Close Quarters With A Crocodile

[krish]

Perhaps this may interest you , 375Fox
They are the 1st 2 pages of my copy of our “ Professional Shikaree’s Book Of Rules & Regulations For Uttar Pradesh “ ( 1967 - 1968 Season ) .
View attachment 347067
View attachment 347066
We used to utilize “ Hunting Blocks “ .

I have a few model 71's. I am planing to rebarrel one of them to 50-110. With modern loads and strong 71 action it looks like it can almost match 458 lott energy.

 

[Dr Ray]

3 days later , our shikar party was in the forests of the Maharashtra state ... all ready for our gaur shikar. Our shikar party consisted of myself , Ponual , our client and 4 coolies . I carried my “ Old Belgian “ loaded with my hand loaded Eley 3 inch Alphamax magnum “ High Brass “ spherical ball cartridges. Ponual carried our client’s “ .450 Kodiak “ lever rifle . He also had an Indian Ordinance Factories .315 calibre bolt rifle , slung across his shoulders ... which was loaded with 244 grain soft point cartridges . Our client wore a canvas waist belt , containing 20 solid metal covered 400 grain cartridges. The coolies carried a folding chair for our client , butchering knives , refreshments and wood working tools .

Now , a gaur is 1 of the only 2 members of the Indian animal kingdom ( the other being , the Indian elephant ) ... which can never , EVER be hunted by way of beats . If you ever attempt to hunt a gaur by having beaters attempt to flush it out , towards you ... Then , it simply WILL NOT work . The gaur shall attack the beaters , straight away . That leaves stalking it , or ambushing it near a water body ( when it comes to drink water ) .... to be the only feasible methods of hunting a gaur bison .

We had resolved to build a macchan on the top of a tree ... over looking a small stream . My local knowledge in regards to this portion of forested area ... told me that gaur bison would daily come to the stream ( during the late noon ) to quench their thirst . My plan of action was to have our client shoot the gaur ... as it came to drink water from the stream . Even though I had seen positive results from the “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle being used on a Bengal Bush Boar ... I was hesitant to take any risks with a gaur bison . These brutes commonly weighed in excess of 2000 pounds and were unmatched in terms of aggression . I did not wish to put my client in harm’s way ... especially since he going to use an experimental rifle to do the job . Just because the rifle worked splendidly against a 300 pound Bengal Bush Boar ... was no reason for me to feel overtly confident about it being used against a gaur bison . My precautionary measure would later end up averting a great deal of disaster ... as I was soon going to find out .

Our client and I stayed on the top of the macchan ... while Ponual and the 4 coolies all opted to climb up nearby trees and stay there . Our client now had the “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle in his hands .

3 hours had passed . During this time ... quite a few gaur bison had come to drink water at the stream . However , since they were all immature or cow gaur bisons ... we opted to let them drink water and leave the area unmolested ( We are hunters , after all . Not butchers ) . Finally , we saw a large bull gaur slowly coming towards the stream . Well ... large would be the under statement of the year . It was the largest gaur bison which I had ever seen in my life . It was a full 11 feet long and 6 feet tall ( No joke ! ) . The brute came near the water and lowered it’s massive head ( with those curved Kirpan dagger shaped horns ) to get a drink . I whispered to my client , “ Sahib , take him in the soft part ... behind the shoulder . “ My client nodded nervously . I could tell , just by looking at him ... that he never quite anticipated a bull gaur to be this terrifying in proportions . He nervously raised the rifle to his shoulder , and took aim . What happened next ... could have gone a whole lot worse , had we both been on ground level with the gaur .

The client pulled the trigger . A loud gun shot rang out ... As the brute roared in pain . Fortunately my client did not stop shooting . He worked the lever again and again ...as he sent bullet after bullet in to the gaur’s shoulder . He did this 4 times ... before the magazine was completely empty . The gaur had fallen on to the ground , in pain ... Only to slowly begin rising to it’s feet once again . I frantically shouted to my client , “ Sahib ! Re load the rifle ! Shoot him again ! “ .

