Indholdsfortegnelse for Nov/Dec 2023 i Man Magnum

AS I write this I have received several invitations to attend year end functions. I found this somewhat depressing as it made me realise that yet another year has slipped by where I was unable to realise all my goals. Probably the most important to me, spending some time alone in the veld. Personally it has been a tough year, with many of my well laid plans going awry and some coming to naught notwithstanding me working harder than normal. However, all is not lost, as I have been blessed in many other ways. One was being able to spend enjoyable time in the veld and on the range with other like-minded individuals. I guess if you choose your companions wisely not being alone is not all that bad! One…

MY MUSCLES were pleasantly tired from the day’s hunting. The fire was cheering, and as I swallowed my first sip of Scotch, I closed my eyes to appreciate its warm glow slowly radiating within me. My good friend Dave Westerhout smiled at this and remarked, “Savouring the aftertaste, and all that, are we?” I replied, “What would you know about that, Dave? You’re a teetotaller.” “Well,” grinned Dave, “my grandfather was a tea taster for a tea blending company, so I feel qualified to comment. And I’ve been involved in arguments among impassioned whisky drinkers – know all about you single malt types!” “I’m not really a single malt man,” I said. “I enjoy some of them, but my sundowner tipple is J&B. It’s a blended whisky with its own…

Advertise your local hunting for FREE in the January/February 2024 and March/April 2024 editions of MAGNUM Adverts will also be placed on the MAGNUM website at www.manmagnum.com Email your advert to huntopps@manmagnum.co.za by 15 December 2023 for the January/February ‘24 issue and by 1 February 2024 for the March/April ‘24 issue Adverts must > be a maximum of 30 words > include the name of the district and province > give the species available > contain full contact details - Name/Numbers/Email/Website (as appropriate) Adverts cannot be booked by telephone.…

MY FAMILIE van my pa se kant af is Vrystaters. My Oupa Piet, van wie ek die ere-naamgenoot is, het die plaas Rondehoek naby Bethlehem in die Riemland van die Vrystaat besit tot sy dood toe. My oupa was ’n kranige Boerevegter in die oorlog teen die Engelse, wat as ’n tienerseun ’n Engelse soldaat van agter bekruip het. Hy het sy mes teen die soldaat se keel gedruk en sy geweer afgevat. Ek gee dus nie om om sy naam te dra nie. Rondehoek-opstal is ’n uitgebreide stelsel van antieke geboue uit lig-bruin sandsteen, netjies vierkantig gekap, en in ronde hoeke opgestel. Ek sien dis nou omskep in ’n gastehuis vir kunstenaars. Daar, terwyl die grootmense in die koel ruim vertrekke sit en kuier, het ek met my oupa…

I heard the term Weaver mount and Picatinny rail being used interchangeably when discussing mounting systems for a scope on my new Remington 700 rifle with a salesman in a gun shop. I tried to clarify this but the reply was that the two terms have the same meaning. Is this really the case? - John Botha, North West Both terms refer to a mounting system, initially mainly used for scopes, but these days also for a plethora of accessories, and they are similar but not exactly the same. In addition, bases/rails are available in one or two piece configurations, each with pros and cons. Warne makes excellent scope mounts and accessories and they state that the two styles of bases are very similar in some aspects, and very different…

Unique Rifle/Pistol Combo I am writing to you about this combination rifle/pistol in my father’s collection. He is a member of SAAACA and has been collecting firearms for the past forty years. He acquired this Unique Combo in 2002 via my father-in-law’s best friend. I have no idea where the firearm came from as both these men have passed on. What I do know, is that my father-in-law and his friend used to hunt birds and the occasional duiker and steenbuck with it in Onderstepoort in the 1960s. Also, that the rifle was bought with the scope on it. The scope is the same as that in the advert for the Combo in Mag-num, January/February 2023 on page 34. The pistol does not feed properly with standard velocity and subsonic…

THE MC9, Canik’s first micro-compact, was introduced to the local market in April 2023 at HuntEx and the first few batches have since reached dealers’ shelves. Micro-compacts offer the best in concealment due to their diminutive size, yet, also offer high capacity magazines. In the case of the MC9, a 15-round magazine is offered, giving the same capacity as a Glock 19 but in a much slimmer, smaller package. The MC9 test pistol measured only 29mm at its widest point (measured across the ambidextrous slide release) and the slide is 24mm wide. According to the specification sheet the pistol is 155mm long, 115mm high and weighs 603 grams. With a reflex sight and the 12-round magazine with finger extension fitted, the overall height is 140mm. The slide has aggressive front…

