OUT OF AFRICA

[bradshaw]

"Also I can't finish without a big thank you to good friend & fellow Shootist Mike "Doc" Barranti for supplying me with so much amazing leather over the years. That North West Hunter rig I'm wearing is #8 of a very special series. I also have serial #1 & I've worn them in 7 different states & Africa, they are amazing works of art, thanks Mike!"

----Dick

*****

Dick.... reckon all your years of mountain-scrambling, throwing in with with a sixgun, liberates to know when a scabbard performs. Quality off hide is so important living with a revolver for miles on end. Gene DeSantis and Ernie Hill both told me they searched hard to fine correctly tanned hides, that the world of leather has become polluted with junk. Great design has to be backed up with great leather to make it work. Living with a sixgun, a scabbard is a shoe we wear; it must not expose the gun and our body to injury. Doc Barranti steps into shoes worn by the greats to doctor your pistol packing.

His endorsement by such a revolver man as yourself streams deep. Forced to offer an opinion, I’d say you take better care of your revolvers tanned hides than you take care of yourself. Your writing carries the dimension of LIVING.
David Bradshaw

[jaydubinwi]

Very nicely done, Dick. Thanks for the great story. It felt like we were all there with you

[sixshot]

This story wouldn't be complete without talking about Larry, Kristen & their oldest son Riley & the animals Larry & Riley took. In something like 6 months Larry took on the challenge of going strictly solo with revolvers to Africa after purchasing 2 FA 454's & then a 10" FA 41 magnum, that takes a lot of dedication, yikes!
As I mentioned Larry is a big, strong guy, powerful arms & wrists & he shoots the 454 with ease, the recoil was never a problem from day one, even with full power loads. He was just mentally tough & got into the big leagues in a hurry. With his own cast bullet loads he could keep the 300 yd gong dancing.
Riley mostly shot the 10" 41 magnum FA but he also got in the groove in a hurry even though both dad & son were farming full time, taking care of a bunch of cows & running a Phosphate plant. They are an amazing family & without them I probably wouldn't have finished my safari. Kristen is a RN & she & Larry doctored my foot many evenings to keep this old man running/walking.
Larry's short list was Kudu & Zebra but he also wanted Sable & Impala plus whatever else tripped his switch, it was game on & he started out fast! Kristen doesn't hunt but she's a real gamer! They have 2 son's & 5 daughters & all of them are runners, with one of them being a 2 time All American runner at Utah State.
Riley ended up with Impala, Nyala & a Blue Wildebeest using the FA 41 magnum. Larry switched back & forth, hope I get it right but I think his Zebra was with the FA 41 magnum & the Blesbok, Springbok, Kudu & magnificent Sable were all with the FA 454. Great friends & family for sure!
And of course a Barranti Northwest Hunter shoulder rig. Look at the bullet placement on the Blesbok & that Impala, the guy can shoot.











Dick

[dougader]

More amazing stuff. It's great you could organize this hunt with friends.

The animals are extraordinary. Trip of a lifetime, for sure.

[contender]

Outstanding.
This has it all.
Family, handgun hunting, friends, eating, and most of,,, the blessings provided by the good Lord.

[dvnv]

Really neat thread, thanks for posting.

You being the first, did the outfitter make any comments regarding rifle versus handgun performance?

[Doc Barranti]

Great hunt and post, Dick! Thanks for sharing and for the kind words!

[sixshot]

Yes, as usual they were a little suspect about taking big plains game with revolvers cartridges, we never even brought up Cape Buffalo at first. When I pulled out one of the few 325 gr LBT solids I had with me one of the PH's commented that, that bullet should take down a Buffalo. Anyway things started off well because I got the Nyala the first day & the PH was very surprised by how hard it rocked him & also Larry was doing the same thing to a big Zebra stallion several miles away. The six guns were proving themselves, at least on day one, nine more days to go though at that point. All through out the hunt we felt like we had a bit of a bullseye on our backs but we did our part & at the end of the Safari we had made many friends & left with many lifetime memories.

Dick

[contender]

I would say that in educating them, you were all ambassadors for handgun hunters. Now,, they will be a little less skeptical of a handgunner,, now that y'all proved the abilities of a proper handgun, a proper bullet when applied by a good shooter.

[axman]

Absolutely wonderful.
Thank you for sharing your hunt.

[mike454]

Looks like a great time. thanks for taking us along!

[sixshot]

I know I mentioned that Verner would be at the big Sports show at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake on Feb. 18th but I don't think I gave out his contact info here in the states. Since there is an 8-9 hour time difference it would be very hard to talk to Verner so you get in touch with Scott Blackburn in Utah, he's the booking agent for Motshwere Safari's. 801-471-6619 Scott has been to Motshwhere several times & is a big time bow hunter, he can tell you anything you need to know, whether its bowhunting, rifle or handguns.

Dick

[paul105]

Great adventure, great memories, and fine story telling. Loved it all except that picture of your big toe (OUCH).

Paul

[messybear]

Fantastic story and photos!
Now that’s what I would hope a trip to Africa would be like!
Good shooting all and impressed with the bullet performance on those animals.

Any load data on Larry’s? I think we know about what you used Dick.

[edk]

Great hunt Dick. There's not a lot I can say, kinda speechless. Definitely the hunt of a lifetime - WOW!