Now , anyone of my Dear Readers who has ever had to load a rifle or a shot gun which is equipped with a tubular magazine ... will readily be aware of the fact that a tubular magazine is not the easiest thing to re load , when the operator is pressed for time . To my client’s credit ... he was extremely swift at re loading 4 more cartridges in to the tubular magazine of his “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle . In about 5 seconds ... he resumed shooting at the gaur’s shoulder . He put 4 more 400 grain solid metal covered bullets in to the gaur ... before expending his entire magazine once more . My client and I both stared in utter disbelief ... as the wounded , bloodied brute slowly began to struggle back to it’s feet once more . I felt dead certain that we were going to lose this gaur ... for sure . It would escape us ... only to die a lingering death in the forests of Maharashtra. However , my client proved to be a far more determined man than I . He hurriedly re loaded his “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle with 4 cartridges , once more . Raising the rifle to his shoulder , once more ... He let loose once again , at the gaur’s shoulder . By the time he let off the 3rd shot ... The brutish gaur had finally breathed it’s last . My client had done it ...With 11 shots . 11 solid metal covered bullets ... each of which weighed 400 grains .

I proudly congratulated my client ... out of genuine respect for his sheer determination not to let the gaur escape in to the thickets , wounded . But my client looked a little sad ... as if he had won a pyrrhic victory . He lamented that it took him 11 shots to dispatch the gaur . He felt that his brain child was a failure . And then , there was the depressing fact that the stock of his rifle had split ... while he was repeatedly shooting at the bull gaur. However , I did my best to console him . I told him that his “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle would be devastatingly effective upon royal Bengal tigers and water buffaloes ( I was being completely truthful here ) . I then went on to tell him that a gaur was the most thick muscled brute among all of the “ Indian Dangerous 6 “ ... and that this particular gaur made all other gaurs ( which I had seen in my 9 year career ) look petite , in comparison . The fact that my client had been able to dispatch it at all , with a rifle calibre of HIS OWN CREATION ... Was an accomplishment in and of itself. I then suggested that we conduct a post mortem ... in order to see the effects ( Or lack thereof ) , which those 400 grain solid metal covered bullets had upon the bull gaur .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself of the slain bull gaur ... and my client’s brain child : The “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle . Ponual can be partially seen in the back ground , clutching his Indian Ordinance Factories .315 calibre bolt rifle .
View attachment 347055

We climbed down from the macchan ... and I ordered the coolies to commence field dressing the gaur . This ... They dutifully began to do . Unfortunately, the bull gaur had dropped dead ... roughly 6 feet away from the water of the stream . And a very particular predator lurks near all of the streams of India . A predator which can disguise itself ... as the most nonchalant looking rock , and use this ability to it’s advantage .

I should have foreseen it sooner . That is why , when 1 of the coolies began screaming in blood curling pain ... I already knew what had happened .

A crocodile had gotten ahold of a coolie ... By the leg . And it was dragging him in to the water . All Hell broke loose .

I can feel the excitement just reading this. And the Adrenalin rising!!!

 

[Dr Ray]

A crocodile was one of my favorite hunts! Waiting in anticipation to read this!

Crocodiles have not personality and are disgusting critters!

 

[Dr Ray]

Why thank you so much , Bruce ! The crocodile was rather small . It only had a nose to tail measurement of just above 9 feet 3 inches .

Big enough to take care of you!

 

[Dr Ray]

The poor coolie was screaming in pain ... As the crocodile was dragging him in to in to the stream . The other coolies had acknowledged the presence of the brute ... By bolting away from water , as fast as their legs could carry them . I rushed towards the water ... Snapping my “ Old Belgian “ up to my shoulder . I took aim at the head of the crocodile ... My point of aim being right between the brute’s 2 eyes . However , I was hesitant to shoot , just yet ... out of fear , that my bullet might end up hitting the coolie .

