American Hunter Killed in Uganda

[Adipose]

Looks like there was a gun malfunction and it effected the hunter from firing a shot when the Buff charged. Must have been a scary time.

 

[mark-hunter]

Speaking of root causes, this all smells to poor first shot placement.

 

[pilar]

Speaking of route causes, this all smells to poor first shot placement.

I’m thinking the same thing, my buddy Doc shot a buffalo a little behind the shoulder with a old hornday DGX 375 , 4 days later the PH called it a loss , tough critters when shot wrong
Prayers for all involved

 

[sureshot375]

It is always unfair to Monday morning QB these type of things, but maybe there are lessons to be learned.

This isn’t the first time, and won’t be the last time, that people have been killed or injured after the client taking the position that “I don’t want anyone else shooting my animal”. There is no place for pride in DG hunting. Maybe the guy was a good shot and the PH trusted him to take the follow up? Who knows? In general I think we would all prefer to finish our own animals. It’s not my intent to cast any negative aspersions on Mr. Cox as we really don’t know the facts.

The rifle malfunction aspect is interesting. Hopefully more details will come out about the rifle. I’m having a hard time envisioning a scenario where the rifle went bang for the first shot, but failed later in such a manner that the firing pin was laying on the ground.



I’m also curious as to the nightly stripping of the rifle. Was the guy just compulsive about it? Not sure what the weather was like. Maybe the rifle was getting wet while out hunting?

In any event, prayers for fall involved and the family of Mr. Cox.

 

[sureshot375]

Speaking of route causes, this all smells to poor first shot placement.

This is almost always the cause of these types of incidents. It is something that could happen to anyone even with proper training and equipment.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

How did that gun ever fire in the first place if the shroud wasn't screwed in? Something really doesn't make sense with that story.

Okay, I pulled out my 98 Mauser to see if I could replicate what happened. Didn't think it was possible. I was wrong. Maybe. Here's what happened, almost certainly. Someone was reassembling the bolt the night before and only started screwing on the bolt shroud when distracted (drunk?). The bolt can be closed with safety in position two and shroud only just started to thread onto the bolt. The firing pin was not released to store it overnight (not uncommon). Had it been released,, the error would have been discovered (shroud would come off the bolt). Mr Cox loaded the gun next day while safety still in position two (which position is required to reassemble the bolt). Then he pushed safety back to full safe for the stalk (so bolt is locked). But when the safety was disengaged, the striker was released and the gun fired prematurely, probably causing poor location of shot and wounding the buffalo. This "could have" happened because disengaging the safety not only releases the striker, it also causes the barely attached shroud to come off the bolt. The possible problems with this theory are 1) if the shroud comes loose from the bolt would the firing pin have enough energy to dent the primer sufficient to detonate? The striker spring jumps backwards so there would be little forward energy applied to firing pin. And 2) would the firing pin even reach the primer? I am tempted to load an empty case with just a primer and test my hypothesis. But I live in town so testing with detonating primers is not a good idea. As soon as Mr Cox attempted to cycle a followup shot the striker and shroud probably fell out of the gun. But maybe not. That I can test without alarming my neighbors. Let's see ... no, the striker, spring, and shroud almost certainly stayed with the bolt but unattached. So unless he deliberately looked at the gun when reloading (unlikely) he would be unaware the shroud was dangling loose and inoperable when he got on the sticks for the kill shot. The buffalo knocked the loose shroud and striker out of the gun and they became separated on the ground because they were no longer threaded together ... because they were barely threaded when the bolt was reassembled.

The question that is paramount to the official investigation is was Mr Cox hunting with his own gun? His family can answer that question. If not, then I think the blame belongs elsewhere. No outfitter would allow a client to completely disassemble a camp rifle. That would be delegated to an employee. Or it SHOULD be delegated to staff.

 

[Nyati]

Sad news, hunter RIP, PH hope for a speedy recovery.

