The Accurate Reloading Forums
Africa with a NEF handi-rifle[pics]
04 January 2009, 17:21
Mad DogAfrica with a NEF handi-rifle[pics]
Never got around to posting this here, but thought you single shot boys would get a kick out of it. My son and I along with my buddy, and his son, went on our 1st african plains game safari last July. My son has always hunted with a single shot, and that is what he wanted to take. He had an H&R Ultra, .30-06, that he had used on a bear hunt in Idaho[successfully]. 4 days before the trip, it broke[long story]. My buddy had a .30-06 handi rifle, he took it out, shot it, then made a flying run to Indianapolis to get a new 4457 customs form, so he could take it. He used Federal factory loads, 180 gr. nosler partitions. He walked his a** off, and made 7 1 shot kills. Here are the results with the borrowed rifle.
Red Hartebeast.
Impala
Warthog
Zebra with Ricco the wonder dog
Blesbok
Kudu
Blue Wildebeast.
He tried for a gemsbok all week, but no dice. Oh well, next time. Hope you enjoy the pics.
Mad Dog
05 January 2009, 05:00
Low Wall40 veiws and no replies eh Maddog?...I guess they guy's are a little more stuffy over here as compared to 24hcf...hrrrumph! a handi in Africa!
Love that picture with the Zebra and the hound ...

good show!
05 January 2009, 05:40
wrongtargetKudos to your son MD!!

05 January 2009, 09:34
nordrsetaYup, nothing wrong with a single shot if you don't need a second shot. The H&R NEF may not be pretty - except in a "pretty is as pretty does" sort of way - but it gets the job done. Looks like your son had a fine time.
05 January 2009, 15:16
Mad DogYep, the boy and I had an awesome trip. Think I created a Frankenstein though, he's in AZ. as we speak on a mountain lion hunt.
The boy don't post on the gun forums, and isn't a gun loonie. I don't think it ever entered into his mind to take a "better" gun

.
Mad Dog
11 January 2009, 07:29
MileHighShooterI think I caught something about this on GBO!
If you think every possible niche has been filled already, thank a wildcatter!
13 January 2009, 03:29
packrattusnongratusAll great trophies but I reallllly like the Warty. Packy
13 January 2009, 04:20
TSJVery nice trophies! Not everyone is a gun-nut/hunter, but it sounds like your son is a dedicated hunter!
13 January 2009, 08:12
CraftsmanMD, this truly a great story. A good example of the quote " it is not the magic of the wand, but the skill of the magician who waves it".
How old is your son? I can tell by the photos he had the time of his life, he obviously worked his tail off hunting.
How about Rico the wonder dog, tell us about him.
Craftsman
13 January 2009, 15:54
Mad DogCraftsman, my son just turned 27.
As far as Ricco, he was a 3 mo. old bloodhound pup, that was going to be trained as a tracking dog. He rode with us from Johannesburg to camp, and was in the truck with my son everyday. He got so attached to the little feller, that he included him in all his trophy pics. The one with the zebra was absolutely priceless!

My son has only hunted with singleshots, since he was 10 yrs. old. He owns 4, 2 handi rifles, a 20 ga. pardner, and a 20 ga. Tracker II slug gun. With these he has killed deer, bear, assorted african critters, doves, ducks, squirrels, rabbits, and quail. Its all he ever uses.
Mad Dog
17 January 2009, 18:01
Bill/OregonMad Dog:
Thanks for sharing those photos with us. We sell a lot of Handis at work and people like them once they learn to mange their quirks. I've had a couple of them in .45-70 and .38-55 and found them to be good shooters and very easy to tote in the woods.
We tend to worship the rifles a little more than we probably should on this site, and this makes it easy to forget that they are only tools in the hands of a hunter.
There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
19 January 2009, 00:06
akalininquote:
Originally posted by nordrseta:
Yup, nothing wrong with a single shot if you don't need a second shot...
I can reload my #1 nearly as fast as a bolt rifle, if I keep up the practice. I would have no hesitation bringing a single to Africa.
The only disadvantage I see is dangerous game hunting with a single shot, and having something come steaming back at you.
28 January 2009, 05:21
Mad DogYa know, I watched the boy get off 4 shots in about 30 seconds, with a 20 ga. slug gun, at whitetail deer. He's pretty good. But then I may be braggin, cause he's my kid

Mad Dog
06 February 2009, 12:22
wympleIv'e bought 2 Handi-Rifles in .243 and .270. You can get a second shot off real fast.
09 February 2009, 06:19
sambar02I had one in 45/70 a while back,very accurate used to head shoot rabbits with it ,traded it when i got a mauser in 45/70,missed the single so much i got another in 223 its my varmit come vermin gun lives in my truck most of the time
11 February 2009, 16:06
Mad DogYou were asking about Ricco, and I dug around and found 3 more pics with the pup in em. god I loved that pooch

Hope you enjoy the pics.
Mad Dog