I got within 6 feet of the brute and pulled my left trigger . The 1 ounce spherical ball of hardened lead blew clean through the skull of the Ganges River Crocodile ... Laying it low , on the spot . Ponual and my client rushed to aid me ... in getting the screaming coolie’s bloody right leg free from the crocodile’s vice like mouth . We finally succeeded . The poor fellow’s Achille’s Tendon had been badly damaged , but the crocodile’s teeth had not been completely able to completely sever it . Despite the disconcerting depth of his leg wound ... The coolie’s injuries did not look , as if an amputation of his leg was requisite . In deed ... The doctors were able to save the coolie’s injured left leg . However , he was forced to rely upon a crutch for the rest of the year . Considering what had happened to him ... We all regarded him to have been relatively fortunate . Had the Ganges river crocodile not been shot to death , in time ... The coolie would have ( in all probability ) ended up losing his leg ... or worse ; His life .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself of the slain Ganges river crocodile ... which had given us quite the nasty surprise , during this shikar .
View attachment 347061


A post mortem conducted on the bull gaur’s corpse revealed that those 11 400 grain solid metal covered bullets fired from my client’s “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle ...
had a very marginal effect on the brute . The bullets had broken the bull gaur’s shoulder ... Yet only 1 of them had managed to penetrate in to the brute’s heart . But only just . The copper covered lead cored 400 grain bullets had encountered significant distortion . All of them . Even the only 1 from those 11 bullets , which had ( barely ) managed to reach the gaur’s heart ... was badly distorted . The copper “ Jacket “ had been completely ruptured ... and the lead interior could clearly be seen , jutting out .

My client proved to be an extremely generous gentle man . He individually tipped each and every member of our shikar party , and even visited the hospital ... to meet with the injured coolie ( Using me as an interpreter , to communicate with the coolie ) . He gave the injured coolie 500 Rupees and asked for his forgiveness ... because he believed that the coolie got attacked by the Ganges river crocodile , while attempting to serve our client .

Later that night , Our client enjoyed some excellent flame grilled steaks from the freshly hunted gaur bison , with us ... on the roof top of Tobin’s house . I personally enjoyed a lovely porter house steak of gaur beef ... flame grilled to a rare doneness , along with a baked potato and a great deal of chive sour cream . To my mind , enjoying a lovely roof top grill / barbecue and a few bottles of Stout beer with friends ... is 1 of life’s simple pleasures .

My client discussed the performance of his “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle on the gaur bison ... With me . He asked me for tips ... as to how ( I personally believed that ) the performance of his “ Wild Cat “ calibre rifle could be improved , so as to ensure more successful results on gaur bison .Tobin and I , then told him that he was already half way there . All he had to do ... Was to keep running some more experiments . We advised him to design a calibre utilizing a 500 grain bullet ... Instead of a 400 grain bullet . But also to ensure that the velocity was not lower than 2120 feet per second . We asked him to avoid using American walnut wood stocks ( Such as Claro wood ) on large bore rifles ... because these woods are among the more open grained woods , and thus likely to split eventually due to recoil . We advised him to opt for English , French or Turkish walnut woods ... when designing his rifle stocks , as these would hold up far better to recoil , in the long run . We then advised him to replace the copper covered lead cored bullets ... with steel covered lead cored bullets , such as the solid metal covered bullets ( which were ) offered by the American Hornady brand ( Hornady used to offer some of the sturdiest constructed steel covered solid bullets , during our time . Practically guaranteed NEVER to distort . Unfortunately , Hornady no longer enjoys the same stellar reputation among shikarees of dangerous game animals , today ) . Finally , Tobin asked him why he had opted for a lever action platform ... to build his dangerous game rifle on .

The gentle man replied that he was a “ South Paw “ ( Which refers to someone who is left handed , just like I am ) .... And that he found it difficult to operate most bolt action platforms ( Back in those days , the Savage Model 110 was the only bolt rifle ... which used to offer a left handed variant ) . Tobin and I then told him to experiment with lever actions , such as the Winchester Model 1895 or the Savage Model 99 ... which employed conventional box style magazines . This would enable him to utilize cartridges loaded with round nose bullets , in his rifle ... Without needing to worry about the “ nose “ of 1 cartridge , hitting the primer of the cartridge right before it . This was because cartridges in a tubular magazine fed weapon ... Are always loaded horizontally , in to the tubular magazine .

The gentle man listened considerately to all of our advice ... while making notes in his diary . I have always found myself wondering whether he ever actually got to perfect his “ Wild Cat “ calibre . I certainly hope that he did .

