Here's a turnaround for you. I'll be heading back to the states for a three week trip to the family farm in Georgia for a family vacation and lots of hunting on the plantation I grew up on. All whitetails and maybe hogs but also two weeks of stomping around the pines and teaching my young children what the american woods are like. After 13 years in Africa, all my guns are here and I don't think I'll go through the hassle of taking out and re-importing any of my African rifles. Most are a bit big anyway except for my 270 win. which was the rifle I grew up on. I am thinking about getting my father or brother to buy a rifle in advance and am looking for something I might keep and bring back to SA that is both interesting for reloading etc. and could be used back here (I have a collectors permit so licensing should be no hassle). What about the deerfield in 44 magnum? Looks kind of neat and wasn't it the NRA gun of the year a couple of years ago? I have a pretty representative arsenal of the standard guns and am looking for something both practical and fun to experiment with, maybe a guide gun??. Any thoughts would be apreciated by this expatriate returning home for a reverse safari!!

Berger,
Glad to hear you're returning to God's country, even if it's only for a vacation. The Deerfield that I shot recently wasn't very accurate, certainly not in the neighborhood of my Guide Gun in 45-70. The Remington factory 405 grain load in the Marlin is like shooting a big 22 and is effective on game. I handload 400 grain pure lead cast paper patched bullets at 1850 fps in mine and get good accuracy (5 shot 100 yard groups of 1 1/2" to 1 3/4 ")and terrific stopping power on anything from 100 lb deer to 450 lb hogs, to a 1200 lb heiffer that had gone wild and crazy. This gun would have my vote and it might be practical over in your neck of the woods.
Where are you going to be in Georgia ? I'm in the north central part of the state, Greene county.

Stay away from Tristate crematorium. You might trip over something nasty.

John,
If you are a sports fan the Tri State Cremetory is a must see, it's the home of one of the few Skeleton racing teams in the States.

No worries about tripping over anything. I'm from the deep south. A little town called Sylvania about 50 miles north of Savannha.

Berger I agree with Lewis 50. Get a 45/70 Guide gun. My brother has one and it is very accurate, even more accurate then the long bbl. Marlin I used to have. I have had three .44mag rifles, still have one, they are not in the same league as the 45/70, but they are nice if you shoot a lot of .44mag pistol. Plus if you get the 45/70 you can be a test case for the forum and shoot a dozen or so buffalo for us and tell us how it went.

To die testing a rifle. What a way to go......

Berger, glad to hear your giving your kids a good dose of ticks and skeeters(hehe). There's allways something healthy that happens when kids( and adults for that matter!) get a good dose of mother nature. I live close to Atlanta so if I can be any help of any kind please don't hesitate to call. E-mail me and I'll give you my #. Have a safe trip! Mike McKibben

Thanks Mike,

My brother also lives in the Atlanta area. The 45/70 guidegun (Marlin) looks like quite a neat little package and would be a lot of fun over here. It would be itneresting what a 500g would do on some of the larger antelope?? I'm going to get my father and brother looking for one. Does anyone know what kind of price range they run in? are they readily available in good condition used or should one just go with a new one? Also, for scopes, I am now a huge fan of the trijicon 1x4 self illuminated reticle. I put one on my 375 and use it for absolutely everything. Outstanding scope for a DGR. Would it work on a 45/70? I know the concept seems to be for this gun to be left with open sites, but I think I would really prefer a wide field of vision low power scope. Also, it look like it takes a mount very low over the barrel. so should be pretty accurate.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Berger, There are a # of gun shows around Atlanta in the next couple of months. I don't know if your brother frequents them but usually someone has a 45-70 in good shape. Also some good sized dealers. If I see one out there I wil get a POC for you or your brother. Be happy to help if I can. mvm

Berger

I grew up just across the River from you in SC. Still have family there and still get back there and hunt from time to time. It's like going back in time.
Speaking of that, Here's an idea for you. How about the re-introduced Winchester 1895 in 405 Winchester. Should hold it's own in South Ga and I believe a former US President proved it in Africa.

