African Safari 2012 - The update thread

[Rob]

Let's see, I went to Namibia in Sept. of 2007, and I got my mounts back in June of 2009...  21 months for me!  12 months sounds great.  Crazy part is that it took:
-12 months for the hides and horns to make it from Namibia to Texas and clear customs
-6 months for the hides to be tanned
-Only like 3 months for the ALL taxidermy work to be completed!

And it only took the Shipper (Estes Freight) 30 seconds to run a forklift through the crates of completed taxidermy and damage my zebra, Kudu and warthog display!

Took them 2 months to compensate me for the damage though.

I'd have that antbear mounted for sure if it was me.  Hope you did so.  I am hoping to bump into a porcupine and get a shot off.  They are really cool and would make a neat mount.

The more I look at the Springbok, the more I like the different colors.  I have seen some neat mounts done of the differing color species.  Hope you will Post some photos of your finished mounts once the arrive!

[ORCA_SIX]

A friend of mine got a porcupine twice. One was by chance and the other was by digging for it. They spotted it and he went in his hole. It took them a few hours digging but finally found him. Pretty cool. Good thing labor is cheap there.

The Antbear's were giving to the trackers and skinners to consume. They like to eat that stuff. The baboons I shot as well.

The are a lot of other animals I will eventually go back for, but one thing I did not get was a Caracal. That I would have taken to the taxidermist.

When do you leave again and what animals?

[Rob]

I'd really like a porcupine...  one can hope.  not sure I'd go digging in after one though!  I'd like a baboon skull to take home.  they are pretty neat looking and what major pests they are!  A caracal would be a real prize.  My dad wants one.  he is planning at least one night hunt for varmints once he bags his buffalo.

Well, I finally got the scope mounted to the 375 H&H Mag.  The rings came yesterday.  The original rings did not fit as they were too low to allow the scope to be mounted AND the front flip cover to be raised without getting stuck on the rear open sight mount.

I ordered higher rings from an FFL buddy of mine and elected to get the QD rings.  Here is why.

As mentioned before, this is to be the backup Buffalo rifle.  I got a Leupold VXIII 4.5-14x50 since the primary application will be plains game-however one wants a very low powered scope for buffalo as the shots are usually close range and often rapid target acquisition is needed.  Should I need to revert to my 375 for Buff, then I’ll need to pull the high magnification scope off it and put on the lower magnification scope.  Since both rifles have the same base system (an unintended advantage to going with the same model rifle!), I should be able to move the scope from one rifle to another, and dial them into zero with no tools using the QD rings system.   I’ll of course test this out before I go.  I did bore sight it last night after mounting, then removed and reattached the scope and it was right back on zero on the bore slighter so that is encouraging.



So it’s all mounted now.  I just have one concern.  Even though I got the high rings, I was still forced to move the front ring backwards so that the flip cover will clear (see photo #1 for clearance illustration).  This has caused the front ring to “hang” off the front base by about 20% (see photo #2),  I tested clearance for loading and ejecting shells and that is not an issue.  My question is, will it be secure enough for shooting?  Given the “keyed” rear ring base (see photo 3) that looks as though it will act like a recoil lug, and the excessive weight of the gun and mercury recoil reducer has sufficiently tamed this rifle, I think it will.  I’ll be testing this out extensively over the next 18 months!

In other news, I was not happy with the way the RCBS seating die was crimping the 450 Dakota shells.  The crimps were only showing on about 50% of the case mouth, and if I tightened the die down in an attempt to get a more uniform crimp, it wanted to start accordion the shells.  Given brass for the 450 runs nearly 2.50 a piece, I can’t destroy brass learning.  So I decided to order a lee factory crimp die.  Of course nothing is easy for the 450 Dakota!  Lee has to custom make the die, and it can only be made in the large die size.  My Hornady AP press does not take the larger die sizes.  So…..  I had to order an RCBS Rock chucker for crimping.  I get it all in, install the press and load up the die and realize I don’t have a shell holder!!!  (my AP press uses a shell plate).  Off to the store to go buy a shell holder.  $250 dollars later for a single stage press, custom die, and shell holder and I can finally crimp my shells!  It leaves a wonderful crimp though!!  I did 40 yesterday.  I guess that’s about 6.25 a crimp.  I complain about her, but I really love this gun!  But anyone who is thinking of one would do well to consider the extra costs.  Just one step more mainstream than a wildcat round.  For example, I am so glad it came with dies-they are 280 bucks a set on midway!

[Rob]

Well, I got the 375 to the range on Saturday.  More or less happy with the results.  Some oddities though.