I sincerely hope that this article of mine has proven to be passably enjoyable .
I shall write my next article on African Hunting Forums after 2 days ... If the Lord be willing .

THE END

Once again I’m really pleased to read your stories. They make excellent reading and thank you.

 

[leslie hetrick]

being a lefty myself, i have had to use right handed rifles for my early years of hunting, but that changed for the good for us lefties in the last 30 years. at least were are half right.

 

[cpr0312]

Thanks for sharing another story, enjoyed reading it as usual!

 

[Major Khan]

I have a few model 71's. I am planing to rebarrel one of them to 50-110. With modern loads and strong 71 action it looks like it can almost match 458 lott energy.

Ah , my innovative gun smith friend ... That certainly looks like a most promising project , indeed . I myself personally consider the Winchester Model 71 lever rifle ( chambered in .348 Winchester calibre ) to be 1 of the finest lever rifles in existence ... superseded only by the Winchester Model 1895 lever rifle and the Savage Model 99 lever rifle .
Please ... do keep me updated about your project , Krish . Use flat nose ( meplat point ) bullets for hand loading your cartridges . I would highly recommend " Cutting Edge Bullets " ... especially since you are based in America .

 

[Major Khan]

Crocodiles have not personality and are disgusting critters!

Your statement is 100 % accurate , Doctor . More people in South East Asia ( especially rural India & Bangladesh ) are killed and eaten by crocodiles , every year ... Than any other dangerous game animal , in existence . The tragic thing is that most of the corpses of these people ... are seldom found . Thus , their deaths often go unreported .

And a crocodile has a most malicious and sadistic method of dispatching their hapless victims . They shall camouflage themselves as large rocks ... or portions of the ground . When an unsuspecting victim passes by , and gets within close proximity to them ... The crocodile goes for the legs of the victim . It strategically grabs ahold of the back portion of the victim's leg ... which houses the Achilles Tendon . So what happens is .... The victim's Achilles Tendon gets severed , as the victim is attempting to escape the vice like grip of the crocodile's teeth .

The crocodile will then drag the victim down in to the water and DROWN them to death .

After the victim breathes their last ... The crocodile then proceeds to drag the corpse in to a hole or ditch nearby . However , it shall NOT commence eating the corpse ... just yet . It only commences gnawing at the corpse AFTER Rigor Mortis has set in .
So , in a macabre sort of way ... the crocodile prefers to " Cure " it's own meat , before commencing a meal . Some what akin to the way that we , human beings wet age and dry age our beef steaks ... or cure prosciutto ham .

Compared to all other members of India's " Dangerous 6 " ( Who simply attempt to bite , claw , gore or trample you to death , instinctively ) ... The Ganges river crocodile dispatched it's hapless victims in an extremely cold blooded and sadistic manner ... Not unlike a psychopathic serial killer .

 

[Major Khan]

Big enough to take care of you!

Just wait until you visit the Sundarban man grove forests ... some day , Doctor . The brutes inhabiting the man grove swamps there can easily average 23 feet in length . They make this particular specimen look infantile ... In comparison .
Hell ... the larger crocodiles frequently CANNIBALIZE the smaller crocodiles .
I shot this particular specimen ... Which had a nose to tail length , easily exceeding 23 feet .

 

[Major Khan]

being a lefty myself, i have had to use right handed rifles for my early years of hunting, but that changed for the good for us lefties in the last 30 years. at least were are half right.

View attachment 347087

Ah , you are a left hander as well ? So am I , Mr. Hetrick . During my youth , I had learn to circumvent this issue ... by using my old Belgian double barreled side by side shot gun and my maternal grand father's .405 Winchester calibre Model 1895 lever rifle .
When I got conscripted in to the Bangladesh Army in the Bangladesh Liberation War Of 1971 ... I learnt how to operate the service .303 British calibre Lee Enfield bolt rifles with my left hand ( through sheer necessity ) .

Our military trainers taught us how to reach OVER the rifle's receiver with our left hand ... And then , cycle the bolt . After that ... I learnt how to operate right handed bolt rifles , with utter impunity .

Nowadays , countless excellent choices exist on the market ( fortunately ) .
We have the Left Handed Savage 110 ,
the Left Handed Remington Model 700 ...
and best of all , even Left Handed Mauser 98 actions !

