Putting in the pre-departure work

I say putting in the work, but who am I kidding, it’s a wonderful reason to shoot more. So in February I had things sort of align to return to Zimbabwe for a hunt in April this year. Here I was thinking I’d have to wait till October and viola, not so much.

I’d continued shooting through the winter after returning from Zimbabwe on Halloween, so not much to do, other than this hunt I’d use primarily solids, so I was excited to tweak some loads I had already started but turned away from while working up loads on a Heym 500 and 450/400.

Leaning away from that for the moment I turned my focus back to my intended rifle for the hunt, an 89b Grossbox in 450NE. Within a couple weeks had loads for the Woodleigh 480gt Hydro, then 500gr NF, CEB, and Swift Breakaway solids pretty well settled.


Continued shooting my 450 primarily, but did shoot the 89b 450/400, started tinkering with loads for a WR 450/400 and then picked up a 375FL magnum 88b that I just this week finished load work for. So once or twice a week I go to the gun club, shoot what’s needed for loads in the Westley Richards 450/400 and then the 375FL, noting everything and choreographed speeds for ES/SD, then spend my time practicing my 450, which I took the RMR off when I returned from Nashville since I decided I wanted to do this hunt with open iron sights. That’s has been my main re-learning curve, and with our super bright, bluebird sunny days lately with all the snow, it’s made for good learning experiences with how to deal with reflections on the front bead and even the rear sight catching the sunlight. It was initially shocking to me just how much the front bead catching bright sun on one portion vs another shifts the point of impact as the bead based on how my eyes perceive its placement. (But my pride in tight little consistent pairings with an RMR are currently no longer a thing)

Luckily I ran out of the neccesary bullets for more WR load work, and with the 375FL dialed, most of my time Friday, and likely next two or three times I make it out before I depart will be all with the 450NE.

I’ve been shooting it from sticks or just my tripod with a bag mounted allowing a comfortable rest for the back of my hand. With the temps still frigid, I’ve continued shooting from the heated houses to keep ammo up to temp, and while I’ve run a few pairs at 55yds and even a few at 100yd, all my substantive work has been under 40yd. Usually do 1-2 of my 6-circle targets with inner circle at 3.5”, will run a pair of solids into each of the first 4-5 targets, then sometimes 4-6 rounds into the last one of the loads I’d use for buffalo, which are 500gr NF Semispitzers, 500gr NF Cupped Solids, or 470gr CEB Raptor. Each target I go from gun down to step up, mount sticks/bag, off safety and with deliberate pace, but not frantic rushed, fire both barrels into Sam circle. Then gun down, eject, safety and reload from belt. After a few pairs, if guns too warm, pull the pair, back to the belt, take notes from the chronograph and about pairing size/pattern, if spread wide, notes as to why and what I felt I did to cause it. Then I will step back to the shooting bay, and from gun in position run through reload drill from my belt, mount, shoot, rinse repeat.

I also printed a bunch of these frontal brain targets another fellow member made and forwarded me. Dimensions are designed to mimic that of the brain area of a bull elephant with 4” circle in the sweet spot…which one would still have to properly identify on a live bull of course, but still better practice than not.

Friday I also stepped outside and closer to 25yds, firing three pair free, offhand, with proper eject and reload from belt. Was shocked how it was hitting low and left, which I think was the bright sun hitting top right (2-o’clock) of the front bead, or just how my shoulders and trigger finger work in play together. Will do more offhand Sunday and after so I know for sure. Was super happy and surprised for how tightly the pair hit, last one excepted since I did adjust my hold for first shot, but by 6th and final I totally pulled it.

Just always so nice to have the additional incentive behind getting things set up for shooting in our cold environment.

Load I finally settled on for the 375 Flanged Magnum, with H4831 and 300gr A-Frame. My plainsgame rifle should I get interested in them or wild hair for tiny 10 with a double. I clearly need to adjust the scope, the gun prints a shade high at 55yds, but too high at 100yds. So will roll a few as I make some more for my 450 to play with tomorrow. Have all my hunt loads rolled and boxed and ready, so just load more of the same to practice. (Crazy how fast 5lb jugs of RL15 empty)

Very impressive! An 89b in 450 is a dream for me!

