Cal:
I met you in Dallas and Reno, bought your book on 600s, and also have a 600.Can I get any 8 bore ammo from your sources? I'm the guy with the 700ne if you recall. I found 25 rounds in UK. Its all soft nose. Do you shoot solids? I'm sure solids are a must on eles.I can get the softs for my June trip, and locate solids for a future trip. Please let me know who could reload the components for me (if you don't mind), as well as bullet type.
George Caswell at Champlin said that an 8-bore would shake my cage and a 4-bore is like a major automobile accident. I may need to start off with the 8 bore. I have chipped teeth from the "little" 700, from a hasty buff shot. You are quite a big guy, and after looking at your web page pictures, and the recoil experienced, I may stay in the shallow end of the pool for starters. My friend,Nick Holt in the UK, had a 2 bore made for Prince Phillip. Nick shot it and has had dental work,after the first and only shot. It actually lifted him up and back,where he was caught by the rifle maker. If I can get a copy of the firing I will send it up. I don’t want to start out with out "wipe you out" recoil with the bore rifles. I plan to shoot 4 elephant next year and more the year after, still using as many different rifles as I can. The 8-bore idea made more sence after I talked to you in Reno. A 4-bore is something to look at after the 8- bore can be resolved.
Glad I met you and saw your web page. You really have your act together on these big guns.
Best,
Bill J. USA
Bill:
Yes I remember you well and it was a pleasure to meet you, show you my .600 and 4-bore, and talk of the big doubles we love so much. Subsequently I have seen you on Craig Boddington’s dvd and I enjoyed seeing your rifles with Craig.
8-bore compontnts can be had as follows: brass from Rocky Mountain Cartridge, bullet moulds from NEI, wads from Precision Reloading, dies and shell holder from CH Tool, and the big Ammomaster press from RCBS or Huntingtons. I will send you articles I have published for the reloading procedures from the African Hunter and the Black Powder Cartridge News. I do not know of any commercial reloaders for the bore rifles. I would be pleased to offer my assistance but shipping ammo from Alaska is a major pain and I am 100 miles from the FEDEX office.
The recoil is not as bad as people say or write. The “wipe you out” recoil you saw on my website is a heavy 4-bore load for a double rifle fired in a single shot 4-bore that weighed 6-8 pounds less than the double. The nice thing about the bore rifles is you can shoot a variety of bullet weights and powder charges and still maintain a good group as the bigger the bore the more forgiving the regulation is. Enjoy the 8s and when you are ready for a 4 give me a call. Or, if you have some time, fly up and spend a day or two shooting at my place.
Good shooting,
Cal
