Big Bore Addiction Group

Velo Dog said:

Matt, thanks for flying up and bringing your friend Dennis along as well, everyone enjoyed meeting you guys.
And, I agree with others here that you really can take a lot of recoil.
My shoulder is showing some fine color and very tender to the touch but, I only fired a dozen or 14 shots from my .458 and a couple more from Mike's .450 NE (the one built on a JP Sauer action).

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will likely make it up again in the near future, that's some fine country you got up there! thanks again for the fine whiskey and tell your wife I said thanks for the snacks.

I can take a lot of recoil but its not without a price, my shoulder is stiff and sore today. I probably fired around 30 or so shots from large bore guns at that shoot.

I think it was something like:
5 shots from 4 bores (2 from the double and 3 from the single)
2 shots from 8 bores (two different doubles)
1 shot from a 10 bore
1 shot from a 12 bore
2 shots from the 600 NE
2 shots from the 500 NE
4 shots from the 458 WM
6 shots of 450 NE 3.25" (two of Mikes guns)
2 shots from the 577 BPE
2 shots from the 577/500 #2
2 shots from the 577/500 3 1/8"

there might have been more but those are what I can remember at the moment. I also played with the Thompson submachine gun a little which proved to be more difficult to hit things with then the large bore rifles.

-matt

This was with Omni Bob's single shot. Good pin strike but a dead primer. It might of been another of the new guys? It doesn't matter really.

The point of the shoot was good times with good guys! That went off just fine.

Here are some recovered bullets. 6.5 Creedmoor 129 grain Hornady Interbond. in the middle is a 375 H&H 300 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw that came out my lion, and finally the 505 Gibbs 525 grain TSX taken out of the buffalo.

That Creedmoor can leave a hole too....

Royal27 said:

That Creedmoor can leave a hole too....

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Careful Royal, Matt might call you for talking such blasphemy on this tread! I was already taking a risk posting the picture with it included.....

matt85 said:

will likely make it up again in the near future, that's some fine country you got up there! thanks again for the fine whiskey and tell your wife I said thanks for the snacks.

I can take a lot of recoil but its not without a price, my shoulder is stiff and sore today. I probably fired around 30 or so shots from large bore guns at that shoot.

I think it was something like:
5 shots from 4 bores (2 from the double and 3 from the single)
2 shots from 8 bores (two different doubles)
1 shot from a 10 bore
1 shot from a 12 bore
2 shots from the 600 NE
2 shots from the 500 NE
4 shots from the 458 WM
6 shots of 450 NE 3.25" (two of Mikes guns)
2 shots from the 577 BPE
2 shots from the 577/500 #2
2 shots from the 577/500 3 1/8"

there might have been more but those are what I can remember at the moment. I also played with the Thompson submachine gun a little which proved to be more difficult to hit things with then the large bore rifles.

-matt

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Matt,

If you and/or Dennis decide to make it up here again, my car will be repaired by then (should be done today in fact) and I can take a turn driving to give Mike a break.
Likewise feel free to PM either myself or Mike for logistics details, no worries.

Cheers,
Paul Dog.

Bob, it looks like all of those bullets lived up to their full potential! that 300gr TBBC is a beautiful text book example of how a top shelf soft point should perform. its a shame they don't sell those TBBC bullets separately for hand loaders. the TSX also lived up to its reputation on DG, that's some excellent expansion as well.

thank you Velo Dog, im sure I will take you up on that offer some time.

-matt

ActionBob said:

Here are some recovered bullets. 6.5 Creedmoor 129 grain Hornady Interbond. in the middle is a 375 H&H 300 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw that came out my lion, and finally the 505 Gibbs 525 grain TSX taken out of the buffalo.

View attachment 41196 View attachment 41197

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Three beauties for sure.
My favorite PH used to be in love with the Bear Claw as his favorite soft for that all important first shot into buffalo, when speaking of the .375 H&H and larger calibers.
But lately they are evidently not as easy to find in South Africa as they once were for some reason so, he has switched his affection to the Swift A-Frame now (fairly easy to get there I guess) and is real happy with same.
He sometimes still complains around the camp fire about not being able to get Bear Claws very often anymore.
But anyway, I have not seen much of the Bear Claw here in Alaska lately either.
Recently I saw a box of live 400 gr Bear Claws in .458 Winchester caliber and so I bought the box of 20.
Have not fired them yet but am in hopes they regulate (by some miracle) in my double so that I can rely on them in case some grumpy bear chases my dog home and tries to get in my house.
If the box of them I bought were round nose configuration, I would have more hope for them regulating but as it is, I will cross my fingers that they will shoot right, pointy ends and all.
By reputation (totally backed up by your photo here) the Bear Claw design is at least a very reliable/very tough bullet).

Jack Carter's Trophy Bonded bullets are spectacular (solid and soft). Some changes have occurred, subsequent to his passing, but they're still extremely good projectiles. And yes, too bad they're not available to the reloader (why, I'll never know...must be a contract issue, of some sort, an exclusivity clause).

matt85 said:

will likely make it up again in the near future, that's some fine country you got up there! thanks again for the fine whiskey and tell your wife I said thanks for the snacks.

I can take a lot of recoil but its not without a price, my shoulder is stiff and sore today. I probably fired around 30 or so shots from large bore guns at that shoot.

I think it was something like:
5 shots from 4 bores (2 from the double and 3 from the single)
2 shots from 8 bores (two different doubles)
1 shot from a 10 bore
1 shot from a 12 bore
2 shots from the 600 NE
2 shots from the 500 NE
4 shots from the 458 WM
6 shots of 450 NE 3.25" (two of Mikes guns)
2 shots from the 577 BPE
2 shots from the 577/500 #2
2 shots from the 577/500 3 1/8"

there might have been more but those are what I can remember at the moment. I also played with the Thompson submachine gun a little which proved to be more difficult to hit things with then the large bore rifles.