If you can get your hands on it, the January 2002 issue of the American Rifleman has a good write up on the 1895 in 405 and Mr Roosevelts use of it in Africa.

Should be interesting to load for. I think Ashely makes a apeture sight for the 1895 also.

Good luck have fun and watch out for the Cotton Mouths.

Thanks,

that's an interesting bit of history and I'll look into the rifle. Where in south carolina are you from trigger? Estil?

Ok Trigger, I looked at the 405 winchester. It sounds like you are trying to get me kicked to death!

Berger:
Don't buy a rifle. Just borrow one from me. I've got from a .22 Hornet to a .450 N.E. and way too many in between. I'm just down the road in Brunswick/St. Simons Island and used to hunt at Millhaven Plantation all the time.

I'm serious about the loan. Let me know.

Dear JudgeG,

I was wondering whether I knew you? I grew up hunting on Millhaven also. Charlie Gentry and Bill Lord (Jr. and Sr.) are good friends of mine. I was just back there a couple of years ago before it sold. I have also hunted on Wade a few times?

Anyway, thanks for the very generous offer and I might take you up on it although part of the reason I'm looking to buy a gun is I'd like to have a lever action in Africa (sentimental reasons) and these big calibre levers are interesting to say the least but I'll see how my search goes.

Thanks again

I know Mr. Gentry, but not too well. Millhaven started a pretty good club of which I was a participant (30 Members for 22,000 acres with great trophy management). Millhaven had about 6,000 acres in cultivation with a bunch of that irrigated. It was a deer's paradise (except for pesky folks like me who waylaid them on the way to cornfields, etc. I spent most of my time there with Tom ?, who was the resident wildlife biologist and hunt club supervisor. I took some fine bucks there with my bow.
I was also lucky enough to hunt Wade for hogs a few times. I believe that the Wade folks have bought Millhaven. If that is so, then there are about 50,000 acres of prime hunting lands now joined! That's a bunch in the East!
I have several thousand acres of land not to far from your old home that I lease. You'll be welcome. Let's keep in touch. If you get the lever gun, maybe you'll need to borrow a little flatter shooting rifle to get across a bean field somewhere.

Thanks JudgeG,
Our farm is about 12 miles outside of sylvania towards Millen on old route 6 (not sure if that has changed). hasn't been hunted for four years and it used to produce monster bucks > 140 B&C so I'm looking forward to seeing who's there now. My time with Millhaven probably just proceeded yours circa late 1970's and through the 80's. I now live in South Africa, have since 1989, and am a palaeoanthropologist at the University here and explore for the Nat. Geo. Society. Maybe we'll touch base when I'm in the states.

judgeg, have you ever hunted Cumberland Island? If you have, I think we may have met (Harvey?). Just curious. Berger, again if I can help in any way don't hesitate to e-mail and let me know. mvm

[ 06-28-2002, 03:39: Message edited by: pshooter ]

I have hunted Cumberland several times. I usually hunt with some of the folks who still have property on the island and have the advantage of a warm bed and a shower! Cumberland is a beautiful place, no?

Berger:
I found some interesting stone tools? when hunting in Burkina Faso. I'll show you a couple when you get to Georgia.

Thanks JudgeG,

I'm looking forward to seeing those tools. are they handaxes? Anyway, here's a new one. I've been pricing the 45/70 guide gun here and in the states. New in the US its about $631 which converts to about R6500 give or take, but I'll end up paying import duties of 35%. Here I can get the Marlin 45/70 guidfe gun for R6500, ship it to the states as luggage and pay no duties. Go figure? An American gun that's effectively cheaper for me to buy than someone in the US. I found the same thing with my Ruger Safari - cheaper here. Maybe its just the exchange rate plus sin taxes in the states, but it looks like I'll by the gun and ammunition here to go shooting in Georgia. Kind of a reversal from the norm!