Indholdsfortegnelse for March - April 2021 i Man Magnum

IN JANUARY THIS year, Mail & Guardian published a report titled “Under the Power of the Gun”. The author, Catherine Sofianos, details the life of a gangster called ‘Fabian’ from the Cape Flats, who allegedly became a ‘hit man’ at the age of 11. According to the report, a survey by the Canon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust found that about 54% of boys and girls between 11 and 13 years of age in Hanover Park (Cape Town) admitted to having carried a knife or gun in the previous four weeks. This behaviour presumably started through witnessing acts of violence. The global average for child death through injury is 8.8 in 100 000. The Western Cape’s Department of Social Development estimates the rate in South Africa to be 39.8,…

THE MAUSER MODEL 71 single-shot, bolt action, 11mm black powder rifles and carbines were issued to every branch of the German military from 1875 until 1882, and much later in the colonies. In fact, photos exist of Askaris (indigenous African soldiers serving the Kaiser in Tanganyika, German East Africa) still using Mauser Model 71 Jäger rifles as recently as World War 1. Paul Mauser then used the Model 71 as the basis for his first tubular magazine rifle design, introduced in 1882, and at that time called the Model 82. Spandau troops tested 2 000 of these rifles which were accepted in 1883 as the new German issue rifle. However, Paul Mauser made some small changes that resulted in the final model being called the Model 71/84, which, in 1884,…

FOR LONG-RANGE shooting, it is vital that you use the correct information to dial in your scope to ensure a hit. Using a Kestrel weather meter or a similar device in conjunction with a shooting app like Strelok Pro, will ensure that you have the relevant data. This on condition that all data fed into the weather meter or app is correct. However, it can be cumbersome to constantly revert to a separate device for the relevant data for each target. Warne’s Skyline Universal Data Card Holder makes it possible to write down the information for each target and display it in full view next to your scope when shooting. The ‘dope card holder’ consists of a ring (30mm, 34mm and 35mm are available) that is attached to the scope…

WE MADE PLANS to go to the Free State to hunt springbuck, a new species for me. Due to the Covid travel ban, the trip was postponed a couple of times, but finally, with the right permits, we could cross the provincial border. It was freezing when we stopped in front of the farm gate, the chilling wind tearing into my skin. We met with the owner and chatted about the farm, which we had found on Facebook, and wanted to know more. We were there for six springbuck, three blesbuck and some impala, if we encountered a nice ram or two. The owner told us the farm was only 250 hectares and mainly used to breed game. There was a list of animals we weren’t allowed to hunt: nyala,…

PICKING THE RIGHT carry gun was a momentous decision for me. Aside from the obvious considerations of reliability, concealment, ergonomics, and shooting performance, in South Africa we have the added hurdle of a lengthy licensing process. We can only possess one self-defence firearm, which means your choice will be with you for many months or even years to come. I knew that I wanted a sub-compact, which helped to narrow things down to a double-stack Glock 26 or a single-stack Glock 43. I eventually settled for the G43, figuring it was the best option in terms of concealment and my outdoor lifestyle spent in shorts and T-shirts. When I finally received the license for the G43 I found that the pistol concealed well, was easy to draw, and felt secure…

SORTING THROUGH PICTURES and papers going back to my early childhood, I found a letter from Mike Balcomb written during our high-school days almost 60 years ago – we were boarders together at Maritzburg College. He wrote, “…the next full moon is on the 10th of March. We get a free weekend from 8 – 10. What say you? See if Helen can do without you for that weekend – the hunting shouldn’t be too bad.” Mike was referring to bushpig hunting on his family’s farm at Kearsney, Natal, which we did at night by the light of a full moon. Mike became a well-known professional hunter and game-rancher in northern Zululand. He’s retired now but we’ve kept in contact. This got me thinking about my other boyhood hunting pals.…

SOME OF US see knives as utensils – tools that are meant to graft hard for their owners, tools that you don’t want, or need, to baby. For others knives have value that extend beyond their usefulness in the field. They are treasures (or pieces of gentlemen’s jewelry) that are often taken out, admired, debated over and passed along from one generation to another. Many custom-made knives fall in that category – they are so pretty or valuable (read expensive) that their owners simply won’t use them. Any rifle, knife, hatchet or whatever utensil designed for outdoor use that is too pretty or expensive to use, will not find a place in my collection (unless it was bought as an investment). I am often asked to suggest a ‘perfect’ or…