 

[Major Khan]

Thanks for sharing another story, enjoyed reading it as usual!

Why thank you so much , cpr0312 .
It is my utmost privilege that you have enjoyed this reminiscence of mine .

 

[Nyati]

That was a very interesting story Major, not only about hunting, but also covering firearms, ammunition, terminal ballistics...

 

[Major Khan]

That was a very interesting story Major, not only about hunting, but also covering firearms, ammunition, terminal ballistics...

Why thank you so much , Nyati . I firmly believe that field experience makes for the best education ... Of all .

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

3 days later , our shikar party was in the forests of the Maharashtra state ... all ready for our gaur shikar. Our shikar party consisted of myself , Ponual , our client and 4 coolies . I carried my “ Old Belgian “ loaded with my hand loaded Eley 3 inch Alphamax magnum “ High Brass “ spherical ball cartridges. Ponual carried our client’s “ .450 Kodiak “ lever rifle . He also had an Indian Ordinance Factories .315 calibre bolt rifle , slung across his shoulders ... which was loaded with 244 grain soft point cartridges . Our client wore a canvas waist belt , containing 20 solid metal covered 400 grain cartridges. The coolies carried a folding chair for our client , butchering knives , refreshments and wood working tools .

Now , a gaur is 1 of the only 2 members of the Indian animal kingdom ( the other being , the Indian elephant ) ... which can never , EVER be hunted by way of beats . If you ever attempt to hunt a gaur by having beaters attempt to flush it out , towards you ... Then , it simply WILL NOT work . The gaur shall attack the beaters , straight away . That leaves stalking it , or ambushing it near a water body ( when it comes to drink water ) .... to be the only feasible methods of hunting a gaur bison .

We had resolved to build a macchan on the top of a tree ... over looking a small stream . My local knowledge in regards to this portion of forested area ... told me that gaur bison would daily come to the stream ( during the late noon ) to quench their thirst . My plan of action was to have our client shoot the gaur ... as it came to drink water from the stream . Even though I had seen positive results from the “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle being used on a Bengal Bush Boar ... I was hesitant to take any risks with a gaur bison . These brutes commonly weighed in excess of 2000 pounds and were unmatched in terms of aggression . I did not wish to put my client in harm’s way ... especially since he going to use an experimental rifle to do the job . Just because the rifle worked splendidly against a 300 pound Bengal Bush Boar ... was no reason for me to feel overtly confident about it being used against a gaur bison . My precautionary measure would later end up averting a great deal of disaster ... as I was soon going to find out .

Our client and I stayed on the top of the macchan ... while Ponual and the 4 coolies all opted to climb up nearby trees and stay there . Our client now had the “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle in his hands .

3 hours had passed . During this time ... quite a few gaur bison had come to drink water at the stream . However , since they were all immature or cow gaur bisons ... we opted to let them drink water and leave the area unmolested ( We are hunters , after all . Not butchers ) . Finally , we saw a large bull gaur slowly coming towards the stream . Well ... large would be the under statement of the year . It was the largest gaur bison which I had ever seen in my life . It was a full 11 feet long and 6 feet tall ( No joke ! ) . The brute came near the water and lowered it’s massive head ( with those curved Kirpan dagger shaped horns ) to get a drink . I whispered to my client , “ Sahib , take him in the soft part ... behind the shoulder . “ My client nodded nervously . I could tell , just by looking at him ... that he never quite anticipated a bull gaur to be this terrifying in proportions . He nervously raised the rifle to his shoulder , and took aim . What happened next ... could have gone a whole lot worse , had we both been on ground level with the gaur .

The client pulled the trigger . A loud gun shot rang out ... As the brute roared in pain . Fortunately my client did not stop shooting . He worked the lever again and again ...as he sent bullet after bullet in to the gaur’s shoulder . He did this 4 times ... before the magazine was completely empty . The gaur had fallen on to the ground , in pain ... Only to slowly begin rising to it’s feet once again . I frantically shouted to my client , “ Sahib ! Re load the rifle ! Shoot him again ! “ .

