Don't know if this has ever been posted before, comes from an old RCBS booklet. Jack's interesting take on African hunting, would be wonderful to have a 30 day safari now.
Elmer gives a little bit of info too tacked on the end.

Nice article, thanks for posting.

Thanks for posting

I grew up reading Jack O'Conner and my very first centerfire rifle was ...you guessed it.. a .270!

In his heyday, the .458 Win Magnum was considered the best (i.e. most affordable) heavy gun for Africa.

For decades I used Jack's sight in rule of "3" high at 100 yards" for all my big game rifles. With the advent of cheap, portable rangefinders, and scopes with calibrated reticles, I have since went to dead on at 200 yds for everything but my buffalo rifle.

Jack O'Conner will always hold a special part in my life, as his stories and gun lore made such a big impact on my life.

Thanks so much for posting.

BH63

Neat article. Thanks for sharing.

quote:

would be wonderful to have a 30 day safari now

Still happening mate and had a request recently for 40 days hunting.

It is purely what you can afford.

quote:

For decades I used Jack's sight in rule of "3" high at 100 yards" for all my big game rifles. With the advent of cheap, portable rangefinders, and scopes with calibrated reticles, I have since went to dead on at 200 yds for everything but my buffalo rifle.

BH63

(1) Nice Article.
(2) I went with dead on at 100 yards for my 308 Win & 375 H&H, 200 yards on my 300 WM and Dead on at 50 yards for my 5.56.

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
For decades I used Jack's sight in rule of "3" high at 100 yards" for all my big game rifles.
BH63

Still a very sensible thing to do. Rangefinders are great but there isn't always time to use one. Unless it's a heavy Most rifles so sighted require nothing more than a dead on hold from the muzzle to 250-300 yards without fiddling with turrets or rangefinders.

Thanks for posting! I really enjoy some of this wisdom from back when.

Yes always interesting to read stories of earlier hunting.

Something that puzzles me in regards Jack is that I was under the impression from various references that he was recoil shy and even though he does point to the 375H&H as being "somewhat hard kicking" in the article I have posted, he did however use a variety of big bores and magnums over and above the standard 270 and 30.06.

Of course Elmer Keith was all for big bores for any hunting and the story I read in his book "Hell I Was There" about his first safari to Africa was great reading although as usual with Elmer everything that could go wrong went wrong, well maybe not everything but he always seemed to get himself in the wars where ever he went, maybe just his style of writing, nonetheless always good value.

Gentlemen:
If any of you are interested in vintage articles on hunting in Africa and double rifles, please to to my website <calpappas.com> and click on Magazine Articles from the Past on the navigation bar. I dozens of old articles. It's free, but if you go there, I'd appreciate your feedback here on AR.
Cheers, all and thanks for looking at the site.
Cal

quote:

Of course Elmer Keith was all for big bores for any hunting and the story I read in his book "Hell I Was There" about his first safari to Africa was great reading although as usual with Elmer everything that could go wrong went wrong, well maybe not everything but he always seemed to get himself in the wars where ever he went, maybe just his style of writing, nonetheless always good value.

I actually knew Elmer. I visited with him at his home in Salmon, ID. several times. What you have to understand is that in the hey-day of Elmer's hunting, the commonly available bullets were not very reliable and would break up or shatter. Elmer was from an era that was a bit earlier than O'Conner. His final solution was to go back to what worked. Big and slow like the old buffalo hunters used to use. The last time that I visited with Elmer in about 1967, I know that he had three 7mm Rem. mag's in the rack upstairs. In the Nosler advertising you can see another guy disgusted with the available bullets. That's why John developed his partition bullet. We have available now several great performing bullets that kill animals quicker and more humanely than ever before. Read some of Cal's articles about using some of those monster guns of the "old days" and you will see what the solution to the bullet problem was. About 1963 or '64 when I got my first .338 mag. Elmer had me take it over to Iver Henricksen and he installed a .300 H&H magazine box and follower so that I could use the 275gr. Speer bullet seated to the 3.60" length. I killed several elk with that combination. As an aside, The great bear hunters of Alaska (P&T and Hal Waugh) all used a .375H&H, using 270 grain bullets. I think that the bullet and it's proper placement deserves most of the credit for successful shooting regardless of the size of the "Bullet Launcher" or it's caliber.

Has anyone used the 4895 load in the 470 Nitro?

Great read from the past.

Not much seems to change in rifle/caliber suggestions over time. 375 for a one-rifle hunt, and a medium bore + a 40-something caliber for a two-rifle battery (with DG on the menu). I guess the saying, " don't fix it if it ain't broke" still holds.

Thank you for taking the time to post this article.

I guided Jack O'Connor as young man when I was about 13 or 14 years old on a ranch my folks had leased. He was the best shot I have ever seen. He was my hero as he demanded I be his guide as opposed to one of the Mexican cowboys we had..He said I already knew where every Coues or Mule deer buck on the ranch hid out..He was right I did, I even named them..I was horse back daily when I wasn't in school,working cattle, mending fence,riding colts, but my mind was always on the deer..I had an old 38-55 carbine at the time, I was kinda ashamed of it, but it was alleged to be better than my 25-35, but Jack told me that both were all I needed and it turned out he was right, I got along with both just fine.. I got a 222 Rem 722 for Christmas and a scope from Bill Weaver, Jacks hunting partner, and was in tall cotton, the deer were in trouble from that day forward. Jack liked my new rifle and that made it work in my mind..

I met Elmer when he was in the older folks living unit at Boise, I was with Dave stucker an Idaho guide who was a good friend of Elmers. he was an interesting man. His book is good reading but a little over the top in places.

Interesting history with O'Connor, Ray! Thanks!

Thank you for posting this. I missed out on the Elmer Keith vs. Jack O'Conor grudge match.

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Thank you for posting this. I missed out on the Elmer Keith vs. Jack O'Conor grudge match.

We would have been in for some interesting debates had they both been members of AR