I recently got back from my first elephant hunt. I shot a young PAC bull on this hunt. During the hunt, I found it necessary to reload my magazine as I put my elephant down but I did not kill it outright. So, before going up to kill it I topped off my magazine.

I used a Kimber Talkeetna, which is reputed to be slow to reload as the loading port is slightly smaller than the length of a loaded round. I've read here and elsewhere that replenishing the magazine requires some sort of down-and-back motion with the fresh cartridges, which slows the reload.

I've never found this to be the case. I've always practiced to reload any of my rifles from whatever belt cartridge holder is appropriate, without looking down at the rifle. I look at what I intend to shoot. Of course, I haven't taken a set of calipers to any other of my rifles either. And, upon sober reflection, I doubt it matters as I reload without looking down. So I'm fairly certain that I'm jamming rounds into my magazine with ALL my rifles without being certain I've centered them into the port with mathematical precision.

So, I've never found the Kimber to be any slower to reload than any other rifle. It just doesn't matter that the loading port isn't as long as the cartridge. If you hold the cartridge at the base and push it into the magazine, it will snap into place. There is no "down-and-back" to it. The nose of the cartridge may drag on the front of the receiver, but not enough to slow it down.

Of course, I didn't use a scope but only iron sights. Naturally, a scope would have interfered, but who uses a scope when hunting dangerous game?

Can someone who was turned off by the supposed slow reload of the Kimber Talkeetna kindly fill me in on what I'm missing? Because unless someone comes along and tells me something I don't know about my rifle, I'm going to continue to be able to refill the magazine just as quickly as with any other rifle I own.

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I recently got back from my first elephant hunt.

Ummmm....pictures?

We require a full report.

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Originally posted by Charles_Helm:

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I recently got back from my first elephant hunt.

Ummmm....pictures?

We require a full report.

I'll see what I can do. I don't want give away too much info to my internet stalkers who follow me around from the Political Forum.

I will tell you this; it was great.

I brought my girlfriend along. She's young, and I worried that she wouldn't have a good time. I didn't need to worry. We hunted with Charlton McCallum Safaris in Omay south. We were camped above the river, and could see elephants, buffalo, waterbuck, impala, etc., from camp. We hiked into a herd of cows and got some awesome video. We drove up to Matusadonna and had a picnic lunch surrounded by elephants. I have some cool video of us packing up the coolers from our shady picnic spot because elephants are on the other side of the tree.

The hunting was almost secondary to the game viewing. Which is good, because my girlfriend hated life for the first few days as she just hung out at camp while I went hunting. But once the hunting was done, and we went out to see just what nature had to offer, she fell in love with the place.

Now she wants to go back.

She may be a keeper.

You should have taken her on the tracks with you!

Sounds like a great trip. Too bad the ARPF stalkers are a problem.

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Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
You should have taken her on the tracks with you!

We did. That's why we spooked the elephants on the first day. She didn't know how hard it would be, and nobody could tell her. She insisted on bringing her carry-on bag with her as it had everything she needed.

It was actually kind of funny. For the rest of us. She saw no humor in the situation.

Neither did the elephants we we stalking, who took off when they heard her huffing and puffing along with her 30lb. shoulder bag.

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Sounds like a great trip. Too bad the ARPF stalkers are a problem.

To be fair, if you read what I've said about the traitorous vipers, you might say it was called for.

But I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

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To be fair, if you read what I've said about the traitorous vipers, you might say it was called for.

You have only delt what they deserved. I doubt if they can locate the African forum, anyway.

Glad to hear you did well on your hunt. I'm leaving for a three week sojourn in a month. No girlfriend, though. My buddy's bringing his wife, and that should really be interesting.

Well, darn! Tried to edit my post and ended up quoting it and can't delete it...what's up with this server, anyway? Sorry about the double post, folks.