Now , anyone of my Dear Readers who has ever had to load a rifle or a shot gun which is equipped with a tubular magazine ... will readily be aware of the fact that a tubular magazine is not the easiest thing to re load , when the operator is pressed for time . To my client’s credit ... he was extremely swift at re loading 4 more cartridges in to the tubular magazine of his “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle . In about 5 seconds ... he resumed shooting at the gaur’s shoulder . He put 4 more 400 grain solid metal covered bullets in to the gaur ... before expending his entire magazine once more . My client and I both stared in utter disbelief ... as the wounded , bloodied brute slowly began to struggle back to it’s feet once more . I felt dead certain that we were going to lose this gaur ... for sure . It would escape us ... only to die a lingering death in the forests of Maharashtra. However , my client proved to be a far more determined man than I . He hurriedly re loaded his “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle with 4 cartridges , once more . Raising the rifle to his shoulder , once more ... He let loose once again , at the gaur’s shoulder . By the time he let off the 3rd shot ... The brutish gaur had finally breathed it’s last . My client had done it ...With 11 shots . 11 solid metal covered bullets ... each of which weighed 400 grains .

I proudly congratulated my client ... out of genuine respect for his sheer determination not to let the gaur escape in to the thickets , wounded . But my client looked a little sad ... as if he had won a pyrrhic victory . He lamented that it took him 11 shots to dispatch the gaur . He felt that his brain child was a failure . And then , there was the depressing fact that the stock of his rifle had split ... while he was repeatedly shooting at the bull gaur. However , I did my best to console him . I told him that his “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle would be devastatingly effective upon royal Bengal tigers and water buffaloes ( I was being completely truthful here ) . I then went on to tell him that a gaur was the most thick muscled brute among all of the “ Indian Dangerous 6 “ ... and that this particular gaur made all other gaurs ( which I had seen in my 9 year career ) look petite , in comparison . The fact that my client had been able to dispatch it at all , with a rifle calibre of HIS OWN CREATION ... Was an accomplishment in and of itself. I then suggested that we conduct a post mortem ... in order to see the effects ( Or lack thereof ) , which those 400 grain solid metal covered bullets had upon the bull gaur .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself of the slain bull gaur ... and my client’s brain child : The “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle . Ponual can be partially seen in the back ground , clutching his Indian Ordinance Factories .315 calibre bolt rifle .
View attachment 347055

We climbed down from the macchan ... and I ordered the coolies to commence field dressing the gaur . This ... They dutifully began to do . Unfortunately, the bull gaur had dropped dead ... roughly 6 feet away from the water of the stream . And a very particular predator lurks near all of the streams of India . A predator which can disguise itself ... as the most nonchalant looking rock , and use this ability to it’s advantage .

I should have foreseen it sooner . That is why , when 1 of the coolies began screaming in blood curling pain ... I already knew what had happened .

A crocodile had gotten ahold of a coolie ... By the leg . And it was dragging him in to the water . All Hell broke loose .

My dear friend Ponton
That was one tough SOB of a gaur. The power of those projtiles should have resulted in a quicker death. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but would he have not been better using 2 soft points and follow up with the full metal jackets.
Your humble reader
Bob Nelson

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The poor coolie was screaming in pain ... As the crocodile was dragging him in to in to the stream . The other coolies had acknowledged the presence of the brute ... By bolting away from water , as fast as their legs could carry them . I rushed towards the water ... Snapping my “ Old Belgian “ up to my shoulder . I took aim at the head of the crocodile ... My point of aim being right between the brute’s 2 eyes . However , I was hesitant to shoot , just yet ... out of fear , that my bullet might end up hitting the coolie .

