Well just returned from the Vintager's and had a blast, to say the least... Got to Shoot two of the biggest guns ever used in Africa, a
4 bore and a Jeffery .600 N.E. I'm still standing and no broken bones.. I am also still smiling for being the privledge to shoot these classic rifles...
Even had the pleasure of meeting the Australian Big Bore shooting team and competeing against them... The team is made up of three fine gents Andrew Hepner, Barry Evans, and Graeme Wright... What a great bunch of fellow boomer shooters from down under...
There were 32 shooters in the stopping event and I placed 12th overall.. I also learned some more and plan to improve my results for next year...There were a bunch of AR members on hand who all had a good time and did not let the rainy weather spoil a great time...
The first place went to a shooter from Connecticut, second to Graeme Wright, third to Andrew Hepner...

Graeme Wright, Andrew Hepner, Retreever



Dave and his wife in Victorian garb and gear

This is the sequence of the event 32 shots in two 16 shot rounds...

bull ele at 40 yds. 2 shots


Six shots timed load,shoot, reload 3 targets two shots at each 20yds, 15yds, and 10yds.


popup lion timed 4 shots 15 seconds Graeme bringing the rifle up to shoot

running lion 30yds 2 shots


Charging buffalo 2 shots 10 feet and a 5 foot window of opportunity


other photos of the event
Know the hat???


Not for the faint of heart!!! 4 bore in action


Shooter showing Mike Baine from the Outdoor channel the how toos


Scoring the event


Retreever in action

Mike,

Good stuff.

Regards, Tim

WTG, Mike! Thanks for sharing!

More please! Hopefully videos will follow

John

Well, I'll chime in with my pictures and experiences from the sidelines. Dad and I went down for the day, and as we don't own a double (yet), we weren't competing. I can say it was a fantastic time and an even more fantastic group of people. The camaraderie of everyone was very refreshing!

The infamous 4-bore. It looks comedic at first (short and stumpy), but it's all business!



One of the many "sewing circles" going on throughout the day. There was a wealth of knowledge to be gained.



The "paired gun" competition. 1 shooter & 1 loader, 2 shotguns, 4 minutes, 200 clay targets! This is about as fast and furious as these events come. Even more challenging, the birds were flying AT you - no time to thing about it; just shoot!



After the events were over - micro-AR gathering at Annie's Steak and Seafood. L to R: Paul Reed, Clayman (Brandon), and retreever (Mike).



I already can't wait till next year! Good times!

Way to go. Looks like it was a fun event. Four bore? You're nuts!

Here is my photographic contribution to the event, apologies in advance to dialup. It was a fun event and at least the day that we went down (Friday) Mother Nature decided to cooperate and hold off on the rain. The Eastern Shore of Maryland is really a beautiful place to hold such an event especially in the fall with the colors, flocking ducks and geese and spectacular waterways.

There seemed to be fewer vendors this year, perhaps the economic conditions are taking a toll. Those that were there were well stocked with some beautiful firearms. It was fun watching the competition including our own Retreever….I believe we may have a TV start in the midst of the AR brethren…watch for Mike on an upcoming episode of The Shotgun Journal. Way to go Mike.

Enjoy

Paul



The entrance to Pintail Point, a really nice club with many opportunities to shoot











The vendor tent area
















Retreevers "Beacon on the Toyota" as our meeting place




Retreever "Hisself"




Need to dress the part




Kayne Robinson of the NRA




Ken Jorgenson from Ruger (L), Michael Bane (C) from The Shooting Gallery, unknown




Bane reading his script?




Kayne shooting in the Stopping Rifle Competition







Running Lion sequence









"Waiting to compete"




Michael Bane and crew filming a segment on the 4 Bore








The Four Bore




Shooting the charging buffalo 4 bore style




Michael Bane tries his hand at the buff, four bore style!






