BARKES SHOOTS GUN BELT CLAY PIGEON

A TRANTER SELECTION SHOOTING BASICS

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 BARKES SHOOTS GUN BELT CLAY PIGEON
A TRANTER SELECTION SHOOTING BASICS

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12 BERETTA CHEETAH 80X

Modern .380 ACP Phillip Hayes

17 KLEIN KAROO KUDU

Tested by troubling terrain… Koos Barnard

22 THE SALT S2 PEPPER BALL LAUNCHER

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 FOR HUNTERS & SHOOTERS

EDITORIAL OFFICE
Tel: 071-329-7955
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Editor Phillip Hayes
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Contributing Editor Gregor Woods
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Trail Talk by PHILLIP HAYES

Off-Season my numbers are well into the hundreds

however, I adhered to a simple rule, using
these conventional bullets at moderate

W
ITH hunting season behind us, I took you plan to shoot, and finding your own velocity. This also helped to trim down the
some time to reflect on what went limitations (which is mostly learned by number of calibres I used, and conse-
wrong and of course what I managed to do shooting under field conditions, e.g. from quently I settled on the .308 Winchester as
right during the winter months. For the a shooting stick), will probably go much even ‘hot’ ammo is somewhat mild com-
first time in decades I used monolithic bul- further to ensure success as opposed to pared to some other ‘faster’ calibres. One
lets on a variety of animals varying in size simply investing in new kit. of these conventional bullets that I’ve used
from springbuck and blesbuck right up to The hunting rifle I use the most (cham- for many years is the Hornady InterLok.
wildebeest, waterbuck and kudu. More bered in .308 Win) weighs 3.2kg and the Earlier this year some hunters used my
details on that later. First I want to touch scope adds another 360g – and I am con- .308 Win Sabatti rifles and, breaking with
on some interesting views on equipment sidering going for a lighter rifle. It has a tradition, I decided to go for a monolithic
that I’ve encountered. rather thin sporter barrel, yet with three of bullet and settled on Lapua 170gr Naturalis
I’ll start with scopes. Almost all hunters my favourite factory hunting ammo ammunition. Velocity was around 2 630fps
I spoke to prefer and/or wish for a tactical options, I manage consistent 100m groups and the ammo performed well with mini-
style long-range scope with adjustable tur- of 0.5 to 0.7MOA from the bench and mal meat damage on shots ranging from
rets, large magnification range (5-25 or about 1MOA to 2MOA from field positions. 85 to 220m. The bullets we recovered
similar) and a reticle designed for sniping. All of these bullets are conventional soft were perfect mushrooms, and the only
I found this surprising as these scopes are nose types, with which I have had very problems experienced (where more than
normally very heavy and more expensive good success for decades. one shot was needed), was when the initial
as you pay for features not needed for Which brings me to bullets. Recently a shots were not placed in the vitals. Again
hunting. friend expressed his disappointment at the the importance of shot placement is
As for rifles, the choices were varied, meat damage experienced while using a crucial.
but a heavy bull barrel seems to be a must. modern monolithic copper alloy bullet for The Naturalis bullets seemed to be
My query as to why a heavy barrel, was the first time. The bullet was chosen for a fairly soft and expanded easily. Testimony
answered with, it’s more accurate. As for venison hunt as the manufacturer claims it to this is a recovered bullet from a shot
the heavy scope, well apparently it gives to be one of the best performing hunting taken at a blesbuck at 347m. The animal
one more options for longer shots and dial- bullets available on the market. was wounded earlier by a hunter who
ling in with the elevation turret after rang- Terminal performance was as expected pulled the shot. The bullet looked similar to
ing an animal is also possible. with a monolithic with good penetration that recovered from a blesbuck shot at
Only one person I met in the hunting and expansion. On one large animal it pen- about 100m. I am very happy with this
field this season used what I would con- etrated both shoulders. But, a considerable ammunition and will probably use it on
sider a lightweight rifle fitted with a light- amount of spongy bloodshot meat had to future hunts.
weight hunting scope. He brought back the be cut away on both sides. The amount of The question remains whether conven-
biltong all the same. meat rendered unusable on this and other tional soft nose lead core bullets, which
I find this preference for large and animals bumped up the per kilogram price cost about half the price of the Naturalis
heavy equipment rather perplexing and to unacceptable levels. ammo, would have fared worse. I doubt it,
can only presume that most hunters do not Researching the bullet I found that the but the fact that manufacturers are explor-
walk-and-stalk much, or they are much manufacturer claims the one-piece copper ing new ideas and coming up with new
fitter than I think. And, that many expect alloy won’t separate but will deliver ‘dev- equipment is making hunting interesting.
to take shots at very long ranges, hence astating terminal performance, deep pen- And, in many places in Europe, the use of
the sniping kit. For most hunting out to etration, and 95% weight retention’. That lead in hunting bullets is now banned.
300m (which I consider a very long shot), seems like a good quality bullet, but the As the hunting season is now over,
a scope with a magnification range starting question is whether this was designed and there is time to retest our equipment and
at 3 or 4 and topping out at say 12, will be tested with reduced meat damage in ensure that we are truly proficient in the
more than good enough and tactical style mind. use of everything. This should not just be
adjustable turrets are not needed. Over the years I have avoided mono- about shooting your rifle but include things
However, I suspect that the heavy kit is lithic bullets for biltong hunting as I could like research on ammunition, the correct
more the result of clever marketing – pro- not see the need for it. Of course, on dan- use of a rangefinder, practise with your
claiming that these products will ensure gerous game or large tough animals, it’s shooting sticks, and even boring proce-
success and make you a better hunter or an entirely different matter, but not the dures like stabilising your binos when
shooter. This is not entirely true as learning topic here. I have always found that nor- glassing for animals. I find this process fun
to know your equipment, determining bul- mal lead soft points do the job perfectly and something to spice up the months
let trajectory up to the maximum distance when hunting or culling. On the cull side without hunting.

6 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
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Letters

Running Out of Time guineafowl over the fire and then eating it without salt. Yes, I
was gifted to have been at the right place at the right time
On my 90th birthday I realised that I was running out of time, where a poor man could still afford to hunt. All my old hunting
and my hunting had come to an end. Gone are the days when, friends have moved on so I am the last.
if I knew an elephant had good ivory, I would sleep on his tracks I started using a rifle scope only when aged 60, when my
and continue following him at first light the next morning. I eyesight started to deteriorate. My rifles and shotguns seem to
would not return to my camp. If I had my .22 rifle with me I have doubled in weight nowadays, and there is a noticeable
would load subsonic ammo and try to shoot something small to increase in recoil when shooting. The birds even seem to be
eat. The subsonic report does not disturb the elephant. I would flying faster. When I remove a firearm from the gun safe, my
find a place close to water to spend the night, make a fire to Labrador retriever watches; if it’s a double barrel over-under he
keep us warm and also to keep the wild animals away. After gets very excited. But when I put the gun back into the gun safe
making a small hollow in the ground for my hips I’d try to get after cleaning it, he looks at me in disgust and walks out of the
as much sleep as possible. room. My dog doesn’t realise he is also running out of time and
I remember on one of these follow-ups, roasting a tough it will be interesting to see which one of us reaches the end of
the line first. – Don Forrester, Gauteng

The Blue Wildebeest

FOLDING AIR RIFLES ARE WALKING
.410 SHOTGUN IMPORTANT GAME TRAILS

MAN

I enjoyed Gregor Woods’ article

FOR HUNTERS & SHOOTERS

and would like to comment. PMXs 9mmP

BERETTA
I shot a lot of wildebeest in the SEMI-AUTO
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CARBINE

Kalahari in Botswana before the

population crashed in the drought DEFENCE
SHOOTING
of the 1980s. I used a .30-06 with
Use a .22lr for How to Carry
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180 grain bullets, mostly Winches-
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I don’t recall losing a wounded

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animal or any long, painful follow-ups of wounded animals.

What I do recall, is that very few animals ran less than 300
metres, but a significant number ran 500 metres or more.
A heart-shot wildebeest sets off at once and runs with a
distinctive rocking horse gait. You, the hunter, know it’s dead
already and don’t need a follow-up shot but the wildebeest
hasn’t noticed. At the end of its death run the animal often does
a spectacular somersault as it succumbs. In my experience, a
.30-06 with 180gr conventional bullets is quite adequate to kill
wildebeest reliably.
Wildebeest can be dangerous. A farmer at Middlepits was
watering his livestock at a pit-well during the ’80s drought when
a wildebeest arrived wanting a share of the water. The farmer
was not amused; watering at a pit-well is hard physical work,
so he bashed it over the head with a lump of wood. The wilde-
beest promptly attacked him, rupturing his bladder and liver
and breaking several ribs. He was lucky to survive.
In fact, wildebeest are able to survive in waterless areas.
The population in the Kalahari in Botswana (western Kweneng,
western Ngwaketse, Kgalagadi and Ghanzi Districts) has no

8 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 GALLO/GETTYIMAGES

access to surface water over almost all of its range. Prior to the springmaker in Cape Town. Alternatively, perhaps I can get
onset of the big drought in 1981, the population was over details of someone who has a spare spring or know where I can
350 000 animals but it crashed to around 15 000 by 1987. I get one. – Tony E Robinson, Western Cape
recall in 1982, in an area a short distance to the north of
Mabuasehube pan, thousands of carcases were found, so close • CZ is currently making a Cadet adpator which might use the
to each other that one could almost step from one to the next same spring as your kit. You can see their kit by visiting www.
without putting a foot to the ground – an horrific sight. czub.cz/en/firearms-and-products-family/adaptery.
What had sustained the population without surface water CZ can also be contacted directly by visiting their contact
was access to quite small key areas of habitat with exception- page on their website at https://www.czub.cz/en/contacts/
ally rich grazing in years of drought. When most of these areas There are also CZ forums you can try, one can be found at
were taken over for livestock use in the 1970s, the population https://czfirearms.us On some of these forums there are
was unable to sustain itself and crashed. It has not recovered knowledgeable people who might be able to help.
since. – Richard White, Botswana Of course a good gunsmith might have the answer or even
the spring. If any of our readers are able to help please contact
.22lr Handgun Training us on mail@manmagnum.co.za – Editor

I really enjoyed your article on “.22lr for Handgun Training” in

the May/June 2024 edition which had very useful advice. I used
to do this until recently.
To explain, I have a licensed Peters Stahl .22lr Cadet kit
which fits onto my CZ75B 9mm pistol which converts it from
9mm to .22lr ammo. Until about a year ago I used it to practice
with .22lr ammo, however during a cleaning exercise I stupidly
lost the recoil spring, hence I can no longer use it.
Peters Stahl, a German company, has since closed down. I
have been in contact with several possible alternatives, both in
the USA and Europe, to try to obtain a replacement spring but
without success.
I don’t know whether you can help in this matter as you
obviously have many contacts in the sport/industry.
If I can obtain the original specifications of the spring i.e.
unloaded free length, wired diameter, inside diameter, and
number of working coils, I can get a spring made at a specialist

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 9
CAMPFIRE TALES... by GREGOR WOODS

A
couple of years ago, I was given two home again did I recall that the school “He dared not tell his father, so he
guineafowl by a wingshooting friend sock had my nametag sewn into it. When engaged the help of two locals and they
whose wife didn’t know what to do with the river went low, someone would find drew the tusks and hid them. He then
them, so I got a potjie going on the fire it! I was done for! I worried about that approached an Indian trader in Porto
and invited them over to try a gamebird for months.” Amelia, a harbour town now renamed
stew. They enjoyed it, and the hubby – Bob laughed, “You certainly had an Pemba. He asked the trader to collect
I’ll just call him Bob – reminisced about imagination!” the tusks and see to it that they went to
his boyhood when he was forbidden to “But let me tell you a more serious the museum in Lourenço Marques. He
use his air rifle on anything bigger than ‘forbidden kill’ story that was told to me told me he was quite certain the trader
doves. “I was walking back to the farm- by a man named Walter Junge who lived did not sell them, but transported them
house towards evening,” he said, “and in Dalton, KwaZulu-Natal. He contacted to the museum. Walter suspected these
passed under a tree. I looked up and me in 1995, just after I had taken the might be the tusks I had photographed
there were some guineafowl roosting for well-known ivory hunter Harry Manners there and wrote of in my article. Well, it
the night. I couldn’t resist shooting at with me to Mozambique to see if he has since been proved that the tusks I
one, and by sheer chance my pellet could identify an exceptional set of tusks photographed were shot by Wally John-
broke its neck. This was the big time for on display at the Maputo Museum – Mag- son, whose wife sold them to an Indian
me, and I was mortified that I could not num had just published my article on trader in Beira. Harry Manners saw them
take it home and eat it, but my dad this. Walter Junge was 75 then. The in the trader’s shop and got his wife
would have taken away my air rifle. I had story goes back to his teen years when Anne to take a photo of him with the
to hide the bird in some thick bush and they lived in Mozambique. He became a tusks, which he published in his book
leave it to rot. I felt awful.” very keen hunter, and was freely allowed Kambaku. However, I saw several very
I couldn’t help laughing. “Bob, I think to roam the veld with his dad’s 7x57 – big sets of tusks at the museum, any of
every boy hunter has a ‘forbidden kill’ but on one condition. His strict father which could very well have been Walter
story to tell,” I said. “Mine involved an forbade him to shoot any dangerous big Junge’s. I just wish Walter had told his
egret, which was a protected bird – game. father – I’m sure he would soon have
Royal Game, as we called it then, and “However, he managed to acquire a been forgiven, and Walter could have
semi-tame, like our urban hadedas. I battered old 9.3x62 Mauser which he had the credit he deserved.”
was just learning to shoot a .410 shot- fixed up. He had only four cartridges for
gun, but had yet to shoot a flying bird. I this rifle, but ventured out with it and by
was alone when a few egrets wafted by sheer chance, encountered what he
– you know how slowly they fly into the described as ‘the biggest bull elephant in
wind – and they were close. Not really the world’. He knew nothing of judging
intending to shoot, I swung on one and ivory weight, but knew that the tusks
led it, then for some inexplicable reason, were truly exceptional. It was an oppor-
pulled the trigger. Down it came. Initially tunity that few hunters get in a lifetime
I felt a surge of excitement at having of searching, and he simply could not
shot a flying bird, but then realised what stop himself – he aimed for its heart and
I had done. I had a vivid imagination, fired. The bull ran off and died ‘two to
and pictured myself being locked in three kilometres away’. He searched for
some deep, dark, dank dungeon and fed three days before finding the carcass –
on bread and water, which was the with tusks still intact.
standard ‘gaol’ warning given to kids in
those days.
“I had to get rid of the evidence. So I
ran to the house and searched for some-
thing to hide the bird in. I was still at
prep school then; we wore shorts to
school with knee-length socks. I grabbed
an old school sock and stuffed the bird
head first into it. Tucking it inside my
shirt, I took to the bush, heading for the
Dorp Spruit. There I added some stones
to the sock, tied a knot in it and threw it
into the river. Only when I got back

10 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
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 BER
ET T
A8
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BER
ET T
A8
0X

New baby Beretta

T
HE Cheetah, originally called the 80
Series, has been around since the
mid-1970s. The first pistols were cham-
bered in .32ACP while Models 83, 84 and
85 were chambered in 9mm Short
(.380ACP) – the Model 84 became fairly
well known locally as it was issued to
traffic police. Models 87 and 89 were
chambered in .22lr. All of these pistols
were basically smaller versions of the grip is very thin compared to the original
well-known Model 92, which was cham- Mod 84 that had thick wooden grip pan-
bered in 9mmP. els. Lastly, the three dot metal sights are
The Model 84 had a double stack replaceable, and their new design is
magazine with a 13-round capacity and much better than the original integrated
a 3.81" barrel. The other two 9mm Short sights found on the older models.
models had single stack mags (7- and Beretta claims an improved adjust-
8-rounds) and of course a slimmer grip. in 2023 and recently landed in SA. In able trigger, an easier-to-rack slide with
As they were chambered for the lower- essence it’s an update of the model 84FS forward serrations, and lightened recoil
powered 9mm Short, these pistols’ (the F pistols had a squared front trigger from tuning of the slide weight and
design was more compact using a simple guard, and the S designated improve- spring rates. A Diamond Like Carbon
blowback cycling system. This means ments to the safety). (DLC) coating on internal parts also
that the barrel does not lock up or tilt as Immediately noticeable on the 80X is ensures smooth functioning. According
with those Brownings designed for more its redesign for modern day defence use: to Beretta, DLC coating is a thin film of
powerful cartridges. it’s optics ready; has a Picatinny rail for amorphous carbon that has dia-
The new version, the 80X Cheetah, lights, etc; has a skeletonized hammer; mond-like hardness and resistance to
with an aluminium frame, was launched and a straight back (Vertec) grip. The chemicals and scratches.

