To catch up on what big-bore enthusiasts like, shoot and hunt with, I’ve had to research and read a lot of “hum drum” on Internet “BIG BORE” forums…. usually by the same few. And, of course, I’m one of those “few”! In plain english, “few” is an apt designation!
I’m fully aware that a blog with the sub-title of “A blog about BIG BORES” will only attract a “few” to begin with, and if that’s limited to .40 caliber to .458 caliber, soon few of those “few” will continue to be entertained by it. So, necessity, and to keep my own interest from fadding, has mandated that I’ve included “mediums”, or what I originally referred to as “Light Big Bores”, in which I also have a profound interest, proven by heavy investment in more of those than in “BIG BORES”. Then I’ve also ventured into writing on “sub-mediums”, which have also involved hundreds of hours in handloading and hunting.
While I’ve periodically made refererence to the .577 double and others of that genre, I’ve neglected to write in depth on BIG BORES beyond .458 caliber. Likely, that’s because I’ve little interest in them or see little practical value for anything larger than .458″. Perhaps some readers could be justified in accusing me of being somewhat short-sighted and/or selfish! The problem with that being that BIG BORES for me isn’t a passion but pragmatism for particular animals and conditions in hunting them. Therefore, I don’t need, or even want, a .577 double for anything, including nostalgia. And I’m not that curious to try one! And, neither does a 600 Overkill do anything that can’t just as certainly be done with a .458 Winchester Magnum! So that’s my problem… I’m NOT a Macho Man that has to prove something to myself or others.
< My long-term BIG BORE… My Ruger No.1 in .45-70 with an improved long-throat. There it was close to my favorite bear-bait setup. The scope was a Burris Safari fixed 4x by 20mm with a long 5.5″ eye relief. I don’t recall that particular load, but the rifle was fully capable of +5000 ft-lbs at the muzzle.
BIG POWER is attractive… to a point, beyond which I don’t NEED to prove I’m fully a man! (Are the woke officials watching… reading this?). Same with horsepower. I like enough to pass a line of slow moving cars and trucks safely, with some reserve. And I also like sportscar and motorcycle races on a track… not far from here. Yet the 401 major highway passing through Toronto as part of the Trans Canada Highway system – sixteen lanes in places – sometimes feels like a racetrack, especially going east around 4 pm with commuters heading home for supper through the various townships as the last extension of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). It’s common for traffic to be moving at 140 km/ 86 mph with heavy pickups crowding your rear bumper until you can safely move over to let them pass at about 160 KM/ 100 mph! I don’t live in that area but have to travel it from time to time, and I’m surely not a wimp when it comes to speed. But travelling on a major highway at +80 mph bumper to bumper, three abreast, is only a breath away from disaster! It’s a miracle that it doesn’t happen more often than it does! Cops? They never show up till there’s a pileup! After all, how could they stop 3 – 4 lanes of traffic moving at 90 mph in one direction bumper to bumper? And who could they charge in a pileup? And, of course, they don’t want to be involved in such a mess themselves!
Recently, I was watching the NASCAR race at Darlington, TX. During the last lap, four abreast at nearly 200 mph, one of the 40 vehicles was bumped in the rear as everyone was trying to pass something in front… and yep, it happened! A pileup with some of the traditional “leaders” involved! “Why do I watch this stuff?” , I asked myself!
It is said of the human experience in regard to politics: “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely!” That’s why only God can be trusted with absolute power, because He’s not competiting with anyone or trying to get something He doesn’t already own – and that’s all that exists! Satan, of course, is always attempting to steal from Him – people and property!
Not so with humans, who are weak in character and morals, who want more power for the wrong reasons – self and ego – and more often than not, at the expense of everyone else… Putinism!
All that to point out the fallacy of wanting the most powerful guns, position, cars, trucks… whatever! Is it because we want to look great in the eyes of others who fight and scrap for prestigeous positions? Or because it’s beneficial in some way?
God tells me to check my own motives in this!
To “have to” experience something that could become dangerous to one’s health and welfare is often a great temptation to youthful minds and appetites, specially for those who want acceptance by their peers. Yet those “appetites” yielded to can haunt them for the remainder of their days… IF they survive!
I’ve mentioned that BIG POWER can also be, or become, addictive in rifles (or handguns). For some that holds NO attraction! For others it’s like street rods with blowers on nitro… 1000 hp is never enough!
While I’ve been somewhat addicted to sportscar and motorcycle races at Mosport International Racetrack 45 minutes south of here, I’ve never attended races at a dedicated 1/4 mile track for “street rods on nitro with blowers”! A friend was into that! As the sayin’ goes, “To each his own”! And without too much doubt, it has to do with each person’s level of testosterone… or is it brain cells? In my forties, I did a 1/4 mile race from stoplight to stoplight in one of the Toronto burbs! My weapon was a 750 Honda on two wheels, and my contestant was driving a Corvette… It was a tie!
“Testosterone”? There… I’ve said it, even though the WOKE humanoids are watching!
There’s some political figure in the USA who has publically declared that “men have too much testosterone”! And he looked like a “male” to me! Huh? These days ya never know!
A couple of decades ago BIG BORES were the “in thing”… just look at what Hornady was up to: Reviving BIG BORES, building reloading components and ammo for them! In less than a dozen years the opposite was happening! How many (I’ve lost count) 6.5s, and smaller, are dominant? Are “we” a fickle bunch, or what? Maybe reactionary? When some person, thing, product or culture becomes too dominant, do we react against it, crusading for change? After all, no one can stand out in a crowd where everyone is the same in culture, looks, position and thinking! Yet for the less secure, there’s some kind of false comfort in that! But that belies the image of a “free society”, does it not? Yet Jesus said “The one (genderless) who lives only to please self is a slave… If the Son (of God) sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Anyways, I’m all for testosterone! And I need all I can get these days for toting that heavy 10 and 1/2 pound .458 Win Mag, and shooting it straight! I surely don’t need a “T-Rex”! Bigger ‘n .458 ain’t needed!
Till the next…
Shalom
BOB MITCHELL