 

[roklok]

Very sad situation, and I hope the PH makes a full recovery both physically and mentally. In a case like this, it may be easy to be harder on yourself than others would be. However I agree with a former poster, maybe not a bad way to go for the client. Not to be insensitive, but at 78 and with a pacemaker, he went out with his boots on so to speak. My thoughts are with his family though. Tragic? I don't know. Tragic to me is an innocent killed by a drunk driver, or the recent passengers killed in the helicopter and plane collision. I liken dangerous game hunting to skydiving, wingsuiting, and other such thrilling and dangerous pursuits. The thrill and danger is a large part of the attraction, and when things go wrong and when a participants life is lost it is not totally unexpected and we voluntarily put ourselves in that position. I would be very interested in the make and model of rifle of the client, trying to imagine what would happen that would allow one shot, but then shroud and firing pin fell out of rifle. I know some custom actions have quick release "bayonet style" quarter or half turn strikers for easy cleaning as opposed to the normal threaded in shrouds. I am thinking it must have been one of these type.

 

[oscar1975]

My condolences to the family of the deceased and my wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured man. RIP

 

[roklok]

On a threaded shroud such as Mauser, M70, M700, etc, the firing pin shouldnt reach the primer for the first shot if not threaded in completely, at least I cant think of any possible way. Maybe that will be my project for the day. Maybe it would now that I think more about it, as the bolt notch in the cocking cam is what stops forward travel. Interesting.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

It is one thing to "go out with boots on" but quite another to take someone else with you. I have nearly met my maker a half dozen times while hunting. Most of those incidents could easily have been (likely would have been) a disaster for someone else's family had I not been hunting alone. One reason why I prefer to hunt alone. A 78 year-old guy with a pacemaker should have been hunting plains game. He was putting too many other guys at risk. Anyway, it appears, from what we're hearing at this point, he was either unfamiliar with his rifle or incapable of proper maintenance ... for whatever reason. Dicey health + basic unfamiliarity with the rifle = bad situation. Lucky the PH didn't get killed. He definitely wasn't ready to die.

 

[375Fox]

It is one thing to "go out with boots on" but quite another to take someone else with you. I have nearly met my maker a half dozen times while hunting. Most of those incidents could easily have been (likely would have been) a disaster for someone else's family had I not been hunting alone. One reason why I prefer to hunt alone. A 78 year-old guy with a pacemaker should have been hunting plains game. He was putting too many other guys at risk. Anyway, it appears, from what we're hearing at this point, he was either unfamiliar with his rifle or incapable of proper maintenance ... for whatever reason. Dicey health + basic unfamiliarity with the rifle = bad situation. Lucky the PH didn't get killed. He definitely wasn't ready to die.

Do you ever take the opportunity to shut up? A hunter is dead and a PH seriously injured. That’s the only information you know. It’s an unfortunate situation.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

On a threaded shroud such as Mauser, M70, M700, etc, the firing pin shouldnt reach the primer for the first shot if not threaded in completely, at least I cant think of any possible way. Maybe that will be my project for the day. Maybe it would now that I think more about it, as the bolt notch in the cocking cam is what stops forward travel. Interesting.

I think you may be correct. I just checked my Mauser. Though the scenario I tested could explain the striker and shroud laying on the ground separate from the rifle, it does not appear the firing pin could reach the primer for client's first shot if the shroud was so loosely attached that it came off when the safety was released (maybe there never was a first shot? Hmmm). Not even close. I only had to look at the position of rear of cocking piece when properly fired vs where it's located when released if shroud became detached. A half inch short. Of course, as you indicate, maybe the client was using a more unconventional DGR.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Do you ever take the opportunity to shut up? A hunter is dead and a PH seriously injured. That’s the only information you know. It’s an unfortunate situation.

Actually, we have been supplied with a wealth of information about this particular incident. Much more than is usually provided in official news releases.

Point being I see no reason to glorify anyone who takes risks when others are involved.

 

[rookhawk]

No words can provide comfort in this situation. I'm sure the professional was highly competent, it's just winning the world's worst lottery sometimes in the bush.