12 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 by PHILLIP HAYES

Beretta opted to use a captive recoil

guide rod assembly instead of the tradi-
tional separate guide rod and recoil
spring parts.
Two metal magazines are supplied –
the mag design was apparently changed
slightly to ensure reliable feeding of
hollow-point ammunition. I had some old
Model 84 magazines on hand and it is
clear that the follower on the 80X mags
comes up higher. However, the old mag- The 80X has a straight
azines fit and fed FMJ cartridges (all I Vertec grip and chequered
had available) in the 80X without any front and rear strap.
problem.
Unlike the Model 84, which could be
carried cocked-and-locked, the 80X was
designed to carry with the hammer
down, which means that the first shot
must be fired double-action. The safety
lever, mounted on the slide, de-cocks the
hammer when pressed upwards. This
also ensures that the trigger can move
freely backwards, basically resulting in a
‘dead’ trigger. This is a handy feature as The new pistol is
it means the pistol can be holstered optics ready and has a
without worry about something (a shirt Picatinny rail to add
maybe) snagging on the trigger and a light and/or laser.
causing an accidental discharge. To fire
the pistol, the safety needs to be
thumbed down, which re-engages the
trigger and allows the pistol to be dis- My concern was that a double-
charged with a double-action pull. action-only option could be a problem if
I found the two-position safety easy the trigger pull was heavy, but these
to work and think the ‘dead’ trigger and fears dissipated after some dry firing.
double-action-only first shot makes for a Beretta states the 80X has a light, crisp,
safer DA/SA platform. and consistent single-action/double-
action pull and that over-travel is adjust-
able to shorten the reset to 1mm.
Note two-position thumb safety I found the 80X has one of the best
and skeletonized hammer. double-action triggers around. Trigger
pull is long but smooth. Using my
Wheeler Trigger Pull Scale there was
very little difference between the old 84
and the 80X. The double-action pull on
the Model 84 measured 8lbs and single-
action 4½lbs while the 80X’s double-
action pull measured 7lbs and single-
action 4½lbs. The Mod 84 had a shorter
reset but this did not play much of a part
in defence drills as the 80X’s reset was
crisp, tactile and audible. However, the

Three dot metal sights are used,

these can be replaced if needed.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 13
80X’s straight and thinner grip did play a pistol, it’s one of the easiest small pistols mag loader. The quality steel magazines
part in better recoil control, and the flat- to carry all day while still offering a have witness holes for rounds 4, 6, 8, 10
ter (less curved) design of the new trig- proper grip to make things easier when and 13. On the old Model 84 magazines,
ger ensured better trigger control. pulled from the holster in a hurry. a single hole only enabled me to see
The 80X grip side panels have a To mount a reflex sight, a mounting whether the mag was fully loaded. So,
sandpaper-like finish and the front and plate for the specific sight is needed. with the new pistol you can see whether
back of the pistol grip has chequering Unfortunately this was not available for you have at least four rounds (etc) in the
and serrations cut into the metal, which the test. The only possible drawback of mag and make an informed decision
ensures a solid grip even with wet mounting a reflex sight might be that the about whether a tactical reload is
hands. The straight grip also fitted my back sight is part of the protective cover needed.
hand better than the old-style grip. The plate that must be removed (it’s held in A drawback for me with large hands,
trigger guard is big enough to use with place with two T10 screws) when mount- is the ambidextrous, high mounted
heavy gloves, something I had to wear in ing a sight. This means there is no rear frame safety which tends to result in cuts
the below freezing temperatures during sight for co-witness use when an optic is and/or bruises when racking the slide
an early morning range session in the installed. violently with an overhand hold. The only
Free State. Disassembly (after the pistol has way around this is a higher hold on the
The mag well is slightly bevelled been made safe) is straight forward but slide with your thumb and index finger
(something not found on original 84s) assembly was not, as the disassembly grabbing and racking the slide. The front
and helped to speed up reloads when lever refused to return to the correct slide cut-outs on the 80X helped in this
compared to the older 84. position on completion of the assembly regard on condition that you keep your
Interestingly, the older Model 84 I process. I soon realised that moving the hand out of the way of an ejecting cart-
had on hand weighed 635 grams (includ- barrel slightly rearwards ensured that ridge during an emergency drill. This is a
ing an empty magazine) compared to the latch returned to the correct posi- small gripe as I soon managed to use the
674 grams for the new pistol. This is tion. front cut-outs with success.
probably due to the extra metal needed On the range I first tested the maga- At the range I fired Sellier & Bellot
to accommodate the Picatinny rail on the zines to see how easy/difficult it would 92gr FMJ ammunition over a chrono-
80X although this is still light for a hand- be to insert a full 13 rounds, and I man- graph placed 5m from the muzzle and
gun. In fact, given the overall size of the aged fairly easily without wishing for a the velocity for five shots averaged

Pistol disassembled.
Note the non-tilting barrel.

14 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
924fps for 174ft-lbs of energy. Hornady
claims that their Critical Defense ammo
(which was designed specifically for
defence scenarios) will deliver about
200ft-lbs of energy. For comparison, in
9mmP a 115gr FMJ bullet travelling at
1 080fps will deliver 298ft-lbs of energy.
Given the light weight of the hand-
gun, recoil was snappy. I thought recoil
was a little less than that of my PX4
Compact in 9mmP using 124gr FMJ fac-
tory ammunition, but another shooter
commented that it felt like more than
that of his Glock 19.
We agreed that you should not
choose the 80X because you are female,
or small of stature, or perhaps lack grip
strength. Just because it’s a lower-pow-
ered cartridge does not mean that recoil
will be significantly less than that of a The pistol is very accurate
compact or micro-compact 9mmP. More and easy to shoot.
important is the consideration of carry-
ing a smaller, more concealable firearm
to fit your lifestyle and the 80X definitely
fits this bill.
Firing 5 shots deliberately at 10m to
get a good group, I managed to get all
shots into 24.01mm centre-to-centre
(c-c). After completing some drills, I was
pleasantly surprised that my times were
similar to those when using a compact
sized striker-fired pistol. The grip shape The 80X comes in a
and white dot sights of the 80X definitely neat plastic box.
helped with this.
As a control, I tried a 5-shot group
with an older Model 84 which measured
32.51mm, 8.5mm bigger than the 80X.
I think both pistols were accurate but the

Raised follower of 80X mag (left)

compared to a Mod 84 mag.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 15
smaller, fixed, iron sights on the 84 emergency drill, slapping the magazine consider the malfunction as a flaw of the
caused the group size difference. on the bottom and racking the slide, but pistol. I would gladly use the 80X as my
Generally the little Beretta impressed was unable to move the slide at all. I daily carry gun. However, it would be
and the Beretta hybrid (Kydex and then slowed down and after studying the prudent to practise to position your
leather) inside waistband holster worked problem closely, realised that the only thumb correctly.
very well. The combination was comfort- option was to get the slide to move for- Overall I am impressed with the little
able to carry all day and drawing the pis- ward to release the safety lever. This was Beretta 9mm Short. It’s a quality pistol
tol was easy. easier said than done but, after several with a superb finish, and the interior did
I did run into a problem by placing the rather painful slaps with the palm of my not have a single machine mark.
thumb of my shooting hand in the ‘wrong’ support hand on the rear of the slide, it My impression when picking it up for
place while shooting, managing to induce finally released and jumped back into the first time was that it’s an old-school,
a malfunction that took several minutes battery. Only then could I revert to the quality pistol with a modern twist. After
to resolve. On starting the specific drill, I tap-rack drill and get the pistol into spending time on the range this was con-
drew the pistol from the holster, flicked action again. If this happened during a firmed to be true. The trigger is sublime
the safety off for my first double-action life-threatening situation the conse- and the Vertec grip ensures the pistol
shot, and placed my thumb below the quences could be serious. pointed where I looked. I like hammer
safety lever. I must have touched the For the rest of the shooting sessions guns more than striker-fired pistols and
lever while pulling the trigger because, on I changed my hold, keeping the thumb of if I can find quality 9mm Short defence
reciprocating, the slide ran into the my shooting hand on the safety after ammo, this will probably be one of my
safety, causing the slide and safety lever releasing it, and I had no further prob- top choices for an everyday defence pis-
to jam together. The slide was partially lems. Apart from the (self-induced) mal- tol.
retracted and I was unable to push the function, the pistol functioned flawlessly. I found the pistol for sale online for
safety lever down. The case was still in Later I tried unsuccessfully to induce R17 900. Considering that it’s much
the chamber. the malfunction again. I do not know more than the average run of the mill
As I did not know the above details at exactly how it happened but the change defence handgun, the higher price of the
that time, I immediately performed an in grip solved the problem and I do not 80X is justified.

16 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 by KOOS BARNARD

KLEIN KAROO KUDU Patience is an important arrow in a hunter’s quiver…

The terrain on the property

I
SPOTTED them just before sunrise as kudu had travelled against the wind dur- mentioned in the story comprises
my bakkie was crawling up a hill we ing the night. The bulls had probably mountains, plains and riverbeds.
call Witklippieshoogte. They were off to peeled away from the rest, ending up
my left – four youngsters and four rang- near Witklippieshoogte at sunrise. They
ing in age between three and five years. were at the top of a kloof to the north of extreme summer heat and frequent
The rut was over and many of the bulls Witklippieshoogte and the tweespoor- droughts but lies in a belt that receives
once again moved around in bachelor paadjie I was travelling along, obviously both summer and winter rains. After a
groups. seeking high ground to catch the early seven-year drought, good rains fell dur-
My luck had changed. The previous August sun because the mornings were ing 2023 and 2024 resulting in a very
day, after having hunted hard all day, I still a bit chilly. green Karoo with flowers everywhere.
had spotted the first bulls at dusk near a My plan was simple: I’d drive on for There is no domestic livestock on the
campsite we call Vyfster. There were about one kilometre, park the bakkie property, only game; hence there are no
several bulls in the mixed herd of about and then approach the kudu from the inner fences. Steenbuck, duiker, klip-
20 but they were far away and it was southeast with the westerly breeze blow- springer, baboon, aardvark, honey
almost dark. I thus decided to return to ing at an angle across my front from left badger, ostrich, eland, lynx, black-
Vyfster the next morning. to right. backed jackal and even leopard occur
You have to pass Witklippieshoogte I was hunting on Kukama, a 7 200ha naturally on Kukama. The owners also
to get to Vyfster which lies about 3km to property in the Klein Karoo close to Riv- introduced kudu, gemsbuck and zebra.
the northeast and my guess is that the ersdal. This area is known for its Apparently, kudu have been present on

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 17
 TOP LEFT: When the rut starts you will always find kudu
bulls wherever the ladies are. ABOVE: Many of the
riverbeds on Kukama are lined with sweet thorn trees.
BELOW: A good Karoo kudu bull pictured on Kukama.

After good winter rains flowers bloom

everywhere. This plant, called a sonskynvygie,
is one of the author’s favourites.

the farm for years and the owners

merely supplemented their numbers.
Nowadays, this species is found on many
Karoo properties but it is not common
knowledge that kudu roam in the shad- annually and the Piets, which is fed from time there, either camping or staying in
ows of the Langeberge just north of Riv- the Langeberge, flows for up to three an old farmhouse that has only the most
ersdal. months in good years. Riverbeds, lined basic amenities. Being a walk-and-stalk
Kukama’s kudu are probably the with sweet thorn, karee, taaibos and lan- hunter, I hunt on foot and, due to the
Eastern Cape variety which are smaller tern bushes crisscross the property. undulating open terrain, spend hours on
than those found in KwaZulu-Natal and The terrain is rough, roads are few high ground glassing for game and then
Limpopo. Mature bulls dress out at and some can be negotiated only by 4x4 stalking the animals.
120kg to 150kg and horn length seldom vehicles. Due to the steep terrain, fre- Fickle winter weather can make hunt-
exceeds 50". quent water run-offs and flash floods are ing difficult on Kukama and sometimes
The topography on Kukama com- common, contributing to the bad road dense fog stops all hunting until about
prises open plains, hills, valleys, kloofs conditions. This is pristine Karoo, a place 11am. If it’s foggy before sunrise, the mist
and high mountains. The Piets River on that appeals to me – it is my happy normally burns away within an hour, but if
its western side as well as Tweede- and home away from home. I have free skies are clear with the fog moving in at
Derderivier on the eastern side flow access to the property and spend a lot of sunrise, it often lingers for hours.

18 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 eyes is particularly bad because it deliv-
ers a very painful bite which feels like a
red-hot needle being pushed into your
flesh. Cursing silently, I tried to keep the
damn flies away from my face and bare
arms.
Time passed slowly; by 9am the
bulls still had not moved, and the horse
flies kept on tormenting me. Thirty more
minutes ticked away. The sun was begin-
ning to sting now (I had forgotten my
hat in the bakkie). Shortly before ten
o’clock, three ostriches popped up out of
the kloof in front of me, about 120m
away. Pretending to be a ghwarrie, I sat
tight but the horse flies made it imposs-
This is the bull ible; the birds noticed me and promptly
Quality boots are essential, for the going can get tough and the author shot trotted off at a pace. Fortunately, the
carrying a backpack with snacks and enough water is good from 160m with kudu paid little attention to them. By
policy because you often walk for hours. Sometimes, however, his Blaser R8 in now my bum was sore, my left leg was
as on this particular morning, you get lucky and spot the kudus .270 Win. starting to cramp and the horse flies
while driving. were giving me hell. Still the kudus did
Now, back to the bulls I described. After leaving the bakkie, not move.
I walked very slowly until I arrived at a hump which forms part At almost twenty-five to eleven one
of the northern section of Witklippieshoogte. Once on top of it, bull got up and the others followed.
I would be able to overlook the kloof and also the flat spot on
which I had sighted the kudu. However, instead of going over
the top of the hump, I moved along its shoulder and when part
of the flat spot came into view, I sat down and shuffled forward
on my backside. After covering about 20 paces like that, I saw
them. They were still in the same place, but I could now see SALT S2
only five. The other three had probably moved down into the
kloof. Moving forward another five paces I took up a position
Pepper Ball
next to a stunted ghwarrie bush. The bulls were 254m away.
Oblivious of my presence, they enjoyed the early sun which
Launcher
by now had just detached itself from the horizon. I had a good, Non-lethal self-defence
steady position over the shooting sticks but before I could protection
shoot, I had to figure out whether we would be able to get close
enough with the farm’s Nissan 4x4 to recover the carcass. • Made in the USA
Kukama doesn’t have any farmhands, so the recovery
• Powered by CO2
would be done by Tielman Roos, one of the owners, Oom Ollie
the overseer, and by me. I was still recovering from two back • Uses Salt rounds filled with
operations, hence wouldn’t be much of a help in dragging a powdered pepper spray and
kudu over rough terrain, and Oom Ollie is well into his seven- tear gas
ties. The kloof below me, of which I could see only a small part, • Accurate and effective at
was too steep and rocky for any vehicle to negotiate and the over 45 metres
terrain on the far side of the kudu was also inaccessible to
vehicles. All I could do was to wait. • 5-round magazine
It was almost eight o’clock now, and I was hoping that the • Faster that liquid pepper spray
kudu would soon move downhill and onto the plain stretching
north and west of Witklippieshoogte. The bulls were in no hurry • Easy to use and easy to clean
though, and after a few minutes, they lay down, one after the • Available in: white, grey,
other, and started chewing the cud. Thirty minutes passed… I black & yellow AVAILABLE
was also enjoying the sun’s warmth but then the horseflies IN KIT FORM
arrived!
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The Karoo is home to a number of horsefly species and after
good rains a species known as Rhigioglossa (it has no common +27 21 797 8787
name) often appears. This blood sucker with its iridescent green

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 19
Then, as if on command, they walked
towards a clump of karee trees close to the The Klein Karoo
spot where the ostriches had appeared, and has a rich birdlife.
started browsing. I couldn’t shoot because This is a black
no 4x4 would get close enough for the korhaan on
recovery. After 15 minutes the kudus all Kukama.
turned and, walking off to my left, disap-
peared into the kloof.
I got up stiffly and moved forward at a
low crouch. After covering about 30m, I sud-
denly spotted horn tips below me. The bulls
had stopped and were now less than 200m
away. After sitting down quickly, I shuffled
forward, cursing under by breath as I put my
left hand in a very prickly kersbos. After
about ten more paces the kloof below me
came into full view. The bulls were at its bot-
tom, almost where the hills meet the plains.
The road leading towards Witklip-
pieshoogte was about 400m to my left and The Karoo
between it and the kloof’s entrance a num- korhaan is also
ber of ditches crossed the plain. They didn’t common on the
look too deep though – a little bit of shovel property.
work would allow us access to the kloof’s
entrance.
As I switched my attention back to the
kudu, one bull slowly walked about 30m up
the far slope before stopping in the shade of
a taaibos and staring out over the plains. My
rangefinder showed that he was 160m away.
I swatted a horsefly then rested my rifle, a
Blaser R8 in .270 Win, over the shooting
sticks and settled the crosshair below the
bull’s left ear. The 140gr Sierra GameKing hit
with a loud “dup” and dropped the bull in his This Karoo dwarf
tracks. Reloading swiftly, I watched the kudu chameleon
through the scope but he did not move. tries its best to
The other bulls stood like statues, prob- resemble a twig.
ably confused by the echoes of the shot. They also occur
Watching the bulls and still being caught up on Kukama.
in the excitement of the hunt, I was in
another world. But then the painful bite of a
damn Rhigioglossa in my neck brought me
back to reality. Cursing loudly, I killed it with
an almighty slap, whereupon the bulls, hear-
ing the noise, scrambled up the far slope
and out of sight.
It was almost 11h15 – well over three
hours after I had first spotted the kudu. I
contacted Tielman by cell phone and two There are many
hours later, after a fairly easy recovery, we succulent plants
were on our way to the skinning shed. The on the property.
bull I shot was about four years old and his This one reaches
dressed weight was 140kg. hardly 10cm and
The Karoo has a special place in my heart is called rygbossie.
and being able to hunt kudu in this “land of
horizons” is indeed a privilege.

