Recent content by DrBob

I hear you..... I can shoot hard cast 500 grain bullets in the 470 at 2150 fps. 79 grains Varget. Of course the cost of powder has zoomed.

So many wads....so little time.....

Handloading is part craftmanship and part technology. In hunting or competitive shooting, I know that my handloads have been an important part of it. When in Africa, in Alaska or rest of US, all of my ammo are my handloads, tailored and tested for my rifles. Emphasis "MY" because I take...

I had just returned to Alaska after my first hunt in Africa (Zim).... I bumped into a group of hunters from the Lower 48 in the waiting line in the airport. They had been skunked.... the ADF&G closed the season while they were still in the field. Alaska is essentially a one species per hunt...

Power and such are shipping chock points on barges coming up. Covid really clobbered things. Spodtsman's warehouse is now just getting supplies more constant but prices for powder is 3x from the past just like the rest of the country. Primer availability is nation wide and more so in AK...

The present darling is the 10mm Glock. The 12 gauge slug is potent and one can dump more rounds into a bear with that than a DGR. There is killing power and then there is stopping power.

I carry a 45 Colt Ruger Redhawk with hard cast 360 grain warheads. Buffalo bore makes great solid 45s for the Ruger. I chose the Redhawk as it is bomb proof and at very heavy loads it is right up there with the heavy 44 mags. The 6" Redhawk in 44 mag is nice. The Ruger Alaskan is a painful...

My 470 NE Merkel doubled also. Working up regular loads with right barrel first. Pulled the trigger and found myself pushed back and starring at the ceiling wrestling the rifle...but didn't fall off the stool at the range! Happened several times. Sent it in.... came back with a much heavier...

Also, Boddington's stepson yanking off the extractor from a Mauser action from a "brisk" clearing of the action. I did upgrade my 700 in 416 to an M-16 extractor. Remington Custom Shop, prior to closing, was offering both the M-16 extractor and double ejection plungers. I really wonder what...

I use temp insensitive powders from Hodgdon to work up loads... in Alaska...where any temp is ... well.... not African. The Brits reduced loads by 5 grains for Kynock lammo to deal with that same problem.

The 300 Weatherby is a fine cartridge. The modern bullets have brought it to where Roy Weatherby would be proud of it. The old style bullets couldn't keep up. The TSX series, the A-Frames and Northfork bullets make it great. Potent but then take a look at all of the crazy overkill cartridges...

.No. 1s: 300 Win Mag, 416 Rigby, 416 RM, 458 Win Mag, 470 NE (Hamilton Bowen).

Paste wax (like Turtle Wax)... but don't buff it off. Take the can with you for touch ups.

If alone in the bush with no back up..... the 375 is a little too light ... although the Ghost of John Taylor may haunt me for that. That's what the PH is for ... insurance. A guide...yes.... but a definitive ender of bad things...yes. The 375 H&H is not an "under-gunned" cartridge... just...

In O'Connor's writings his wife often used the 257 Roberts ... the necked down 7x57. Yes, I bought a 270 because of Outdoor Life's editor but looking back, the best balance is the 280 Ackley Improved... again 7mm territory. It took a long time for me to buy a 30-06.... but anyway you cut...