I have come to the conclusion that "New Guys" are welcome, BUT......

[D-Orcutt]

I’m a fairly new member and the wealth of knowledge I have acquired from the more experienced members has been priceless. My advice would be to pick a hunt date and start planning that’s half the fun, there will not be a question that can’t be answered here.

 

[Manny R]

Tekianika_Ray,
Let me apologize for some of the members on this site. Most members here are polite, eager to give great advice and really solid guys. There are a few who feel they are the guardian trolls of AH. They have been here for a long time and only goes by their rules and feel every new member is a thief till their probation period has been scrutinize. All I wish to say this is a great site, give it a little time and it will all work out for you. This site has had it problems with scammers as do all sites when trying to sell items on the internet. These guys just wish to be careful and not get burned. Generally if you put a question out here several people will jump in with terrific advice or tell you where to find it.
Good luck and we are glad you chose AH to be part of our large family.
Remember in a large family you have asshole relatives...lol

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Please, someone explain how in such a short duration of time I have gotten the wrong impression. There must be a ridiculous amount a scammers or I have just had poor exposure.

You’ve figured out the problem before the first reply…

That said, I waited a while before my first post because I didn’t think I had much to offer. I waited a long time before I bought or sold anything here and I’ve been a member for a long time.

I wouldn’t take it as hazing or any type of low level BS being cast your way… This is one of the best communities I belong to and have gleaned far more than I’ve been able to contribute. Don’t take things too personally because there is too much value here to pass up!

There are all types here, take what you need and try to offer content that is helpful. You’ll be glad you stayed…

 

[ActionBob]

I certainly understand caution when buying and sending money to a newbie.

However what is the risk of a newbie buying? You send your funds and trust seller to ship your item. No real risk when a newbie is the buyer.

 

[Hogpatrol]

As others have posted, scammers and hacked accounts have occurred on this and other hunting and gun related sites. The red flag goes up when a new member posts a sale, want to buy ad or starts contacting members. It's unfortunate that your original posts are taken that way but senior members have long memories. Having said that, you won't find any site with more information on worldwide hunting than AH. Personally, I have had PM chats, phone conversations, made purchases from members here and even got to meet up with another member at my last venue and hunt with him. We are now planning a combo fishing & hunting trip next year to Angola and RSA. Here's hoping you stick around and enjoy the planning and research for your first African safari.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I certainly understand caution when buying and sending money to a newbie.

However what is the risk of a newbie buying? You send your funds and trust seller to ship your item. No real risk when a newbie is the buyer.

Washed money orders, washed checks, fake money orders, treasurer's checks, certified checks. Another site I peruse, a money order was stolen, washed and the buyer got nothing for his $1,000. IIRC, there's been more than one member here that mailed money to scammers.. Gunbroker has had many cut and paste ads posted. I have a couple hundred firearm related transactions on the web but still do my due diligence with buyer and sellers..

 

[teklanika_ray]

@teklanika_ray
What are you looking for.
Thanks for asking Krish, I currently am not looking for anything. I have found 505 gibbs dies, brass, bullets, barrel, action, etc. On other sites.
I have several 458 lotts in the safe and was very intrigued by the possibility of owning one put together by Jack Lott himself, but that impulse has certainly passed. I think I'll just try to be quiet and observe a bit.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

New member appear to be held in a very untrustworthy light, and long standing members appear to have license to dismiss new members with an elitist attitude that I find a bit off putting.

I only quoted this part of your post because it pushed my buttons the most. I've been a member here on AH for quite sometime. One of the chief reasons is AH in comparison to other similar websites has historically not been full of elitist members and quite welcoming of new members. So it concerns me that you have this impression. I think if you will hang around that your initial impressions will moderate and your opinion will improve. I hope that you will.

Now unfortunately the truth is that AH has to some extent been invaded by scammers. We have a thread dedicated to it in fact if you've not seen it. The natural reaction unfortunately for established members is to throw up the defenses and proceed cautiously (if at all) when the business dealing is with a new guy, whether they be a buyer or seller. It's certainly not fair, but you're unfortunately being held accountable to some extent for the sins committed by others. However unfair that may be, that's just how it is at this point.

I hope you will stick around and participate in the forum. Familiarity in this case does not breed contempt but confidence instead.

I also would encourage you to find ways of working with sellers when you wish to buy an item to establish a clean transaction that is good for both parties. Do this a time or two and you will build your reputation as a stand up gent quickly.

