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(new to forum) Changes in over 52 years of reloading/handloading

1K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  RHS68 
#1 ·
My best memories cover hunting with a firearm I built, handloads I developed, with friends and family along for the experience.

June 2017, wife and I are in RSA at the huge Rooiport Game Preserve with 10 friends for 8 consecutive days of plains game. Except for some boar, bison, some exotics, my wife's first major hunt.

Handloading played a major role in making this a great memory. Cartridge of choice was 445SM parent case necked to .410" with a Montana Bullet Works 240gr. hard lead (BHM 22) and a large meplat over a generous charge of 4227. Firearm: T/C G2 single-shot, 16.125" barrel and a Leupold 2x7. Cartridge was designed/built by Gary Reeder of Flagstaff (41GNR#2).

This cartridge setup killed way beyond all expectations. 10 game animals taken, 5 each, with six 1-shot kills.
Hunting Deer hunting Smile Trophy hunting Bedrock


Hunting Plant community Grass Hat Plant

Zebra Head Sky Plant Sunglasses
Smile Plant Mammal Tree Fawn
Deer hunting Plant community Hunting Ecoregion Sky
Plant Hunting Hat Plant community Working animal
Jaw Waterbuck Fawn Terrestrial animal Tail




My reloading has changed from 45-70 (leverguns), 45LC & 44M (revolvers) in the mid/late 70's & 80's to various wildcats and now, at 68 years young, to tactical (basically 300 Whisper/AAC Blackout) in short-barreled AR builds. Love the variety of bullets weights and pistol powders I can bring to bear in feeding barrel lengths of 4.75", 8" and 10". Super & Subsonic, suppressed/unsuppressed. Like many others, my game animal of choice is boar: plentiful, tasty, pure fun to stalk and easy kills with 1 behind the ear. Just mixed up a batch of "boar" burritos this morning!
 

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#6 ·
My wife stalked and shot that big old stallion. The rug is in our front room. All animals hunted/shot were only old males: bulls/bucks. Basically herd management with all edibles going to the local natives. We used Madubula Safaris (FYI). You only pay for what is killed. Unlike an Alaskan hunt where you pay first (i.e.: Moose, Bear, etc.) and you may not see one. Africa is a great hunt and value.
 
#16 ·
Zebra, like any of the Africa herd animals can over run an area and need to be culled. The older stallions interfere with the younger males attempted to breed. Diversity of the gene pool is what keeps the herds healthy. That, and keeping the population realistic for the size of the area. Hunting in Africa is linked to herd management and conservation efforts. Game animals are a renewable resource that boosts the gross national income. It's a Win-Win, locals get fed, employed as trackers/game scouts. It's not a perfect system, but nothing is anymore.
 
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