Getting closer to booking an ele hunt I think. And wish I could bring my .450no2. But I'll practice with it and my .375hh before Zim and use the camp rifles there. Is what it is. But don't want the legal hassle for Canadian/Zim embargo.

That’s almost as much fun as the hunt, all the prep work and shooting.

My favorite type of hunting is with irons , here at home I noticed a partridge front sight helped better for my eyes and was not as prominently affected by the sun as the beads

Man, those groups should give you the confidence needed.

And man the CCH is gorgeous

I’m sure you know those brain targets are oriented 90 degrees off. The brain is wider front to back and left and right in the skull than it is tall.

Altitude sickness said:

Man, those groups should give you the confidence needed.

And man the CCH is gorgeous

I’m sure you know those brain targets are oriented 90 degrees off. The brain is wider front to back and left and right in the skull than it is tall.

Click to expand...

The football shape is deceiving, makes you want to turn on edge, but gent designed that way.

The gent that made up the targets designed like he’s looking through the brain front to back, so sort of a cross section of the brain at its deepest spot, but put emphasis on keeping tight laterally since the brain is narrower from the front and what the frontal shot more difficult…have to get correct angle for how the head is positioned and tight to center. More margin for error on the side brain since the football shape is wider from that angle (more like the target shape if turned on its side).

I’ll have to find the post, he’s a forum member. I try to focus on aim small and stick to center, and visualize where that spot should be on the head, which of course changes depending on distance from the elephant and how he holds his head…and with all my real life experience being absolute zero…will also lean on Gareth for direction on determining the aim point as I learn through the hunt.

Will,
Nice work, you look like you are extremely well prepared
Ed

Wildwillalaska said:

I say putting in the work, but who am I kidding, it’s a wonderful reason to shoot more. So in February I had things sort of align to return to Zimbabwe for a hunt in April this year. Here I was thinking I’d have to wait till October and viola, not so much.

I’d continued shooting through the winter after returning from Zimbabwe on Halloween, so not much to do, other than this hunt I’d use primarily solids, so I was excited to tweak some loads I had already started but turned away from while working up loads on a Heym 500 and 450/400.

Leaning away from that for the moment I turned my focus back to my intended rifle for the hunt, an 89b Grossbox in 450NE. Within a couple weeks had loads for the Woodleigh 480gt Hydro, then 500gr NF, CEB, and Swift Breakaway solids pretty well settled.
View attachment 757474View attachment 757477View attachment 757478View attachment 757479

Continued shooting my 450 primarily, but did shoot the 89b 450/400, started tinkering with loads for a WR 450/400 and then picked up a 375FL magnum 88b that I just this week finished load work for. So once or twice a week I go to the gun club, shoot what’s needed for loads in the Westley Richards 450/400 and then the 375FL, noting everything and choreographed speeds for ES/SD, then spend my time practicing my 450, which I took the RMR off when I returned from Nashville since I decided I wanted to do this hunt with open iron sights. That’s has been my main re-learning curve, and with our super bright, bluebird sunny days lately with all the snow, it’s made for good learning experiences with how to deal with reflections on the front bead and even the rear sight catching the sunlight. It was initially shocking to me just how much the front bead catching bright sun on one portion vs another shifts the point of impact as the bead based on how my eyes perceive its placement. (But my pride in tight little consistent pairings with an RMR are currently no longer a thing)
View attachment 757480View attachment 757481
Luckily I ran out of the neccesary bullets for more WR load work, and with the 375FL dialed, most of my time Friday, and likely next two or three times I make it out before I depart will be all with the 450NE.