As an example, I recently purchased a M70 in 7x57 caliber. I've been looking for one for quite awhile now. Back around 2013, Winchester made a bunch in their M70 Featherweight line and I bought one for my son. After developing loads with it and shooting it a bunch, I really came to love that rifle and wished I had bought two. But it was too late and finding one has been a bear.

Well a few weeks back now, a M70 Super Grade in the same caliber (of which very few were made) came up for sale here on AH from a new guy. I was immediately interested but my defenses went up immediately and alarms were ringing. The long story made a little shorter, the seller lives in Texas. He worked with me and in the end he arranged to have the rifle taken to a gun shop near Houston where fellow AH member @Mark Biggerstaff works. Mark confirmed the rifle was as described. I subsequently and immediately sent funds via PayPal to the seller who then released the rifle to Mark who then shipped it to me in Arizona. Both buyer and seller were protected through the process until the sale was finalized.

I think if you will think about ways that protect you and the other party and work with that person, you can make this work for you. You just need to be a little creative. By simply showing your interest in making sure the other party is protected will go a long way to establish a reputation as a solid honest buyer or seller.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I certainly understand caution when buying and sending money to a newbie.

However what is the risk of a newbie buying? You send your funds and trust seller to ship your item. No real risk when a newbie is the buyer.

Unless the seller is also relatively new. New members can be scammed just like established members. Are they likely to be scammed by those of us with many years here and lots of posts, not likely. But that threshold of being an established member is not always so clear.

 

[Andrew62]

@teklanika_ray I do not know one thing about a 505 Gibbs, other than I am not man enough to shoot one, but if I can ever try and help with any other subject, please feel free to reach out to me. Lots of great people on this forum have been very helpful to me. We were all newbies at some point!

 

[mdwest]

Unless the seller is also relatively new. New members can be scammed just like established members. Are they likely to be scammed by those of use with many years here and lots of posts, not likely. But that threshold of being an established member is not always so clear.

this is why I have only bought from well established members that have a long history on the board, and several other prior transactions..

sucks to be that limited.. but for now with the scamvasion we've had.. its the best path (for me at least)..

 

[Velo Dog]

Greetings teklanika_ray,

Khomas Highland Hunting & Fishing Safaris of Namibia, welcomes you to the greatest forum on earth.

I am sorry to learn that you have had a negative experience here.
Others have already posted suggestions on how to roll with your unpleasant encounter, or not.
So, I cannot think of anything else to add, except that I repeat, sorry you have had a negative experience here.

Meanwhile, if you decide to stay and I hope you do, please tell us a bit more about yourself, approximately where on the earth you live, (I’m guessing interior Alaska), if applicable, what particular species you want to use that .505 Gibbs on, what specific country in Africa, if any, are you leaning toward and so-forth.

Looks like you have good taste in large bore rifles.
The sadly discontinued CZ 550 action is a real diamond in the rough, as per my experiences with several of them.
Furthermore, most of the ones I had owned (still have a couple), were not even “in the rough”.
They were perfect, right out of the box, so to speak.

The one exception was a .500 Jeffery I had bought new, from CZ’s so called “Custom Shop” for $3,000.+ in USA Dollars.
It wouldn’t feed from the magazine.
So, a local professional Gunsmith here in Anchorage (Andy Hawk), reshaped the follower, via milling machine and he hand filed the rails, jut a wee bit.
Then voila, it suddenly became a slick feeder.

Likewise, I had him install a Model 70 style wing “safety” and weld on a properly large bolt handle.
Today that .500 would perhaps be worth twice what I had paid for it, back when they were still being made.
I hope to see pictures of your .505 project as it progresses or, at least upon it’s completion.

Best Regards,
Velo Dog.

 

[Hank2211]

You raise an interesting issue. I’ve been a member here for quite some time and I - as well as some of the other older members - have noticed a change in the general ‘tone’ of the forum. What was consistently friendly, collegial and fun has sometimes become adversarial and aggressive. I’m not sure why that is (a reflection of changes in society in general?), but it’s regrettable.

Having said that, can I suggest that you stick it out here - there is so much that’s good that it’s well worthwhile to just filter out what is not as good (and happily, our moderators filter out the worst)? Eventually you come to know who to pay attention to, and who to ignore, whose advice is based on experience, and whose is based on arrogance, and who is genuinely interested (and interesting) and who is only showing off. Ignore what doesn’t serve you, and focus on what does. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

 

[Dinsdale]

I certainly understand caution when buying and sending money to a newbie.

