So October 2011 I busted my right elbow and in the process tore my right triceps tendon. I had surgery to repair it in November and then in the process of being a dumb ass, I re-tore it in December. Then had another surgery later in the month to repair it AGAIN. This second surgery has taken a long time to recover from and the pain and stiffness have been a real bother. It been a long slow process.

In any case yesterday was the first day that I've been able to shoot a real rifle. So I took my PH Grade Searcy .470 out to the range.

I started off with four rounds from a standing rest at 25 Yards and they did their customary ragged hole cluster. I then sat down off of a tripod and shot a loose 100 yard group of about 6" with 4 more rounds.

I let the girl cool off a bit and proceeded to shoot 12 more rounds at clay pigeons and water bottles off hand 25 yards and had a very high kill rate. It's a good thing I only had 20 rounds loaded up or I'd have shot more.

It felt soooooooo good to get back behind that rifle. She hasn't lost a bit of her superb accuracy and smooth shooting and I was back in the saddle almost instantly like I'd never taken any time off.

Hopefully there is another African hunt in our future sooner than later! There is never a bad time for another honeymoon I reckon.

Hell, when I bought the tuffpak from you, you didnt mention that! Ain't it fun after surgery? I got to shoot the first time after shoulder surgery 3 weeks ago and it wasn't any fun but has settled down now.......

Glad you are feeling better and shooting again!

quote:

Originally posted by pagosawingnut:
Hell, when I bought the tuffpak from you, you didnt mention that! Ain't it fun after surgery? I got to shoot the first time after shoulder surgery 3 weeks ago and it wasn't any fun but has settled down now.......

That was the really nice thing about it for me. No pain at all.

Two months ago I took an 06 out to sight in and spent the next two days in misery so I was really worried.

Physical maladies that effect shooting are the pits for a shooter and hunter! I hunted for many years with a re-curve heavy pull bow. A shoulder injury put my bow in the wall hanger collection because I can’t pull it any longer. Thank God I didn’t affect my shooting of big bore rifles.

That being said, another physical problem is now affecting my ability to shoot my rifles well. I am right handed and have developed macular degeneration in my right eye, to the point it is becoming almost impossible to see the iron sights on my double rifles, and being in the middle of my 77th year of life I don’t think I will be able to learn to shoot left handed, plus all my big bore rifles are stocked for right hand shooter.

So I think it would be better for me to mount very low powered scopes on all my big bore as close to one power as possible so I can shoot with both eyes open. I can see the reticle in the scope fine with the right eye but not the target as well as I need, but with both eyes open my left eye sees fine on the target, while the right eye can still see the reticle in a scope especially if the reticle has an illuminated reticle center.

It is going to be expensive but I have been looking at the 30mm Nikon African illuminated German #4 post and corsshair reticled scope because it is a true one power at its lowest setting, allowing both eye shooting, and the very bold #4 reticle is easier for me to see with my bad eye.

Though it will be a high cost to mount all my doubles and big bore bolt and single shot rifle with this scope, I think it will be cheaper that converting to all left hand rifles, then learning to shoot left handed! What think you guys?
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Mac,
That's the route I'd take. And thank God I don't have to right now.

Mac,

I think that is a great idea! When the going gets tough the tough add optics! Good on you my friend..

I think I'd like to have the "problem" of a BUNCH of double and bolt guns that needed scoping.

That, and could you "scope" them with a Trijicon RMR? I love mine on my 450-400 double! I also have it set up to take a Leupold 1.5X5 scope. So, all three options (although the iron sight option has been relegated to the #3 position with age).