Fellow AR members:

I caught up with an old friend and fellow DRSS member Tony Black (NE450No2) at DSC this past weekend.

I just wanted to be the first to congratulate Tony's on his upcoming retirement this February 7!

Tony, congratulations on this achievement and best of luck to you later next month (February) when you find yourself back on safari!

Congrats, Tony! That means more time to shoot and hunt. Enjoy!

George

Best wishes to you, Tony!

John

Congratulations, I am seriously jealous! I am just counting the days (I'm 47) Maybe the next lottery ticket...

Tony,

The best to you, most importantly shoot straight..

Mike

Congratulations NE450No2! It sounds like you are very, very close -- not thinking about calling in sick for a week, are you?

Congratultions Tony! Now don't go spending your whole pension in one place!

Tony, congrats. Now you will have time to come down here to a "Band of Bubba's" shoot to play around and show us how to do fast reloads with a DR.

Hog Killer

ps: I will be waiting for that monkey shoot we talked about in D.

Thanks guys,
It has been a long time comming, 30 years.
My "official date is Feb 7th.
As a retirement present to myself I leave for Zimbabwe on Feb 26th.

I will be hunting 30 days in March with Brooklands Safaris, PH Dale Des Fountain.
Ian Lewis will again video my hunt.
I met Dale last year at DSC and we did a little shooting together after the Show fo a couple of days, we hit it off so I booked a hunt.

I will take the same 2 rifles my 450 No2, and my Chapuis 9,3x74R.
Instead of the 4" S&W 44 Mag I will take my 6" Freedom Arms 475 Linebaugh.

The main focus of this hunt will be Elephants.
I have 2 trophy bulls on quota as well as 4 or so crop raiding bulls, and 6 cow elephants.

I plan to test the 475 on a downed elephant or 2 and see if has what it takes to make a brain shot. If so we will try to brain one with the FA.
I also have 2 buff bulls, leopard, crock, hippo and what ever plains game "gets in the way".
Dhould make for a fair amount of excitement.

I will be shooting some North Fork 450gr. cup points on the buff and some 450gr. flat point solids on the elephant and hippo. I will have some 480 Woodleigh Softs and solids and some Swift 500 grain A Frames. They all hit the same place in my 450 No2. [Well I have not fired the flat point solids yet but I do not know why they would not, will test shortly].

Congrats Tony!

I did the same last November 1 and have been having a ball ever since. I'll be in Zim chasing eles the same time you will. Maybe we will cross paths.

465H&H

465H&H
I fly into Vic Falls March 1at, and will drive to the DEKA. After we sort out the elephant bulls I go to the OMAY for the cow elephant, croc, and hippo, then to the Save for Leopard and buff, as well as plains game.
I fly out of Harare on March 31.

Tony you need one of my retirement T-shirts tha says "Don't ask me to do one damn thing, I'm retired!"

Tony I'll get in touch with you for the details on that 07 Bear hunt! Congratulations!

So let me get this straight;

12 Elephant
2 Buffalo
1 Leopard
1 Croc
1 Hippo
A smattering of PG

That is one hell of a safari. Looks like a bag from 50 years ago. Have a great time and Congratulations!

Do you need a Gun Bearer? I will volunteer to carry the gun and take good still pictures.

Hey Tony,

Glad your retirement is finally here, I have certainly enjoyed mine and know you will also. You are a short timer, don't let them send you out on anything serious. You have been under enough fire, including your wife!! Take care buddy.

Fred

Well deserved, Tony! Congratulations!

At least he won't have to add one of these to his trophy list!

Congratulations Tony.

Have fun, and I hope you have a great trip to Zim this summer. I also hope you'll have many more in the future!

Your trip to Zim sounds like the best retirement party I've heard of. Thanks for introducing me to your PH, and it was a pleasure introducing the new Hollis to you and the other DRSS's. Bob

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
Well deserved, Tony! Congratulations!

At least he won't have to add one of these to his trophy list!

Yeah, he already has been there and done that. And did not even have to leave town. There also was no "charge" to his credit card.

Hog Killer

Tony,

Congratulations.

