My First Man Eater With The .375 Holland & Holland Magnum

[Panther Shooter]

Very interesting and exciting report! Anxiously waiting on the next episode!

Ridge Walker
Thank you for enjoying it. Please do read the rest , as I have completed it now .

 

[Panther Shooter]

Thank you, sir, somehow I am not surprised.

Mark Hunter
Major Is unfortunately correct in his information . These people treat animals as deities and human beings as cheap trash .

 

[Panther Shooter]

Panther Shooter you are writing more like an old pro rather than a neophyte. I'm looking forward to the rest of the story. Please don't keep us in suspense too long.

Shootist43
You are too kind . I have just finished writing it . Please do read the rest of it and tell me what you think . I will be honored .

 

[Panther Shooter]

Excellent cartridges ... those Winchester Silver Tip soft points were . They will never quite make anything like them , ever again .

Major
And yet , the fools at Winchester have discontinued them in favor of those newfangled Ballistic tip things . What a disgrace .

 

[Panther Shooter]

well written, i enjoyed your and the major,s stories, i have never had the chance to shoot a leopard. i came close in africa, but it was a female and was not on the shooter list. you and the major have done a great public service and should be proud and thanked for it .

Mr. Hetrick
I am honored by your kind words of appreciation. On a related subject , I saw you post some photographs on one of Kawshik’s articles of a fine looking bolt action rifle built on a Springfield Model 1903 receiver , just like mine . Is yours a custom job , or is it simply a stock standard Springfield Model 1903 which has been sporterized ?
The Springfield Model 1903 receiver is a personal favorite of mine and ranks No.1 amongst all of my favorite bolt actions .

 

[Panther Shooter]

Excellent story Panther Shooter. I’ll bet that .375 Rigby was one fine rifle. I really like the Springfield 1903 action too. It’s good that somebody was willing to destroy those man eating beasts.

Wyatt Smith
Thank you for reading my story with so much appreciation . Any person who has good things to say about the Springfield Model 1903 can be good friends of mine .

 

[Ridgewalker]

Oh yes another extremely enjoyable bit of history! These exciting stories that you, Poton and Kawshik have presented us with have been very enjoyable!
Thanks for taking the time to give them to us! Looking forward to your next one!

 

[leslie hetrick]

my springfield 03 was a custom job with barrel being shortened and tapered with a reciever sight-front sight added and real nice stock added. i have another standard 03A3 smith corona that was sporterized but not near as nicely done, D&T for a scope. both shoot very well with 165 gr nosler bullets with 55 grs of imr 4350.

 

[Shootist43]

I really enjoyed your story. Much like you I never wanted to incur my Mother's wrath, even as a grown man. Please don't wait too long to start writing about another of your escapades.

 

[Newboomer]

Excellent account. That was a sweet deal you got from V. Whatever became of the 375HH Rigby you got from him?

 

[mark-hunter]

Great account, sir. I can also congratulate you for all details so vividly remembered!
I have a question, what has happened in following years and decades to mr V, and his double rifle?

 

[DieJager]

Sir, this is what they call " coming in with a bang". Great story, really enjoyed it.

 

[Panther Shooter]

Excellent account. That was a sweet deal you got from V. Whatever became of the 375HH Rigby you got from him?

New Boomer
I am most thankful that you have enjoyed my first amateur attempt at trying to be an author . I have unfortunately seen neither V , nor the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum , after I left India permanently in 1975. He was Dad’s friend. I asked Dad this question this morning , but Dad replied that he has not seen V since 1975 either. The last time he spoke to V over telephone was in 1985. V was ( I might add ) quite a shrewd , little man . He always tried to pay me very cheaply for the hides of all of those Hunting Leopards which I used to shoot ( about a third of what their value actually was , on the black market ) . Initially , I would believe him and take the paltry sum of money like a fool ( because I did not know any better at the time . ) Fortunately , Dad eventually stepped in and threatened V to start paying me the proper amount . He told V that I would no longer keep risking my life and freedom for V’s personal gain unless I was guaranteed proper remuneration.
I suspect that the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum was taken back by the Indian Government after V had retire / quit from the Forest Department.

