Time out of the rat race...

Andy the Aussie

Andy the Aussie

Platinum Member
Gold Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2010
Messages
9,870
Well at slightly short notice I managed to take a "mental health week" away from work. The place has been crazy for the past 8 months and when I did the maths if I didn't have this past week off (and specifically this week !!) I would not get another till Feb or March next year.

So rather quickly I packed up and headed off west last Friday (the 1st), nearly 10 hours of driving later (normally closer to 8 or 8.5 but it was a crappy trip) I managed to arrive and pretty much just unpacked a swag and settled in for the night and a sleep in. Heavy frost in the morning and overnight it was around -1C, but I was toasty and didn't for a minute notice.

I ended up on around 50K acres alone for the week with the nearest neighbours (that I don't see or know) about 15km away. The owner lives 25km away and I saw him once all week.

First order of business was collecting firewood...!!!



And the chopper that helped....



Which all added up to a very cozy few nights in front of the fire...



Had I realised the wood situation I would have taken my chainsaw out to get some better wood than the dry dead fallen stuff I was scavenging. That trailer load lasted a whole two nights...!!! Thankfully the next tree I pulled apart was a bit more substantial and the second load lasted the rest of the week and burnt hot and slow...!!

I did however have to relocated a small gecko that I found in a very sleepy state inside a log, he warmed in the sun with me for a little before moving off into better accommodations... :)




Got all organised and rode out to some spots I have not been before (despite having been going here since the 1980s)...



Saw plenty of deer sign around and LOTS of pig sign....including some with the hogs still stepping out of it...



The other purpose of this trip (not that I needed one) was to test some loads in my .375H&H and get a little practice in with it, in anticipation of a visit to Africa next year.... there is a makeshift range we built on the property that got a good workout....



I was happy with the results, took a bit to get the .375 on paper (new mounts and trigger guard) and I ended up having to work from 25yds to start with. Once it was on at 100yds I tried out the loads I threw together with the Woodleigh projectiles and some Win760. First batch threw three into a group of @1.1 inches, I probably wont mess much with that... ;) For fun I checked the zero on my Sako .308 (first time in 8 years ;) ) and was SHOCKED that I needed to make adjustments !!! LOL (one inch to the left and a half inch down). I then toyed with some different factory loads that were less than impressive and made me wonder if there was an issue with the rifle. Dropped three Win X130As in and put three rounds in touching....so all was well :)

Once all that was done it was back to the bush. Over the next few days I saw lots of deer, but no shooters, and plenty of hogs. All VERY toey !!!!! I also found lots of dead (shot) hogs so that probably explains the flightiness !!!!!

I did knock this little guy just before dark and only about 100m from the bike (after I had walked a round trip into the scrub of @8km)....





Probably a given (me being me) that I had more than a couple of knives with me.....



And of course at least one would be an ASH1...



Went for an explore on the bike and ended up on the far north western boundary of the property, been close but never quite this far. I just followed the fence line out and it seemed to go on and on... out the back there is a clear track (not so much getting out there) as I am guessing the boundary fence was renewed in the last 3-4yrs and they ran a dozer along it at the time....I hoped NOT to do a tyre in out here as it would have been a long walk back....



Imagine my surprise when I was exploring the old shed at the back of the homestead and realised I was not the first to attach a Kolpin case to dirt bike... though the fencing wire and tin are not as pretty as MY solution...



So to get some practice with the .375 I took it out over a rabbit warren I had noticed. There is something a little wrong, yet fun, about walking through the bush and exploding bunnies like that, I figure if I am happily hitting Mr Cottontail on the hop or as quick as I could then larger more dangerous targets should be a little easier... ;)

No exploded bunny pics.....but that long golden afternoon sun makes for a nice picture....





Evenings were cold... the rum helped.... but I can's say I take the best pics when I have been drinking.... ;)



Decided to grab some nibbles for my pups (always makes them that much happier to see me when I get home).... used a little "Oak Leaf" blade (now "Stich Knives" ) to do the cutting, it is a sweet little Elmax tool..!!!!!!



Sadly though when I got the legs back to the house to cut up and skin properly I discovered that they were full of bloody worms....so no nibbles for the pups....



And just a couple of pics I snapped out on one of the tanks late in the last afternoon...





The last morning turned on a little frost for me to pack up in...



And at the half way point of the drive out of the property....



8.5hrs later I was home.... but still wanting to be out there.... !!!
 