However what is the risk of a newbie buying? You send your funds and trust seller to ship your item. No real risk when a newbie is the buyer.

Yaa....

Some of the most expensive items I have ever sold on forums have been to folks who often joined just to buy the item I listed. Well into the thousands not like 50 bucks either.

Buying I get, but selling?

 

[Carson]

I've been on a lot of hunting forums and this one is hands down the most friendly and welcoming.

 

[teklanika_ray]

Greetings teklanika_ray,

Khomas Highland Hunting & Fishing Safaris of Namibia, welcomes you to the greatest forum on earth.

I am sorry to learn that you have had a negative experience here.
Others have already posted suggestions on how to roll with your unpleasant encounter, or not.
So, I cannot think of anything else to add, except that I repeat, sorry you have had a negative experience here.

Meanwhile, if you decide to stay and I hope you do, please tell us a bit more about yourself, approximately where on the earth you live, (I’m guessing interior Alaska), if applicable, what particular species you want to use that .505 Gibbs on, what specific country in Africa, if any, are you leaning toward and so-forth.

Looks like you have good taste in large bore rifles.
The sadly discontinued CZ 550 action is a real diamond in the rough, as per my experiences with several of them.
Furthermore, most of the ones I had owned (still have a couple), were not even “in the rough”.
They were perfect, right out of the box, so to speak.

The one exception was a .500 Jeffery I had bought new, from CZ’s so called “Custom Shop” for $3,000.+ in USA Dollars.
It wouldn’t feed from the magazine.
So, a local professional Gunsmith here in Anchorage (Andy Hawk), reshaped the follower, via milling machine and he hand filed the rails, jut a wee bit.
Then voila, it suddenly became a slick feeder.

Likewise, I had him install a Model 70 style wing “safety” and weld on a properly large bolt handle.
Today that .500 would perhaps be worth twice what I had paid for it, back when they were still being made.
I hope to see pictures of your .505 project as it progresses or, at least upon it’s completion.

Best Regards,
Velo Dog.

You are correct Interior Alaska.

As for my plans, I'm really not certain. I was planning on this one custom rifle, but after chatting with members here, I have decided to build two guns (both on the CZ 550 action). The 505 Gibbs and a second rifle with a barrel swap option. First barrel would be 458 Lott and the second would utilize the same boltface but be more for plains game caliber (I'm thinking 7mm mag, 300 win mag, or 338 win mag). I need to talk to my gunsmith more to settle out the caliber. I already have numerous 458 caliber rifles in the safe, but who can't use just one more.

Where I might use these rifles and what might I attempt to harvest is also in the developmental stag. I definitely am taking the 505 Gibbs to Kodiak, but I may have decided to try to harvest an elephant. Cape buffalo is for sure on the list as is lion. After that, I like kudu, wildebeest, zeba, orix, and several other plains game animals. I have had two safaris given to me in the past, but have never wanted to take the time off from hunting in Alaska to go do them. As retirement approaches, I feel I will have the time to do both, so I started planning a safari couple of months ago.

Anyway, your introduction was interesting. Khomas Highland Hunting & Fishing Safaris of Namibia, and you live in Anchorage. I would be interested in hear more about that connection. Are you going to be at any of the outdoor shows up here?

Thanks for the warm greeting.

Ray H

 

[gillettehunter]

Greetings and welcome to the forum. I'm in agreement with the sentiment from the posters above. The group here is the best that I've found. Not perfect, but lots of knowledge and little BS. Best of luck on your plans.
When you have time please share some hunt details and especially pics with us.
Bruce

 

[Tanks]

Heck, some forums do not allow new members to buy or sell without XX+ posts. If you think this forum is elitest, try some of the shotgun forums.

 

[teklanika_ray]

Yaa....

Some of the most expensive items I have ever sold on forums have been to folks who often joined just to buy the item I listed. Well into the thousands not like 50 bucks either.

Buying I get, but

Heck, some forums do not allow new members to buy or sell without XX+ posts. If you think this forum is elitest, try some of the shotgun forums.

Yaa....

Some of the most expensive items I have ever sold on forums have been to folks who often joined just to buy the item I listed. Well into the thousands not like 50 bucks either.

Buying I get, but selling?

 

[Philip Glass]

Welcome to AH and sorry for the trouble you experienced. I don’t know how to fix this but to advise new members to make a good intro post and then engage in some others.
We do have scammers and then some who start off with an ax to grind about something.
You are in the right place!