20 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
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 THE SALT S2 PEPPER
BALL LAUNCHER
erty? And does it have a place as an aux- don’t end well for the people shot. Most
iliary to the armoury of a gun-owner? collapse in intense pain, and the bruises,
The Salt S2 launcher is a self- lesions and swellings left behind are
defence tool designed to quickly stop an impressive.
A less-than-lethal attacker without being lethal. It does Worse than the solid polymer rounds
defensive option this by launching 17mm plastic balls are those containing military and
that really works with a mass ranging from 45 and 60 law-enforcement grade chemical irri-
grains (roughly 3.5 grams), at a muzzle tants. Weighing slightly less than the

T
HE “less-than-lethal” Salt Supply velocity of around 350fps, generating 21
Company S2 pepper ball launcher is joules (15.5 foot-pounds) of energy. By
a self-defence tool that looks like a pistol contrast, a 40gr .22LR bullet, fired from
but isn’t one. It is not a firearm and a pistol generates around 95 foot-
requires no licence to possess, as its .68 pounds (129 joules) of energy, which
calibre (17mm) projectiles are launched many couch commandos claim will not
by a blast of compressed carbon dioxide. stop an attacker, only enrage him.
But does it work and will it resolve a Can the 21-joule Salt S2 knock the
violent confrontation? Is it the answer stuffing out of an opponent? Absolutely.
for someone choosing not to own a The solid polymer kinetic rounds
firearm but still wanting to punched through a steel baking tray at a
protect life and prop- distance of 10 metres and left deep
dents in a piece of sheet metal at ranges
out to 30m. I could find no volunteer to
receive a shot, nor was I willing to
receive one, but dozens of internet
videos show the effects of less-than-
lethal launchers, and these

The power of the Salt Supply S2 launcher is

impressive. At 10 metres it shot through a steel
baking tray and made large dents in a piece of
sheet metal at ranges as far away as 30 metres.

22 ManM
M A G N UM September/October
 by H I L TON H A MA NN

The launcher is easy

to shoot and accurate.
Even ‘non-gun people’
easily achieved
consistent centre-of-
mass hits from 20m.

The magazine holds

five rounds and
can be loaded in
any combination of
kinetic and chemical
projectiles.

about half the size of a human head. My

wife and sister, who are not gun people,
easily maintained centre-of-mass hits at
kinetic rounds, these are filled with a ally at distances of five metres or less. 20 metres. The S2 launcher, using reusa-
powdered oleo capsicum (OC). There is also a much higher chance of ble kinetic balls, makes a fine teaching
The impact trauma is similar to that the user being affected by blow-back. and training aid for both beginners and
of the kinetic round, but on impact these The Salt S2 launcher allows the user to advanced shooters. To load, simply
dispense a cloud of chemical dust to maintain safe distances and to escape. unscrew the metal cap at the bottom of
envelope the attacker. The launcher is 280mm long, 170mm the pistol, insert a standard 12g CO2 car-
To test the projectiles I shot two pep- tall and 30mm wide. But because it only tridge and screw the metal cap back on.
per balls against a wall from 20 metres weighs 510g I found it comfortable and To arm the weapon, bang the metal
then walked into the dust cloud. The easy to carry all day. My fully loaded cap against the palm of your hand to
moment I came into contact with it my 1911 pistol tips the scales at almost puncture the canister. Once pierced, it
eyes burned. I struggled to keep them 1 300g and becomes a chore to carry; as will hold pressure for around 24 hours. If
open and I had to back away. My skin a result, I’m often without it. the cartridge is not punctured the loaded
was enflamed, I coughed uncontrollably A custom Kydex holster is available device can be carried indefinitely, ready
and felt as if I was suffering an asthma as an accessory (R1 700) but I simply to go and fully pressurised. The gas car-
attack. I received only a small amount of carried the S2 tucked into the waistband tridge provides approximately 12 full-
contamination, but four hours later, my of my trousers or in an elastic belly band power shots before the pressure falls off.
eyes still stung, my scalp itched and my holster. It was never uncomfortable or The magazine holds five rounds and
face ached. I can only imagine how dev- awkward, but some may feel it is too is inserted below the barrel. It can be
astating a full magazine of five rounds of large. The Salt S2 was designed primar- loaded with different combinations of
the OC balls in the chest would be, and I ily for home-defence but can be carried kinetic and chemical rounds. Additional
have no doubt that all of the fight would comfortably in a large handbag or mes- magazines are available at R550. It has
be knocked out of an attacker. senger-style bag. a Picatinny rail below the barrel for a tac-
Why not just use a can of pepper The launcher is accurate. At 30m I tical flashlight or laser aiming device,
spray that costs less than R100? A hand- had no problem keeping all shots in an and the grip is fitted with rough ‘skate-
held spray canister can only be deployed area the size of a saucer. At 15m, shoot- board’ tape that ensures a firm hold,
when the aggressor is really close – usu- ing as fast as I could, I printed groups even with wet hands.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 23
 Why spend around R6 000 on a less-
than-lethal device? Because it does the job
and is a high quality item that, with proper
care, should last a lifetime. Full back-up, ser-
vice and repair facilities are offered by dis-
tributors, National Cartridge Company. Also,
for people who do not want to own a firearm,
but still wish to protect themselves and their
families, the Salt S2 offers a solution without
the legal hassles of owning a gun. There are
no special requirements for safekeeping;
leave it in your car if you need to – if it’s sto-
The Salt S2 starter kit comes in a nifty len, there are no legal consequences. It’s
storage/travel case. Included in the package is also legal to lend it to a family member or
a 12gr CO2 cartridge, six inert practise projectiles, friend.
six kinetic rounds and six pepper rounds. The launcher Less-than-lethal launchers are used by
is available in four colours: white, grey, black, and yellow. more than 300 American police departments,
prisons and law enforcement agencies; as
well as elsewhere in the world.
It also makes sense for existing gun own-
ers, providing an extra arrow in their quiver.
Your life changes forever when you use a gun
in a confrontation. You could easily end up
facing huge legal bills that leave you bank-
rupt, even if you are able to prove your
actions were justifiable and you’ll undoubt-
edly wish you’d had a non-lethal option.
I could find no South African data, but
according to the United States Bureau of Jus-
tice Statistics, only about 10% of violent
crimes involve a firearm. I would imagine the
stats are similar here. As a civilian citizen
Power for the launcher is supplied by a standard who does his best to avoid trouble spots, my
12g CO2 cartridge that is inserted into the butt. most likely defensive scenario would be deal-
ing with muggers in a car park, incidents of
road rage, confronting trespassers on my
property and facing dangerous dogs while
out walking. With a less-than-lethal launcher
we can deal with such, then go home and
carry on with our lives.
Pepper ball launchers are not meant to
replace firearms in situations where only fire-
arms will do. They are another tool in your
toolbox. If you have only a hammer, you’re
forced to use that for everything. If you have
only a gun, it’s your only option and it carries
consequences. For me the Salt S2 is a useful
auxiliary to the firearms I own, providing me
with choices I did not previously have.
The CO2 cartridge is punctured and activated by giving A list of dealers can be found on the
the base cap a sharp rap with the palm of your hand. National Cartridge Company website. (www.
national-cartridge.co.za)

24 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 HANDY
RIFLE
HINTS
Most hunters are fond of natural materials like leather and wood, palms of the hands until the almond oil comes through the linen.
particularly if the latter is in the form of a well-made gun or rifle Now in future, every time you take out the rifle or gun to clean
stock, and even more so if this stock is not covered with a shiny layer it, or just to look at it, rub the stock gently with the bag along the
of some plastic material. grain of the wood. In time this treatment will impart a deep lustre
If you have a stock made of a good piece of walnut with an oiled to the wood, not the glassy shine of polyurethane.
or hand-rubbed finish, there is a way to care for it: Do not rub over the checkered areas as the sharp checkering
Fold a piece of canvas into a pad and rub the stock, with the will pick up bits of fluff from the linen. In any case, checkering
grain of the wood, until it is quite smooth. Then take a piece of well- should not be polished or oiled as its purpose is to keep the wood
washed linen, fold it into a square, and if you cannot use a sewing sufficiently porous to absorb dampness from the palms of the
machine, get your wife or girlfriend to double-stitch it on two sides. hands.
Take a big handful of almonds and crush them well with a mor- You will notice after a while that the wood begins to look like
tar and pestle. Place the fine almonds in the linen bag and close the the back of a good quality violin. This hint was in fact passed on by
open end by double-stitching. Rub the bag of almonds between the a man who made fiddles.
EXTRACTED FROM MAGNUM ’79 ANNUAL

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Proudly Distributed by
WWW.GUNSBOWS.CO.ZA YaCW]Wp_d[i
Call us on: 021 949 2891 (n=be

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 25
 The following main belt categories are arguably relevant:
1. Everyday carry (EDC/covert close protection)
2. Range (sports & tactical defensive)
3. Competitive sports shooting (IPSC/IDPA)
4. Duty (security & law enforcement)
5. Combat/Battle (anti-poaching, military & private military
contractors)

Belt configurations include:

1. ‘Normal’ belts are usually 1.25 inches wide, with gun belts
tending towards 1.5- and 1.75-inch widths. This requires
trousers with appropriately large belt loops.
2. Speciality Belt-over-belt setup with a soft Velcro/anti-slip
EDC, range, duty and battle belts inner belt onto which the main outer belt attaches.

A duty belt (sometimes referred to as a gun belt, ‘duty rig’ and/

or kit belt) is typically constructed of a mix of materials (Cor-
dura, webbing, Kevlar, leather) and used to carry equipment
easily in a series of readily accessible pouches, leaving the
hands free.
These speciality belts, so-called ‘belt over belt’ systems, are
traditionally used in law enforcement and the military. They
allow less belt and gear movement, are therefore more stable
and can handle a higher weight rating for all the gear necessar-
ily carried.

Gun Belt Types and Configuration

EDC BELTS

Dark Earth Tactical -

Warrior Assault battle belt
with IFAK and universal
level 2 pistol holster.

S IMILAR to most serious sports, shooting requires and uses

a wide range of custom and non-custom gear, gear setups
and configurations. There is an increasingly overwhelming range
of options, local and imported. HuntEx 2024 showcased many of
these – at eye watering prices. While the firearm owners’ motto Kore Essentials EDC belt with inside waistband
is ‘You can never have too many guns or too much gear’ its appendix carry Kydex holster (original style).
addendum should be ‘Less is more, and then only the right gear’.
The self-defence firearm owner either locks his firearm away
Gun Belt Options for ‘just in case’ or, for the more serious, carries it concealed.
While gear setup remains a matter of personal choice, it is dic- For concealed carry, the law is quite clear, placing a significant
tated by circumstances, budget, the specific firearm discipline, responsibility on the owner: the firearm must be concealed,
and the intended application. secured in a holster or carry bag and on your person/under

26 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 by SHAUN LYLE

your direct control at all times. This creates challenges in terms

of functionality, use and the desire to eliminate firearm ‘print’
by masking its profile or obvious bulge in the clothing worn.
For concealed carry the setup is typically an inside waist-
band (IWB) Kydex or polymer holster in the so-called appendix
carry location. Some firearm owners prefer a low profile outside
waistband (OWB) setup covered with a baggy shirt and/or
jacket. They find this far more comfortable, especially when
getting in and out of vehicles, and it’s the way they prefer to
train on the range. The belt needs to be rigid enough to hold
and secure the holster without sagging, and in most cases
would be a leather or fabric type. There are a number of local
and premium imported options including Warrior Assault, Kore
Essentials, Cobra and Condor.

RANGE BELTS

A fully rigged Dark Earth Tactical - Warrior Assault battle belt.

Kore Essentials range/battle belt with custom holster/mag pouches

plus Taakmag pistol calibre carbine and rifle pouches.

Range belts and setups are either concealed carry (training with
what you carry daily), or more commonly an OWB holster with
one or more magazine pouches. Concealed carry is not manda-
tory on official indoor or outdoor ranges. The requirement to
have the firearm holstered or bagged stands, and is strictly
enforced at ranges and clubs in terms of the SABS range stand-
ards and regulations.
Again, the gun belt is of sturdy leather or Cordura webbing
construction with the holster being shaped leather (old school)
Kydex or (modern) polymer. Soft leather or fabric holsters, while
comfortable, are not as functional or utilitarian as they tend to
collapse onto themselves making holstering difficult, slower and
potentially dangerous. Range holsters normally have ‘level one’
retention. In respect of Kydex options, this means the firearm
Kore Essentials battle belt with custom holster and pouches plus clips/clicks into, and is retained in the holster by friction. This
dual High Speed Gear International (HSGI) universal pouches. prevents it from falling out with normal to moderate movement.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 27
For frequent shooters, the gun belt setup commonly has: for weight saving and anti-snag purposes. Another notable dif-
firearm specific holster (local off-the-shelf and custom ference from the other gun belts is the use of high viz colours
options, plus some imported choices) (orange, yellow and blue) for easy identification during a rapid
two mag pouches course of fire where speed and accuracy are crucial.
dump or drop bag For tactical defensive shooting, where techniques to blend
torch or knife pouch in are important, earth tones or multicam colour schemes are
tourniquet preferred as they are less noticeable and more covert.
IFAKs (individual first aid kits) are worn only occasionally, as
full first aid kits are available on the range or carried in the
shooter’s range bag. DUTY BELTS

COMPETITIVE SPORT SHOOTING BELTS

IPSC competition belt with high speed

skeletonized holster and mag pouches.

With IPSC and IDPA being arguably the largest of the firearms
disciplines, high-speed, low-drag rigs are the standard. Hol-
sters and mag pouches extend from the belt outward to avoid
snagging and are angled for optimum speed of acquisition.
Holsters are skeletonized or minimalized to avoid snagging dur-
ing quick draws and reholstering. Multiple mag pouches, well
above the normal two, dominate the belt. No other gear is
required, so torches, multi-tools and IFAKS are all stripped off

Dark Earth Tactical - Warrior Assault battle belts in various config-

urations with universal pouches and level 2 universal holsters.

Duty belts, as the name implies, are for law enforcement and
the security industry, where concealed carry is not a require-
ment and where more equipment needs to be carried while on
duty.

Similar to range belts, they contain:

firearm holster
multiple mag pouches

28 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 torch and radio pouches Standard configuration, starting left of buckle anticlockwise
restraints (handcuffs) around to the right (for right-hand shooters) is:
baton, rigid or extendable telescopic type 2 universal pistol magazine pouches
an edged weapon and/or multi-tool 2 rifle mag pouches
IFAK (located midback)
These gun belts are worn overtly and the holster has level 1 and multi-tool pouch
2 retention. For police use, a lanyard is common, although mod- universal pistol holster with level 2 retention
ern preference is for a thumb-type drive (trigger guard retention torch/radio/edged weapon/suppressor pouch
bar) and a level 3 strap over hammer/back strap system. gloves/key/ear and eye protection clip

The preferred belt buckle is the ‘cobra’ double locking system

COMBAT/BATTLE BELTS for risk-free wear. The preferred pouches are the universal
options (not gun specific, in other words universals such as the
milspec Warrior Assault universal level 2 pistol holster from
Dark Earth Tactical). This allows the use of different weapons
without having to strip down and reconfigure the gun belt for
each deployment. Level 2 retention is critical for moderate to
heavy movement including use in and around vehicles and air-
craft.
Drop leg holsters, while looking ultra-cool, have fallen in
and out of favour, and while still used extensively by specialist
law enforcement units (SAPS Special Task Force), continue to
fade from modern military use, especially over the past 7 years,
according to current military contractors. Here the pistol is a
sidearm and secondary weapon, unlike in law enforcement
where the handgun is the primary weapon.
The modern military approach is for modern gear and mod-
ern technique to work in tandem, as both are critical for quick,
accurate shot placement. In other words, modern combat tech-
nique will not work as smoothly with ‘old school’ gear setups,
and vice versa. The tactical mantra is ‘slow is smooth, and
smooth is fast’ – subject to training, your gear and technique
potentially give you the advantage over your opponent.
In conclusion, sage advice suggests that before you rush out
to buy the latest, greatest gadget seen on the internet or social
media, you should spend some time on the range observing the
various setups and talking to fellow shooters about what works
and doesn’t work for them, and why. We all tend to have piles of
gear we thought was perfect before realizing it was not.

