08 June 2009, 10:03
mstarlingMafigeni 2009 with a .458 AR (long)
The PlaceJust got back from a wonderful safari with Rick R at Mafigeni in Limpopo, RSA. We both took our wives … and I can’t recommend Mafigeni highly enough for such a trip.
Their main lodge is lovely:
and their chalets very comfortable indeed:
The non-hunting ladies are treated to daily excursions with very capable escorts. Dianette hosted my Wife and they had a terrific time!
The Rifles … the .458 AR goes to Africa!
I took two rifles . The workhorse was to be a 9,3x62 built on a VZ.24 action with a 24” Douglas barrel, a Timney trigger and a 3-9x40 MC Zeiss Conquest.
Also took a "practical build" rifle in .458 AR to Africa for what we believe to be the first time. It is built on a Parker-Hale commercial action. Has a 22" Douglas silhouette profile tube, Timney trigger, FN left side safety, and custom mounts for Leupold QRW rings. Is on a bedded Fajen's synthetic stock. Used a Zeiss Conquest 1.8-5.5x38MC Scope.
Ammo was 425 gr Rhino solid shank, bonded core bullets on properly headstamped Quality Cartridge brass. Is 85.5 gr of H335 ignited by Fed 215s. Velocity chronoed at 2400 fps. Recoil is pretty mild.
My ammo arrived a day late, and futzed up the arrangements for a hunt, so we did something else the first day. At sight-in from a rest, the rifle shot a group 1 1/2" to the right but the rounds cut each other. Simple move to the center. Moved the impact point two inches up for shooting at longer ranges in the highveldt.
The Hunts
I hunted with Gerrie van Zyl as I had done part of the time in 2004. He is a superb PH. Would love to hunt Buf with him!
There are always observers:
The first hunt turned out to be for Impala with the 9,3x62. We spotted a group with a nice male and stalked him. When the shot was fired at about 120 yards he dropped DRT … and the other impala looked around to see what had happened for some time. The curious giraffe busted us eventually, but it was fun to watch the Impala confused for a change.
That afternoon we watched a hippo and kid along with a big crock for part of the afternoon and I took a nap in the viewing blind after lunch. Was still groggy from the flight. We happened to notice a couple of Warthog come in to the opposite side of the pond. (Purist warning … calm Fellas, there was plenty of water around so we were not doing anything untoward.)
The male Warthog came in toward a tree behind the opposite side and was pretty good. We found a place I thought I could get a shot over the reeds on the far shore. The footing wasn’t good. When I pulled the shot went high; leaving just three hairs from the back of the piggy on the ground. I think I deflected the shot on a reed fringe of the pond. Hard to tell.
The second day the ammo was in, so we went hunting for Eland on a nearby game farm that actually won Game Farm of the Year in 2008. Talk about a superbly managed place! WOW.
We looked and walked and looked and walked … Eland were at the bar. In mid-afternoon we walked into a water hole to see what track was there. We suddenly realized that there was a pretty decent Warthog off to one side about 120 yards away. He was standing behind a big rock waiting to make his escape. Gerrie went to his knees and motioned me to use his shoulder for a rest … remember that I’m carrying a 22” barrel .458 AR that makes quite a fireball … so I start looking for a place to shoot this fella. He’s now beginning to move away and I can’t see a great place so I take what I can get. Shot is taken in a hellova hurry on the 11 1/2" Warthog ... an opportunistic shot taken too fast and the shooter screwed up ... was about a 2 centimeters too far back and didn't cross to the offside should far enough forward. That two centimeters cost a 2 km trackup. My bad!
We track for the rest of the afternoon and return the next morning to find the guy about 50 yards from where we had stopped the evening before. Nice lookin’ piggy:
The next morning we hike out to hunt Wildebeast with the .458 AR. We’re out on foot for maybe 45 minutes and we walk up a group that really isn’t interested in staying around. We follow carefully with the wind in our favor … and the last guy in line is a nice bull who’s not careful enough to hide himself well. I can see part of the left shoulder at about 60 yards. When the .458 AR barks, the Wildebeast drops in his tracks and is DRT. The 425 Rhino just HAMMERED that fella.
We hunt Reedbuck and Bushbuck or the next couple of days to no avail. We see one little Bushbuck that’ll make some hunter happy in a couple of years. We do see more Warthog, several youngish Kudu bulls and females.
Decision is made to head out to the high veldt for a day to hunt Eland and may Reedbuck. That area is about 3 hours from Mafigeni and is at about 7,000 feet of elevation. Is much cooler there.
A shot was taken on a HUGE Eland at 181 yards on a spot and stalk hunt. The Eland was moving slowly away and the shot was placed below the diaphragm crossing to the offside right shoulder. He startled at the impact, staggered a few yards to the right, then the left and dropped in his tracks. Turned out to be a double lung shot. The bullet did NOT exit the right shoulder. Wound track was over four feet long. Unfortunately, the projectile was not recovered. (I think a 500 gr bullet would have blown all the way through.)