Gunsmith of the Month: Andre Mojet Andre lives and works in Kameelfontein, Pretoria. He is the founder and director of AccuGun. He started research and development in 2010 with one goal in mind; to manufacture precision rifles and match international-grade barrels. While specializing in custom build precision rifles, Andre does also make hunting rifles. By doing both rifle types he tries to cater to all groups whether it may be for hunting or competitions. He started with the 6mm calibre rifle, which performed way above expectations and due to this huge success, he started developing and manufacturing other popular calibres. Andre says that because he has worked with a variety of different calibres, it’s difficult to choose one favourite. Each has its own advantages and so much depends on…

Marttiini Knife Marttiini knives from Finland are created with a combination of generations of craftsmanship and modern technology. Their hunting knives have been developed with a focus on user experience, which has been transferred into the design and functionality of the knives. The manufacturing of a Marttiini blade is a demanding and time-consuming process. Marttiini knives are not only sharp, but also perfectly represent the beauty and toughness of the North. They’re called “puukko” – the Nordic knife. The textured rubber handle is easy to maintain, hygienic and safe. Ergonomically shaped with a finger guard, a firm grip is easy to achieve. Ruger Stun Gun / Flashlight The Ruger Stun Gun/ Flashlight is a handy combination self-defence utensil. The LED flashlight operates at 300-lumen with three strobe settings (high,…

UNLESS YOU HAVE hunted and shot an elephant, it is difficult to comprehend the feeling when spotting, approaching and getting ready to shoot one. It is the act of taking on a pachyderm in its own environment, even though it towers over you and can kill you with ease. For me, the actual death of the animal was always dispiriting and left me feeling sad. Yet the hunt is such a thrill that I kept coming back. Today, unless you are a game ranger or qualified professional hunter, very few countries will allow you to hunt elephant without being accompanied by a PH. However, a few Central African countries remain where you can do an unguided hunt with a local tracker. I was fortunate to do a great deal of…

I WAS SEATED high on a mountain in the Waterberg, very out of breath after winding my way up via an access road and then cresting the ridge to get to the other side. The walk was a grand experience. First, a giraffe bull, unnoticed by me until he and I exchanged glances at about ten metres, took off up the mountain on the same road, his huge feet “clack-ka-clacking” over the concrete, laid down due to the steep incline. I let things settle for a few minutes and resumed my walk. A short while later a warthog sow with three piglets came walking down the same road. I stood still and removed the small camera from my top pocket. They did not notice me until they were only a…

MARCH 1985 BROUGHT Magnum readers the first version of Hunting Opportunities with just seven entries listing available hunts. That’s an incredible 36 years ago! This feature has appeared in Magnum every year in either the March or April issues (or both), and has brought together many hunters and land owners for the benefit of both parties. Just look at the prices. Blesbuck at R70 and springbuck at R36 – never mind the daily rate which for general game works out on average at R52. Jump ahead twenty years to the Hunting Opportunities in March 2005 and you will find blesbuck cost between R500 and R800 while springbuck were between R280 and R350. How things change. NOT TO MISS A BEAT... SEE PAGE 49 FOR THE 2021 HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES.…

I HAD LONG wanted to go in quest of a respectable tusker. Between 1971 and 1975, I went about it in the old Rhodesia, Botswana and the southern Sudan. Brian Marsh, safari outfitter and author of several books on hunting, began operating on a new concession at Sijarira on Lake Kariba, where he had constructed a safari camp on stilts. This was in conformity with the local baTonga tribe’s traditional way of protecting their huts against the flooding of the Zambezi River prior to the construction of the Kariba dam. It was an idyllic spot where fish eagles ruled the skies by day and owls fluted through the night. In the morning, fresh lion tracks showed in the white sand of the lakeshore. I wanted my first elephant trophy more…

ASTONISHINGLY, MY REQUEST in the Gallery section of the November/ December 2020 edition, that readers share their observations of the fiscal shrike’s predatory habits, drew over 20 responses – more than has any other topic appearing in Magnum during my 33 years as an editor of this magazine and, I am sure, since its inception in 1976. That this response was drawn by a topic unrelated to guns or game hunting is particularly pleasing, as it indicates that most Magnum readers are true nature lovers and not solely interested in shooting or the thrill of the chase. I express my appreciation to all those who responded; they are too numerous to name, and regrettably, space does not permit publication of all the letters. To synthesize, all respondents had variously observed…