Hello from Kalifornia

[kragiesardar]

Hello all! This site evokes fond memories of my childhood, especially all the fishing photographs of the kids as well as their air guns. A quick intro on myself, live in San Fran since moving from India 17 years back. Avid fisherman, hunter and as a result have the guns, ammo, fishing rods, tackle, knives and four wheel / camping equipment. Interests in the outdoors were a result of having uncles that were shikaris and my Dad who was in the army. Working in the tea estates near game reserves in Mysore and in Suranalli in south India insured an abiding love for the animals that I hope still roam those hills, elephants, gaur, cheetal, sambar, wild boar, jungle fowl. The guns we used for target practice included a Diane model 36, an IOF 12 bore – believe my Dad told me it was actually made in Czechoslovakia. Dealt with all the licensing issues and restrictions including the 50 cartridge restriction.

Moved to the US and it was another world. No restrictions, back in those days, Pre Pelosi, you could purchase and take away the firearm the same day. Even now it is hugely different from India. My gun collection is sizeable and includes, Anshultz, Brno’s, CZ’s, Browning, Whitworth, Mausers, Springfield and a sundry of others. Handguns include Glocks, CZ 75, Sauer, Springfield and Browning. Shotguns include Sauer, Baikal and a couple of Birmingham boxlocks and a drilling. Calibers I prefer are traditional so I do not have any of the new short magnums or wildcats, for Rifles start at 22 RF thru 458 Winchester (6.5 x 55 Swede, 7x57, 8 mm Mauser, 30.06, 7MM Remington Mag, 300 Winchester Mag, 375 H&H ), for pistols from 22 to 10 MM & 45 ACP. All shotguns are 12 gauge and the drilling is 12 / 7x57 R.

Not all rifles are scoped; the heaver calibers have express sights. Scopes include Leopold, Tasco, Burris, Springfield, Redfield and Ziess. Binocs are both roof and porro prism and include Tasco, Nikon and Ziess. Favorite hunting gun is a Brno 601 in 30.06 with a Leopold scope. This rifle has fired a few thousand rounds as I use at least 250 – 300 rounds of surplus 30.06 per session at the range. Of the bench and standing. Ammunition of choice is PMC 180 grain with Barnes X Copper bullet.

Fishing rods are mostly Shakespeare Ugly Stiks, a few Shimano’s and a couple of GR Loomis. Reels are a variety of Penn, Shimanos and others

Transportation is 4 Toyota 4x4’s. One Sequoia, two FJ 80 Landcruisers and my only for hunting & fishing rig a FJ 60 Landcruiser that is heavily modified using mainly Australian parts. My wife calls it her “sauten” it has a freezer, a CB Radio, an ARB Bull Bar with a 10,000 pond winch, a safe that is pry proof, a recharging system for a torch, an Australian Snorkel, gun racks, fishing racks, two tents, one that converts the SUV to a camper, food, cooking fuel, stoves, sleeping backs, first aid and game hoisting equipment, four rods, and a tackle box. It is raised and has a roof rack with attached containers and a Helton shower attachment that heats stream water by running it thru a heat exchanger that allows you to adjust the heat and the output is through the portable shower head.

Knives are Bokers, Benchmade, Al Mars, Remington, Camillus and a few custom knives.

Game we hunt for is mainly wild pig, turkey, coyotes, and deer. Belong to a hunting club that has access to over 200, 000 acres of private land including duck, pheasant and rivers to fish in. Fishing is mostly done in San Fran Bay via charter or party boats for Halibut, Rock Cod, Striped Bass and the massive Sturgeon. Off Golden Gate bridge and into the ocean for Salmon and Leopard Shark. Inland it is mainly for Trout, Bass, Blue Gill and Catfish.

Undoubtedly a blessed existent, do still miss the days of catapults, air guns, my Enfield Bullet and the memories like the mock charge of a female elephant in Bandhipur game sanctuary or the leopard in Nagarhole or dropping the bag containing our liquor and beer stash when we stopped to enjoy that ultimate freedom, an air cooled wizz and seeing a Gaur watching us with a great deal of interest from 25 yards. Fishing in Gobind Sagar for Mahasher, catching fish in Hyderabad lakes and in the river in Kamtptee and going to sleep in an army tent near the Jhalum near Uri and fishing for Trout, leeches and all in Munnar.

[kanwar76]

Hi welcome to the forum...

that FJ 60 Landcruiser sound nice. Can you please post a pic here..

-Inder

[mundaire]

Welcome aboard kragiesardar

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[kragiesardar]

Hi Kanwar76,
Here you go.
Regards,

http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php? ... ost1167487

[kanwar76]

Nice Ride....

-Inder

[Sakobav]

Nice to have you around here

Cheers

[Mr.X]

Hi K.S,

Nice to see a fellow Californian with similar interests. I live practically two hours away from San-Fran in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, east of the capital region. I know quite a few Punjabis in the central valley who are active sportsmen and hunters.

We have two long range Rifle ranges (Not the little 100 yard kind), within 40 minutes drive. Also we have permission from several landowners to hunt their nut groves and orchards in the Oroville area. Excellent Quail, Dove and Pheasant hunting. A Japanese/American landowner with good access to wetlands also permits us to use his property for wildfowling and fishing.

For really long range rifle-shooting, a private range is available in Nevada, a couple hours drive from the foothills a few miles east of the Reno/Sparks.

Although I don't have the time to maintain an extensive battery of guns like you, just have two shotguns, a rifle and a Pistol. Several of my buddies are as enthusiastic about firearms as you are, and would be delighted to meet you. Quite a few Toyota offroaders, several of us have modified 4-Runners and Tacomas.

So please post or PM me. I can give you details about myself and some of my other friends. Could get together for some great summer target shooting followed by excellent Fall hunting.

X

[kragiesardar]

Many thanks NGrewal. Good to see that the love surdies have for arms being kept alive.

[kragiesardar]

Mr X - Thanks for your message. You live close to Truckee or Placerville? The collections is only as good as how much you can use it and I am sure you probably log a lot more range time than myself!
Normally head up to Tahoe in the summer, will ping you before my next trip and maybe we can hook up.
Also planning to make one of the gun shows in Reno so we could meet up then too.
Regards.

[snIPer]

Wow thats quite a collection you have there welcome aboard