-matt

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Matt...that is a pounding, if ever there was one!!!!!

ActionBob said:

Here are some recovered bullets. 6.5 Creedmoor 129 grain Hornady Interbond. in the middle is a 375 H&H 300 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw that came out my lion, and finally the 505 Gibbs 525 grain TSX taken out of the buffalo.

View attachment 41196 View attachment 41197

Click to expand...

http://huntforever.org/2013/04/16/how-much-gun-is-really-enough/

The above? Regarding the 6.5 mm.

CTDolan, lets not get into that debate on this thread. if anything that duscussion belongs in the small bore section of the forum.

-matt

Well, I'd not have brought it up, had another not done so already.

CTDolan said:

Well, I'd not have brought it up, had another not done so already.

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i didn't mean to single you out on it. i just don't wanna turn this thread into an argument on what is considered acceptable for thick skinned DG. that horse has been beaten to death in many other threads!

-matt

Gents:
I'm new here and let me make a few points and comments as to what has been written:
1. In the short video of me and the 4-bore, I'm 6' not 6'3". The recoil was so bad as it was a heavy bullet (2100 grains), a heavy charge of FFg black powder (400+ grains), and the rifle was a light single shot (about 16 pounds). The heaviest recoil I have felt is in my double Hughes at 22 pounds with a 1900-grain conical and 440 grains of FFg GOEX. Rob's single I fired was the heaviest I've ever felt.

2. A comment on heavy doubles and an automatic safety. In my limited experience I have seen far more doubles with an auto safety than a manual safety. It is the same argument as single trigger vs. double trigger. It is either or, no right or wrong, but it is sound wisdom to keep all of one's rifles with the same number of triggers and the same type of safety. In my personal experience, my first several vintage doubles had an auto safety. It became natural to slide the safe button forward as the rifle is being shouldered when hunting. It is habit now. And, when I have a rifle now with a non auto safe, I forget to put the rifle on safe as that has not been ingrained in me. I've had 14 hunts if Africa (and two vacations) and three to Australia and many years in Alaska. Doubles have been used exclusively the past 10 years or more and all with auto safes. My last four international hunts were with my .600 Wilkes and it came with an auto safety in April of 1914. (It makes a damn fine plains game rifle albeit a tad over-powered).

3. For the gent who was disappointed with me downloading my 4-bore, 8-bores, and .600. Nothing personal--all I can do is offer my apology. About 15+ years ago a hairy chested he man who said his .458 was mild, took a shot with my 8-bore Locke with a 1620-grain conical and 400 grains of FFg. The rifle nearly flew out of his hands as he lost his balance. If someone drops the rifle, I can guarantee no one will offer to replace or repair the rifle. After that experience when folks whom I do not know I download the big ones by 10-20% in the bore rifles and 10-15% in the .600.In my bore rifles, I only load a ball and not a heavy conical. That's ok in many folk's opinion. After all, most want to say they shot a 8, 4, or .600, just to say they did it. It is not the quality of the rifle nor it's history. Folks don't care my .500 was Jack Lott's rifle, my .450 no2 spent several decades at White Hunter's Africa Ltd., my .600 was owned by a well-known elephant hunter in the post WWII era, or the history of my .500 Holland Royal whose owner was speared to death by natives in 1907. No, folks just want to shoot a big rifle. If they were interested in quality doubles they would want to shoot a .350, .450-400, etc. So, to allow folks I don't know the experience to shooting the biggest doubles from the vintage years and to protect my investment (they are rather expensive) I download them. That said, many of my friends have shot full house loads with my rifles, but they are men with both experience to handle them correctly and the means and character to repair a damaged rifle. At last year's shoot a gent (who was with us this year) had my .600 double on him with full loads. 320 grains of IMR 4831 and 1800 grains of lead!!! He knows how to shoot and he held on to the rifle and kept his composure!

It was a pleasure to hold this shoot and I do hope others will fly up form the flat lands of the tropical lower 48 states and join us. Alaska has many fine collections and it's an honor to get together once or twice a year to play with our toys and let others do so, too.
Cheers, mates.
Cal

Hi Cal!
Glad you've joined us here on AH and hope to hear much more from you in the future

Cal,
Please tell the story of the gentleman that owned the .500 Royal! i've got to know the circumstances that lead up to this.
Cheers,
Cody

Oh Come on Cal! I'm 6" and you're taller than me! Not to mention more hair...

welcome to the forum Cal! thanks again for letting me shoot your rifles!

as said, i understood why you downloaded the guns and meant no offence by what i said.

-matt

Cody:
My Holland is a .500 bpe, made in 1889 for Boyd Alexander. He was a well-known military officer. The rifle is a back action side lock, 26" barrels, double (of course), 3 1/4" case, Royal Grade, in its original case with accessories. Boyd's son, Boyd, Jr., was an explorer and hunter and wrote a two volume set of his African expedition, "From the Niger to the Nile." On Jr.'s second expedition he was speared to death by natives. That's a brief history. You can see pics of the rifle on my website <calpappas.com> and scroll down to "double rifles for sale."

My point was most folks just want to shoot a big rifle and don't give a hoot of the history.

As a side bar, I've been wondering why is this topic under ".375 and up" and not under "double rifles?"

Also on my site, see many fine doubles and also note my three double rifle books.
Thanks for looking,
Cal

PS: Matt. Just got your email. No worries and you're welcome here anytime.
cal