LCS Battle belt with HSGI pistol & rifle pouches, Taakmag IFAK,
multi-tool, edged weapon/utility pouch, level 2 Thumb Drive
holster plus high dexterity gloves.

Combat or battle belts take a modern military approach, being

wider than a normal belt for load distribution, are molle (Mod-
ular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) configured and are
stitched or laser cut, whereas other gun belts use loops, D, C or
J clips and in some cases lockable combat clips.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 29
 Rigby .350 Magnum Classic British sporter with an East Cape connection

O
UR eldest son, Keith, who is an which I conceded. Keith does gunsmith-
established and well-known gun- ing work for him on a regular basis, and
maker here in the UK, recently sent me he’d asked Keith to clean up the .350
some photos that are of interest from a Rigby and to check the original, rather
South African perspective – more specif- antiquated, Aldis Brothers telescopic
ically the Eastern Cape – and potentially sight, as he was about to depart for a
of local historical interest concerning the safari in Tanzania and intended using
Addo Elephant National Park. For lovers this rifle for hunting plains game.
of classic British hunting rifles, the cal- Of interest to me was that this par-
ibre, .350 Rigby Magnum, will also be of ticular .350 Rigby rifle had historically
historical interest. In all my years of deep roots in South African soil. It was
guiding, I never once had a client arrive originally bought directly from Rigby’s by
on safari carrying a .350 Rigby Magnum. Harold Trollope in 1939, who imported it
Though a proprietary Rigby cartridge, it to East London, Eastern Cape, South
was popular in East Africa and India. Africa. Trollope was the first game ranger
The current owner of this particular appointed at South Africa’s Addo Ele-
rifle is quite happy for me to write about phant National Park. I am given to
it, though he requested that, for privacy understand that, prior to that, he had The book written about
purposes, I did not disclose his name, to served as a game ranger in the Kruger Harold Trollope.

30 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 by K E VI N TH O MA S

National Park, under James Stevenson-

Hamilton who, from 1902 until 1946,
served as the first warden of the Kruger
National Park, then known as Sabi
Nature Reserve. A book titled, Harold
Trollope: The Man They Called ‘Vukani’
was written about this man, but is now
seemingly out of print.
Harold Trollope was an extremely
experienced hunter and, if memory
serves, I once read how, during his ten-
ure in the Sabi Nature Reserve area, he
had accounted for about 400 live-
stock-killing lions. In this day and age,
that kind of work would have been
known as Problem Animal Control (PAC).
What made Harold Trollope opt for a
.350 Rigby Magnum? My guess is that by
1939, this was already a respected Rigby
cartridge. However, let’s look at it more A side view of the .350 Rigby Magnum that once belonged to
closely. Addo National Park’s first game ranger, Harold Trollope.
Usually, when the Rigby name comes
up among rifle enthusiasts, the first cal- The confusion exists to this day, includ- ally every field station had one in their
ibre which comes to mind is Rigby’s ven- ing in the book Cartridges of the World. armoury.
erated .416, and rightly so, as it is a When I was still an active PH, the A venerated Rigby cartridge seem-
proven classic. It is not the only calibre 7x57mm Mauser was a favourite calibre ingly overlooked in our modern times is
to bear Rigby’s name. Another Rigby of mine, and I carried one throughout the Rigby .350 Magnum, Harold Trol-
cartridge was their .275 Rigby High most of my hunting career. It was also a lope’s 1939 choice of calibre. First
Velocity, often confused with the popular and respected cartridge in the released in 1908, the .350 Rigby Mag-
7x57mm Mauser which was used exten- then Rhodesian Department of National num was an entirely original Rigby cart-
sively by Col Jim Corbett in India and by Parks & Wildlife Management, and virtu- ridge, i.e. not designed from any parent
‘Karamojo’ Bell in Africa.
However, there is a difference
between Rigby rifles in .275 calibre and
rifles in .275 Rigby High Velocity. From
the 1890s, Rigby bought 7x57 rifles from
Mauser and put the Rigby name on
them. However, the British didn’t like
using metric calibre designations, so
Rigby stamped these rifles “.275” and
sometimes “.276” (they were cham-
bered for the standard 7x57 cartridge
and with sights set for Kynoch’s 173gr
7mm bullet).
Later, in 1910, Rigby introduced their
‘new’ cartridge, the .275 Rigby High
Velocity, the case of which was identical
to the 7x57’s, but firing a bullet weighing
140gr at 2 800fps, and these rifles came
with sights set for this particular cart-
ridge. The chamberings were identical,
but rifles in .275 Rigby HV would shoot
standard 173gr 7mm ammo to a differ-
ent point of impact. When Karamojo Bell
bought one, he filed the sights until they
shot the heavier bullets to point of aim. The rifle in its original case with the original scope.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 31
 The customs clearance
stamp for the .350 Rigby
Magnum from East
London, Eastern Cape.

The invoice Kenya. Soft-nose bullets proved adequate

(seemingly on various antelope species, and on the
the rifle was big cats. The .350 Rigby Magnum 225gr
second-hand). solid-nose bullet, then termed a ‘full
patch’ bullet, was said to be suitable for
elephant hunting, but most professionals
opted for something bigger and heavier
(from .375H&H up).
cartridge. It was a ‘proprietary’ Rigby ating muzzle energy of 3 440 foot/ East African hunters of that era who
cartridge – a sort of patent which pre- pounds. The bullet’s sectional density sang the praises of the .350 Rigby Mag-
vented other gun-makers from chamber- factor of 0.251 would be considered low num were Denys Finch-Hatton of Out of
ing rifles for it. It predated the popular for pachyderms, though ideal for leopard Africa fame (though he normally used a
.416 Rigby by three years, and was the and lion. During a bygone era in East heavy double rifle), and Pete Pearson.
first of Rigby’s cartridges to feature their Africa, it was said to be effective on buf- Professional ivory hunter and author,
hallmark 45-degree shoulder angle. The falo, though most experienced African John ‘Pondoro’ Taylor, who hunted exten-
.350 Rigby Magnum’s case length is PHs prefer a bullet with a sectional den- sively in Mozambique (then still termed
2.742 inches, with an overall cartridge sity of 0.300 for these bovines. Portuguese East Africa) also spoke highly
length of 3.44 inches which makes it a At the time of the .350 Rigby Mag- of the .350 Rigby Magnum. However,
comfortable fit in a magnum length num’s introduction, the cartridge was even back in those times, a heavier bul-
receiver. marketed as an all-rounder, and certainly let than 225gr was considered more suit-
It fired a 225-grain bullet at a muzzle suitable for hunting on the open plains able. Well-respected East African PH
velocity of 2 625 feet per second, gener- found across much of Tanzania and Robin Hurt also used a .350 Rigby Mag-
num during his youth in Kenya, when he
used it for culling plains game, and he
remains full of praise for this calibre.
Perhaps if I was still an active PH in
southern Africa, I would have got my son
Keith to build me a .350 Rigby Magnum
– just for the trip down memory lane if
nothing else.

The .350 Rigby Magnum and a warthog

The rifle on a safari rig gun rack in Tanzania, the scope having been detached. shot during a 2023 Tanzanian safari.

32 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
  
  

   
    
  
   
  
  
   
   

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9 770256 067003 ZY9-B14 PISTOL CALIBRE
CARBINE 9 770256 067003

 
 9mmP Pistol
Calibre Carbine

ZY9-B14
N
OT too long ago pistol calibre car- 95% of their products are exported to 65 rel with only the flash hider protruding in
bines were few and far between in different countries. the front. The carbine comes out of the
South Africa. I wouldn’t go so far as to The ZY9-B14 looks and functions like box with a full length Picatinny rail on the
say we are now spoilt for choice, but we an AR-type rifle, with the main difference hand guard. The sides and underneath
are seeing more and more carbines mak- being the calibre as it is chambered for have ample space to fit additional acces-
ing their way to gunshops in South the 9mmP handgun cartridge. Various sories like lights and laser sights.
Africa. One of these is the Derya ZY9 barrel lengths are available, the test rifle Polymer flip-up front and rear sights
series of carbines. has a 14-inch barrel, which has a ½ x 28 are fitted to the top of the Picatinny rail.
Derya Arms started in 1998 in the thread, and an A2 flash hider installed. The rear sight is drift adjustable and has
Beysehir region in Turkey, and manufac- Of course this can be removed and a a large peep sight that helps with fast
ture high-quality firearms ranging from suppressor fitted. target acquisition. The front sight is
shotguns, semi-auto rifles, and carbines The aluminium receiver is topped with height adjustable. Although plastic, it
to pistols, for the sport shooting, hunting a 15cm long Picatinny rail. A full length was workable and should be suitable for
and tactical markets. They claim that M-LOK style hand guard shrouds the bar- most uses. However, a plethora of after-

34
 by JACO ERASMUS

market metal sights are available.

An enlarged ambidextrous charging
handle rounds off the well-machined Note magazine release
upper. Having an ambidextrous charging which can be actuated
handle is handy, especially when using with the trigger finger.
the firearm under stress. Whether it is in
a close-quarters battle (CQB) situation
or sport shooting, being able to clear a
possible malfunction with any hand,
even when wearing gloves, can either
save your life or shave some seconds off
your time in a competition.
An ambidextrous sling mount is fit-
ted, which adds an element of comfort to
how the firearm is slung and/or deployed
from the hanging position, but more
importantly, the ambidextrous safety The safety lever can be manipulated
lever can be reached and operated with with the shooting hand thumb. The slide
ease by either hand without moving your release lever is on top of the mag housing.
shooting grip.
The pistol grip is well designed and
makes reaching controls like the safety
lever, bolt release and magazine release,
easy and fast. It has a rough, tacky finish
which ensures a good grip. If you are not
happy with the standard grip it can easily
be replaced with an aftermarket option.
The six-position AR-style stock comes
standard with an integrated cheek riser
that can be adjusted to your specific
needs depending on the sights or red dot
you are using. Alternatively aftermarket
AR-style stocks can be fitted.
The carbine is equipped with an AR9
single stage trigger. Its break is clean
and crisp and it has a short reset, mak-
ing follow-up shots extremely fast. The

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 35
average pull weight on a Wheeler Trigger All double stack magazines work. From
Pull Scale was 6lbs. This may sound left: UTG 33-round, Glock 17-round and
heavy for a rifle/carbine, but the trigger Glock 10-round mag.
did not impede accuracy during fast
shooting sessions.
As part of the test I used tactical
gloves to get a feel for the controls and
trigger in less than ideal conditions. The
trigger guard on the Derya is more than
large enough for use even with thick
winter mitts.
For me, a real boon is the fact that
the Derya carbine uses Glock magazines.
It comes with (what looks like Gen 4)
17-round mags. I also tried the short
10-round Glock 26 mags in the carbine,
and found that they fit flush with the
magwell, and functioned flawlessly. This
is a bonus if space is a problem, for
example when using the carbine from a
vehicle. I also tried 15-, 17- and
33-round magazines and all fitted and
functioned without hiccup.
On the range I immediately noticed
the lack of recoil (the long barrel’s extra
weight helped) and I managed to hit the
A-zone on an IPSC target at 15 metres
with consistent splits below 0.20 sec-
onds. At 10 metres, I managed to fire a
2-inch 5-shot group offhand, but I pulled
one shot which opened the group. Four
shots landed in less than an inch. During
the shooting session it was clear that the
carbine was exceptionally accurate and
more than adequate for serious sport
shooting.
I also fired two types of factory The M-LOK handguard and long
ammunition over a chronograph, and, Picatinny rail offer plenty of options
for good measure did the same with my to fit aftermarket accessories.
Glock 19 to compare the velocities. In
the Derya, Norma 124gr FMJs recorded
an average of 1 232fps and the same
ammo recorded 1 030fps in the Glock.
Fiocchi 115gr FMJ ammo clocked
1 309fps in the Derya and 1 080fps in Rear peep sight is adjustable
the Glock. for windage and allows for
I was surprised, when using the car- very fast target acquisition.
bine, by how much it increases the dis-
tance at which you can hit targets effec-

36 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
tively with the 9mmP cartridge. This is
probably due to the much longer sight
radius of the open sight. Of course using
optics will increase accuracy even further.
And, weighing in at 3.1kg without ammu-
nition, there is very little recoil, which
allows for very fast follow up shots.
From the velocity figures it’s clear
that the additional barrel length of the
Derya does improve muzzle velocity
enough to flatten the trajectory to take
longer shots without compensating for After using the carbine, the Norma cases (left) had soot on them
drop. Of course, you’ll have to test this while the Fiocchi cases did not. This did not happen in the Glock.
with your own firearm and ammo combi-
nation but, in this case, I was able to hit
an IPSC target out to just over 100m
fairly easily with the use of a red dot
sight.
The Derya is a very versatile firearm.
It makes a lot more sense to use it for
training rather than an AR-type rifle as
9mmP factory ammunition is about half
the price of 5.56 ammo. And, if you are
a Glock owner, adding the carbine to
your collection and being able to use the
same magazines is a real advantage.

Overall I think that the Derya ZY9-

B14 is worth considering if you are look-
ing for a carbine for sport shooting,
training or even security work, especially The AR-style stock is
given the price of around R23 000. fully adjustable.
For stockists contact National Cart-
ridge Company on 021-797-8787.

Flip-up front sight The carbine comes with a flash

can be adjusted hider but it can be removed to
via a rotating dial. add a suppressor.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 37
 HUNT THE OLD
BATTLERS Trophies with character!

each species can grow, which geograph-

ical regions produce the finest specimens,
and the improvement or decline of the
standards with the passage of time. As
such, it included horns and tusks picked
up in the veld – entries were not required
to have been shot by hunters. It also
included one-horned and one-tusked
specimens, as these remained represent-
ative; it mattered not that one horn or
tusk had somehow been lost or broken.
Minimum measurements to qualify for
entry were introduced solely to keep the
book to a manageable size.
The regular updating of Rowland
Ward’s Records continues to this day.
However, with the advent of commercial
hunting safaris (roughly a century ago),
this book’s perception by hunters began
to change – trophy hunting came to be
about seeking the biggest possible. This
The author’s favourite ‘old battler’ trophy, the scrum-cap dagha boy described in the text. was encouraged by the East African pro-
fessional hunters who even competed
among themselves to get their clients

W
HAT is a trophy? The Oxford Eng- whole experience. By definition, the size the biggest trophies, their association’s
lish Dictionary defines a trophy as of the quarry’s horns is incidental. And coveted prize being the Shaw & Hunter
“a memento or souvenir, e.g. a deer’s such definition goes back thousands of statuette.
antlers, taken in hunting”. The same dic- years. The Assyrian conqueror Tiglath- The title Rowland Ward’s Records of
tionary defines the word ‘memento’ as pileser 1 (circa 1100 BC) claimed 4 wild Big Game implied a book in which animal
“an object kept as a reminder of an bulls, 14 elephants, and 920 lions as measurements were recorded. Many
event”. Notice that it is the event that “trophies of his skill and courage”. Note hunters inferred it to be a record book of
one wishes to be reminded of. In hunt- what is represented by the word ‘tro- the kind associated with competitive
ing, this includes the occasion, the scen- phies’. sports. And, with the advent of hunting
ery, the weather, the terrain, and the In 1892, British taxidermist, Rowland clubs and associations over the decades,
roles played by one’s companions. It Ward, commenced regular publication of similar publications appeared which
includes the hunting and tracking skills a book titled Rowland Ward’s Records of encouraged this perception. If memory
required, the excitement, and in some Big Game, which he intended as a scien- serves, these began with the Boone &
cases the danger involved, and also the tific record of big game specimens. It was Crocket Club in America; others being
difficulty of recovery. In other words: the to show, among other things, how big Pope & Young, Safari Club International,

