2005 BGRC pf North America Match

[mehulkamdar]

Just to show you guys what the Big Game Rifle Club of North America matches are like. This was the second match of 2005 at Lodi Wisconsin. the smallest calibres permitted are 375 H&H and 9.3x64.


Ernie Stalman and Sheriff Keith Stevens shooting off in a match, Ernie has a hammer Rigby 450-400 3" and Keith a beautiful Artesanos Ego double sidelock in 9.3x74R. WHoever says that Spanish guns are inferior to those made in other countries needs to see and shoot this one. I can assure them that their opinions would be changed forever.


One of the big bore Black Powder double rifle matches. The rifles were Bore calibre cartridge BP rifles. Look at the recoil on both Ernie's rifle (he is a huge man, 6 1'2 feet in height and built like a heavyweight champion) and that of the shooter to his right.


Another match, this time for the small bores. Ernie is shooting his Remington 700 in 375 H&H and he has several of these. I shot one of his 700s in this match myself though this one has a lengthened stock for him.


One of the gunracks at the match


The other side of that gun rack. It isn't a camera angle - Ernie is really that tall. His company, Badger Barrelsmakes some of the world's finest barrels including for some of the world's top gunmakers. He also makes barrrels for M1 tanks etc.


Your's truly shooting a 577 BPE. Look at the recoil...


Your's truly shooting it's younger brother, a 500 BPE. Ernie and Keith were more than merely generous and I got to shoot several hundred rounds from two 375 Mags, two 450-400s, Keith's 9.3x74R, the 500 and 577 BPEs and more. This year's match dates have not yet been announced but they should be very soon. I can only urge anyone who is interested in big guns to come. You can't have more fun with your clothes on.

Cheers!

Mehul

[eljefe]

Thanks Mehul,
Somebody, somewhere is having fun
Just an idle thought, was the 500 BPE in the last pic a farqhuarson or a rigby action?
Bes
Axx

[mehulkamdar]

Asif,

It's a break open Rigby Hammergun with a Jones underlever. Both of Ernie's BPE's have steel buttplates and it is a tribute to the genius of the British designers that neither of them is difficult to shoot despite this.

I am surprised that no one has noticed the very different stance - these rifles have to be handled with care because not doing this can really hurt you. Either you have one leg in front of the other with the knees slightly bent or you have them side by side with the knees bent. This ensures that the recoil drives the barrels straight up and dissipates some of the recoil energy in the air. A straight back ISSF type stance would have the guns virtually bludgeon the shoulder, making it impossible to fire more than three or four shots.

I found Keith's 9.3x74 feel the hardest kicking though I shot guns that were much more powerful on that day. Perhaps, the short LOP on it - 13" - was the reason. I have some more pictures hiding somewhere and shall post them here when I find them. I can't wait for this year's match to take place. Ernie and Gerri are fantastic hosts and the lady hunts Cape Buffalo with a hammer 470 Rigby made for a Maharani who shot more than 100 tigers with it. You can't not love a lady like that!

[penpusher]

Mehul,

About the stance,I always thought that this is the way to shoot while standing ie. one foot forward and leaning a bit towards the front. The stance I found different is the one of the fellow in the white shirt blue Jeans and brown hat, in the third photo from the top.The thing is that there are big bore rifles in India,thought they seem to be becoming scarse, but the problem is that there is no ammo to be found for them

Take care,
penpusher

[eljefe]

Always found brit doubles the best to handle standing or kneeling, in the duelist, side -on postion.Worst is the army style Prone-had early experience with a 375 Winchester Pre 70 and a Redfield scope-Shooting on Army range after 2-3 hundred 303's, that gave me my first 'scope eye'.Arggh!
Push comes to shove, I'll take a shot in any position-used a similar 500 BPE Rigby kneeling-when I was younger and a 'foolisher' went a**e over teakettle and that served me right too!
Great snaps, If I was a Buff and saw Ernie coming after me, I'd lie down and die!Is he the dude who ordered himself a bolt in 50 BMG?
Best
Axx

[mehulkamdar]

Mehul,

About the stance,I always thought that this is the way to shoot while standing ie. one foot forward and leaning a bit towards the front. The stance I found different is the one of the fellow in the white shirt blue Jeans and brown hat, in the third photo from the top.
Take care,
penpusher

penpusher,

You don't lean into a heavy kicker. That's a perfect recipe for letting it kick you hard. You hold it firmly and let it move you back. Bent knees help this. Ernie Stalman is the tall man in the hat and he is a fantastic shot besides being one of the world's finest barrelmakers. It was he who advised Holland and Holland on bringing the Paradox back and even worked with them on this, something for which they gave him a memento which he displays in his office.

