Some Jamieson photos courtesy of AR member Dutch44. Thanks.









I'm guessing that the rifle is his Holland and Holland .500/.450.

Will - That's some cool stuff!

Now I know where Will got that sleeveless shirt idea -- wonder if he has one of those hats too?

Neat pics.

quote:

wonder if he has one of those hats too?

You should be a psychic.

Who says you can't hunt plains and DG with the same double If I didn't already have my stuff packed, I would take scissors to all the sleeves

quote:

Originally posted by VFR1:
Who says you can't hunt plains and DG with the same double If I didn't already have my stuff packed, I would take scissors to all the sleeves

You certainly can hunt anything with a double.

But, you put yourself in a lot of disadvantage, especially with opn sights.

I might have done it in years gone by.

Not today though.

quote:

Originally posted by VFR1:
Who says you can't hunt plains and DG with the same double If I didn't already have my stuff packed, I would take scissors to all the sleeves

My thoughts exactly! Double rifles are hunting rifles, and certainly not restricted to the big five.

On the sleeveless shirts, back in the fifties in the deasert southwest people who worked outside always wore sleeveless shirts! However you couldn't run fast enough to put that hat on my head!

See you guys have been harrassing Will all these years for no good reason, other than he is a old grouch.

Nice pictures Will!

Great photos.
John Sharp will be the subject of these type of photos in about 30 years.

What years would those photos cover?

Personally, I rather like the hat. It shows character!

Thanks for posting them, Will

I'd still pay good money for that hat.

Dutch

dutch

would it be okay with you if i snatched a copy of those pictures, i really would like to print them and frame them for my office, the coolness factor is very high.

best

peter

Very cool photos!

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Very cool photos!

+1

Peterdk:
You have a PM.


Dutch

Gents:
I spoke with Fletcher's son many years ago and he mentioned many of his father's photos were taken (and never returned) by a publisher.

He has always been a hero and somewhat of a mystery to me. Do you have any more photos to post, Dutch44? Has a biography been written of him outside of Taylor and a few articles over the years?
Cheers,
Cal

quote:

I spoke with Fletcher's son many years ago and he mentioned many of his father's photos were taken (and never returned) by a publisher.

Your head would spin if you knew how common this was. It is amazing how many photos disappear when they are processed for magazines or books.

These are great pics, by the way. Any idea of the year?

There is a great pic of Selous with the rifle over his shoulder that, to me, defines the era.

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch44:
I'd still pay good money for that hat.

Dutch

With a hat that big you don't need sleeves.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MacD37:
However you couldn't run fast enough to put that hat on my head! [QUOTE]

My thoughts exactly!

Cal:
Those were the only ones offered to my friend by the family friend.

Mac and ledvm:
I'd still like to have that hat. Didn't say I would wear it, though.

I was given, some years ago by the grand daughter, many of Doc DuComb's hunting photos. Among them were many that were of the trip Doc took with Elmer Keith on the Salmon River expedition and some of which were published in the book, "Hell, I Was There". These are the original photos and were returned to his widow with whom I had the great pleasure meeting. I would assume that Doc loaned them to Elmer for the book.
Among those photos I was given was one of Jack O'Connor and Doc with 5 sheeps heads of which 3 appear to be full curl. That photo was taken in camp and there may have been other hunters in camp with them but they aren't viewed.
I also viewed Doc's home movie of his tiger hunt taken in the very late 50's or early 60's in India. Quite an affair. Some real history. I own Doc's 44" cape buff mount which is on the wall of my office along with a bison mount as well as pictures of him posing with them. Doc went on a safari each year since the 1930's up until near the time of his death in, I believe, 1989.


Dutch

Dutch44, like you I would love to own the rifle, the hat and the pictures to put in a glassed in display case along with some other African hunting memorabilia. Also like you and Ledvm
I wouldn't wear the hat, but I'd shoot the heck out of that rifle then put it back in the display!

Another rifle I would love to own is TR's H&H 500/450NE double rifle with the presidential seal in the stock. I got a chance years ago to handle that rifle, and I didn't want to give it back. I'd love to have Ivan Carter's Heym double that he lost in the river and dove for it for three days. I handled that ones as well at Chris's Heym booth at the DSC show this year. That one I might could afford, but the other two are way above my pay grade.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by MacD37:
However you couldn't run fast enough to put that hat on my head! [QUOTE]

My thoughts exactly!

Sorry guys, call me crazy, but I would wear that hat without thinking twice.

I have never been overly concerned with sartorial elegance.

Love the photos! Thanks for sharing Dutch44 (and Will).

Didnt he also use a 505 or 500 jeffreys bolt gun a good deal?

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
Didnt he also use a 505 or 500 jeffreys bolt gun a good deal?

