Elephant Question (this weekend's OLN)

BrianBM · February 19, 2007, 08:31 PM

This Sunday past, I saw a bit of elephant hunting go by on OLN. Three men in a group, one with a double rifle (he shot the elephant) and two more with bolt rifles. The gent with the double (I'm not sure if he was the PH or a client) took a head shot with iron sights; the two with the bolts both had scopes on them. The one shot was sufficient, and you saw dust fly from the impact point, more or less between the eyes. Elephant was dead immediately.

The double was described as a .570 or .577 Nitro Express. I think it was an H&H. The two bolts were unused and undescribed. What surprised me was that they were scoped. Are scopes now considered OK for a DG rifle?

BrianBM · February 19, 2007, 08:32 PM

Mind, this question is as hypothetical as the last one on Megalocerus. There are no elephants running around the Long Island NY bush, and I'd probably leave them alone if they were.

banditt007 · February 19, 2007, 10:13 PM

Personally i think having a scope on a gun that is being used as back up for close in dangerous game hunting is retarded.

Brenden · February 20, 2007, 09:46 PM

Having never been on safari,I only know what I have read and seen on film..

Most of the dangerous game guns are without optics..

Eghad · February 20, 2007, 10:53 PM

Its hard to shoot at something running with a scope.....or I should say running towards you.

This video is old but still a fav

my hearing isnt good but is that the hunter screaming like a girl...lol. Hunter was damn lucky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohvxdbtHALA

Jseime · February 20, 2007, 11:14 PM

I would never want a scope on a dangerous game rifle, my personal preference would be a controlled round feed bolt action which would eliminated as much risk of failure as possible. I might also want a few guys that knew how to shoot with me. I know it was a tense situation but they missed a lot more than I would trust my life with.

keita · February 21, 2007, 01:47 AM

THAT is an AWESOME video!!

If you have 3 guys shooting and can't take the kittie down, you deserve to get ass kicked.

guntotin_fool · February 21, 2007, 02:56 AM

Some people feel that a 1x or a 1x-3 power scope allows for faster shooting. It depends on the shooter.

and it depends on the situation. a scope on a double is in the way in breaking the gun to reload.

Socrates · February 21, 2007, 04:00 AM

That's a canned hunt. Pet lion, in a fenced area. It's obscene, and,the practice is supposed to be illegal.

The humans should be fed to live lions, minus guns...

S

Bulldog1806 · February 21, 2007, 08:02 AM

Quote:

That's a canned hunt. Pet lion, in a fenced area. It's obscene, and,the practice is supposed to be illegal.

The humans should be fed to live lions, minus guns...

I agree 100%.

BrianBM · February 21, 2007, 08:39 PM

I haven't seen the video - I may be the last person on earth still on a DUN hookup - but coincidentally today, I read of new RSA regulations intended to
ban caged lion hunts. Fair chase, or not at all.

February 19, 2007, 08:31 PM	#1
BrianBM Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 2006 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 273	Elephant Question (this weekend's OLN) This Sunday past, I saw a bit of elephant hunting go by on OLN. Three men in a group, one with a double rifle (he shot the elephant) and two more with bolt rifles. The gent with the double (I'm not sure if he was the PH or a client) took a head shot with iron sights; the two with the bolts both had scopes on them. The one shot was sufficient, and you saw dust fly from the impact point, more or less between the eyes. Elephant was dead immediately. The double was described as a .570 or .577 Nitro Express. I think it was an H&H. The two bolts were unused and undescribed. What surprised me was that they were scoped. Are scopes now considered OK for a DG rifle?

February 20, 2007, 09:46 PM	#4
Brenden Member Join Date: February 9, 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 94	Having never been on safari,I only know what I have read and seen on film.. Most of the dangerous game guns are without optics.. __________________ NRA Life Patron Member MGO SAFR JPFO

February 20, 2007, 10:53 PM	#5
Eghad Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 6,231	Its hard to shoot at something running with a scope.....or I should say running towards you. This video is old but still a fav my hearing isnt good but is that the hunter screaming like a girl...lol. Hunter was damn lucky. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohvxdbtHALA __________________ Have a nice day at the range NRA Life Member

February 20, 2007, 11:14 PM	#6
Jseime Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,775	I would never want a scope on a dangerous game rifle, my personal preference would be a controlled round feed bolt action which would eliminated as much risk of failure as possible. I might also want a few guys that knew how to shoot with me. I know it was a tense situation but they missed a lot more than I would trust my life with. __________________ I love the smell of fresh shotgun in the morning.

February 19, 2007, 08:32 PM	#2
BrianBM Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 2006 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 273	Mind, this question is as hypothetical as the last one on Megalocerus. There are no elephants running around the Long Island NY bush, and I'd probably leave them alone if they were.

February 19, 2007, 10:13 PM	#3
banditt007 Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2006 Posts: 694	Personally i think having a scope on a gun that is being used as back up for close in dangerous game hunting is retarded.

February 21, 2007, 01:47 AM	#7
keita Member Join Date: December 15, 2006 Posts: 32	THAT is an AWESOME video!! If you have 3 guys shooting and can't take the kittie down, you deserve to get ass kicked.

February 21, 2007, 02:56 AM	#8
guntotin_fool Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2004 Posts: 1,446	Some people feel that a 1x or a 1x-3 power scope allows for faster shooting. It depends on the shooter. and it depends on the situation. a scope on a double is in the way in breaking the gun to reload.

February 21, 2007, 04:00 AM	#9
Socrates Junior member Join Date: January 5, 2005 Location: East Bay NorCal, People's Republik of Kalifornia Posts: 5,866	That's a canned hunt. Pet lion, in a fenced area. It's obscene, and,the practice is supposed to be illegal. The humans should be fed to live lions, minus guns... S

February 21, 2007, 08:39 PM	#11
BrianBM Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 2006 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 273	I haven't seen the video - I may be the last person on earth still on a DUN hookup - but coincidentally today, I read of new RSA regulations intended to ban caged lion hunts. Fair chase, or not at all.