[mehulkamdar]

Always found brit doubles the best to handle standing or kneeling, in the duelist, side -on postion.Worst is the army style Prone-had early experience with a 375 Winchester Pre 70 and a Redfield scope-Shooting on Army range after 2-3 hundred 303's, that gave me my first 'scope eye'.Arggh!
Push comes to shove, I'll take a shot in any position-used a similar 500 BPE Rigby kneeling-when I was younger and a 'foolisher' went a**e over teakettle and that served me right too!
Great snaps, If I was a Buff and saw Ernie coming after me, I'd lie down and die!Is he the dude who ordered himself a bolt in 50 BMG?
Best
Axx

Asif,

The prone position and shooting off a bench are bad with heavy kickers because you cannot let your body give. Experts in the US especially at the AR and NE forums zero their big bore rifles off shooting sticks for this very reason.

The 50 BMG Mauser was made by Fred Wells for a Texan businessman, not for Ernie.

Cheers,

Mehul

[Vikram]

Speaking of stances and big bore rifles,
These are from my personal collection ( pilfered from the net aeons ago and uploaded onto Google videos few moments back) for your visual pleasance. .

This is what happens when you discharge handheld canons with improper form. You end up smiting the poor geezers next to ya..

In this case a massive 4 Bore Blackpowder Express rifle
[gvideo]6961289482579307662&hl=en-GB[/gvideo]

How to shoot a 4 Bore BPE properly...
[gvideo]3116581882014212241&hl=en-GB[/gvideo]

Buffalo charge stop shooting with an 8 Bore BPE
[gvideo]8549226214843879411&hl=en-GB[/gvideo]

What a cool masochist!
[gvideo]-3760006684566176279[/gvideo]

Now, they are open for the experts to analyse.

Enjoy-
Vikram

[mehulkamdar]

Vikram,

Very nice selection of videos. The third one illustrates the shooter's correct stance as he lets the rifle rise in recoil and then brings it down. The first shooter tries holding it down and it kicks him in a straight line - like a heavyweight boxer pounching him in the shoulder.

You might be interested to know that there is now a 4 Bore Nitroexpress. A US gunsmith Ken Owen is building these monsters and a member at the Nitroexpress forums has bought one recently. Check out this thread and also check out the video of him shooting a mild load with his gun. The round has the potential to put out 40,000 ft olbs with maximum loads, though I am not sure what that would be useful for unless they allow people to hunt the Blue Whale again.

Cheers!

Mehul

[eljefe]

Vikram
Thanks for some great stuff.My wife Kulsum and I had a great laugh on the 'reverse follow through' of the 4 bore-Tiger Woods, eat your heart out!!
The bystander getting thwacked on his face/head is unfortunate , but a very good demo of the 'hammer of Thor"
Best
Axx

[Mack The Knife]

I feel really sorry for the old boy.

Vikram, thanks for the links. I had forgotten to lower the volume and my younger one comes to me half asleep and asks, "Papa, may I also shoot?"

It's mid-night....

[eljefe]

Sure he may-how about starting them off on the ppk soon?

[Mack The Knife]

Ummm.....you will be their hero. Let's do it. Thanks ever so much.

Since you are taking the van, I have decided to take the 800 and the kids along. It's Shubaair's last day before the Dusshera vacations and nothing like starting one's vacation with a BANG!

Shubaair is back from school by 4 p.m., shall we tentatively decide to leave by 5 p.m.?

Mack The Knife

[Vikram]

Glad you all enjoyed the videos. Mehul, I saw those monster 4Bore and even one 2Bore cartridges on Nitroexpress. What happened to Nitroexpress? These days it's down.I regularly visit it though I seldom post there.


Best-
Vikram

[mehulkamdar]

Glad you all enjoyed the videos. Mehul, I saw those monster 4Bore and even one 2Bore cartridges on Nitroexpress. What happened to Nitroexpress? These days it's down.I regularly visit it though I seldom post there.


Best-
Vikram

I was there just before I logged in here. Certainly wassn;t down, nor has it been for a long time... Check this link.

Mehul