He could very well have owned and used either of these two cartridge rifles some, because these two chamberings were pleantiful in the cheap to buy Mausers, However everything I've read about Jamieson was that he clearly prefered, and used his double rifles for almost all his hunting, be it plains game or dangerous game. I would say that if he owned a bolt rifle it was most likely a 9.3X62 Mauser, or a 303 Brit for meat foraging for camp suplies as ammo was cheap as well.

ok,I found it.. it's in Taylors african rifles and cartridges, under 500 jeffries.
" my friend Jamieson had Jeffrey build him one special with a 26" barrel. He was a tall man of fine physique.Since having the weapon built, some 10-12 yrs ago, he used it exclusively. He did a great deal of shooting with it, not sure of his total bag but not far short of 300 elephants. The last thing he thought of was changing it for anything else."
If Taylor was correct, and Jamieson was a good friend of his so you would assume he would know, He used a magazine rifle along with a double a good deal.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
ok,I found it.. it's in Taylors african rifles and cartridges, under 500 jeffries.
" my friend Jamieson had Jeffrey build him one special with a 26" barrel. He was a tall man of fine physique.Since having the weapon built, some 10-12 yrs ago, he used it exclusively. He did a great deal of shooting with it, not sure of his total bag but not far short of 300 elephants. The last thing he thought of was changing it for anything else."
If Taylor was correct, and Jamieson was a good friend of his so you would assume he would know, He used a magazine rifle along with a double a good deal.

You're never too old to learn something new!

I suppose the reason I didn't see that is I never read the section on the 500 Jeff, because the cartridge simply doesn't interest me! Maybe I better read the whole book instead of only what interests me, HUH?

quote:

You're never too old to learn something new!

I dont know which came first though, the double or the Boltgun, any idea?

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:

quote:

You're never too old to learn something new!

I dont know which came first though, the double or the Boltgun, any idea?

I don't know either, but I think those pictures were made shortly before his death. He died at a comparitivly young age.

Don't knock the hat unless you are one of the fortunate ones who have never had your dermitoligist take 4 or 5 cancerous or pre-cancerous crap off you head ever 6 months for the last 10 years! I wear long sleeve shirts too!

quote:

Originally posted by Tom In Tennessee:
Don't knock the hat unless you are one of the fortunate ones who have never had your dermitoligist take 4 or 5 cancerous or pre-cancerous crap off you head ever 6 months for the last 10 years! I wear long sleeve shirts too!

No "long-johns" ?

What is most likely, going from a 500/450 to a 500 Jeffery, or vice versa?

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
What is most likely, going from a 500/450 to a 500 Jeffery, or vice versa?

With Fletcher Jamieson, the double came first.
Records suggest that it was sold 1934-1936, and his .500 Jeffery was ordered in 1936-37.
He sold the H&H 500-450NE due to a wrist injury causing difficulty in breaking the barrels when loading/reloading the double.
Fletch died in 1947. He was in his early 40's.

Didn't Alex Karras borrow that outfit when he played Mongo in the 1974 movie "Blazing Saddles"?

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
ok,I found it.. it's in Taylors african rifles and cartridges, under 500 jeffries.
" my friend Jamieson had Jeffrey build him one special with a 26" barrel. He was a tall man of fine physique.Since having the weapon built, some 10-12 yrs ago, he used it exclusively. He did a great deal of shooting with it, not sure of his total bag but not far short of 300 elephants. The last thing he thought of was changing it for anything else."
If Taylor was correct, and Jamieson was a good friend of his so you would assume he would know, He used a magazine rifle along with a double a good deal.

That rifle is featured on the "Boddington on African Rifles" DVD.

Our good friend Bill Jones owns Fletchers 500 Jefferies . I got to send a couple of rounds through it and it was a hell of a treat. Very accurate rifle. Really enjoyed "holding history"!

quote:

Originally posted by 5seventy:

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
What is most likely, going from a 500/450 to a 500 Jeffery, or vice versa?

With Fletcher Jamieson, the double came first.
Records suggest that it was sold 1934-1936, and his .500 Jeffery was ordered in 1936-37.
He sold the H&H 500-450NE due to a wrist injury causing difficulty in breaking the barrels when loading/reloading the double.
Fletch died in 1947. He was in his early 40's.

Correct me if I'm worng but as I recall, (from stories) Fletcher Jamieson died after returning to his farm from a hunt and going to inspect the work being done on a new (hand dug) well he was lowered into the shaft in a bucket on a rope while holding a corded light. The wiring was faulty and when he stepped out of the bucket on the moist floor of the well he was instantly electrocuted.
After the wild and wooly life he lived in the bush such a demise seems horribly unfair.

The bolt gun.






To see Will in his Jamieson get up, BUY THE BOOK!

One very special rifle!
Appears to have been proofed 1937-38.
I've read that the barrel is engraved with Fletch's name, is that correct?
Beautiful rifle with tons of history.
Thanks for the photos!

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Fulson:
Our good friend Bill Jones owns Fletchers 500 Jefferies . I got to send a couple of rounds through it and it was a hell of a treat. Very accurate rifle. Really enjoyed "holding history"!

Just to handle that rifle would really be something, but to also get to shoot it would be awesome!

You guys have it backwards. On one of Will's last foot safaris to the region, Fletcher saw Will wearing one of those sleeveless safari shirts and just had to have one, and after having one made up Fletch liked it so much that it's all he ever wore after that. So give Will credit for starting a fashion trend. I'm pretty sure too (but I could be mistaken) that Will also invented the first stylus for inscribing stone tablets that never needed sharpening. It was a huge hit, a larger version of which became the first spear, and the rest, as they say gentlemen, is history. A footnote to this is that Will was successful in drastically reducing the weight of later versions of this piece, the first hunting weapon extant, and colorfully lauded on cave walls from Capetown to Cairo. Enthusiastically embraced as time wore on, and as more and more hunters began to walk upright, there was nothing to which it could be compared, and so that after the end of a long days hunting the professionals of the day were left relaxed, rested and ready for the next days hunt.