I finally finished and submitted my hunt report!! Wanted to post here another photo on trophy bonded bullet retention. This is a .375 H & H 300 grain and a .300 Weatherby 180 grain. The .375 shot for the buffalo was at about 60 yards - it penetrated through the top of the shoulder, the heart, and lodged on the back side of the second set of ribs. I believe this to be almost 98% retention. The .300 shot for the kudu was at over 300 yards and penetrated right through the neck and lodged in the skin on the other side. I believe this to be about 95%.







Again, thanks to all who helped me and this was the most awsome trip of my life!

Memories for a life time.
God going Bwana.

Why not solids in the .375 ?

Cheers,

Andr�

Shumba: Are you hunting with John Sharp also? I guess most of you know, but I hunted with him (after Allen Day recommended him) in 2001 and I've re-booked for next June. Boy, I thought *I* had a great kudu, mine was only 58 1/2". No points for second place in my business! jorge

Bob,

Great hunt report on a great hunt! Maybe I need to take you with me next time for luck .

I enjoyed getting to talk to you on the way over and back. It is always a pleasure to spend time with fellow AR members. Don't forget to come down for a visit.

Jim

Jorge,

No, I am hunting with Ian Gibson of Big 5 Safaris. Their concession is in Chewore North and their camp is on the banks of the Zambezi River. I hunted with them previously in October 2001. My kudu was only 56.5" and my buffalo was 41".

Can't wait to get back there.

I just got back from the rifle range for final sighting in. Both rifles (416 Rigby and 300 H&H) are sighted in dead on at 100 yards and both rifles have back up scopes. I also check the iron sights on both rifles and they are dead on as well. I'm shooting the 400 grain Barnes X at 2,350 fps and the 400 grain Bridger flat nose solids at 2,415 fps. They shoot on top of each other at 100 yards and the 2 solid shots and 2 Barnes X shots together shot under 1".

For my 300 H&H, I'm shooting 220 grain Partitions (2,700 fps) and 180 grain Barnes TSX's (3,050 fps). The 220 Partitions are dead on at 100 yrds and the TSX's shoot dead on about 1.5" to 1.75" higher.

I'm headed in to the garage now to load my final Africa ammunition. I will be taking:

400 grain Barnes X = 26 rounds
400 grain Bridger Solids = 14 rounds

220 grain Partitions = 30 rounds
180 grains TSX's = 30 rounds

For my scopes, I have two 1.5-5x Leupolds mounted in Quick Detack rings for the Rigby.

For the 300 H&H my main scope is a 1.75-6x Leupold and the back up is a 1.5-5x Leupold. These are both sighted in and in Leupold QRW rings.

Since most shots will be under 100 yards, I don't anticipate needing anything over 5x or 6x power. The last time I hunted there, I used a 375H&H with a Leupold 2.5-8x scope. I shot everything on 2.5x and never touched the power setting on the scope. I figure any long shot that comes up where I can adjust the scope, I will crank it up to 6x. That should be enough.

Tim

Bob,



Quit now. It can't get any better than that!



Fantasic hunt. Congratulations. My friend is hunting with John Sharp right now. His 10 day hunt ends tomorrow. Can't wait to hear how his went as well.



I am off to Zimbabwe on Thursday. If my hunt is just half as successful as yours, I will be very pleased.



Good Job!



Tim

Andre

Took 20 - Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer solids with me (and carried them in my ammo belt). Never had a need for them as I was fortunate on all animals to have one shot kills. Considered shooting a giraffe and would have used solids for that, but never had the right opportunity.

Bobga: You indicated in your great narrative that you did not get a Warthog. I had a hard time shooting one, only getting him on the last day of the safari with John and he's not very big. John knows I'm looking for a BIG ONE this time around. Did you hunt/can you hunt anything else up in Dande or just buffalo? Also can you please elaborate as to why you didn't et a hog? poor wuality/numbers. etc. Thanks, jorge

Pancho,

I had not heard that there was a problem with the Barnes TSX bullets.

For the 416 Rigby, I'm taking the original style Barnes X for buffalo. I doubt there is anything to worry about there.

Have you heard of any problems with the 180 grain TSX's?

Tim

Jorge.
As to warhog it was to be a animal of opprotunity, did not spend too much time in going after one. Believe we went on 4 stalks each time we could not get close enough for a good shot, those buggers can really slip away. As to numbers, saw warthog every day,but only a few were trophy quality(I mean really big tusk). We hunted Dande North on a concession John has with Swainson. There were elephant and lion in the same area as the buffalo, we were only after buffalo. I think John conducts all his plains animal hunts at Malagani. If this is not in your plans you might want to consider it as the not only was the camp great, there is a lot of game. Would like to think we could go back for water buck, warthog, bushbuck, sable and the eland I wanted and did not get.Before we do that we are now making plans for our next trip, in 2007 with John for elephant and lion.

What's the scoop on the new Barnes bullets?

Shumba - Glad to see you're taking the Bridger and Partition bullets. It's a long way to go and then find out the new Barnes aren't all they are cracked up to be.

Thanks Bob: I loved hunting in Malangani and I'm looking forward to it. I never hunted up in Dande and was just curious if a "target of opportunity" (like a warthog, zebra,,etc) showed itself up in Dande, was he fair game. In Malangani I saw LOTS of Waterbuck and I hope to take on this time. I remember the first night I spent there ( I was in the first cottage on the water furthest from the sining area) I kept hearing noised like somebody was "pulling up grass" I sneaked a peek out side and right outside my door were BUNCHES of animals, waterbucks, kudu, warthogs, all grazing! Man that was one of the most memorable nightsof the whole trip as I ralized I WAS IN AFRICA! I'm taking my wife this June only she's already told John we want the cottage on the opposite side, the one with the outside tub! . Man June will never get here! jorge

Wow, what a terrific hunt! Those are some tremendous trophies, especially the kudu.

bobga's full hunt report

Kyler