38 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 by GREGOR WOODS

It came as a surprise to me, there-

fore, on my return to South West Africa
as a young adult, to learn that many Ger-
man hunters showed great preference for
bagging old animals with broken or mal-
formed horns. They told me this was the
ethical thing to do, since shooting a mag-
nificently horned animal in its prime robs
the gene pool of those healthy genes. An
animal that is well past its prime is no
loss, and shooting it is kinder than allow-
ing it to be pulled apart by predators. In
the case of malformed horns, this could
be a genetic fault, in which case the
hunter is preventing the passing on of
those bad genes. These German hunters
were very proud to display on their walls
the mounted skulls of animals with bro-
ken or malformed horns.
This struck me as making a lot of
sense – though I was never really a tro-
phy hunter; I hunted for the excitement
of it, and for biltong and table-meat. Of
This old bull had lost inches off both horns in battles glorious, but the unusual course, the meat of old male animals is
hunting experience made him the author’s most memorable kudu trophy. good only for biltong. Most of my hunting
in SWA was at the request of farmers, so
I shot what they wanted, but they always
applauded my choice of old males with
broken or malformed horns when appro-
priate. Usually, they’d also let me shoot a
young or female animal to take home.
However, the issue is not solely about
ethics. It’s about the challenge. Old bulls
and rams get that way because they
have learned to be alert, careful, suspi-
cious, elusive and clever. They also get
that way by being battlers – overcoming
rivals and predators. You’re hunting the
best of the best. It’s a good feeling. And
not only is this beneficial to the conser-
vation of the species; in recent decades
it has also become a lot cheaper than
choosing high-ranking trophies.
Interestingly, for some years now,
we’ve been noticing similar attitudes
Which trophy would you choose? beginning to emerge among hunters,
including American safari-goers. One rea-
son might be that many game farmers in
Dallas Safari Club, etc. was well familiar with the perception that Africa are selective-breeding animals for
I grew up reading hunting stories trophy hunting was about looking for big trophy size. Absurd auction prices (up to
emanating from East Africa, including horns. I thought it natural for a hunter to R168 million) have been paid for a single,
those of Robert Ruark and Ernest Hem- feel glad that the animal he had bagged very big-horned buffalo stud-bull. Like-
ingway (whose book Green Hills of Africa was a fine specimen – just as long as wise, non-dangerous species such as
manifested his singularly unhealthy bagging the biggest trophy wasn’t his kudu are being captive-raised and spe-
competitive approach to hunting). So I primary reason for hunting. cially fed to reach astonishing trophy size.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 39
And there are unscrupulous ‘head hunt- Old broken-horned reedbuck can end of one horn, but was massive in the
ers’ who are willing to break the trophy offer very challenging hunts. I was hunt- chest and neck. What got to me was his
book rules by shooting captive-raised ing with a friend in the mists of the Natal stance – arrogant and unafraid, he
trophies and dishonestly submitting them Drakensburg mountains one morning seemed to swell out his chest as if to
for entry. This makes a mockery of the when a big ram got up and ran off, then, challenge us. “I want that ram,” I told my
system and serious hunters don’t want to unusually for this terrain, stopped and pal. That was the start of a very long
be associated with it. about-faced to stare at us. He’d lost the hunt. We did a lot of climbing and sweat-
ing and glassing, during which we saw
other good rams that I could have
bagged, but the broken-horned ram
managed to evade us the entire day.
“I’m coming back next weekend,” I said.
The following weekend we returned
to his territory. We approached cau-
tiously and glassed the area from a good
way off, but saw no sign of him. We
climbed the surrounding slopes the
whole day but never even got a glimpse
of him. Quite likely, early in the day, we
had walked right past him without know-
ing it. When clever old reedbuck rams
hear you approaching, they have a habit
of lying doggo in long grass, with their
necks stretched out, head flat on the
ground to hide their horns. Without mov-
ing a muscle, they’ll let you walk oblivi-
ously by, 15 or 20 metres away. Again, I
could have shot one or two other good
rams that day, but my memory of Old
A particularly big-bodied mountain reedbuck Broken Horn, standing shrouded in mist
ram; a battler who’d lost a horn-tip. that morning and boldly staring me
down, had me hooked. I decided to go
back for a third hunt. This was steep ter-
rain but we took it slowly, and finally saw
him before he saw us. This time our
belly-crawling stalk was successful.
Carrying him down the mountain proved
hard work, which only made this trophy
mean more to me. It’s not inches that
make a trophy – it’s the memory of the
whole experience.
I recently wrote of a kudu bull I shot
in the Kalahari of Botswana with a bor-
rowed .300 Win Mag, the bullet of which
disintegrated in his shoulder muscle
without entering the heart-lung cham-
ber. After receiving my shot, he actually
stripped a mouthful of leaves off a bush
before my next shot killed him. I have
shot many big kudu bulls, but never one
that would have made Rowland Ward’s.
However, this ancient Botswana bull
“Old Broken Horn” – the common reedbuck ram that took would have qualified easily if he had not
the author three separate Drakensberg hunts to finally bag. broken a few inches off the end of both

40 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
horns. He was an old battler, and that sual reaction for a heart-shot buffalo My first shot had gone through the top of
means more to me. bull. As he made this turn, Squirrel the heart and stopped under the skin on
Most encouragingly, American safari- Meredith fired a raking shot into his the far side, a perfect mushroom with
goers are increasingly choosing to hunt flank, angling the .416 solid toward the 94% weight retention. Now, that’s one
old, worn- or broken-horned buffalo vitals, but the bull never so much as tough old dagha boy!
bulls rather than prime trophy-book flinched. He ran off a short distance then Hunt the old battlers – it’s exciting,
specimens. Such bulls offer the greater suddenly fell dead – without bellowing. and it’s the right thing to do.
challenge. These are the rugged tough-
ies who have survived all the battles with
younger bulls, fought off lions and
learned to evade many hunters. And
they look the part: battle-scarred, tatty-
eared and with bosses worn smooth and
horns blunted or broken off. Their hides
are invariably caked with dried mud from
wallowing – hence the name ‘dagha boy’,
the Nguni word for mud. The most prized
is an old bull with both horns broken off,
known as a ‘scrum-cap’ bull, named for
his remaining helmet-like boss which
resembles the dark leather scrum-cap
that rugby players of my era wore to
protect their ears in the scrums. These
were usually the prop-forwards or locks
– the heaviest, strongest guys in the
team.
Back in the early 1990s, when PHs
still regarded such bulls as non-trophies,
I had a good opportunity to shoot an
ancient scrum-cap bull in Tanzania, but This big-bodied kudu bull probably lost a horn
the outfitter who’d invited me on safari challenging a more experienced breeding bull.
wouldn’t allow it – he wanted me to
shoot a ‘traditional’ trophy. But in 2000,
I was hunting buffalo in the Zambezi Val-
ley to supply meat for the Zimbabwean
government’s country-wide Independ-
ence Day celebrations – thus body
weight was the concern; horns didn’t
matter. One of the bulls I shot was a
massive-bodied, scrum-cap dagha boy,
and it was an exciting and very unusual
experience.
He was standing perfectly broadside
at about 60 paces. I put a 550gr Wood-
leigh soft-nose from my .458 Lott slap
through the top of his heart. Normally,
an animal thus shot will launch into a
headlong death-dash in the direction he
was facing. This bull made a tight 90°
turn and came straight at us. The next
round in my magazine was a 500gr brass
solid which I fired into his chest. The bull
then made a tight 180° turn just a few This battle-scarred, broken-horned springbuck ram was so old that the dark
paces in front of us – another very unu- chocolate-brown horizontal stripes on his flanks had faded away.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 41
 CLAY
ABOVE: Shooter and a
flying clay. ABOVE RIGHT:
Used wads and clays.
BELOW: An open over-
and-under shotgun.

PIGEON
SHOOTING Sport, Hobby or Art Form?

“C
LAY pigeon shooting is a sport, a 21-year-old Luca Peacock won the Indi-
skill, perhaps even an art” – Clay vidual World Champion title (in his first
Pigeon Marksmanship, by Percy Stan- year of shooting as a senior), and the
bury and GL Carlisle, 1964. South African Protea team won the
Have you ever considered taking up World Championship Man (Open) team
clay shooting? It’s affordable, exciting award. FITASC stands for Fédération
and accessible – most shooting clubs Internationale de Tir aux Armes Spor-
offer this discipline. It takes skill, yet it’s tives de Chasse, which is an interna-
great fun for complete beginners, espe- tional governing body for sport shoot-
cially if they have a good instructor and ing. Individuals from across the world
a quick eye. compete in this discipline and, according
As featured in Magnum Nov/Dec to englishsportingclays.co.uk, FITASC is
2023, South African clay shooters won ‘considered by many as the Formula One
gold at the 41st FITASC Universal Trench in Clay Shooting’.
World Championship in 2023. Local FITASC targets are not limited to

42 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 by GAYNOR LAWSON

Head of shotgun at the Nottingham Road Rifle Club, Peter Ritchie, shows how it’s done.

Range officer, Neil Botha (in the

orange shirt), offers instruction to
shooters. Note the plastic shooting
stands or frames that help prevent
movement of the shotgun to the side.

tioned alongside one-another). The use

of pump-action or semi-automatic shot-
guns is frowned upon at certain local clay
pigeon shooting venues.
Clay pigeon shooting entails shooting
disk-shaped flying targets that are flung
from a ‘trap’ at high speed. Trap shooting
is where most people first try clay shoot-
ing, and it’s a good way, for even those
with no experience of handling a gun, to
start becoming familiar with one and
Peter Ritchie aims at an oncoming clay. learning weapon safety. A frame made of
plastic piping, steel or wood is often used
standard clays and may include battues, cartridge loaded with lead, steel or bis- to prevent accidental swinging of the
rockets, rabbits and minis. This diversity muth pellets to hit the target, unlike a shotgun to the side by amateurs. Proper
makes accurate reading of the target’s rifle, the cartridge of which fires a single ear and eye protection are mandatory.
path more difficult, and as shooting projectile in the form of a bullet. Partici- The sport has a history which goes
doesn’t take place in a cage, the shooter pants may use either an ‘over-and-un- back to the late 1700s and early 1800s.
has total freedom of movement. der’ shotgun (with one barrel positioned It became traditional to hold shooting
Shotguns are used for clay pigeon on top of the other), or a ‘side-by-side’ parties at country estates in the United
shooting. These smooth-bore guns fire a shotgun (where the two barrels are posi- Kingdom, with ‘beaters’ and dogs flush-

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 43
ing out game birds such as grouse and
woodcock for the landowners and their
wealthy guests to shoot while flying.
Purpose-bred pheasants were driven
towards a line of stationary sportsmen
waiting in butts behind a stretch of tall
trees which forced the birds to take off
and fly very high over the trees, offering

A novice shooter receives instruction.

the ‘guns’ more challenging shots. Wild with baking the clay shapes in brick kilns
pigeon shooting was also very popular. to make them hard enough to resist the
Trap shooting is mentioned in The Sport- 1.25 ounce shot commonly used at the
ing Magazine in 1793 and this activity time. In 1884, this concept was taken a
became increasingly popular, with live step further by Fred Kimble, whose ‘Peo-
pigeons or sparrows released by hand ria Blackbirds’ were made from black
for those wanting to try shooting birds asphaltum material that was lighter and
on the wing. more brittle than the common clay tar-
By the middle of the 19th century, get so that they flew faster and higher,
rules were set in place to regulate these and broke apart more easily when hit. In
pigeon-shooting competitions, with the 1927, a French inventor, Emile Laporte,
birds being released from collapsible developed a hand-operated throwing
boxes or ‘traps’, which is why the device device, consisting of a spring and a
that flings out the clays is today known metal throwing arm. By this time there
as a trap machine. When ready, the was extensive interest in clay shooting
shooter calls out, “Pull!” to prompt the and the first-ever British Open Champi-
trap operator – much as the shooter of onship was held.
yesteryear would have called for the trap Over the next few decades, hardly
to be opened by an assistant pulling a any changes were made to the equip-
drawstring to release the birds. ment used in clay pigeon shooting until
The first non-live targets were glass the 1980s, when automatic traps were
balls, sometimes filled with feathers, developed that could be operated by
which exploded with spectacular effect 12-volt batteries. This enabled clubs to
when hit. Flung out from a throwing position traps in several locations and
machine, these glass balls made the gave rise to the discipline known as sport-
sport more affordable and accessible to ing clays. Instructors use a ghillie (also
those who were not of the landed gentry spelled gillie) to operate a hand-operated
with access to beaters and vast country trap machine or use remotely-operated or
estates. voice-activated models.
The clay target we know today was Clays are released in front of the
developed in 1880 by George Ligowsky shooter and head away within an arc of
in the USA. Ligowsky was inspired to cre- about 60 degrees. The clays are shot as
ate a saucer-shaped clay disk by watch- they rise upwards, and a trap gun is con-
ing youngsters skimming clam shells figured so that it shoots slightly high to
A side-by-side shotgun in the open position. across the water, and he experimented allow the shooter to fire at the target as

44 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
Three types of shotguns: over-and-under (top), side-by-side (middle) and a pump-action (bottom).

it comes into view just above the muzzle is available (especially overseas), with that vary slightly in terms of target pres-
end of the rib, aiming to hit it in the manufacturers having reverted to original entation and they have different rules.
middle of the action. Shooters need to materials such as paper, felt and card- However, in every discipline, the targets
shoot where the clay is going, not where board. However, plastic wads are gener- head away from the firing position.
it actually is. ally cheaper and conducive to superior Most participants start on DTL (Down
A shotgun cartridge is made up of performance. Certain biodegradable wads the Line), which scores three points for a
five components: the casing, primer, make relatively poor gas seals and don’t kill, two for a second barrel kill, and zero
propellant powder, wad and shot. Tradi- protect the barrels from steel shot or lead for lost. The angles of the targets are
tional cartridge shot sizes for clay pigeon deposits (bore fouling). When using plas- slightly different from ATA Trap. In ATA
shooting are 7, 8 and 9, the pellets of tic wadding, it is environmentally-friendly (American Trapshooting Association) a
which are smaller in diameter than those (and more considerate to the landowner) single trap is used to release the clays,
used for gamebird shooting. to collect the wadding after a shoot, as with five shooters standing in a line
A clay pigeon is a fast-moving disk well as any unbroken (missed) clays. behind the trap and each taking a turn to
made of various materials including a There are three distinct categories of shoot at a target. Each shooter will even-
mixture of lime and pitch. There is an competitive clay shooting. tually shoot at five targets from each
assortment of circular targets that vary Firstly: Sporting clays. This is highly position. The universal trench layout con-
in diameter and thickness, with names challenging, with between ten to fifteen sists of five traps placed in a trench, fitted
such as minis, midis, battues, rabbits launch points set across a complex with a fixed or hinged roof. The five traps
and chandelles, either imported or course on natural terrain, designed to are arranged in a straight line on firm-
locally produced. Locally, great success match the unpredictable nature of shoot- ly-supported bases at the same level,
has been had with making biodegradable ing live quarry. The different types of numbered 1 to 5 from left to right.
clays using vegetable extract according clays all travel at different speeds and Clay shooting is both a hobby and a
to a closely-guarded formula. trajectories with myriad variations. sport, and can be pursued as both. It’s a
Way back when the sport started, the Secondly: Skeet shooting. This great way to get your eye in for shooting
gunpowder was covered with wadding involves shooting at relatively close- on the wing and to sharpen your
made of cardboard, topped with felt, range crossing targets, presented from a reflexes. Some wedding organisers
paper or cork to keep the powder and high tower on the left of the range and a arrange a morning clay shoot before the
shot separate. Today, a single plastic wad low tower on the right. There are several event, often for both the men and
provides the cushion needed to start the types of skeet shooting, including a ver- women. As shooters may not consume
shot moving away under pressure from sion that is recognised as an Olympic alcohol, it’s an entertaining way to
the expanding gases of the burning pro- sport, known as Olympic or international ensure that the bridal party arrives at
pellant on discharge. skeet. the church in sober spirits!
Many experienced shooters reload Thirdly: Trap shooting. This involves Contact your local range for details
their own cartridges by recycling previ- shooting at clays from a single trap or or use Google to find your nearest clay
ously-fired cases. Biodegradable wadding machine. There are different disciplines shooting instructor.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 45
 Hawke Vantage 30 WA SF IR 4–16x50 Scope