 

[Panther Shooter]

Great account, sir. I can also congratulate you for all details so vividly remembered!
I have a question, what has happened in following years and decades to mr V, and his double rifle?

Mark Hunter
We are Shikaris . This is what we love doing the most in the entire world. Remembering every little bit of detail of those dear memories is what is most crucial to us . I am most thankful that you have enjoyed my first amateur attempt at trying to be an author . I have unfortunately seen neither V , nor the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum , after I left India permanently in 1975. He was Dad’s friend. I asked Dad this question this morning , but Dad replied that he has not seen V since 1975 either. The last time he spoke to V over telephone was in 1985. V was ( I might add ) quite a shrewd , little man . He always tried to pay me very cheaply for the hides of all of those Hunting Leopards which I used to shoot ( about a third of what their value actually was , on the black market ) . Initially , I would believe him and take the paltry sum of money like a fool ( because I did not know any better at the time . ) Fortunately , Dad eventually stepped in and threatened V to start paying me the proper amount . He told V that I would no longer keep risking my life and freedom for V’s personal gain unless I was guaranteed proper remuneration.
I suspect that the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum was taken back by the Indian Government after V had retired / quit from the Forest Department.

 

[Panther Shooter]

Sir, this is what they call " coming in with a bang". Great story, really enjoyed it.

Die Jager
I am honored that you have enjoyed it so much .

 

[Jeffro]

You tell a good tale, much like your compatriots. Thank-you.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Mom was always a dog lover , even when I was young . Whenever she came across any puppies which she would see on the roads without mothers , she would always bring them back to Jolpaiguri Tea Estate and look after them . Unfortunately for Mom , what she saw as pets ... I saw as potential live bait for enticing Hunting Leopards.
Mom was vehemently opposed to me using one of her adopted puppies as live bait to entice the man eater . However , after a great deal of begging and persuading ( along with help from Dad ) ... Mom finally let me borrow one of her pet puppies as bait , under the condition that I bring the puppy back to her ; unharmed .
The Next day , I put a leash around the puppy’s neck and connected the chain to the mail post in our court yard . I knew that this particular man eater was not even the slightest bit hesitant about getting near our house . The tracks found by TE had proven it .

I went to the basement of our family house and removed some of the loose floor tiles of our basement. Hidden there , was the mahogany wooden case from John Rigby & Co. I took it out and opened it . I assembled the double barrel .375 Holland & Holland Magnum and loaded it with two 300 grain Winchester Silvertip soft nose cartridges. I put in four more extra Winchester Silvertip soft nose cartridges in the breast pocket of my half sleeve cream silk shirt . I attached my flashlight to the fore end of the the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. I was ready now to face my foe.

Come night time , the entire Tea Estate was pitch dark ... save for the light of the half moon night . I was at the veranda of the second floor of our family house , sitting on a mattress on the floor with my head peeking out just above the balcony . From here , I had a 180 degree view of our courtyard , where Mom’s puppy was tied to the mail post, whimpering . The .375 Holland & Holland Magnum lay across my lap and Mom had made me a fresh flask of hot Italian coffee , from which I was constantly taking sips . The caffeine in coffee is a splendid boost for keeping one awake , during nocturnal hunting activities such as these . And my long wait began .

Come 4 :00 AM , I could see a large four legged mammalian form making it’s way through our tea plants towards the courtyard . There was no doubt about it. It was the Hunting Leopard . It was huge ; roughly as large as a bull Nilgai . I hurriedly , but silently readied V’s .375 Holland & Holland Magnum . As an added precautionary measure , I took out two extra cartridges and kept them between my fingers in case a hasty reload was necessary. As already established in my previous story ( Narrated by Major Khan ) , the vegetation in Jolpaiguri Tea Estate was not even remotely dense . Our tea plants were no larger than three feet in height . Thus , the terrain was actually quite open and this always permitted me greater visibility of my quarry from a distance .

The fiend slowly crossed a large pomegranate tree in our court yard and cleaned it’s claws on the bark of the tree trunk ( Assuming that all of you are familiar with my previous story which was narrated by Major Khan , then you will already be aware of the fact that Hunting Leopards always clean their claws on tree barks prior to attacking their quarry . ) before slowly advancing towards the helpless puppy , which only continued to whimper louder and louder in despair after seeing the monster advancing towards him .