Regardless of the facts, I encourage everyone that hunts dangerous game to use enough gun. Even with the right gun (probably was the right gun), tragedies still can happen.

 

[Adipose]

Looks like there was a gun malfunction and it effected the hunter from firing a shot when the Buff charged. Must have been a scary time.

 

[roklok]

Not saying it was a Gunwerks action, but they are used in Africa, and have a "quick release" striker and firing pin assembly. There are a half dozen other actions that have similar quick release striker assemblies. Go to 3:30 in this video and you can see what I am talking about. Probably not a great idea for a DG rifle. Sure it makes cleaning easier, but it is a bit disconcerting to me how easy the shroud and striker part ways with rifle.

 

[rookhawk]

No idea what rifle was used, but on a mauser type rifle you could reassemble a bolt one rotation less than required. That being said, never take apart a bolt in the bush. At minimum, you need tremendous force to cock it against a hard object while forcing the safety back on, prior to reinsertion in a rifle. A slip or gouge of the cocking piece in this process can render a gun non-functional or a damage the trigger/sear engagement.

Please do not do gun smithing in the field, always have a backup rifle. It's not the place for it and you do not have the tools to do the work properly at camp.

In my workshop when I do the above procedure, I have on work gloves, a heavy vise, blocks of hardwood and leather, and a kid assistant to throw the safety when I say "go". The more proper way to do it is to have a bolt vise for each action type which is a substantial investment but one I would make if I was my profession.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Not saying it was a Gunwerks action, but they are used in Africa, and have a "quick release" striker and firing pin assembly. There are a half dozen other actions that have similar quick release striker assemblies. Go to 3:30 in this video and you can see what I am talking about. Probably not a great idea for a DG rifle. Sure it makes cleaning easier, but it is a bit disconcerting to me how easy the shroud and striker part ways with rifle.

Yep. I would be concerned too. I thought those guys were just big into the long range BS. The part about their glorious bolt design kinda popped my eyeballs for several reasons. "Everyone will eventually push the reloading envelope till they can't open the bolt. You know, when the bolt has to be opened by pounding on it with a 2x4 and solder breaks, etc." I'm not exaggerating! Watch the video. I've been shooting and reloading since 1964 and have yet to seize a bolt. But then I don't shoot at anything, alive or not, at 1500 yards. So maybe I'm just not normal. Don't answer that 375Fox.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

No idea what rifle was used, but on a mauser type rifle you could reassemble a bolt one rotation less than required. That being said, never take apart a bolt in the bush. At minimum, you need tremendous force to cock it against a hard object while forcing the safety back on, prior to reinsertion in a rifle. A slip or gouge of the cocking piece in this process can render a gun non-functional or a damage the trigger/sear engagement.

Please do not do gun smithing in the field, always have a backup rifle. It's not the place for it and you do not have the tools to do the work properly at camp.

In my workshop when I do the above procedure, I have on work gloves, a heavy vise, blocks of hardwood and leather, and a kid assistant to throw the safety when I say "go". The more proper way to do it is to have a bolt vise for each action type which is a substantial investment but one I would make if I was my profession.

As I discovered today the bolt shroud only has to be just barely started in the threads and the bolt will close and operate. If the shroud is screwed on more than that, the bolt will still operate, albeit defectively, but the shroud will not separate from the bolt.

Mauser made a tool, I believe, for servicing the bolt, even in the field. Isn't that why there's a notch at the end of cocking piece? Resetting the safety is a bit tricky without the tool but I can manage it by myself using either the open claw of vice or just the edge of the table. Done it countless times. Half a dozen times today during above experiments. Examining the sear with a magnifying glass, I don't see that it's sustained any damage ... beyond the grinding necessary to change to Timney trigger. That sear metal is VERY hard!

Mr Cox was hunting buffalo in a very dry dusty environment. Maybe I'm wrong, but cleaning the rifle thoroughly every day, especially the bolt, would seem to be a prerequisite. Seems doubtful there would have been a gunsmith in camp to do it for everyone hunting with a classic CRF DGR.