First the scope mount.  Off set was a bad idea.  By the end of the day, the recoil had pushed the scope forward a good 1/10th of an inch.  I think it happened over the course of two sets I shot as those two sets were grouped in a vertical line rather than a circle which leads me to believe that the scope was moving after shots.  These two strings were also on the heavier loads.

So I have decided to scrap the front lens cover and find an alternative and I remounted the scope further forward,  I also used more torque on the screws-closer to 30 inch pounds rather than the 25 I used before.  I am hoping this will keep it in line.

The real oddity was with the groups.

•   I sighted in the scope using cheap factory rounds – 270 grains federal blue box. 
•   I set the scope so the bullets were hitting 2 inches high at 100 yards.
•   Then I tried a starting load with 350 grain Barnes Banded solids.

I was shocked to see the group sitting 11 inches below the point of aim!  This meant that these were shooting 13 inches lower than the factory rounds.  I then tried a set using the max load for the 350 grain solid.  These hit 7.5 inches below the point of aim, or 9.5 inches lower than the factory rounds.

I decided to try the tipped TSX shells and see what they would do.  Without adjusting the scope I shot 6 different groups and they were all grouping between 2 and 4.5 above the Point of aim-very similar to the factory ammo.  The variance of 2-4.5 came from the different powder charges I was using.  I loaded up sets that varied up and down the recommended powder charge for the bullet.

I need to see what the BC is on the different bullets, as well as get a chrony on them so I can see what is happening.  I can’t go to Africa with different loads that are varying a foot at 100 yards!

The folks on the AR forum indicated this was not unusual, and to try and match my bullet weights better.  So I will be trying the 300 grain solids next I guess.

[ORCA_SIX]

Sounds like you have some problems going on.

[Rob]

Kinda, but this is why I like to work all the kinks out well in advance of the trip-trying to do this next August with the trip coming up in October would put me way over the edge!  Besides, this feeds my mental need to fidget with things.

I have two issues.  Scope mounting and POI for different loads/bullets.

I believe the scope issue to be fixed (will test that next weekend).  On a side note, it struck me odd that the scope moved forward, not backward.  I would have thought recoil would have pushed it backwards.

For the POI issue, I am trying to solve for two scenarios:
1-Hunt for plains game at moderate ranges
2-Hunt for Dangerous game at close ranges

I can get away with one bullet for the first scenario and I'd like for it to be a fast, flat shootng, high quality, lighter expanding bullet.

But I need two loads for the second scenario.  A heavy hitting expanding bullet for the first shot, followed by a magazine of solids for backup shots.  I'd like all three loads to be +/- 1 inch of each other at 100 yards. Might be a pipe dream, but I have time to try and dial them in.

If I can’t find three bullets that have similar POI, then I ditch the lighter faster PG load and fall back to the heavy hitting expanding bullet, and the solid combo-using the expanding bullet for plains game hunting.

What I am reading on the other boards, and from buddies of mine on the 375 is:
A.  Most folks don't load over 300 grains in the 375 HH
B.  A difference in 100 grains between the solid and the Tipped TSX is significant.  Try to get them closer together.
C.  Experiment with different bullets and loads and eventually the magic combo will be revealed.

So the plan now is to continue to work up the 250 grain Tipped TSX's for scenario #1, and then Look at the Swift A Frame in 300 grains for the expanding bullet in Scenario #2, and drop the bullet weight to 300 grains for the Banded solid.  If the Banded solid does not work, then try a Woodleigh.

[Rob]

I am finding the 375 HH to be a very peculiar cartridge. I am getting wildly different results with different loads. I went to the range on Saturday and this time I brought a chrony with me.

As you will recall, two weekends ago, at 100 yards, both Factory Load Federal Blue box (270 grain SP) and my hand loaded 250 grain Tipped TSX’s were hitting about 3 to 4 inches above POA. But the hand loaded 350 grain Barnes Banded Solids were shooting about 11 inches below the POA.

This time, I again shot two different loads, also at 100 yards. The same Tipped TSX’s, and some Factory loads that were Federal Premium Nosler Partitions in 300 Grain. My tipped TSX’s were averaging about 2850 FPS. The Factory loaded Noslers were averaging 2430.

The hand loads gave me pretty good groups-around an inch or so-and were hitting 3.5ish inches above POA. The factory noslers on the other hand, were not grouping well at all with groups of around 2-3+ inches, and were hitting around 10 inches low!