When the Hunting Leopard was roughly twenty paces away from the puppy , and around 30 yards from my veranda , I decided that it was close enough . I leapt to my feet , while simultaneously flicking on the flashlight which was attached to the fore end of my .375 Holland & Holland Magnum . I directed the beam of the flashlight at the fiend’s head , as I whipped the rifle up to my shoulder . As the startled monster turned it’s head to stare at me , I seized my opportunity and fired the left barrel , having selected the region behind it’s shoulder as my target . The enraged fiend roared a blood curling cry in pain and was turning around while I instantly switched triggers and fired the right barrel at the devil cat . I heard the satisfactory sound of the second 300 grain Winchester Silvertip tearing into the fiend’s shoulder as well.

By instinctive reflex , I hit the top lever of the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum and broke open the breech . As the automatic ejectors sprung out the empty cartridge casings , I instantly rammed the two extra cartridges into the chambers and closed the breech ; ready to land more shots on the fiend , if necessary. However , it was not necessary . There , lying dead , sprawled across the green courtyard grass outside our family home , was my foe - The man eating Hunting Leopard which had savaged C to death .

Hearing the gun shots , Mom and Dad ( who use to live in the ground floor of our family house ) came running out of the house and our employees came running out of the servants quarters. Everyone praised me highly for destroying the man eater . Well, everyone except Mom . Mom was angry why I had put the leash on the puppy’s neck so tightly and demanded that I cut the “ poor , frightened baby “ loose immediately . I hurriedly took out my Imperial Schrade Old Timer slip joint pocket knife from my trouser pocket and opened the shaving sharp 1095 carbon steel drop point blade . I then cut the leash open and freed the little puppy . It immediately ran towards Mom whimpering . Dad and our employees laughed heartily and joked that an Army marksman and the slayer of man eating Hunting Leopards was still terrified of angering his mother .
Everyone was in a good mood .

Dad , TE and I carried the carcass of the fiend into Dad’s tool shed and we examined him properly after turning all of our room lights on . There was a porcupine quill impaled through it’s gonads and it’s genitals had become gangrenous . No confusion in our minds remained anymore , as to why this particular Hunting Leopard had turned man eater. He weighed a full 94 kilograms . Upon flaying the monster , I was really impressed with the way those two 300 grain Winchester Silvertips had “ mushroomed “ ( I believe that is the correct term ? ) inside the vital organs of the fiend . Both of my shots , had done a significant amount of damage to the heart/ lung region of the creature . I knew then and there , that the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum was the perfect Hunting Leopard rifle for me . And I knew then and there , that the 300 grain Winchester Silvertip was THE bullet for these devil cats .
Upon removing the innards of the fiend , we found a small piece of the sole of a human being’s foot inside his stomach .
All these years later ( 47 years ) , my views still mirror those developed by me on May of 1973 . However , I have developed a few small modifications to my opinions ( But more on that , below . )
View attachment 338456

C’s killer .

Great story, I enjoyed it immensely!

 

[Panther Shooter]

You tell a good tale, much like your compatriots. Thank-you.

Jeffro
I am glad that you enjoyed it .

 

[Panther Shooter]

Great story, I enjoyed it immensely!

Doug Hamilton
Thank you ! I enjoyed writing it.

 

[1dirthawker]

It was like falling in love . There , lying disassembled within the case was a brand new John Rigby & Co. sidelock Double Rifle . It was a .375 Holland & Holland magnum and it’s beauty was unrivaled by anything else , which I had seen at the time. That fine stock of English walnut . Those blued steel barrels . That ornate sidelock receiver . That ivory bead fore sight . Absolutely marvelous . It had 24 inch long barrels , automatic ejectors , double triggers and a manual safety .Also packed inside the case were the cleaning tools for the rifle , and three boxes of Winchester 300 grain cartridges . Two

i laughed as i read your description of the rifle! who among us, has not felt a similar thriller a certain rifle, a simple (or complex) inanimate object! panther shooter, thank you for such an honest and description portrayal of a great adventure.