T
HIS second focal plane 30mm tube
scope features one of the manufac-
turer’s bullet drop compensating (BDC)
reticles, in this case aim points are calcu-
lated for .22lr high velocity ammunition.
When zeroed at 50 yards, the bullet
drop compensating reticle (set to the max-
imum 16x magnification as it’s a second
focal scope) provides accurate aim points
in 25 yard increments out to 200 yards.
Hawke claims it’s ideal for .22lr ammo
between 36 and 40gr with velocities
between 1 235fps and 1 260fps. By dialling
down the magnification it can be calibrated
for standard velocity and subsonic ammu-
nition.
The scope can also be used with a 50
metre zero with the reticle’s sub-tension
aim points correct in metric (metres) when
the magnification is set to 13.9x when
using high velocity ammo. For standard
velocity ammunition, the magnification reticles. In my experience, while they do
can be adjusted to 12.1x magnification for have some practical value when engaging
yards and 10.5x for use of the reticle in targets at fixed distances that correspond
metres. was chosen as I knew that drop and wind with the reticle settings but, for the rest,
I used Eley Force ammunition and a drift could be more easily monitored on the you need to dial in for the distance, so why
Tikka T1x rifle for the scope test and the larger plate. not simply dial in for all distances? How-
ammo averaged 1 214fps out of the rifle. I By simply using the sub-tension with ever, I realised that setting up targets at
decided to stick to imperial measurements the appropriate number displayed on the 25yd and/or 25m increments can make for
and set up a paper target at 50 yards to right, I managed to hit all the targets, and a challenging course of fire, especially if
zero the rifle. At this distance the rifle from 50 to 150 yards the bullets hit exactly you have to engage targets in order as
managed ragged one-hole groups. I then on the aim point. At 175yds the shots went given by a range officer and within a set
placed steel plates of about 6x6 inches at about an inch high and at 200yds the time. I soon enjoyed the scope and quickly
75, 100, 150 and 175yds and an IPSC group was on average 4 inches high. got used to dialling 2MOA down for the 200
steel target at 200yds. The larger target I have never been an advocate of BDC yard target. However, on a second visit to

46 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 BY PHILLIP HAYES

Geco Rifle (standard velocity) ammunition

to dial in for targets between 75 and
200yds. On starting out I noticed that the
settings provided by my ballistic app were
the range, the morning temperature was too much, and so I fired several rounds at
below 10 degrees Celsius and using the 200yds to find the actual elevation needed.
same ammo, I found the bullets were hit- This was several MOA less than the num-
ting lower at the 200yd mark and ‘dialling ber suggested by the app. I used the new
in’ was not needed. actual number to true the ballistic coeffi-
I also tried standard velocity ammuni- cient in the app and from there on I was
tion but had limited success as the magni- able to hit all the targets spot on.
fication dial does not have markings and a You can true either the BC or velocity;
setting of 12.1 magnification, was but a I opted for the BC as I measured the velo-
guess on my part. This is probably some- city with two different chronographs and
thing that Hawke can fix easily by adding the results were almost the same.
the correct marks to the dial. The quality of glass is more than good
As the scope has tactical-style turrets enough for most .22lr applications out to
and 96MOA of elevation I decided to use about 300m. A higher magnification
is probably needed by some for shooting
further, but it’s certainly excellent for using
the reticle marks out to 200m.
SPECIFICATIONS
During testing I fired more than 500
Objective Lens 50mm
rounds and the scope kept its zero
Reticle Rimfire .22 LR HV (16x) throughout and was consistent when dial-
Parallax Side Focus ling in between targets. If you ignore the
Magnification 4–16x BDC reticle, the scope can be used by
Optical System System H2 simply dialling in on targets with great suc-
cess as you would with a conventional
Focal Plane SFP (Second Focal Plane)
scope. However, once you get used to
Scope Tube 30mm using the reticle to aim off, it soon
Illumination 5 Levels - Red/Green becomes the fastest way to get lead on
Field of View 28.8 - 7.8ft @100yds / 9.6 - 2.6m @100m steel at the set distances.
Field of View (°) 5.5 - 1.5
Eye Relief 3.5in / 90mm
PX/Focus (Error free from) \GV’P’
The Hawke Vantage
Exit Pupil 0.49 – 0.12" / 12.5 - 3.1mm
30 WA SF IR 4–16x50
Turret Type Exposed is also available in
Click Value ¼MOA a reticle calibrated
for subsonic ammu-
Elevation Turret Clicks (max) 96MOA nition. It retails for
Windage Turret Clicks (max) 96MOA around R8 500 to
R9 000, which is
Ocular Type Fast Focus
good value for
Power Selector Knurled Posi-Grip money. For stockists
Lens Coating Fully Multi-Coated - 11 Layers contact National
Cartridge Company
Length 13.7in / 347mm on 021-797-8787.
Weight 26.1oz / 740g

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 47
 CLINIC by G R E GOR W OO DS

RUGER M77 BOLT ACTION

My nephew who resides in

Mozambique has asked for
an opinion on this rifle. It is
in .458 Lott calibre and will
be used on buffalo hunts.
Would you care to comment?
- Anton Bredell, Namibia

The rifle is an earlier Ruger Model 77. The action’s non- spring (which is a bit like a Bic ballpoint pen’s coil spring) has
rotating extractor makes it look much like a model 98 not weakened from use. If it gets clogged with dust and gunk,
Mauser, but it lacks certain M98 features. As your photo shows, or worse, gets rusty, it can fail to eject. Hunters who regularly
it has a fully recessed bolt face, which is a good safety feature, hunt dangerous game prefer the M98’s inert blade type ejector
given that the Ruger lacks the M98’s double safety-collar within housed in the left side of the receiver bridge which passes later-
the receiver ring. However, this means that its M98 style non- ally through a slot in the bolt head to knock out the spent case
rotating extractor does not offer controlled feeding (does not as the bolt is withdrawn.
grip the cartridge rim on feeding – only on extraction). The Ruger later introduced the Model 77 Mark II, which dis-
Ruger’s extractor is strong, and its claw is wide, like the M98’s, pensed with the spring-loaded plunger in the bolt face, replacing
hence it grips a good sized arc of the case rim. However the it with a blade type ejector which operated vertically from the
Ruger’s extractor claw simply pushes the loose cartridge case bottom of the receiver like that of the CZ ‘Brno’ ZKK and the
ahead of it into the chamber without gripping it. pre-64 M70 Winchester – a big improvement for a dangerous
The Ruger’s extractor hook’s forward surface is bevelled at game rifle.
an angle so that, once the cartridge is fully in the chamber, on This earlier Ruger has a tang safety-catch, which was not
finally closing the bolt, the extractor claw’s frontal contact with successful on bolt-action rifles, so when Ruger brought out the
the cartridge rim enables it to cam upward and then snap over Mark II, they changed this to a receiver-mounted safety-catch.
the rim to grip it. It is a lot stronger and more reliable than the Provided your nephew regularly checks the condition of the
usual narrow, hinged ‘fish-hook’ type rotating extractors which ejector’s coil spring, cleans and oils its plunger, and ensures that
are recessed into the bolt head and operate on a tiny spring, but the extractor is operating reliably, likewise the safety-catch, this
the Ruger’s extractor is not quite as strong as the true M98’s. rifle should serve him adequately for buffalo hunts. He needs to
The M98’s controlled feed extractor also has the advantage of fill the magazine with cartridges and then rapidly work the bolt
eliminating the possibility, during a tense moment, of partially to chamber and eject each and every round several times. There
feeding a round into the chamber without fully closing the bolt, must be no jams or failures. He also needs to fire the rifle, not
then withdrawing the bolt to pick up a second round from the just to check for accuracy but also for reliable extraction and
magazine, thus ramming it against the round that’s already in the ejection of the spent cases. It’s better to pay the cost of a few
chamber. However, as long as the hunter doesn’t get over-excited cartridges than to pay the cost of a life should he face a charge.
or panic during a charge, but keeps his head and operates the Obviously, he should also carry out all the usual checks
bolt properly, the chances of this happening are slim. before buying an older, used rifle. If he is unsure as to what
This rifle’s ejector is a spring-loaded plunger in the bolt face. indicators of wear or damage to look for, he should consult a
It’s fine as long as it’s kept clean and oiled, and its tiny coil reputable gunsmith.

48 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
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 The antique cap-and-ball
revolver was originally
bought and used on the
old East Cape frontier.

Shooting the Tranter

Projectiles don’t always land where you intend…

W
HENEVER I write an article about William Tranter, the only gun I had to TOWN which meant it was actually
an old gun, the ‘climax’ of the illustrate the article was a beat-up dere- bought and used on the old East Cape
story is the loading procedure and shoot- lict with no inner workings. The result frontier. Hayton, incidentally, was a fire-
ing the piece. To me there is nothing was that my story seemed to fizzle out arms dealer in Grahamstown from 1850
more exciting than firing an antique gun without its usual blazing, smoke-filled to 1873 who ordered guns from Britain
that has lain dormant for more than a ending. with his name inscribed on them. Here in
century. I guess I have a pretty vivid But just recently a friend proudly the East Cape I have seen many old
imagination because making ready to showed me an original cap-and-ball handguns, shotguns and Cape guns
shoot any antique firearm, I put myself revolver he had just acquired. To my marked with this famous dealer’s name
into the shoes of some long-forgotten absolute joy the gun proved to be a – even had the pleasure of firing a few.
man preparing to fire his new gun for the Tranter and the first words to burst from The Tranter and the Adams are two
first time. However this thrill is not my lips were, “Hooray, at last I can actu- very similar British-made cap-and-ball
always possible – as in my article “The ally fire a Tranter and finish the article I revolvers. You see, the same frame was
Tranter Touch” that appeared in the April wrote so many years ago.” And better used for the manufacture of both hand-
issue of Magnum 2008. Although I wrote still, the top of the frame bore the guns, and because the frame and barrel
a very detailed history about gunmaker inscription JOHN HAYTON GRAHAMS- were all one casting, it can sometimes be

50 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 by ROBI N B A RKE S

The author’s rough and

slightly exaggerated
sketch of a spigot bullet.

spigot, protruding from its base and this

held an over-bore size wad. The spigot,
being longer than the thickness of the
wad, protruded a little so it could be
gently hammered to give it a flat head so
The owner fires his Tranter for the first time. as to secure the wad, which remained
attached to the bullet when fired. All the
shooter did was to pour in his powder
then finger seat the spigot bullet and
wad. Now this might have been pretty
handy for a person who kept his loaded
revolver for home defence only, but
mounted men carrying a Tranter in a hol-
ster complained that bouncing in the
saddle caused the wad-held bullet to
move forward and protrude from the cyl-
inder thus jamming the gun. So the ever
obliging Tranter folks started producing
guns with ramming levers so that over-
size bullets could be tightly seated over
the powder.
Some fighting men back then
claimed the two British-made guns were
superior to Sam Colt’s cap-and-ball
revolvers. Firstly, the Tranter and Adams
were stronger because of their solid
The long trigger pull of the double-action revolver made accurate shooting difficult. frames, whereas Colt revolvers had no
top strap. Secondly, and most impor-
hard to tell one from the other, especially earlier single-trigger Tranters came with tantly, the British guns being double-
if the gun had been well used and the no ramming lever fixed to the barrel action jobs could be fired as fast as the
trade name is barely visible or some- because the specially designed spigot trigger could be pulled, while the Colts
times completely worn off. The way to bullets could be easily thumb-seated. were all single-action and had to be
spot the difference is the spur at the This effortless loading procedure was cocked for every shot. Another life-sav-
back of the trigger on a Tranter; this is much faster than for guns that required ing advantage was that British military
not found on the Adams. The distinctive a ramming lever to drive an oversize bul- type guns were of a much larger calibre
spur trips the inner workings to release let into the front of the cylinder. For clar- than the .36 Navy Colts bought by many
the hammer when the trigger is pulled all ity’s sake I have included a diagram of British Army officers after they saw
the way back. the spigot bullet. You will see the slightly Colt’s display at the Great London Expo-
Also interesting is that some of the under-size conical bullet had a spike, or sition in 1851.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 51
 It must be remembered that prior to the invention of the revolver, all
military handguns were heavy single-shot muzzle-loading pistols. The
advantages of the multi-shot revolver completely changed the mode
of warfare when it replaced the sword and became the primary
This shows the weapon of mounted men. This was first realised by the Americans
distinctive spur when fifteen Texas Rangers each armed with two Patterson Colts
on the back of a whipped a war party of 80 Comanche Indians, and during the war
Tranter trigger. with Mexico, the big Walker Colt was used to shoot the horses from
under enemy lancers. Later, during the Civil War, close-quarter cav-
alry clashes were fought out with Colt revolvers. Although the British
Army was slow to catch on, officers made sure they were armed with
revolvers. Incidentally, William Tranter’s very first revolver was an
awkward to use double-trigger job that remained popular even after
the later introduction of the single-trigger model featured here.
A common difficulty when wanting to shoot an old gun is finding
a mould throwing the correct size bullet. This can usually be over-
come if the gun is a muzzle-loading musket or rifle and the only
bullet available is an oversize conical one, because it can be rolled
under pressure between two metal plates to reduce its diameter. An
undersized spherical bullet that is too small can always be wrapped
Close up of the in a thicker or double-layered patch. But a cap-lock revolver always
plunger on the requires a bullet that is the correct size. Happily, the owner of this
ramming lever. Tranter told me it had come with a bullet mould, so we could get
going and shoot the gun as soon as he had cast a few bullets.
The first thing to catch my eye when I saw this Tranter was the
delicate floral engraving on each side of the frame. The gun was the
very first engraved cap-and-ball revolver I have ever seen. Unfor-
tunately there is no way of knowing whether the engraving was done
at the factory or if the first owner had it done later. Of course, it
could have been a special order piece, but sadly its early history is
lost in the mist of time. The calibre is what the Brits called a 54-bore
which is .442 in modern terms. The 6-inch octagonal barrel is
topped with an easy to see front bead and a hard to see blade rear
sight with a tiny V notch. However, the big Tranter was a “point and
Both sides of pull” close-quarter battle implement not intended for prize winning
the frame were paper punching. It does have a ramming lever. Due to its large cal-
adorned with ibre, the cylinder held five shots compared to smaller calibre models
beautiful floral which held six. The long, slightly curved grip is slim and would fit a
engraving. hand of any size and the spacious trigger guard could easily accom-
modate a heavily gloved hand in cold conditions.
A week later, on the range, my friend prepared to fire his new
acquisition. Being very adept in the loading procedure, he soon had
all five chambers stoked up. As he capped the gun he said, “We’re
going to have one small problem – these nipple cones are too thick
even for size 11 caps and they don’t go all the way on.” This is not
uncommon in old cap-lock guns and I’ve learned to cut small slits
down the side of the caps to seat them firmly onto the nipple. How-
ever, my companion chose to do it the easy way and accept the fact
that the first blow of the hammer would drive the cap further onto
the nipple; the second attempt to fire is usually successful. And that
The ramming is exactly what happened. The first five pulls of the trigger produced
lever in full five clicks but the second rotation of the cylinder happily produced
ramming the dull thuds of black powder explosions and clouds of white
position. smoke. The old Tranter, made in 1854 according to its serial number,
had broken its long silence.
Interestingly, although the shooter had pulled the trigger five
times we heard only four shots and a click. To confirm this there were

52 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 only four bullet holes in the target, yet the cylinder was empty
– this meant there had been a chain-fire we hadn’t noticed. It
beats me how sparks from the fired chamber jumped down to
ignite the next one. The oversize balls were such a tight fit ram-
ming them in was a strenuous task. Anyway I congratulated him
on his marksmanship. All four hits had been high but on target
in a group that could be covered by a hand. Now it was my long-
awaited opportunity to shoot the historical revolver.
Due to the current shortage of powder and percussion caps,
I asked my companion to load two chambers only. My desire
was merely to experience the thrill of firing a Tranter and I
could achieve this without wasting powder and caps. Again, I
began by pulling the trigger to drive the caps further onto the
nipples, and as expected this produced nothing more than a
couple of clicks. I then hand-turned the cylinder to bring the
two loaded chambers into a firing sequence and made ready to
do battle. In my imagination, a wild-eyed aggressor was com-
ing at me with all the fury of a wild beast, so I fired two shots
as fast as I could work the trigger. I had aimed low because I
knew caplock revolvers always shot high, but then found that
both shots had actually hit where I aimed with one dead centre
in the belly, the other to the left. My 15-year wait to fire a
The simple safety catch on the Tranter. Tranter was finally over.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 53
 Hunt Africa Leather

H
UNT Africa Leather in Brits produces
a huge variety of handmade quality
leather products, predominantly for hunt-
ers and shooters. We recently received a
few of their products for testing: a leather
everyday carrier for a multi-tool, flashlight
etc; a large hunting handgun holster; and
a leather culling belt with ammo loops.
Several options are available for the
leather carrier. For example, you can select
the colour of the leather, indicate the type
of multi-tool or knife you own, whether the
pouch should be open or have a flap, select
the size of the pen (for example a tactical
pen) you carry and the tube size of the
flashlight you have, plus whether you want
a hook added to hang your keys from. The
price starts at R775 but varies depending
on which extra options you select.
I decided on a pouch that will accom-
modate my Leatherman multi-tool, a small
flashlight, a short pen (I always need

something to write with), and a hook in

case I wanted to carry keys outside my
pocket. See above.
The multi-tool and flashlight fitted
fairly tightly in the carrier as the leather
was initially quite hard but, within the first
week the leather assumed the shape of the
products and fitted perfectly on my hip. I
soon forgot that I was even carrying the
tools on me.
For the multi-tool pouch I opted for
one with a flap that closes with a press-
stud in case the leather should stretch over
time and develop a loose fit. I have now
worn the carrier in comfort for four months
and believe it’s well worth the price.
In the leather hunting handgun holster,
I used a JP Sauer & Sohn single-action in
.357 Magnum. With this setup the firearm
can be carried against your lower chest or
over your stomach depending on how you
adjust the straps. I prefer to carry the
handgun as high as possible as it makes
stalking easier for me. I wore the rig on
two rifle hunts in case I managed to get
close enough to take a shot at warthog. It’s
definitely a more comfortable way to carry
a large, heavy handgun while hunting than
in a holster on the hip.