I got within 6 feet of the brute and pulled my left trigger . The 1 ounce spherical ball of hardened lead blew clean through the skull of the Ganges River Crocodile ... Laying it low , on the spot . Ponual and my client rushed to aid me ... in getting the screaming coolie’s bloody right leg free from the crocodile’s vice like mouth . We finally succeeded . The poor fellow’s Achille’s Tendon had been badly damaged , but the crocodile’s teeth had not been completely able to completely sever it . Despite the disconcerting depth of his leg wound ... The coolie’s injuries did not look , as if an amputation of his leg was requisite . In deed ... The doctors were able to save the coolie’s injured left leg . However , he was forced to rely upon a crutch for the rest of the year . Considering what had happened to him ... We all regarded him to have been relatively fortunate . Had the Ganges river crocodile not been shot to death , in time ... The coolie would have ( in all probability ) ended up losing his leg ... or worse ; His life .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself of the slain Ganges river crocodile ... which had given us quite the nasty surprise , during this shikar .
View attachment 347061


A post mortem conducted on the bull gaur’s corpse revealed that those 11 400 grain solid metal covered bullets fired from my client’s “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle ...
had a very marginal effect on the brute . The bullets had broken the bull gaur’s shoulder ... Yet only 1 of them had managed to penetrate in to the brute’s heart . But only just . The copper covered lead cored 400 grain bullets had encountered significant distortion . All of them . Even the only 1 from those 11 bullets , which had ( barely ) managed to reach the gaur’s heart ... was badly distorted . The copper “ Jacket “ had been completely ruptured ... and the lead interior could clearly be seen , jutting out .

My client proved to be an extremely generous gentle man . He individually tipped each and every member of our shikar party , and even visited the hospital ... to meet with the injured coolie ( Using me as an interpreter , to communicate with the coolie ) . He gave the injured coolie 500 Rupees and asked for his forgiveness ... because he believed that the coolie got attacked by the Ganges river crocodile , while attempting to serve our client .

Later that night , Our client enjoyed some excellent flame grilled steaks from the freshly hunted gaur bison , with us ... on the roof top of Tobin’s house . I personally enjoyed a lovely porter house steak of gaur beef ... flame grilled to a rare doneness , along with a baked potato and a great deal of chive sour cream . To my mind , enjoying a lovely roof top grill / barbecue and a few bottles of Stout beer with friends ... is 1 of life’s simple pleasures .

My client discussed the performance of his “ .450 Kodiak “ calibre lever rifle on the gaur bison ... With me . He asked me for tips ... as to how ( I personally believed that ) the performance of his “ Wild Cat “ calibre rifle could be improved , so as to ensure more successful results on gaur bison .Tobin and I , then told him that he was already half way there . All he had to do ... Was to keep running some more experiments . We advised him to design a calibre utilizing a 500 grain bullet ... Instead of a 400 grain bullet . But also to ensure that the velocity was not lower than 2120 feet per second . We asked him to avoid using American walnut wood stocks ( Such as Claro wood ) on large bore rifles ... because these woods are among the more open grained woods , and thus likely to split eventually due to recoil . We advised him to opt for English , French or Turkish walnut woods ... when designing his rifle stocks , as these would hold up far better to recoil , in the long run . We then advised him to replace the copper covered lead cored bullets ... with steel covered lead cored bullets , such as the solid metal covered bullets ( which were ) offered by the American Hornady brand ( Hornady used to offer some of the sturdiest constructed steel covered solid bullets , during our time . Practically guaranteed NEVER to distort . Unfortunately , Hornady no longer enjoys the same stellar reputation among shikarees of dangerous game animals , today ) . Finally , Tobin asked him why he had opted for a lever action platform ... to build his dangerous game rifle on .

The gentle man replied that he was a “ South Paw “ ( Which refers to someone who is left handed , just like I am ) .... And that he found it difficult to operate most bolt action platforms ( Back in those days , the Savage Model 110 was the only bolt rifle ... which used to offer a left handed variant ) . Tobin and I then told him to experiment with lever actions , such as the Winchester Model 1895 or the Savage Model 99 ... which employed conventional box style magazines . This would enable him to utilize cartridges loaded with round nose bullets , in his rifle ... Without needing to worry about the “ nose “ of 1 cartridge , hitting the primer of the cartridge right before it . This was because cartridges in a tubular magazine fed weapon ... Are always loaded horizontally , in to the tubular magazine .

The gentle man listened considerately to all of our advice ... while making notes in his diary . I have always found myself wondering whether he ever actually got to perfect his “ Wild Cat “ calibre . I certainly hope that he did .

I sincerely hope that this article of mine has proven to be passably enjoyable .
I shall write my next article on African Hunting Forums after 2 days ... If the Lord be willing .