So again, I am seeing variances of 12 to 14 inches between differing loads (20% increase in Bullet weight, and 420 FPS delta in velocity)! I find this fascinating and have not seen this with any other calibers I have shot.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Those African Porcupines are some neat looking critters.  I've got a Porcupine from MT to do for a lady this year.  Should be pretty interesting.  Going to keep a pair of pliers handy.

[Rob]

Yeah Michelle, I'd love to get one of those dudes for the man cave!

Quick update, two more folks have joined the hunting party.  My buddy Ray who will be hunting Plains Game, and his Dad who will be coming as an observer.

Very Excited!!

[lhrbull]

what kind of vaccinations do you get for your trip

[Rob]

I am not sure what I will need for Zim.  I plan to go to a travel nurse end of the year, early next year to find out what is recomended.  When I went to Namibia, I told the nurse where I was going, and he consulted some publications he is subscribed to that told him what was advised.  Here is what I did for Namibia.

Recommended
•  Tetanus booster with whooping cough
•  Typhoid (oral)
•  Polio Booster
•  Hepatitis A (Hepatitis B optional but wise to get)
   o  Twinrix is both Hep A and B and is a 3 shot series.  Second is taken 4 weeks after the first and the third is taken 5 months after that.  Last shot is optional but if you take it it’s good for life.
•  Malaria (doxacycline)
•  Cipro (to knock out an infection)

Optional
•  Rabies
    oOpted not to get the rabies shots as they were several hundred dollars.  The fall back is that if you get bit by a mammal you go in for the “follow up” series within 24 hours of being bit.
•  Yellow fever
     o  No outbreaks reported where we are going in either Namibia or South Africa. I got this anyway.

[lhrbull]

we are going to sa in 2012 and can't really get a read if any are necessary no one really wants to say

[ORCA_SIX]

LHRBULL,

I travel extensively and already had all of the shots that Rob mentioned but I went to a travel nurse for any updated shots for S.A. anyways. They said I was good with what I had. You can always check the CDC or Dept of State Travel and see what they recommend if you are starting off with no prior shots. These three sites should help you out. Also, I don't recommend the rabies shot. All it does is give you a little more time after getting bit, but you will still have to get follow on shots. Depending on where you are at, they could be the newer shots or the painful old style shots. Definitely look at getting your shots early so you have time to get all the required ones in the time frame they suggest.


http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/south-africa.htm

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2898.htm

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1008.html

[Rob]

Not sure where you live, but I went to:
Northshore Public Health Center
10808 NE 145th ST
Bothell, WA
98011

(206) 296 9787

This site has the details on North Shore
http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/locations/travelclinic.aspx

[Rob]

I got to take the 450 Dakota out to a clearcut and do a little shooting this last weekend.  I had two goals.  First, try some close range rapid fire to see how fast I could empty the magazine.  Second, get come chrony data on the four different bullets I am looking at.

RAPID FIRE:
This was an interesting exercise.  I put a target up on a 3.5 foot thick stump about 15 yards out.  I then put three rounds in the magazine and, from an offhand shooting position, proceeded to fire all three rounds as fast as possible.  I did this 3 times for a total of 9 shots.  This is a drill I have never done before with a rifle so it was interesting.
-I found that it was possible to shoot this gun rapidly without killing myself or mangling my shoulder (in terms of recoil, the 450 roughly equal to shooting a triple barrel 30.06 -- all three barrels at the same time).  After doing this 3 times, I could feel it in my shoulder.  It also blew off the front butler creek scope cover after the 4th or 5th shot which I found amusing!
-I was focused more on rapid cycling than accuracy.  I found the more I rushed, the longer it took to cycle the action.  I would be better off using a calm and steady approach to cycling the action, than “hell bent for leather”.
-I was really not taking the time to aim properly.  I was so focused on emptying the magazine that I found even at 15 yards I was shooting low and left.  Slowing down a bit should improve this.
-HOLY COW!  A 450 Dakota will put a 500 grain bullet clean through a 3.5 foot stump and leave a 1 inch  exit hole!  This was not a fresh stump, but it was not a rotten stump either.

Chrony data
500 Gr Woodleigh hydrostablized: 2411
500 Gr Barnes TSX:  2401
500 Gr Barnes Banded Solids: 2458
500 Gr Swift A-Frame:  2358

After the rapid fire exercise, my shoulder was really only capable of shooting one of each bullet for the chorny data.  So I’ll go get more data over the next few weeks/months.

I am pleased with the chrony data, they are all pretty close to +/- 50 FPS of 2,400FPS which is my target for velocity  I’ll be interested to see additional data as I collect it. 

After 13 shots, my shoulder was beat!  My buddies tried it and were all satisfied with taking a single shot.