FIVE wild pig species occur in Africa of which only the warthog and bushpig are found in South Africa. Warthogs are fairly common throughout our country while bushpigs are limited to parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape as far west as Worcester. They prefer closed bushveld or any veld types and cultivated lands that provide shelter and access to water. Over the last two decades their distribution has expanded due to the spread of agricultural activities that provide food and shelter. Their natural diet consists of bulbs, roots, grass, maggots and bugs that are dug up but bushpig are also crop raiders – maize, sugarcane, potatoes, etc. Apparently, some people have witnessed them eating carrion but mostly they visit rotting carcasses or piles of…

MASTER gun-maker, Alexander Henry, maintained a virtual monopoly on target rifles in Britain around the mid-1800s. Around 1869, he registered a patent for a hammerless, self-cocking, falling block design, followed by a variation of it a year or two later. When he applied for a third patent in 1872, it was refused due to an almost identical design having been patented by John Farquharson, a gamekeeper and target shooter who had been a frequent visitor to Henry’s workshop. As Farquharson had no previous history of mechanical design, Henry took Farquharson to court for having ‘stolen’ his design. In what was subsequently believed a gross miscarriage of justice, the patent was not overturned, so the name that became synonymous with this famous action was that of Farquharson (pronounced ‘Farkerson’). As it…

LIKE most boys of my generation, I grew up with cowboy movies – every Saturday morning we would go to the bioscope to cheer our heroes Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Hopalong Cassidy. In those old black-and-white films, no blood was ever seen and the good guy (white hat) always shot the gun out of the hand of the bad guy (black hat). In the 1950s B-Westerns became all the rage. Feature films starring the likes of Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea and Audie Murphy were cranked out as fast as they could be made. B-Westerns were low budget productions with simple story lines, while historical authenticity seemed to be of no particular concern to the producers. For instance, you would see an American Civil War battle scene where combatants blazed…

WHEN the email arrived from New Zealand, it marked the first time in my safari career I’d ever had a query from that part of the world. In the cheerful opening line of the email, the sender identified himself as Chris Ellis. With time being a limitation, he was researching a 5-day Eastern Cape plains-game package, a nice representative kudu being his priority. Chris’s dates cramped the tight safari schedule I was faced with. My return to South Africa after a Zimbabwe buffalo safari would give me a mere four days before he arrived in Port Elizabeth. Given the post-safari admin and logistics load, four days doesn’t allow a PH much leeway. Chris had booked to fly to Thailand and from there to zig-zag his way through the Middle East…

Win one of two fantastic prizes from LEDLENSER!! A P18R Signature Flashlight or a P6R Signature Torch. P18R Signature Flashlight This high-end large outdoor flashlight turns the darkest night sky into daylight with its 4 500 lumens of light from three light sources; an Advanced Focus System for efficient, precise flood and spot lighting; Smart Light Technology for custom light functions; a hard-anodized body provides protection against wear and corrosion; and a recharge-able battery that utilizes a Magnetic Charge System. The P18R Signature Flashlight has many additional features like an energy status indicator, transportation lock, backup mode, dimmable and memory functions, beam distance of 70m, and runtime of 70 hours in low power mode. This flashlight is a must-have if you need serious light outside. P6R Signature Torch The P6R…

WORK with all its demands leaves precious little time to socialise with colleagues. I decided to organise a pigeon shoot where my colleagues and I could escape from the stressors of work and get to know each other better. I had limited time to organise the shoot and the recent heavy rains had wreaked havoc with my usual hunting grounds. There was no time to scout for birds or to monitor flight-lines. I therefore contacted Leslie van der Merwe of Leslie van der Merwe Safaris. Leslie is an experienced wingshooter and professional hunter who regularly organises shoots for local and international shooters. He agreed to organise everything including meals. Also, those of my colleagues who did not own guns could rent shotguns from him. With much excitement, twelve of…

Opinel No 12 Serrated Stainless Steel Knife • R510 Ideal for slicing firm loaves of bread, and even steak, the 12cm serrated stainless steel blade folds into the varnished beech wood handle, making the knife easy and safe to store and transport for outdoor use. It can even be used at home as a stylish addition to your existing kitchen knives. Well known for their practical and useful design, this Opinel knife has the Virobloc safety ring to lock it open or closed. Stanley Stay-Hot French Press 1.4L • R2 235 Great coffee is meant to be shared and this large capacity French press can brew enough for your whole crew. Built rugged for the outdoors, its stylish design works just as perfectly at home. Features include 18/8 stainless steel,…

Calling all readers…. Do you have a story that would be of interest to Magnum’s readers? If you hunt, sport shoot, wingshoot, own a firearm for self-defence, collect firearms or ammunition, reload, and/or have some related technical know-how you qualify!! We are looking for new articles to publish in Magnum and encourage you to consider writing something for us of your experiences. We like our articles to have something different; a special or funny experience, odd animal behavior, an important milestone, a lesson learned, an element of intrigue…whatever applies. We aim to be as informative as possible while at the same time providing an entertaining read. Before you start writing, please email Gail Osborne at gosborne@manmagnum.co.za to request a free copy of our Writers’ Guidelines and to bounce your article…