THE END

Friend Ponton
Your client is truly a humble man with integrity and honour. To blame himself for the injury to the coolie and asking his forgiveness is the sign of a truly great man.
Also to have him ask for your input into his rifle build shows his humble bearing.
I am glad the coolie survived due to your quick actions. Did the client get to keep the skin of t the crocodile.
Your friend
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Ah , my innovative gun smith friend ... That certainly looks like a most promising project , indeed . I myself personally consider the Winchester Model 71 lever rifle ( chambered in .348 Winchester calibre ) to be 1 of the finest lever rifles in existence ... superseded only by the Winchester Model 1895 lever rifle and the Savage Model 99 lever rifle .
Please ... do keep me updated about your project , Krish . Use flat nose ( meplat point ) bullets for hand loading your cartridges . I would highly recommend " Cutting Edge Bullets " ... especially since you are based in America .

Friend Ponton
The model 71 in 348 Winchester was converted to 450 Alaskan and 50 Alaskan to handle the big bears in Canada

I thought this might interstate you my friend and wonder if this was the gentleman you hunted with.

45/70 on the left and 450 Alaskan on the right loaded with a cast projectile.
Does this look like the cartridge your client used my friend?
I thought you might be interested in this information.
Wild catting of cartridges is an enjoyable, frustrating and sometimes when you get it right enjoyable. I am a mad keen wild catter myself.
Your humble reader
Bob Nelson

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Ah , you are a left hander as well ? So am I , Mr. Hetrick . During my youth , I had learn to circumvent this issue ... by using my old Belgian double barreled side by side shot gun and my maternal grand father's .405 Winchester calibre Model 1895 lever rifle .
When I got conscripted in to the Bangladesh Army in the Bangladesh Liberation War Of 1971 ... I learnt how to operate the service .303 British calibre Lee Enfield bolt rifles with my left hand ( through sheer necessity ) .

Our military trainers taught us how to reach OVER the rifle's receiver with our left hand ... And then , cycle the bolt . After that ... I learnt how to operate right handed bolt rifles , with utter impunity .

Nowadays , countless excellent choices exist on the market ( fortunately ) .
We have the Left Handed Savage 110 ,
the Left Handed Remington Model 700 ...
and best of all , even Left Handed Mauser 98 actions !

Friend Ponton
I to am left handed but have the problem of being right eye dominate therefore I was basically fired to shoot right handed. I shoot a handgun left handed and a shotgun I used to shoot either hand.
It was interesting in the army as they wanted to know who was alert handed up at the rifle range. When I told them I was fun and games try to explain that I was left handed but right eye dominate. They just couldn't understand it.
Cheers my Friend
Bob

 

[Major Khan]

Friend Ponton
I to am left handed but have the problem of being right eye dominate therefore I was basically fired to shoot right handed. I shoot a handgun left handed and a shotgun I used to shoot either hand.
It was interesting in the army as they wanted to know who was alert handed up at the rifle range. When I told them I was fun and games try to explain that I was left handed but right eye dominate. They just couldn't understand it.
Cheers my Friend
Bob

Why thank you so much , Bob.
It is my utmost privilege that you have enjoyed this reminiscence of mine ... so much . I believe that the appropriate terminology for your phenomenon is called , being " Cross Dominant " .
Riaz's wife , Melina has the exact same phenomenon . She is a right hander . However , her dominant shooting eye is her left eye . That is why she learnt to shoot from her left shoulder .

 

[Major Khan]

Friend Ponton
The model 71 in 348 Winchester was converted to 450 Alaskan and 50 Alaskan to handle the big bears in Canada View attachment 347117
I thought this might interstate you my friend and wonder if this was the gentleman you hunted with.
View attachment 347118 45/70 on the left and 450 Alaskan on the right loaded with a cast projectile.
Does this look like the cartridge your client used my friend?
I thought you might be interested in this information.
Wild catting of cartridges is an enjoyable, frustrating and sometimes when you get it right enjoyable. I am a mad keen wild catter myself.
Your humble reader
Bob Nelson

Why , the " .450 Alaskan " and the " .450 Kodiak " cartridges look virtually identical , Bob ! Does the .450 Alaskan utilize a 400 grain bullet , as well ?