54 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 The setup allows for customization for
BY PHILLIP HAYES
most body sizes and I was surprised that it
fitted my very large frame. Six cartridge
loops are added on the shoulder strap and
a quick-release clip is employed to secure
the rig in place over your shoulder and
chest. The handgun holster and attach-
ment straps are quality products that
should last for many years of hard use.
The leather culling belt has loops for
eight cartridges on the left side. The loops
are canted forward which makes taking
the cartridges out easier, and also reduces
the upright dimensions compared to carry-
ing cartridges in the conventional upright
position, which in turn reduces the chances
of the cartridges digging into your side
when stalking, crawling or driving. The
loops on the test belt worked well with
.308 Win cartridges. I also tried it with
.375H&H cartridges and the fit was per-
fect. I presume that if you use bigger cart-
ridges over a long period, the smaller cal-
ibre cartridges will probably no longer have
a tight fit – Hunt Africa Leather has belts
for various cartridge sizes.
A culling belt is made to be worn over
your conventional belt. However, the test
culling belt is 38mm wide and I was able to
push at least half of it through the belt
loops of my hunting trousers. The 30cm
used for stowing the cartridges is 75mm
wide, which means that this section cannot
thread through your trouser belt loops, but
the last part of the belt towards the buckle,
is narrower and makes it possible to push
it through a single trouser belt loop. This
was more than adequate to keep my trou-
sers up. The culling belt is priced at R1 950
and should last for many years.
Hunt Africa Leather makes too many
products to name them all here suffice to
say that you can also find non-hunting
related products like travel and cellphone
pouches, handbags, wallets, etc in their
online store.
A limited lifetime warranty (valid from
date of purchase) is offered on workman-
ship, hardware and hand stitching, while a
1 year warranty is offered on fabrics and
lining, velcro and fasteners, nylon zippers, Visit www.huntafricaleather.com for more information or contact 064-739-9773.
buckles, etc.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 55
 GAME
CHANGER…

Peter with his hippo taken

in Namibia’s Caprivi Strip.

…but not for

small change!
I
T’S ALL about money – but in Africa, a herd of cattle near a wide fringe of
it’s not as simple as that. The charac- reeds separating them from the river
ters and issues involved were almost far- bank. The cattle were constantly moving
cical, and the stage for this drama was ing our daily boat trips from our base and the chance of accidently hitting one
set on Impalila Island, the most easterly lodge to the island disembarking point, of them was an obvious risk. In an
point of Namibia’s Caprivi Strip. we saw pods of hippo all the time but attempt to evaluate and get a clear shot
My hunting companion, Peter, was never on dry land. Frustratingly, they at the hippo, we manoeuvred from cover
determined to hunt a hippo on dry land were present in large numbers. The bulls to cover along the fringe of reeds. The
rather than to ‘snipe’ one in the water. were belligerent as all get-out and on cattle soon became conscious of our
The Chobe River was the southern several occasions we had to accelerate presence and the hippo eventually
boundary of our hunting block, a river our boat to avoid their unwanted atten- sensed their agitation and immediately
that we traversed every day from our tion. disappeared into the dense reeds, head-
safari lodge. On the far bank was the On day one, we had an opportunity ing for the river. Hunt over.
Chobe Game Reserve in Botswana. Dur- to take a huge bull hippo feeding among The island was about seven miles

56 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 by T ONY M A RSH

square; in its interior there were no

people and no cattle, but also no hippo.
The north bank of the Chobe River was
the ‘main thoroughfare’ of Impalila
island and was fringed at regular inter-
vals with small communities living a
short distance from the river’s edge.
Now we encountered a concentration of
many people and their livestock, mainly
cattle. For a hunting party, this was an
obvious risk – people, cattle and hippos
are a bad mix.
Nowadays, everyone in Africa seems
to have a cellphone. After three hard days
of searching, we were taking a lunch
break when our game department scout
received a call from a villager on Impalila,
reporting a bull hippo grazing on a
semi-submerged island in the middle of a
large inland swamp connected by a shal-
low creek to the Chobe River. There were
no cattle out in the swamp, though We used the cover on the fringe of the reeds to evaluate the hippo and shot possibilities.
groups of them were scattered on banks
some several hundred yards away from
the hippo. We hurried into our boat and
headed for Impalila where we made haste
for this swamp.
The hippo was over a quarter mile
out from the nearest bank and already a
crowd of locals had gathered to watch
the action. We evaluated the situation
and formulated a plan. There was a large
bush-covered anthill way out in the
swamp quite near the hippo; this ‘islet’
would offer some cover for a stalk. We
decided to wade out to it, hoping the
water was not too deep. I was to be the
cameraman. Then some fishermen
approached and offered us the services
of a dilapidated mokoro, which we
accepted. We climbed in; the mokoro
was launched in about two feet of water
and promptly sank.
We reverted to our plan to wade out Peter, the PH and his apprentice waded out to the island after the mokoro sank.
through what appeared to be thigh to
waist deep water. At the far end of the present plan. It was decided to reduce bank to observe the hunt along with a
swamp, where the shallow creek joined the hunting party to Peter, our PH and rapidly growing crowd of locals. It
it to the Chobe, were some small islands his apprentice, collectively armed with became apparent that the hunters’ route
where, the previous day, I had spent two .375s and a .458. would ‘fish hook’ back in our direction
time photographing crocodiles – a mem- Using the islet for cover, they waded once they had passed the hippo oblivi-
ory which lent some apprehension to our out, leaving the scout and me on the ously grazing on the lush grasses grow-

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 57
 The tag on the first cow that was
hit by the bullet that ricocheted.

he somersaulted and it was over.

Lamentably, it was likewise over for
two cows on a distant bank; presumably
a bullet had ricocheted. As matters
The inland pond where the hippo was shot was connected to the Chobe by a shallow unfolded, Peter, the hunter/client, was
stream. Those are crocs ‘basking’ on the Chobe into which the stream flowed. willing to accept responsibility. We
immediately reported the incident to the
local police and the game department.
Let the games begin.
The cows belonged to two feuding
families. Negotiations regarding respon-
sibility and reparations began with the
island policeman, with the government
game scout adjudicating. This used up
three days of non-hunting, which, at the
daily rate of a dangerous game safari,
was worrying for Peter (a less expensive
plains-game safari was to follow near
Tsumeb on the PH’s ranch). Later, how-
ever, when we came to settle our bill, the
operator had discounted those three
days.
Many years earlier, while I was hunt-
ing in Botswana’s Tuli block, a very
‘pukka English’ justice of the peace had
shared our camp. He explained the two-
tiered justice system in Botswana at that
time: capital cases and serious crimes
were formally tried in the Courts at des-
The second cow showing the slight trickle of blood. ignated centres; most petty crimes and
disputes were settled in the ‘kgotla’ or
ing in about an inch of muddy water. As our intrepid hunters rounded the tribal courts. This charming gentleman,
Foreseeing the direction whence the islet, the hippo became aware of his own well-fortified by the camp’s red wine,
shooting was likely to occur, I alerted the clear and imminent danger and raised explained – often with great humour but
scout to the obvious danger this posed to his head to be greeted by a fusillade of always with respect – how these kgotlas
the audience, and together we shep- shots. He turned and dashed away in operated. Now, in the region of Namibia
herded them away from the anticipated clouds of spray, heading in our general where we were hunting, something sim-
line of fire – a good thing we did so, too. direction, then with an almighty crash, ilar was in progress.

58 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 However, our ‘court’ was no kgotla.
Rather, it was one of consensus – well,
sort of – the ultimate decision being
made by the local police officer. As is uni-
versally the case, it all boiled down to
money. Some of the value of the dead
cow was reckoned in the form of freshly
slaughtered meat. The value of the other
cow was harder to determine. A neat hole
had been drilled clean through the second
cow’s upper body by a 300gr .375 solid,
above the vital organs and below the
spine, producing only the slightest trickle
of blood. No bones or vital organs were
damaged, and the animal was moving
around well. Nevertheless, it had been
hit, which was the issue.
Our PH, a cattle rancher when not
hunting, estimated the replacement Negotiations regarding responsibility and reparations took three days.
price of one such cow to be US $200
maximum. The respective owners, two
families who, later in the month, would
be facing each other in tribal court over
a witchcraft charge, were equally ada-
mant in demanding a much-escalated
value for their animals – each trying to
outdo the other. Initially, both parties
assumed the wounded cow would die
and that the freshly slaughtered cow had
no value. The estimated expenses of
locating and purchasing replacements
started to skyrocket. It seemed the two
families were competing to derive the
most benefit from the incident.
On the third day of negotiations,
after many cellphone calls to the one
plaintiff’s husband in nearby Katima
Mulilo, she named a price which was
promptly rejected by the other. Valuable
hunting days were slipping by. I don’t
know what our PH and game scout pri-
vately said to the policeman, but on day
three he ruled that the two families The dilapidated police station on Impalila Island.
would settle for a total of US $800
divided equally – roughly double the up again. Peter, the PH and the police- upcoming wedding feast, demanded the
amount estimated by our PH, but now at man had a brief, terse talk. Peter offered hippo skull as well – Peter’s trophy! Our
least we could go hunting. to settle ‘out of court’ for slightly more PH who leased this area had no choice
However, when the two parties were (amount not disclosed); this was but to acquiesce.
about to be paid, the owners of the accepted and we left with a written Only in Africa? No, this goes on uni-
wounded cow objected on the grounds receipt from the policeman and a copy of versally – we’ve just added lawyers,
that the owners of the slaughtered cow a report from the game scout. How the that’s all. At least this accident did not
had presumably got some money for the money was divvied up I’ll never know. To involve a human life. But I decided never
meat, hence should receive less of the add insult to injury, the local chief, who again to hunt in an area densely inhab-
settlement – and the whole thing started was to receive the hippo meat for an ited by people and cattle.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 59
SPOT N TARGETS
Spot On Targets

T
HOSE who spend a lot of time on the
range know that quality steel targets
go a long way to enhance training and,
that the sound of the ring on steel when hit
by a bullet, is rather satisfying when com-
pared to shooting paper targets.
At HuntEx (April 2024) I was trawling
stands to find steel plates for my .22lr rifle.
I shoot plates out to 300m (for fun) but the
10mm steel plates I currently use (bought
for pistol shooting) are really hard work to
put out on a range where targets are used
from 25 to 300m. The thick steel is heavy
and the stands (I use rims), adds to the
labour. I am often tired by the time the
range is set up, never mind started any
shooting.
I found 6mm plates specifically made
for rim-fire at the Spot On Targets stand.
The company is based in Kaya Sands,
Gauteng and, apart from the 6mm plates,
also offer thicker plates for centre-fire
handguns and rifles.
For this test I’ve used only the .22 rim-
fire and small calibre handgun targets.

Set of 6mm steel plates, which is ideal for

.22lr use, and useful red gong straps.

These are made of Hardox 550 steel and

can be used from a distance of 10m and
further. According to the Spot On Targets
website, the thicker 10mm Hardox 500
plates can be used for standard handgun
ammunition at 10m and further, and for
standard centre-fire ammunition under
3 000fps muzzle velocity at 100m and fur-
ther. However, these targets are not rec-
ommended for use with large calibre rifles
such as .300Win Mag or 50 BMG.
I selected a pack of four 6mm thick
square targets, two with 50mm sides, one
100mm and the last 150mm wide. I also
got some red gong straps (available in
50mm and 80mm widths). As I had the
small plates, I opted for the thinner straps
which sell for R25 a strap and will save you
a lot of trouble when hanging your targets.
I found some bolts and nuts and soon had
my targets up.
I also chose a 150mm diameter gong
with two ‘ears’ with holes at the top for the
150mm gong with bracket to fit to brandering of the target stand. hanging of the gong. This gong also has an

60 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
additional hole between the ‘ears’ that can
be used for a spring-loaded bolt and nut
BY PHILLIP HAYES
fitted to a square tube attachment. This
tube can be pushed over brandering
(38mm x 38mm pine) and locked into
position with a wing nut (see the photo). upright after the shot. Animal silhouette
This plate is mounted in such a way that targets, animal head targets, duelling
projectiles are directed safely downward trees, Texas stars and much more are also
and away from the shooter. Also, there are available. Available accessories include
no exposed hooks or bolts on the plates Swinging chains, paddles for targets, and shields to
that could deflect a bullet towards the target protect certain areas/parts of the target
shooter. system. systems.
I hung the square targets on two tar- For wingshooters, Spot on Targets
get stands that I had on hand with the two supply rotary decoy spinners, pigeon
smaller sizes placed at 100m and the big- decoys, decoy bags and even a shotgun
ger (150mm square) at 150m. These tar- field stand that can be used on the range
gets are lightweight, easy to assemble and or in the field.
easy to transport (I use a plastic crate for
this) or carry, and make light work of set-
ting up a range.
The round gong with its attachment
simply fits to any of my current target
stands using brandering and it has become Classic self-
a favourite when I need to move a target reset target
quickly to some unknown distance to add for rifles.
an element of difficulty to a shooting ses-
sion.
So far the steel has taken punishment
with several hundred rounds fired at them
and a can of white spray paint is needed to
restore them to near new condition.
The thinner plates have several advan-
tages. As mentioned earlier they are easier
to carry, but I can also hear the hits better Shotgun field stand.
compared to thicker gongs and, in addi-
tion, scoring a hit at 175m or further on a
lightweight gong using the small .22lr bul-
let allows me to see the plate moving on
impact. This definitely helps as a strong tail
wind can sometimes literally blow the
sound of a hit away. Auto reset
Overall I’m happy with the few plates I handgun/small
am using and think it well worth expanding rifle target system.
my collection.
Spot On Targets has a huge range of
other portable targets and accessories. Of
particular interest to me was their auto
reset targets for air rifles, .22lr and hand- Given the quality of the products,
guns. With these you have to shoot certain the prices are fair. To see the full
targets first and then a final target to reset range of products and prices visit
all the plates. They also have poppers that https://spotontargets.co.za or call
082-953-1060.
are spring loaded – they can be flattened
with a shot and the spring pushes the plate Animal head target.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 61
Gallery
With over three decades of experience making scope mounts
LYNX OPTICS: and rings, Lynx has a comprehensive range of high quality,
40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE locally designed and manufactured steel scope mounts and rings
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In addition, Lynx imports and distributes the prestigious
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If you need advice or, to do some troubleshooting, Lynx’s
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Lynx takes pride in its local repair facility. Should your Lynx
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been designed in South Africa and made in Japan to specifically
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Lynx Optics, which was founded just over four decades ago, is a comes to hunting and shooting in South Africa, the unique ter-
proudly South African, family-owned, company that has consist- rain, diverse wildlife, and challenging conditions demand spe-
ently delivered top-tier products and exceptional customer sup- cialized equipment. Lynx riflescopes are tailored for this environ-
port to the shooting and hunting community. With a commitment ment and provide distinct advantages for local hunters and
to excellence, Lynx is more than a wholesaler, they are distin- marksmen.
guished by the products they carry. For over forty years, Lynx Optics has been a trusted partner
Their own brand of riflescopes and binoculars brings locally to shooting and hunting enthusiasts. Their ongoing dedication to
designed, top-quality optics to discerning gun owners and out- quality, service, and community, sets them apart and continues
door sportsmen and sportswomen. Lynx’s precision optics are to be a shining example of excellence in the industry.
wholly made in Japan and are synonymous with quality crafts- Contact Lynx Optics by telephone on 011-792-6644, by email at
manship. info@lynx.co.za or visit their website www.lynx.co.za

COMING IN THE NEXT ISSUE...