What a week! Thanks for some great pics and yeah, 1.1" groups @ 100 yd should do very nicely on game more proper to a .375 H&H. Nice looking Model 70. :thumbup:
 
I almost plucked the load out of thin air and was a bit worried that it was "too compressed" (who would have though all that 760 would fit in the case !!!!), the primers are flattened a little but not alarmingly so. The Woodleighs seems to slide down the barrel with less resistance than most so that probably kept the pressure in check. At $2.80 per PROJECTILE I am happy I found a load that works well without too much playing around. Just need to get a better crimp of the projectiles than I have managed and I will be happy. And ummm.... no it was not these that I was throwing at Bunnies... ;)
 
Veeerrrrrry satisfying to put together a load for a large caliber like that and have it prove out on the range first time out. Especially in anticipation of your safari. :thumbup:

Good Times!
 
Nice pictures. No better way to get myself aligned than a nice relaxing trip into nature.
 
I really enjoy your trips into the bush.....love them pics ...... Jealous that you get Bundy and I can't :(

Keep 'em coming!!!! You bring Oz to us who can't be there :thumbup:
 
Looks like a great break.

Our hunting season in South Africa is in the months without R's. May, June, July nag August. Main reasons being that risk of worms is minimal and then of course is is usually cold enough that you have a day or so that you meat does not start to go "off".

The other thing is that you would not really attempt to use a motorcycle in the "veld" for hunting if you do not know the area.

Very jealous on your break! I could sure do with such a good break
 
Sweet times Andy:thumbup: So jealous ........

LOL ... I see your using a shoulder brace/backstop on the shooting bench for the .375 H&H ;) We won't mention the difference in felt recoil when you zero in African rifles on the bench .... we're all "tough" really .... :D

Good luck in Africa :)
 
PeterPHWS said:
Sweet times Andy:thumbup: So jealous ........

LOL ... I see your using a shoulder brace/backstop on the shooting bench for the .375 H&H ;) We won't mention the difference in felt recoil when you zero in African rifles on the bench .... we're all "tough" really .... :D

Good luck in Africa :)
Click to expand...

Now in my 60's, I have "floaters" in my vision which started showing up a few years ago. I asked my optometrist what caused them, and he said age (starting around age 60) or concussion or a combination of the two. I asked what about shooting heavy recoil rifles, and he said that doing enough of it can definitely be a contributing factor. I don't shoot anything heavier than a .270 from a fixed position (i.e. bench rest) anymore unless it has a muzzle brake. Good to see you have some relief vents milled in behind the muzzle of the .375--have not seen that combination of vent locations before, but looks effective. :thumbup:
 
That rest is a "Lead Sled" and a wonderful addition !!!! I have never been recoil sensitive for he most part but I started using this a couple of years ago for the bench and I have to say it is great. I find it more useful for my .300Win than the .375, the latter is just a big shove the .300 is a whipping effect. Now I use it for most all things for groups and initial zero etc. The porting on the .375 is the original Mag-na-porting. It was done in the mid 80s and seems to work OK. It does create a bit of a copper fouling issue in the barrel on the right just forward of the porting. Just needs some more soaking and work to keep clean but it is annoying.

Africa for me will be almost exactly one year from now... ;) I was on standby for August this year but that is not to be so now it is definite for August next year. I will hunt more with the .375 between now and then. No doubt some swine and deer will probably get caught is the crossfire... ;)

Back at work today....yay..... :(
 
Very cool.

Those worms AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgh.
 
I am keeping the worms well fed, just in case I need to mail them off to the bastages that hacked my e-mail account while I was away...!!!!!!!
 
Will York said:
Now in my 60's, I have "floaters" in my vision which started showing up a few years ago. I asked my optometrist what caused them, and he said age (starting around age 60) or concussion or a combination of the two. I asked what about shooting heavy recoil rifles, and he said that doing enough of it can definitely be a contributing factor. I don't shoot anything heavier than a .270 from a fixed position (i.e. bench rest) anymore unless it has a muzzle brake. Good to see you have some relief vents milled in behind the muzzle of the .375--have not seen that combination of vent locations before, but looks effective. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Will, you saw that as well did ya? I had a Win. 70, .338win. mag., Magna-Poted & I LOVED that thing. It was one of the best rifles I ever had.

Andy, you lucky bugger!!! Nice times and great pics Bro. Thanks for sharing
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top