Anyone for “a corn roastâ€






Bane interviews Robinson




Another competitor



Full recoil



Shot number 2




The Stopping Rifle area




Vendors







Some nice Parkers




Brandon (aka Clayman) fondles a new H&H 375 Rimmed and it's only $152,000







Ray Poudrier on the left, one of the founders of the Vintagers with our musical entertainment




More clay sports competition




Paired gun sequence, 200 targets in four minutes…can we say “hot barrelsâ€










Cleanup time




Fire up the reloading machines




Retriever dog chapel and resting place by the pond




A weekend of “like minded shooters and sportsmenâ€




Clayman and Retriever discuss the competition




600 Nitro on a charging buffalo







Rock and Roll




Retriever and the 600 Nitro






Scoring the targets




600 Nitro….plinker?




I'm fondling the 600 Nitro, beautiful stock and metal...a classic.



Another competitor sequence, this time Rich is up










Discussing the results after competition

I was there and shot all the event the first day as I had a bunch of other business to do and not a lot of time there. Shot the Stopping event with my Win 1886 in 475 Turnbull and that sure is fun!!! I was not allowed to compete as I did not relaod for the timed event. Shot the 6 shots in about 10 seconds. What was the winin

I was there and shot all the event the first day as I had a bunch of other business to do and not a lot of time there. Shot the Stopping event with my Win 1886 in 475 Turnbull and that sure is fun!!! I was not allowed to compete as I did not relaod for the timed event. Shot the 6 shots in about 10 seconds. What was the wining score? Just wondering how I matched up with the double rifle shooters. Waht a great group of guys and gals there on Thursday.

Hi Doug,

The winning score was I believe 241 and the rapid fire six paired shots was 16 seconds...
It was great to meet all there...

Mike

Just got a call from Josh Weinner who was high shooter. I had sold him the gun he used last spring and his score was a new course record. He used the very first 450-400 3" that L'Atelier Verney-Carron (Demas Artisan) had made.

Surely those sissy 450/400's aren't competing with the big boys.

Excellent stuff here!!! I can't wait for when I
can get more involved with all these fine people!

Retriever

Great post, great pictures and good shooting on your part.

I have followed this event for several years, it is a must do for ANY double rifle hunter.

Great report and thanks for the photos everyone.
Can I compete with my 22 LR Double?

Will

After killing a cape buff, a lion, and a bull elephant with a 450/400 3 1/4' I can assure you that I would have no problem using a 450/400 as my Primary on any DG Safari.

I figured that would goose someone into action.

I'm too tired tonight to repeat the argument, but it ain't a big bore. But I'm happy if you're happy!

Will

Have you read "the RIFLE Its Development for Big Game Hunting" by S.R. Truesdell?

Have you read John Taylor? The 450/400 was his favorite.

Do you have any "Personal" experience with the 450/400???

IF not, then wear your Pink shirt, go to the Safari Shows and pull your suitcase with wheels, and sell your books...

But do not comment on rifles/ballistics that you have no personal experience using.

quote:

Have you read John Taylor? The 450/400 was his favorite.

I have seen the 450/400 in action. Does that count?

Taylor said that it was one of his favorites but ole John did a lot of pandering to his audience. He also said he wasn't dumb enough to go into thick bush with the little stuff. It is the inherent problem of bad-mouthing someone's favorite cartridge, eh?

I truly love the 416's and the 450/400 is sort of an anemic 416. In the field there probably isn't much discernible difference without a whole lot of data, but it just isn't the same.

It can't be just from the physics of it all. It is the old argument that the 404 isn't any different than a 375 which isn't any different than a 9.3x62 which really isn't much different than a 338 Wm, etc. etc.

But I'm glad you have had good results with your 450/400.

I went to this years vintager's for the first time. All I can say is WOW. This place was like Disney World for Sportsman. It was really nice to put faces to some of the names I have seen here for sometime now.


I was told over and over again to take my guns. I said no I just wanted to go and see what it was all about. What a BIG, HUGE mistake. I should have taken guns to compete in every event just for fun and the experience.

I have to thank Retreever for showing me around introducing me to the guys and just being and all around great guy. Mike let me shoot his double rifle at a couple of targets at the stopping gun event. At the crossing lion I stopped him dead. But at the charging buffalo I got stomped.

