I have just returned from the Big Game RIfle Club shoot at Lodi Wisconsin where Ernie Stalman of Badger Barrels and Sheriff Keith Olsen a police officer from South Dakota got me and several other members to shoot several big bore rifles. We shot two different 375 bolt rifles, two 450-400 NEs and two black powder rifles a 577 and a 500. I was surprised at how conmfortable they were to shoot - I have been recoil shy until today. I am now going to plunge headlong into my new addiction for heavy rifles.

A full commentary follows along with pictures of the event. Ernie and Gerri arranged a fantastic match with hospitality that went beyond any standard that anyone could think of and I met several AR members and made many good friends whom I have invited for cocktails whenever they visit Chicago. I would advise anyone interested to participate next year. The event is a fantastic opportunity to get to know some really nice people and very knowledgeable shooters. I think I have made several friends for life.

Good hunting, gentlemen!

Thanks for the notice. Next year, I should be living within driving distance of Lodi.

And now some pictures to tempt asdf and all other members



Your's truly shooting a 577 BPE



Your's truly with it's younger brother, a 500 BPE



AR member Paul shooting his beautiful GMA-AHR 600 OK. He won a prize with it.



Police officer from South Dakota Sheriff Keith Olsen with an incredibly beautiful Artesanos Ego 9.3x74R sidelock. This is a 100 yard offhand group which won him a prize. Keith and Ernie and Gerri Stalman were the people who persuaded me that I could shoot big bores and I shall be grateful to them for life for this.



And the hosts. Ernie and Gerri Stalman of Badger Barrels Inc. You won't find nicer people anywhere. The lady has a number of buffalo to her credit which she shoots with a hammer 500 Rigby. Can you afford not to love them?

I hope that we shall have many more members next year at Lodi. The Big Game Rifle Club of North America is in the process of being founded under the parent club the BGRC of Australia. Anyone who is interested could contact Ernie and Gerri Stalman or let me know and I shall be more than happy to pass your mails and messages on.

Best wishes and good hunting everyone!

Way Cool, Those .600 OK's really shoot well!-Rob

This might seem a bit untoward, but all the shooters are built, well, kinda 'STOUT'...
I am, too, so I reckon I could be a 'BUBBA'...

Robgunbuilder,

Beautiful as the 600 OK that Paul brought along undoubtedly was, the fact is that the Black Powder Expresses got the most attention both from the BGRC members as well as from non members who came in after the match to talk to the members and try shooting some of the big bores. There is something special about shooting a big black powder rifle that I cannot describe - whether it was the feeling of the barrel heating up as the bullet went through it, something that could be felt through the leather gloves that I borrowed from a member, whether it was the cloud of smoke that came out of the rifle as it gave a heavy push or whether it was these as well as the sheer aura of shooting a beautiful gun made more than a hundred years ago is something I don't know. What I did notice was that these guns got the most atention from almost everyone there.

BusMaster007,

You are very accurate in your description of the group, sir. The thing is that when someone is a good shot, and most of the members there were really good, you get to eat a lot of really nice meat which adds to your waist line. All this is good for you, of course, because game meat has less fat and cholesterol than farm raised meat and the gentlemen and ladies at Lodi were all happy people who enjoyed good guns, good hunting and life in general. You are most welcome there the next year as is anyone else who would want to have great fun and meet wonderful people!

Mehul: Thank you for the post and photos. I am envious, as I have only been allowed to carress a Holland and Holland .500 BPE double with cotton gloves under a watchful eye and fire it in my dreams. The Lodi folks sound like a very good bunch.

Excellent! The Lodi shoot sounds like great fun; I had hoped to be there last year and this but it's held in October which means hunting season up here on Wolverton Mountain. If only they'd move the date to August, or early in the spring!

Thanks for the report and pictures. It looks like it was a lot of fun.

Bill,

You should visit the next year. You won't find more generous people than the shooters at Lodi and if you come to Chicago, you would be more than welcome to drive to Lodi with me and my wife - I have convinced her to come along next year. Ernie and Gerri do this for the love of old guns and to get more people to get started with them. They provided the rifles, ammunition and a fantastic lunch as well.

Clifton Clowers,

There are two shoots, one in June and the other in October. I'll be posting the next year and shall look forward to meeting you in June if you come.

Charles Helm,

It was great fun and everyone enjoyed it, including shooters at other ranges in Lodi who came after the matches and got to shoot the big bores for fun.

Best wishes, gentlemen, and I shall look forward to meeting the firends I amde this year as well as more friends the next.

Mehul: Thank you for your cordial offer. Before I fly all the way to Chicago, I will try to attend one of the big bore shoots the West Coast fallas hold near Sacramento.
Ernie Stallman sure makes a swell barrel!

Mehul--Nice job on the reporting of the Lodi event. My estimate is that twice as many shooters attended as last year-2004 and the shooting expertise was improved. All off hand shooting in three Nitro Cal groups with 100 and 50 yds and then timed shooting in each category. Other events were blackpowder shooting, charging animal at 75-50-25 yds offhand, timed shoots as 8 rounds at 50 yds in 35 sec, and timed team events on charging animals.
Personally, I do OK on the timed fire events--exept when I have to load the magazine the second and some times the third time. I dropped a round on one event thus disqualifying myself. Always amazing to see how well some shooters cope with this and how well their rifles function.
Really is a great format to test your big bore rifle skills for dangerous game--must be similar to the PH testing in Zimbabwe.

Rob--Thanks for your help on setting up and developing the 600 OK rifle. The GMA action worked superbly and AHR did a great job on the stocking. I had a mixed bag of loadings from the chrony work (using H414,7828 and 7828 SCC, and 4350 powders from 1920 to 2280 fps. So each shot was a thrill--unknown. Only had 5 days to prepare for Lodi so no recent loads. With all of this, the AHR-GMA 600 OK worked just great. Funny, when I let a few fellows shoot it, their curiosity was satisfied
Paul

Next year!!

Dak

Wow- I'll bet they were satisfied at 2280 fps. i recently had a guy go to the hospital at 2400fps with a fractured collar bone. He didn't listen too carefully. looks like a really nice .600 OK. Glad you enjoy it. They are remarkably accurate and hit like the hammer of Thor.-Rob

Rob, what is the story behind the fractured collar bone?

Paul,

You weren't the only one to drop a round at an event. I managed to drop two 375 rounds in the charging animal match. That said, congratulations not just on winning a match with your 600 but also on the very fine guns that you have taken care to get built.

Robgunbuilder,

The one thing that everyone noticed was a line that formed in the sand from the muzzle blast every time Paul shot his rifle. He did tell us about the guy who broke his shoulder. No wonder, then, that hardly anyone wanted to shoot the rifle when he offered it to them.

Good hunting, gentlemen, and hopefully, we shall have more members coming next year to this fantastic event. Cheers!