Magnum Gift Ideas for 2024 Oryx Ordeal Test Report on the Ultra-Light Bino Harness

62 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 going through his utterly astonishing collection of original Mauser
CASEY LEWIS OBITUARY historical documents and photos, not to mention his rifles. He
also took me to the Mauser factory and Museum. Jon has written
numerous globally acclaimed books on this subject which have
been reviewed in Magnum, and he too, has remained a willing
and encyclopaedic source of information which has gone into our
magazine for the edification our readers. Without Casey Lewis’s
introduction, we would not have had this.
On retiring from the SA Air Force, Casey joined SA’s govern-
ment-owned arms and ammunition manufacturer, Denel, and
was made the head of Vektor’s Custom Rifle Division. In 1998,
he was the motivator for Vektor’s production of a near identical
copy of Mauser’s double square bridge magnum-length M98 bolt
action. Casey owned a Vickers sporting rifle built on an original
such action (Mauser’s rarest; their records show that only about
18 or 20 of these actions were ever made – not even the Mauser
Museum owns one). Casey loaned his to Vektor’s engineers, who
measured all its dimensions precisely and made an exact copy.
This was a hugely important development, as only a handful
of firms in the world were making such actions at the time –
Hartmann & Weiss of Germany and Henri Dumoulin of Belgium
being two. It was Casey Lewis’s extensive technical knowledge
of Mauser rifles and his willingness to allow his most valuable
action to be copied, that enabled Vektor to produce some of the
finest sporting rifles in the world at the time. Casey was also a
lifelong big-game hunter, hence knew exactly what was required
in a dangerous game rifle; this rendered him an invaluable asset
to Vektor. The first such rifles to be produced were ordered by
Land Rover SA and were featured in Magnum’s January 1999
edition. Tragically, Denel’s subsequent management reshuffle
resulted in a change of marketing strategy, which saw the disap-
pearance of their sporting rifle division, and with it, this
supremely important product.
Casey was active in the Big Bore Association of Southern
Africa and a member of the Pretoria Arms and Ammunition Col-
lectors Association. He wrote a very informative, illustrated
Mauser lovers have suffered a great loss with the recent passing booklet for BASA's Big Bore Journal on the .500 Jeffery, aka
of DJ ‘Casey’ Lewis of Pretoria. Casey was doubtless SA’s most 12.7x70mm Schüler, clearing up some old controversies about
knowledgeable authority on Mauser firearms, a veritable gold- that calibre. In recent years, Casey sold off quite a number of
mine of information which he freely shared. He passed away on items in his collection. I assume the executor of his estate will
2 June, 2024, aged 85 years. make the remainder available for sale in due course. I am open
I first met Colonel Casey Lewis in November 1988 when he to correction, but to my knowledge Casey had no direct heirs;
was still in service as a jet pilot in the SA Air Force (having played their only son died tragically during his matric year, and Casey’s
an active role in the war with Angola). I had written enthusiasti- wife Cecelia passed away a couple of years ago. Casey lived
cally about Mauser M98 rifles in Magnum, and Casey invited me alone.
to view his Mauser collection, which was the largest and most A more sincere, honest and straight-up guy would be hard to
varied in South Africa. He had a special security vault built onto find. His selfless willingness to offer assistance and share his
his house, filled with a veritable treasure trove of Mauser rifles, knowledge was unsurpassed, and he would go to great lengths
as well as pistols and even a Mauser anti-tank weapon, not to to do this. He helped me innumerable times with information I
mention classic British sporting rifles built on Mauser M98 needed for articles, though for security reasons, he insisted on
actions. I photographed all of them, and learned much during remaining anonymous. Right up until his death he was con-
those two days. We became firm friends and from then on, he stantly sending me videos, photos and articles on wildlife and
remained a willing and ever-available source of information. hunting. Casey was always a devoutly religious man, and as he
It was Casey who introduced me to Jon Speed, the world’s aged, he sent his friends ever more inspirational messages. He
foremost authority of Mauser firearms and history. As a result, died a confident Christian. I will miss his friendship and his help,
in 1997, I spent three days in Jon Speed’s home in Germany, as will many among the firearm fraternity. - Gregor Woods

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 63
Gallery
time and has been impressed with the quality. As most shooters
BATTLEGEAR HOLSTERS will probably only order a holster for a handgun sans light and
optics, I decided to order an IWB as well as an OWB holster for a
standard Glock 19.
The pistol fitted perfectly in both holsters straight out of the
bag but if needed, grip tension can be adjusted with a screw
driver. I was able to turn both the holsters (with the pistol
inserted) upside down and shook them vigorously without the
pistol dislodging. Drawing the pistol from the holster was still
easy enough to suit my personal preference.
The OWB holster I tested comes with belt loops and the part
housing the muzzle is curved inwards to protect the pistol. The
trigger is also fully covered. The angle at which the holster is
bent made for an extremely comfortable fit notwithstanding my
considerable girth measurement.
The IWB holster has a J-clip (which allows you to tuck in your
shirt) and was fitted with a claw. The claw ensures that the hol-
ster is angled closer to the body on the side of the pistol grip.
This ‘tucks in’ the pistol grip against the body and reduces the
‘print’. Normally a claw is used for appendix carry but I tried it on
the hip and found it worked well to flatten the pistol against my
body. The claw adds to the price but, notwithstanding my carry
preference (appendix or hip), I’d probably buy a holster with the
claw anyway.
Other options are a quick clip, and the Tek-Lok. The quick clip
is not tuckable and makes a good option when wearing, for
example, loose hanging garments. The Tek-Lok is for OWB hol-
sters and can be used for most holsters or knife sheaths. It’s
rigid, durable, easy to attach and easy to remove. This more
‘combat orientated’ attachment provides a secondary locking
system for added security for your holster to remain in place. I
am using one on my competition holster and it’s an excellent
attachment which can easily be adapted to fit to the width of the
belt you’re wearing.
All the clips are nylon-infused plastic which makes them
extremely durable and almost unbreakable.
Standard Kydex colours are black, FDE and olive green; var-
ious non-standard colour options are available at an additional
cost of R200 should colours like EMT Red, Tiffany Blue, Zombie
Green or Neon Pink, tickle your fancy.
One of the benefits of the Kydex holster is that they are
stiffer than some of the other holsters I use (mostly hybrids that
are made of Kydex to hold the pistol and leather against the
body). This makes holstering easier and safer as it’s more diffi-
cult to accidentally drag something into the holster (e.g. the
Finding the right holster for your specific handgun can be a bottom of your shirt) when inserting the pistol.
daunting task and opting for a made to fit holster is a good I have now used the two Battlegear holsters for several
option if it is possible. Local producer, Battlegear, is a small busi- weeks on a daily basis and must admit that they are durable,
ness in Bloemfontein that provides the option to have a holster comfortable and practical, and should last for years. The best
made for your specific firearm, with or without a weapons- part is that I can have them made for my own (now outdated)
mounted light or reflex sight. pistols.
Joseph Renaud says that they provide high quality custom Prices, depending on what you want, vary between R800 and
made kydex holsters, kydex mag carriers, knife sheaths and R1 280 for the holsters, which is good value for money, espe-
everyday carry wallets. Key focus is placed on concealment, reli- cially given that you get a custom fit. For more information visit
ability, durability, comfort and affordability. https://www.battlegear.co.za or phone 067-408-6527. They
A friend of mine has been using one of their holsters for some deliver nationwide. – Phillip Hayes

64 ManM
M A G N UM September/October 2024
 Smuts was unsuccessful in fomenting a general Cape Boer rebel-
SA’S FORGOTTEN LEADER - JAN SMUTS lion, firstly because Kitchener promptly proclaimed marshal law
and commandeered all horses in the Cape for the military. Sec-
ondly, many doubted that the Boer forces remained strong
enough to resist the near half-million British troops now in SA.
However, the raid certainly succeeded in hampering the British
war effort. By the end of February, 1902, Smuts was less than
150 miles from Cape Town. Hoping to capture copper mines, he
moved north, and in April/May 1902, was laying siege to the
town of Okiep when he received a letter from Kitchener inviting
him to Vereeniging to discuss a peace settlement. He went, and
these talks ended the war.
Smuts played a leading role in forming the Union of SA in
1910 and became its first Minister of Defence. In World War I,
Smuts and Botha successfully led the campaign to take German
South West Africa. Thereafter, Smuts commanded the British
forces in German East Africa until he left to join the Imperial War
Cabinet in 1917. He attended the Paris Conference that formally
ended WWI. He served as South Africa’s Prime Minister from
1919 to 1924, and again from 1939 to 1948. In WWII he again
joined the Imperial War Cabinet and helped to found the Royal
Air Force. In 1941, he was given the British military rank of Field
Marshall. Winston Churchill requested that Smuts be appointed
acting Prime Minister of the UK during Churchill’s absence in
1943. Smuts signed the peace settlement that ended WWII – the
only individual to have signed the treaties ending both world
One of the Boers’ bravest and most daring strategists was Gen- wars. He drafted the covenant of the United Nations.
eral Jan Smuts. Known as ‘Slim Jannie’ (Clever Jannie) he was Smuts died in 1950 and seems to have been largely forgot-
born in the Cape and attended England’s Cambridge University ten. Yet he was one of the most accomplished South Africans in
where he studied law. In 1898, Paul Kruger appointed Smuts as our history. Cambridge’s Lord Todd named Smuts as one of that
State Attorney for the SA Republic. During the Anglo-Boer War university’s three most brilliant scholars ever, the other two
Smuts took to the field, where he manifested an extraordinary being Isaac Newton who discovered the law of gravity, and the
talent for guerrilla tactics. world-renowned poet John Milton. Smuts eventually became
Smuts’s most famous raid took him deep into enemy terri- Chancellor of Cambridge University. He was a confidant of Albert
tory. At least three famous Boer leaders – De Wet, Hertzog and Einstein, who said Smuts was one of a mere dozen people in the
Kritzinger – had led raids into the Cape and been hunted back world who actually understood his Theory of Relativity. Consider
into the Free State suffering heavy losses. Undaunted, Smuts this: in London’s Parliament Square are 11 statues. Only three
believed success lay in persuading the Dutch settlers in the Cape are of non-Britons: American President Abraham Lincoln, Jannie
to take up arms against their British Colonial government. His Smuts and Nelson Mandela. – Gregor Woods
other motive was to divert the attention of British forces away
from the main war theatres. It was a hazardous venture, as
Kitchener’s columns were moving everywhere along the route.
On 3 September, 1901, given command of all Boer commandos
south of the Orange River, General Smuts, aged 31, led 250 men ORTORS
across the Orange at Kiba Drift intending to enlist recruits along S DIARIES
the way and ultimately take Cape Town.
Space does not permit a full account here, but Smuts’s raid
is regarded as a classic of its kind. It lasted eight months, cov- We manufacture...
ered 2 000 miles, and locked down a British force of some 35 000 AF7 FIREARM STOCK AND SAFE CUSTODY REGISTERS
men charged with catching Smuts and his commandos. The Brits AF8 AMMUNITION STOCK REGISTERS
put a price of £1 000 on his head. He was joined by splinter com-
In accordance with the Firearms Control Act (Act 60 of 2000)
mandos active in the Cape and by sympathetic local Boers who
still had horses. His forces eventually grew to number 3 000 to (011) 607-0936 | 081 880 5249
4 000 men. Early in 1902, Smuts split the commandos into even e-mail: sibongiseni@hortors.co.za | Lorraine@hortors.co.za
smaller units, making it easier to live off the land, and dispersing 081 880 5249 web: www.hortorssadiaries.co.za
Entrance 3 Pencil Park, Croxley Close, Heriotdale Ext 15, Jhb.
throughout the Cape, thereby tying up even more British troops.

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 65
 READERS’ MARKET
TO ADVERTISE in Readers’ Market contact Gail Osborne | 084-432-1306 | gosborne@manmagnum.co.za

HUNTING FOR SALE

NEW & USED
FIREARM ACCESSORIES
• Category 2 Safe 116x51x56cm We do not
PREMIUM WILDLIFE SAFARIS HxWxD, R13 000.
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Catered and Self-Catering. • 1200DPS Digital powder
10 Bed & 5 Bath. scale, R2 500. hunting products
https://projectwildlife.co.za • Lyman uni case trimmer, R2 500.
kgb@francolinhill.co.za • Aluminium guncase, R1 300.
072-070-5946 • .45 cal leather double mag pouch Special Offer!
incl magazines, R800. BRAAI
• Shooting rests: Tri-pod R1 000, COMBO:
LASARUS GAME FARM Bi-pod R700. Apron, Braai
GARDEN ROUTE, WEST CAPE • Bi-pods: new UTG R1 500, Mitt and
Near Cape Town/George. 5-star used Gibbs R900. Potholder.
hunting experience for biltong/ • Venture gear shooting
trophy, rifle/bow hunting. Full/ glasses, R750.
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Accommodation up to shooting rests/sandbags.
30 people. 45+ Species to hunt. Photos on request. Contact Magda
Whatsapp 082-443-1147 on 082-663-2806 (Pretoria).
info@lasarusgamefarm.co.za Scan this QR code ARRAN
TY
ETIME W
www.lasarusgamefarm.co.za to go directly to LIF

SAUER .270 MODEL 90 these products.

with full stock and Schmidt &
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MARBLE HALL/ROEDTAN condition. R35,000.00. Con- www.huntafricaleather.com
DIPHÔFU GAME RANCH tact Pieter by email: pieter@ info@huntafricaleather.com
1½ hours north of Pretoria ffos.co.za or on 083-259-3179.
We cater for ALL your Bushveld (Gauteng)
needs, including trophy and
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AND family getaways
Sandra: 012-346-6305
WANTED PROMOTE YOUR
hunting@diphofu.co.za
www.diphofuhuntingsafaris.co.za
WANTED SMALL BUSINESS
www.facebook.com/Diphofu
Used cartridge cases (doppies),
Reloading dies (matryse), bullets
IN READERS’ MARKET
(koeëls) and reloading equipment.
All common calibres, including
LASARUS GAME FARM, 6mm Musgrave cases/doppies.
MODIMOLLE, LIMPOPO
Near Johannesburg/Pretoria.
Phone/WhatsApp Trevor:
082-897-6899 To advertise
A 5-star hunting experience
for biltong/trophy, rifle/bow in this space,
hunting. Full/Self-catering. WANTED:
Accommodation up to LARGE contact Gail at 084-432-1306 or
40 people. 30+ Species to hunt.
Whatsapp 082-443-1147
WARTHOG TUSKS
Must measure approximately gosborne@manmagnum.co.za
info@lasarusgamefarm.co.za 22cm over outside curve of tusk.
www.lasarusgamefarm.co.za Contact 082-926-5785

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 SUBSCRIBER OF THE MONTH Advertising Index
A-Tec Silencers 3
Angler’s Talk Magazine 8
Awesome Tools 21
Beretta 1301 Shotgun 16/53
Beretta Cheetah 80X 12
Classifieds Online 4
Dark Earth Tactical 28
Derya ZY9-B14 34
Eley Ammunition 9
ErmoX X-Fire Pistol 25
Formalito 3
Guns & Bows 25
Hawke Optics 7/46
Hortors Registers 65
Hunt Africa Leather 54
Kore Essentials Belts 29
Lynx Optics 11/62
Brett Williams
Magnum Online Classifieds 4
Brett lives in the Western Cape and his favourite hunting
Magnum Subscriptions 33
ground is on his Karoo farm in the Victoria West District which National Cartridge Co 7/9/19/34/46
has 6 000 hectares of plains, koppies and kloofs with kudu, Normark 5/12/16/53
black wildebeest, blesbuck, springbuck, southern roan and Optima 50 Silencer 3
sable.
Pulsar Thermal Technology 2
For hunting Brett uses a .300H&H built by Johan Morkel and
Bennie Laubscher. He also has a custom built 7x64 Breneke. He Readers’ Market 66
reloads his own ammunition using Rhino bullets. SA Hunter Reticle 11
Brett hunts through-out the winter months and this includes SA Jagter Magazine 49
a corporate hunt as well as with a group of friends who have SA Tactical 29
hunted with him and his brother for the last 30 years. His last
hunt was for a blesbuck. The meat from Brett’s hunts goes for
Sako 5
working to Neil Herold at Travalia, near Three Sisters, where it Salt Pepper Ball Launcher 19/22
gets processed into wet and dry wors, biltong and patties. Spot on Targets 60
For his tenth birthday Brett received a Gecado Model 16 air Stanley Products 21
rifle from his grandfather who then taught him to shoot. Brett
Subscriptions 33
started hunting at about 10 years old and was given a .243
Musgrave veld model at age 15 which he used to hunt spring-
Swarovski Optics 68
buck. He still has the Gecado and is waiting for his grandchild- Thermion 2
ren to get a little older to continue the tradition. Tikka 5
A Magnum reader since 1996, Brett keeps all his old copies UltraNexus 2
and really looks forward to the arrival of each new edition.
Brett’s bucket list includes a bushbuck hunt with none other
Warrior Assault Systems 28
than Magnum contributor Robin Barkes. “I love his old school Whylo 68
view of the world and in a hunt I did with him about ten years
ago, we arrived in the field all revved up to hunt and he made
us sit down with a cup of tea out of his Stanley flask and take in November/December 2024 edition of

MAGNUM
the beauty of the Bavians.”
“My brother and I were fortunate to inherit our farm from MAN
the Bosman side of our family and we love sharing this with our
friends and family.”
will be on sale from 2 December 2024

September/October 2024 ManM

M A G N UM 67
ADVENTURE
AWAITS
SEE THE UNSEEN