My lunches with Ken & Kathy are also a great pleasure for me. They're both always hesitant to mention their past, but they're such an interesting couple & really should write a book. Both either knew or were related to all the old "big names" of EA hunting and Ken served his apprentiship under JA Hunter and they also ran a big "old time" game capture business, and worked on a lot of the old films. Last time we met, they showed me some of their old photographs including tusks of 140 + lbs Ivory taken in Kenya.......he's also one of the first guys to be granted free life membership to IPHA (formerly EA Pro Hunters Assoc)

Folks, Ken hasn't had an easy time recently due to health problems (now over) and I'm sure that any business you might like to put his way would be appreciated.......you won't be disappointed. That I guarantee.

Oh yes, and as I posted earlier, Ken also makes bloody good bullets.

Shakari,

Does your fiend make bullets per request or does he have bullets on the shelf, we talking softpoint, solids or what. I would like to learn more about them.

Like Alf, I used Ken Stewart bullets for a 350 Rigby, the 350 Rigby No. 2. He made up a lot of .356 softpoints as I wasn't getting quite the velocity with more normal .358. Didn't seem to make any difference so I use the Swift A-frame in my Gibbs-made 350 No. 2.

However, in about 1996 or so, he also made up a lot of brass for the 400/350 (350 No. 2 uses the same case) that had rims too thick. Apparently he had gotten a reference that mistated the rim thickness. My double would not close on most of the cases because the rim was larger than .050. Once a serious gunsmith got to the cases he just took a few thou off the front(!!) of the rim. Expect the second lot of brass has pleased all.

Heard the same talk in RSA about bullets that blew up etc., etc. Wrote it off to early teething problems. Glad to hear health problems are worked out.
Regards, Tim

Gringo,

He usually has "standard" cases & FMJ & softpoint bullets "on the shelf", but he'll also make ANY case or bullet (including mono solids) to order. When I say ANY bullet, I mean any calibre & profile you want.

I had been using a round nose mono-solid (with 5 gas check rings), but wanted to try something with a slightly flatter nose. He came up with exactly what I wanted within a week or so. He also re-designed the ring locations slightly as he felt it would give better results his way. I'm not expert enough to comment on whether that made a difference or not, but I am certainly very happy with the results. Incidentally, he charged me ZAR13.50 per bullet, which is ZAR1.50 per bullet cheaper than I was previously paying.

When I showed the new bullet to one of the PHs who works for us, he immediatly ordered some in the calibre he uses (.458 Stewart 3 inch) and Ken also produced them within a week or so.

Ken's are the only soft points I use for dangerous game.

Hw is making up a batch of proper DG handgun bullets for us to test now professional guides have to carry handguns (PH's don't but guides do).

As we used to say, all this is JOLLY AND GOOD, and I am diabolically teased.
Should this nice guy have recovered at the point of having yet AN ADRESS, and God be blessed, maybe AN EMAIL????
May be I volunteer to bribe anybody in order to enter the conspiracy.
THANKS Jean Bernard

Dear Shakari
Thanks a lot for providing such interesting data. In France reloading is little practised for one must use only French Powder (Vectan SNPE) . For the rest no sweat as long as one have an updated hunting or shooting license. Consequently, the only valid data are scarce and it could be test and pray.
Yours sincerely Jean Bernard