Just an fyi -- the Sauer 90 was imported to the US -- I believe in the late 70s early 80s, I have 2 , a 7 mag and a 300 win mag, I recently found a Colt Sauer NIB in 375 H&H --- love them all
@Hornedfrogbbq I'm just as much of a big bore junky now as I was when I started this thread! My 8-bore and 416 RM come out on a pretty regular basis during the summer months. I'm also still hunting for the right 577 NE.
IMO the 577 NE is the largest NE cartridge that can be fired from a rifle heavy enough to be comfortable to shoot, without being too heavy to shoot offhand (without a serious gym routine). A 577 NE double weighing around 15lbs is reasonably comfortable to shoot. I'm not sure what weight is needed for a 600 NE, but I shot an example that weighed around 19lbs and the recoil was still unpleasant.
My 8-bore weighs in at around 16.5lbs and that's about as heavy as I would want any rifle to be. The gun is perfectly weighted to deal with its recoil. It's still a bit of a handful... but most people can fire a few shots without getting too beaten up.
Personally I found a .600 Holland & Holland at 16lbs 2oz. quite ok to shoot with full power ammo
aka 110 grain cordite. But Lord is it heavy to carry..
NO WAY, I am hunting with a rifle over 12 pounds MAX! My .458 WM Carbine is 9 1/2 pounds, and my RSM Lott is 10 3/4 pounds and that is quite enough. Shooting and hunting are two different things.
NO WAY, I am hunting with a rifle over 12 pounds MAX! My .458 WM Carbine is 9 1/2 pounds, and my RSM Lott is 10 3/4 pounds and that is quite enough. Shooting and hunting are two different things.
I am thinking the same now days. After carrying my 400 H&H at approx 11 lbs all day for a week, I don’t think I would want to carry a much heavier rifle. On a shorter follow up I guess it would be different, but not for the initial hunt.
NO WAY, I am hunting with a rifle over 12 pounds MAX! My .458 WM Carbine is 9 1/2 pounds, and my RSM Lott is 10 3/4 pounds and that is quite enough. Shooting and hunting are two different things.
My solution for hunting with these heavy guns would be the same as they did in the 19th century... Hire a strong and brave young man to carry the gun while in the field.
My solution for hunting with these heavy guns would be the same as they did in the 19th century... Hire a strong and brave young man to carry the gun while in the field.
Talk of these 14ld light weights reminds me of my younger years lugging a Bren Gun or M60 around the bush, they are over 20lb, then add some ammo. I didn't mind it too much then, but hell I would struggle to carry 14lb now.
Then in 2016 the heat and climbing in Namibia was getting to me and I was forced to choose between stopping for a bit or allowing a tracker to carry my rifle for a bit. I gave in and reluctantly handed over my rifle. I wasnt the only hunter in the party and wasnt going to hold the group up. I wasnt happy about it, but I got over it.
These days i spend a lot of time reading/listening to books on the old days of hunting Africa. Many of the original pioneers of early African hunting made extensive use of gun bearers. Having a gun bearer was seen no differently to having trackers or camp staff. If anything a good gun bearer was second only to a good PH. I highly recommend the book "Kill or be Killed" by Major W. Robert Foran!
So far... I have a .300 H&H, .375 H&H, .458 Lott, .450 No2 NE 3 1/2". I don't know what I would use it for but I could eventually get a barrel for my R8 and try out the mighty .500 Jeffery.
So far... I have a .300 H&H, .375 H&H, .458 Lott, .450 No2 NE 3 1/2". I don't know what I would use it for but I could eventually get a barrel for my R8 and try out the mighty .500 Jeffery.
Interesting, im curious why you went with the 450 no2 3.5" over the 450 NE 3.25"? Not saying I have anything against the rarer cartridge, just curious.
Interesting, im curious why you went with the 450 no2 3.5" over the 450 NE 3.25"? Not saying I have anything against the rarer cartridge, just curious.
Short answer, because I liked the design of the cartridge and wanted to build a one-off custom. I could just buy a ruger number one in .450 NE but I wanted a project and a challenge. I may take it out for elk season this year if I get a tag.
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