A great caribou hunt with my beloved .450-400 Harrison and Hussey ble

[cal pappas]

As the title says.
In the Talkeetna Mountains last week. Now, I'm in sunny Florida for two weeks.
Life does not get any better.

 

[gillettehunter]

Looks like a nice bull. Love to hear the story. Congrats!
Bruce

 

[AZDAVE]

Cal it is always nice to see someone living life to the fullest! Congratz on a nice bull.

 

[crs]

Easy to see why you chose to live in Alaska! Keep on hunting!

 

[Bullthrower338]

Way to go Cal

 

[cal pappas]

Thanks, fellas. I didn't write a story as there was not much to tell. I was cleaning my friend's caribou high on a hillside where the day before I saw some sheep feeding. It was about 8pm and I noticed movement below and saw this bull. If he had been an average or small animal I would have have let him go and finished with the already downed 'boo. But, his rack was too good to pass up so I took a downhill shot at 225 yards (with a scope) and he dropped with a shot through the lungs. (The photo shows no scope. I removed it when cleaning if a grizzly showed up to claim my animal as his). My friend's caribou was brought to camp and I started on mine and completed the cleaning and quartering the next am. By Alaska law the antlers come out last or with the last load of meat. Four days passed but no grizzly. Greatn scenery. Elevation was 3500 feet.

 

[bill73]

Thanks, fellas. I didn't write a story as there was not much to tell. I was cleaning my friend's caribou high on a hillside where the day before I saw some sheep feeding. It was about 8pm and I noticed movement below and saw this bull. If he had been an average or small animal I would have have let him go and finished with the already downed 'boo. But, his rack was too good to pass up so I took a downhill shot at 225 yards (with a scope) and he dropped with a shot through the lungs. (The photo shows no scope. I removed it when cleaning if a grizzly showed up to claim my animal as his). My friend's caribou was brought to camp and I started on mine and completed the cleaning and quartering the next am. By Alaska law the antlers come out last or with the last load of meat. Four days passed but no grizzly. Greatn scenery. Elevation was 3500 feet.

Glad to see you doing this hunt with a DR,whenever I get a chance to hunt Alaska?one of mine will go with me,cheers.

 

[deewayne2003]

Well done sir!…. Now demonstrate the duality of man and post a pic of something you shot with a spear gun in Florida; perhaps a lion fish?

Living in Alaska I bet you will get creative and rig up some double rifle version of a spear gun.

 

[Frederik]

Well done!!!

 

[Tucketed]

Nice shot with your beautiful double. Someday I’ll step to the double realm. Enjoy Florida.

 

[degoins]

Cograts on another great hunt!!! And as always, thanks for sharing.

 

[Rare Breed]

Congratulations. I have a Chapuis in 450-400 DR. What is yours? Well done sir!!!

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[cal pappas]

Congratulations. I have a Chapuis in 450-400 DR. What is yours? Well done sir!!!

My rifle is a Harrison and Hussey built in 1920. Owned by Douglas Jardine from 1934 to his death is 1958. Google him for a cool story. This rifle is my main hunting rifle, taking hippo, croc, leopard, lion, 18 caribou, sable, kudu, moose, and two dozen other plains game in Africa as well as white tail and buffalo in Australia. Just a plain rifle with no engraving but shoot very well.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Sorry if I missed it, is it the 3” or 3 1/4 450-400?

 

[Ragman]

That is really something to be hunting with a 101 year old rifle. Very special. Nice caribou as well. They are still on my wish list. Congrats!

 

[cal pappas]

Sorry if I missed it, is it the 3” or 3 1/4 450-400?

3". Sorry, I forgot to put it in the post.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Hi Cal, has this double got a telescopic sight on it or do you shoot open sights? I did see an article in a magazine, but I cant remember the details, please can you post a picture here?

 

[cal pappas]

Hi Cal, has this double got a telescopic sight on it or do you shoot open sights? I did see an article in a magazine, but I cant remember the details, please can you post a picture here?

Hi Kevin:
The 450-400 has claw mounts and a Swarovski 30mm 1.25-4x scope. Since adding a scope changes regulation many re regulate their rifle to shoot accurately with a scope. However, if that is done then regulation is poor when shooting open sights. What I do is this: mount the scope andsight in with the scope only with one barrel (for me, the left barrel I shoot first) making the rifle an accurate single shot to 200+ yards. When I remove the scope both barrels shoot as they should to a well regualted target.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

It is beautiful Cal, I like that it is plain - you don't have to dress up quality.