I was honored to get to shoot with Rusty, JimatCat, MJines, BobC and ForrestB today and you couldn't find a better group of guys to shoot with anywhere.

This was the first time for me shooting anything bigger than a 375 H&H and only the second time that I've shot a double rifle and I can easily see how people get hooked on it.

Here's yours truly with the 470 Nitro and what a sweet gun! My first two shots were into the bull and within inches of the two that MJines put in there. Considering that Mike and I are physical opposites and I'm left handed that amazed me.


BobC also got in the spirit with the 470. There was a plane flying overhead but I don't think that he was trying to shoot it down here:


The scoped 450/400 was awesome. I think that it has about a perfect balance of power and comfort. The ease that it came to the shoulder and how fast you could recover for a second shot was impressive.
In this target Mike put one bullet in the center of the bull and his second shot was at 7:00 just off the bull. I then shot my first shot with it and doubled Mike's hole in the center of the bull then I got careless and pulled the second barrel low and left badly.

MJines then shot his 450/400 over the chronograph and as sweet as that gun shoots I'm glad that I didn't have to shoot it off the bench.

Another thing that really amused me was how delicate the little Chapuis looked. Very elegant little rifles:


ForrestB also showed up and he had the Scholarship rifle with him. Seeing it in person was amazing and you guys who haven't bought a chance on it better hurry. I know that if you got to pick it up and shoulder it like we did, you'll be kicking yourselves for not trying to win it. He also brought along a beautiful Argentine in 375 that I hit a clay bird with. So having two rifles there that would do that (Jimatcat's 416 Taylor was the other one) for me was amazing.

BobC also had the neatest 35Whelen that he had built from a re-bored 8x57 with half octagonal/half round, full length rib barrel that was a sweetheart to shoot also.

MJines also had one of the new Ruger 375 Hawkeye's but he had put it in one of the Ruger synthetic stocks. That thing shot very accurately but the recoil was a sharp bite. It's a faster magnum rifle style recoil and nothing like a 375 H&H but in fairness he did have it in that lightweight stock so that probably affected it quite a bit. I only took two shots with it off the sticks but it certainly would shoot well as this target shows:


After all the shooting and customary BS'ing we stopped off for lunch and 400 Nitro Express met us there. We had some great discussions about bullets, double rifle construction and general hunting philosophy. I know I learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the company.


Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know what a great time I had and how hospitable everyone was to invite me out and let me shoot their rifles. I'm seriously going to have to consider not buying any guns for the next couple of years just to get a double!

Thanks for the great time!

It looks like you had a great time!

George

A very fine group of gentlemen!

Thanks for sharing.

Gotta like them Texas boys. I was never handed so many guns to shoot or look at, or so many free beers (but not while handling guns) as when I lived in Houston.

Looks like you've experienced the some of the same good folks. And for the most part them Texans shoot pretty well too.

Frank, it's late dove season and we're used to shooting them with double rifles, as they have put on some weight since fall. If you wing 'em and they charge, a load of 8's just won't do it. Good seeing you yesterday. Hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Houston. Bob

Looks like a great time. I think I've got a woody!

The pleasure was all ours! We did have a good time! We all look forward to seeing you again on your next trip!

This turned out to be a more exciting trip than I had anticipated.

This morning I found the cause of the failure in the turbine that I was working on and took the opportunity to grab a flight home this afternoon.

Do you know that when you run up to the airline counter and buy a one way ticket for the next flight out that it apparently flags you as a suspicious person? They then mark your boarding pass with "SSSS" which results in you getting sent for the detailed screening at the TSA security checkpoint.

Another interesting little fact is that gunpowder residue on a computer bag and camera sets off the alarm on the explosives detection machines.

For some strange reason this tends to get the security screeners in TSA all excited.

This then gets you a very detailed interview with some senior gentlemen from TSA.

I explained to them that I had been out shooting over the weekend and I'm not sure that they really believed me until I showed them the pictures that I had saved in my camera.

They apparently decided to believe me so I'm now in Phoenix waiting for my connection to Bakersfield.

Frank,

Gee just think of all the neat lists that you will now show up on. Sort of like when I had to go to Pakistan on business and therefore had to get a Pakistani visa added to my passport. That guaranteed that I got to the know the security personnel for the airlines every time I presented the passport. I was sure glad when that passport expired.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Frank,

Gee just think of all the neat lists that you will now show up on. Sort of like when I had to go to Pakistan on business and therefore had to get a Pakistani visa added to my passport. That guaranteed that I got to the know the security personnel for the airlines every time I presented the passport. I was sure glad when that passport expired.

Try doing the same thing when you went to gunsmithing college, travel to the third world on occasion, and have written scathing editorials about the BATFE and FBI regarding firearms issues. SSSS every time for years now. Doesn't matter how or when I buy my ticket. Doesn't matter if it's Washington National or Gunnison. Taking blood pressure pills that have a similar chemical signature as some plastic explosives (VERAPAMIL) just adds to the fun when they ion sniff your cell phone and such.

I asked the TSA if I could stop getting profiled as I have a clean record and they said they weren't profiling me and it was up to their discretion for me to file a voluntary personal background check instead of having to pay fees to rebook missed air flights. According to them they don't SSSS me every time, it's just a coincidence that has happened 35+ times. I've had a strong temptation to show up at the screeners in a speedo, flip flops, and nothing else (having checked my bag and anything I might carry on) and see if I still get searched just because it'd be funny. God help the people who ever saw me in a speedo, though.

Would a terrorist check and declare firearms? I'd think they'd already be hidden on the plane rather than intentionally checked into the cargo hold but then I don't work for the TSA.

One other tip. When you see SSSS on your boarding pass, if you try to bypass the normal passenger line and just go over to where they are doing the special screenings it unnerves them. Don't do that, it just makes it worse and takes longer. Trust me.

I like the Swiss and German airports. "Texas?" "Yes." "We like your Mr. Bush. Have a nice flight."

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Frank,

Gee just think of all the neat lists that you will now show up on. Sort of like when I had to go to Pakistan on business and therefore had to get a Pakistani visa added to my passport. That guaranteed that I got to the know the security personnel for the airlines every time I presented the passport. I was sure glad when that passport expired.

I'm glad I didn't show my passport. I have a Pakistan visa in there from 2001 when I had to go to Quetta.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
This turned out to be a more exciting trip than I had anticipated.

This morning I found the cause of the failure in the turbine that I was working on and took the opportunity to grab a flight home this afternoon.

Do you know that when you run up to the airline counter and buy a one way ticket for the next flight out that it apparently flags you as a suspicious person? They then mark your boarding pass with "SSSS" which results in you getting sent for the detailed screening at the TSA security checkpoint.

Another interesting little fact is that gunpowder residue on a computer bag and camera sets off the alarm on the explosives detection machines.

For some strange reason this tends to get the security screeners in TSA all excited.

This then gets you a very detailed interview with some senior gentlemen from TSA.

I explained to them that I had been out shooting over the weekend and I'm not sure that they really believed me until I showed them the pictures that I had saved in my camera.

They apparently decided to believe me so I'm now in Phoenix waiting for my connection to Bakersfield.

Good thing they didn't decide to "go anal"!

Looks like you had a blast though!

Thanks for posting the pictures Frank, it looks like you had a great time.

Range reports are always fun. Thanks!

Sorry I missed it. I was on a coues deer hunt in Mexico, but would have loved to taken a few of my toys to the range.