I’ve been shooting it from sticks or just my tripod with a bag mounted allowing a comfortable rest for the back of my hand. With the temps still frigid, I’ve continued shooting from the heated houses to keep ammo up to temp, and while I’ve run a few pairs at 55yds and even a few at 100yd, all my substantive work has been under 40yd. Usually do 1-2 of my 6-circle targets with inner circle at 3.5”, will run a pair of solids into each of the first 4-5 targets, then sometimes 4-6 rounds into the last one of the loads I’d use for buffalo, which are 500gr NF Semispitzers, 500gr NF Cupped Solids, or 470gr CEB Raptor. Each target I go from gun down to step up, mount sticks/bag, off safety and with deliberate pace, but not frantic rushed, fire both barrels into Sam circle. Then gun down, eject, safety and reload from belt. After a few pairs, if guns too warm, pull the pair, back to the belt, take notes from the chronograph and about pairing size/pattern, if spread wide, notes as to why and what I felt I did to cause it. Then I will step back to the shooting bay, and from gun in position run through reload drill from my belt, mount, shoot, rinse repeat.
View attachment 757482
I also printed a bunch of these frontal brain targets another fellow member made and forwarded me. Dimensions are designed to mimic that of the brain area of a bull elephant with 4” circle in the sweet spot…which one would still have to properly identify on a live bull of course, but still better practice than not.
View attachment 757484View attachment 757485View attachment 757475View attachment 757476
Friday I also stepped outside and closer to 25yds, firing three pair free, offhand, with proper eject and reload from belt. Was shocked how it was hitting low and left, which I think was the bright sun hitting top right (2-o’clock) of the front bead, or just how my shoulders and trigger finger work in play together. Will do more offhand Sunday and after so I know for sure. Was super happy and surprised for how tightly the pair hit, last one excepted since I did adjust my hold for first shot, but by 6th and final I totally pulled it.
View attachment 757483

Click to expand...

Got a pdf of the elephant targets?

I have it in an email he sent, PM me and would happily share since he did the same for folks replying to his post. I need to look back and find it.

So here’s a new temptation, but believe I’ll leave it well alone. I’m importing a couple new Heym 89b rifles from Germany. One is in 500NE that I plan to keep. I got an email from Laurel at Griffin & Howe, they both arrived safe and are getting the import marks done where she hopes to ship my way shortly. She thinks I’ll have in hand before I depart for Zim, but only by a couple/few days.

I told myself a good while back, regardless if the 500 showed up, that my first I wanted to take with my trusty and loved 450NE. But so hard not to at least want to bring the 500 along for a road trip if nothing else. Lol

I mean who would want to leave this sexy beast behind? The extended tang/top strap and CCH had me the first time I laid eyes on it.

Holly Molly! That is absolutely gorgeous. Congrats on the new purchase.

So the frontal brain targets I was using are the brainchild of fellow member One Day...

Here is some of what he posted in another thread and why he developed the target he used in prep for his hunt and was kind enough to share.
Noting the measurements of a bull ele brain cavity measuring the cross section head in hunting camp in zim, he got the following.
""

• Length (back to front): ~12" to 14"
• Height (top to bottom): ~6" to 8"
• Width (right to left / ear to ear): ~4" to 6"

The reason the frontal brain shot target is oval in the vertical plane is because the brain is NOT like a football (or rugby ball for our non-US friends). Footballs / rugby balls are oval in the horizontal plane and round in the vertical plane. An elephant brains is actually oval in both horizontal and vertical planes.

Just to clarify:







Continuing from one of his posts...

"This is the reason why my double rifle target, as illustrated in my previous post, was a 4" wide circle.

Notice that the "football" shape analogy is just that, an analogy. It applies best from the side, but not well from the front, as an elephant brain is not circular but oval when viewed from the front.

So, here is how a ~4" group looks on a frontal brain shot of a elephant. In this case, the "football" shape is viewed from the face.

The grid is 1" wide.


Obviously, a side brain shot offers a considerably larger target, as in that case, the "football" shape is viewed from the side.

I will therefore stand comfortably firm on my previous post statement that: "even a 4" spread is 'minute of Buff or Ele' in real life".

And I will again emphasize that the true limiting factor is human. I already touched in the previous post on the hunter's ability to shoot a double rifle off hand, and just for fun I will add the hunter's ability to visualize where the brain is when looking at the live elephant...

I hope this helps "

I personally found the targets very helpful and interesting.

Cheers,
W