This beast takes 7 guys and an extra truck used as a winch to load … he’s a real horse (bigger actually
)After lunch we go looking for a Reedbuck. Grass is high this year due to rainfall at least double what is usual, and they are hard to see.
We finally find one that looks pretty good and we do a very slow stalk. He pretty much drops to the shot of the 9,3x62 at about 100 yards.
The next day we go down to the middle veldt area to a new place for Mafigeni and meet Peter who turns out to be a great host and wonderful guide on the property he manages.
We look for Kudu all darned day long and finally found 4 across a gully at about 150 yards. We were slightly above the animals and they were going away. I tried to put a hit 6" below a line that would be flat along the line of the shoulder that be below the hump. BIG mistake ... should have tried to hit in the bottom third of the shoulder I think. But I was huffin' and puffin' and was losing the view of the target as he was moving away. The impact knocked the Kudu down but he got back up and went and went and went. We make arrangements to stay over the night in bush camp that Peter provides to the locals so we can look again in the morning. Very nice facilities for hunters, but a bit plain for the ladies unless they hunt. We did not recover the kudu though we know he was hit. My BAD! (First one I have ever lost completely ... damned I hate that!!!)
The Hunter’s Camp:
Simone, our tracker:
This misfortune did lead to the most interesting hunt of the trip. Peter asks if we’d be interested in Bush Pig and sure enough it’s on my list. He explains that he’s been baiting them in to a blind area at night for the local hunters for a year of so and they often appear. So, out to the blind we go about 7 pm. On the way out Peter said “Oh, please don’t shoot my Rhino or Cape Buffalo.” I thought he was kidding … silly me!!!
We get out to the blind and Peter drops us off. There is a pile of macadamia nut floaters on the ground for the piggies about 20 yards from the blind. Gerrie and I get into the bottom level of the blind and begin to accommodate our eyes to the dark. We hear some nuts being crunched and I look out … there are a couple of small pigs out there and three adult CAPE BUFFALO. I must admit I had the thought that this was going to be a VERY interesting evening (little did I know)!!!
I put the rifle out the port and determine that I can see the pigs in the scope and can estimate the reticle center. The piggies spook and move off, so we sit down.
I look out again and there are the three Cape Buf, three smaller piggies, and a Wildebeast out there. The very small sound made by compressing the foam in the port spooks the piggies.
There is light coming into the port and painting a distorted square on the right wall of the blind.
A little later we hear the crunching again, and Gerrie looks out the port. “There’s a good one out there” he whispers and I start to get up, “But we need to give them a while.” As he steps to the side I notice that there is the shadow of a large animal in the light from the port on the right side of the blind. The animal turns its head … and it is obviously a Cape Buffalo as one horn appears in the shadow … and it’s VERY close. I find myself hoping that we don’t smell “interesting” in any way to them.
(Gerrie later tells me that the reason he suggested we wait is that the Buf is within his reach through the port … I kinda figured he was trying to keep me calm.)
Within a couple of minutes the shadow moves on … and suddenly there is something pounding on the right side of the blind. It’s sort of like being in the middle of a drum for us! That darned Buf is rubbing its bosses on a pine tree next to the blind which is slamming into the blind itself!
There is absolutely nothing we or anyone can do at this point … save say a little prayer and live through the experience.
Eventually the pound on the blind stops and things get quiet again. A while later the crunching renews and I look out. The small piggies are back and the Buf are gone. I see the big one coming in so I mount the rifle and start trying to locate the center of the tube in a place that’ll do some damage if the rifle is fired. Finally I can clear the safety and pull the trigger. The rifle flashes and my night vision goes to helll. Gerrie indicates the piggie did a barrel roll in front of the blind on the way out. We can hear it stuggle just a little behind the blind.
Peter comes to pick us up and we recover the piggie. A very nice sized Bush Pig … to go along with the story of 45 minutes that felt like two days
We load the pig and hike back to the guest camp where Simone (our tracker) cleans it up and field dresses it. Then they take him back to the ranch’s cold locker so that we can take pics in the morning:
Lessons from the Hunt with the .458 AR
1) You gotta hit something that matters for any rifle to do any good.
2) When you do, the .458 AR just HAMMERS game!!!
3) The Rhino bullet works fine for Plains Game. I think I'd want a 500 grainer for Buf.
4) I shoot fine ... but can't necessarily see the right place to select for the impact on animals going away. The shooting I could fix, the seeing isn't so easy.
The reaction of the locals to the .458 AR was VERY interesting. The PHs were ALL interested as can be. They LIKE the idea of a 458 Lott+ capability in a standard length action!!!!
As was our experience in 2004, Mafigeni is a great operation with superb PHs, trackers, and photoguides. If you’re looking for a moderate cost hunt that the family can enjoy … they are very much worth considering!
I love African sunsets:
