019 , l am proud that l have become a member of African Hunting forums .
And that , dear readers concludes another account. My next article will be slightly different. If anyone has any questions about Shikar in India from 1950 to 1970 , then please let me know. I will compile a separate article to answer each and every curious reader's questions in a chronological manner. I hope that this account has proved enjoyable . Someday , l hope l see another Astra side by side shot-gun again , although l am curious as to why that barrel had bulged in the first place.

always so nice to open my laptop when I get home from work and find another one of your fabulous stories posted in which I can lose myself for a moment in the jungles of India .. thank you
 
BTW , Red Leg are you familiar with Astra Shotguns ? :D Did any of 'em have 3 inch Chambers and we're they really unsuited for buckshot and slugs ?
Thanks
Hoss :)
Hoss Delgado
What Red Leg said to me made a great deal of sense. Did not Fernando's Astra 12 bore get it's barrel bulged , because he had tried to fire an LG cartridge from the it ? It was only after he cut the length of those barrels and removed any choke that he managed to make it work with LG cartridges. But l fear that even then , a large quantity of LG cartridges being fired through this gun would make the box lock mechanism ( or action ) get loose eventually. These game guns are designed for shooting number 4 or number 6 shot.
The only reason we used an LG cartridge in that choke less Astra 12 bore was because it was an emergency and a single incident.
 
BTW , Red Leg are you familiar with Astra Shotguns ? :D Did any of 'em have 3 inch Chambers and we're they really unsuited for buckshot and slugs ?
Thanks
Hoss :)
I am not sure what point you are trying to make, or the purpose of the smiley faces, but I’ll take a moment to respond.

Astra is/was typical of the Spanish system where makers came and went usually in the lifespan of the the founder. (AYA is an exception to that limited production legacy.) Astra, other than a host of handguns, also seemingly built small quantities of everything from truly junker boxlocks to fairly well made sidelocks. Guns of this period, regardless of maker, ranged from superb to awful - apparently regardless of the range of the product. A fine sidelock, for instance, might have fragile springs or a poorly fitted stock head. I have a very high quality AYA sidelock OU of the period where the engraved “pheasants” look like pterodactyls. Questionable barrel steel or uncertain wall thickness was a routine concern. Nothing ever seems to be quite perfect with any of the Spanish guns of most of the second half of the 20th century. But they were relatively cheap. Much of those production quality assurance issues seem to have been resolved by the surviving major houses over the last 20 years or so.

I would never ever shoot heavy buckshot or slugs of any manufacture through one of these guns regardless of its marks or apparent proof. They were designed to be inexpensive clones of British game guns. British game guns are not designed for such use, and only in an emergency would I even consider using an imitation for such a purpose.

Though Terry Wieland and I do not agree on everything (particularly with respect to the Blaser S2), his book "Spanish Best" is a good place to start a foundation on the Basque guns. https://www.amazon.com/Spanish-Best-Fine-Shotguns-Spain/dp/158667143X Regrettably, I do not believe Astra products, other than handguns, were included.
 

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