Steve

Again, thanks Gentlemen.
bobc, I can't wait to shoot your 400, she is very nice.
I handled the Cogswell and Harrison, it looks brand new, the Rhodda a member bought, er... excuse me his VERY NICE wife bought for him, was a great deal [450/400] and handles very well. I also handled the 470 Heym bought, it is very well fitted with a nice stock.
I am here to tell ya'll, the AR bunch did good at DSC.

Oh and for the piece de resistance, I cannot wait to shot Doc52's 577.
I might even have to knock down a Texas tree or 2.

Tony! again a pleasure to have met you, and all the best on your retirement! (I've got 5 years to go!) Lee.

Congratulations Tony.

I think you are planning a safari of a lifetime, and I hope you achieve your safari goals. An impressive trophy target list indeed!

Good luck and good hunting.

Only a few days to go!

Very nice. Very nice indeed.
All us old guys still working will think of you each morning as we leave for work.
Anyone have Tonys' home number. I would love to call him about 6am on his first day of retirement and let him know some of us are still working. I am half way there and jealous as HECK!
And the Africa list is totally awesome.
Frank

quote:

might even have to knock down a Texas tree or 2.

I will forever been known as the tree trimming member of the DRSS!

Tony:

I see you are having a video made for yourself again on this trip. You last video was some of the best hunting scenes I have ever seen.

The question is, will there be extra copies made? If so, I want to buy one.

Tony,
Congratulations,
I sure hope Butch has the 577 done before the next DRSS hunt! It will be great to see everyone again! I'll make sure we bring enough ammo so everyone can have fun with her!
Good luck with your hunting plans Tony!

might even have to knock down a Texas tree or 2.
Tony,
Maybe 577 Nitro Express and I can have some meat to contribute this year instead of fuel for a fire!

Tony,

Once more, congratulations!

Howard.

Congrdulations, and best of luck with your hunt!

JPK

Tony,

What a deal! Live the dream. I retired once in 99 and most recently, again, in Dec. of 05. Had lots of hunting and fishing in between but not to your intended level. Go for it and best of wishes our friend. Do post a Hunt Report such that we all may live through you.

Can't remember who's sig line says ; "you can make more money but you can never make more time". So true.

DB

Congratulations on both milestone achievements; retirement and making the top of my shit-list

I WILL get you back, even if it takes 20 years.

Mike

Now Mike.... Don't Hate.

When you make such good bullets you should be ready for a little joke, or two.

What Mike is refering to is I played a little joke on him at DSC.

I had recovered a few bullets from the rocky soil where I was working up a load for his cup point solids in my 450 No2. I showed them to him as we were looking at the rifling marks checking out their suitibility for my double.

The next day I sent an African PH to see him with one of those bullets and a piece of elephant hide. I told the PH to tell him that his client had shot an elephant and the bullet had bounced off the hide.
I figured he would recognize the bullet and look around for me, but the PH laid it on pretty thick I guess and he was "stumped" for a second or two.

Mike if it is any consolation, right now I am loading your solids for my 450 No2 for use on elephant on my Safari.

If they bounce off the head I will let you know.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:

The next day I sent an African PH to see him with one of those bullets and a piece of elephant hide. I told the PH to tell him that his client had shot an elephant and the bullet had bounced off the hide.

Now that is funny!

Aw, Tony! Now that was rough joke to play on your favorite bullet maker!

Rusty and Charles,
I thought it was funny... But I did not know he was "so sensitive"... But you know how those creative types are.

He is a good guy and makes great bullets.
I cannot wait to bust a couple of buff a hippo and a few elephants with them.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
He is a good guy and makes great bullets.

I'll second both of those.

Mikes North Fork Solids did a great job on bull elephant at a little less than 6 yards and a cup point solid followed by some flat nosed solids did a great job on a giraffe.
I will be using them again in Oct 2006 when I return to Zim.

Congrats on the retirement! Have a ball and enjoy the rest of your life. I retired when I was 54, 66 now, and have enjoyed every minute of it hunting and fishing all over the USA. My next stop is Africa sometime in 2007.

always a great accomplishment.

I love seeing "that look" in the eyes of my clients when they clock out the LAST TIME...

happy hunting.