It was a great experience to share a weekend of comeraderie with hunting and shooting enthusiasts.
This was an event to never miss again and this time load up the guns. Thanks again to Retreever for showing me around.
Steve

Great event and thanks to Mike and Corbin for their hospitality and generosity. Definatly put some fuel on the fire as I am waiting for Butch to finish my double! It was great to meet several of the members who I have seen post... Have a great week and good hunting

Highbrass,

Great meeting you as well. Stock up on brass and bullets! When your gun comes in then you will have a salted in supply of goods to go shooting. One can never have too much powder, bullets, or cases

You might consider having LBT make you a mould as it will be a lot less to feed the hunger of a big double with cast bullets.

Bike Rider

THanks alot Mike!

You guys seemed to have had a blast...

How does one get into this "DRSS"??

Can foreigners(nonobamaers ofcouse haha) participate with DR??

Thanks forposting pictures...very inspiring

Here are the official scores as posted as of Sunday morning:

Stalking Rifle:

Mal MacGregor 214
Andrew Hepner 207
Joshua Miles 201
Steven Morris 195
Graeme Wright 176


Alexander Henry Cup [Single shot rifles shot on the Stalking Rifle course]:

Mal MacGregor 208
Randy Fraser 151
Jim Burdacki 131

Stopping Rifle:

Joshua Miles 241
Mal MacGregor 215
Graeme Wright 207
Steven Morris 204
Jim Burdacki 202



All the best, SXS

Where can the elephant paper targets be purchased from?

rslus
pA

I thought I recognized that black hat but it didn’t look right without a big ole hunk of brass on the brim.
Bill

My first time to the Vintners as well as Pintail Point. Very enjoyable. Wish I had deeper pockets.

Great pics, what a load of fun! As Will said, and I concur, what are they doing letting the 450-400 in on the big bore stopping rifle competition? They need to have a junior stopping rifle division for the 450-400. JUST KIDDING!

Bwana1,

You should have come over and said hello...
There were a few AR guys at the Stopping event all the time...

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by rslus:
Where can the elephant paper targets be purchased from?

rslus
pA

I don't think they can be purchased by the general public. I had a similar question for one of the organizers and they told me one of the members drew all the animals and they had another member print them up for the event. I thought they could make a small mint setting up a stand and selling them at the event; I would've bought some!

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Surely those sissy 450/400's aren't competing with the big boys.

quote:

By NE 450 No2

Will
After killing a cape buff, a lion, and a bull elephant with a 450/400 3 1/4' I can assure you that I would have no problem using a 450/400 as my Primary on any DG Safari

quote:

By Will

I figured that would goose someone into action.

I'm too tired tonight to repeat the argument, but it ain't a big bore. But I'm happy if you're happy!

quote:

By NE 450 No2

Will, Have you read "the RIFLE Its Development for Big Game Hunting" by S.R. Truesdell?

Have you read John Taylor? The 450/400 was his favorite.

Do you have any "Personal" experience with the 450/400???

IF not, then wear your Pink shirt, go to the Safari Shows and pull your suitcase with wheels, and sell your books...

But do not comment on rifles/ballistics that you have no personal experience using.

quote:

By Will

I have seen the 450/400 in action. Does that count?

TONY, haven't you figured Will out by now? He's just digging his spurs in your flanks to get you bucking, then he sits back a enjoys the rodeo! He knows the 450/400 NE 3" will do anything the .416 will do, with less recoil, and rifle weight, and that big bore starts at .400 cal PERIOD.

................. ............

There really needs to be different power classes. Let all the small guns (450/400's and the like) duke it out and then have another class for 5000fp guns and then another class for anything in the 6000+ class. And chronograph each persons ammo and weight the bullet. Im sure there are a lot of reduced weight bullets being shot with reduced charges for even greater recoil reduction.

Stopping rifles should be used in the stopping rifle class not 450/400's.

Bike Rider