The 2016 Expedition 1880 Era Black Powder Hunt At Weltevreden Farm In Limpopo South Africa

[Gert Odendaal]

Life around the camp:
I always smile when people points out to the fact that the old people when on the trek path had a lot of leisure time on their hands and they mostly sit and relaxed...http://www.**NOT**PERMITTED**.co.za/forums/images/smilies/happy0065.gifhttp://www.**NOT**PERMITTED**.co.za/forums/images/smilies/grin.gif
Through out this whole hunt, nobody had time to relaxed, or sit and do nothing. The most time were spend by looking /dragging wood adjacent to the camp for fire. Making food was a continuous effort.
Herman Nel and Willie Barnard cast bullets. Johan Greyling, Ruan and me re-load for the Martini Henry rifle. We used Willie Barnard`s veld reloading set. Since we did not have a press, I seated the bullets by pressing it against the Kameeldoring tree or a wooden trunk, I did hammered them in with a mallet as well.
Photos will follow..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Life around the camp:
We were constant in discussions regarding historical and hunting related issues.

Roasting and grinding coffee was done daily. Hansie Minnaar brought Boabab tree kernels to roast and grind as coffee powder. Jaap grinned coffee beans .

Instruction/training were given to the "penkop" , knowledge was shared with all in the camp.

Repair work to our rifles was important to ensure accuracy..

Leather work featured through out the week :

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Leather work featured through out the week :

The tailor ensures a snug fit:

We re-load for the Martini Henry rifle as well and cast some bullets . Herman Nel cast for his Snider rifle .577 ga bullets. Willie Barnard cast bullets as well.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Pretty incredible work going on in the camp.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

The best is still to come...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

As mentioned previously , another activity in the camp was the process of casting bullets for the rifles we used. Herman Nel cast bullets (round balls) for his Snyder rifle:

Willie Barnard cast for his Martini Henry rifle:

 

[siml]

Super stuff, Gert.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

The next activity was re-loading for the Martini Henry rifles we took along:

Here are the two re-loading gadgets Willie Barnard use to re-load the Martini Henry rounds in the veld:

Priming the brass:

De-priming the brass:

Seating the bullet:

or seating the bullet:

To shooting the rounds:

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Some nice things that kept the attention:
Original black powder from the 1880 era:

Fresh home made bread baked in a river bank by Johan Greyling the master baker:

Fresh ground coffee:

Meat processed from the first Impala shot by Johan Greyling into biltong:

Rusks for early mornings:

 

[wiml76]

Very cool thread Gert, great stuff!

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Some photos of re-loading and shooting a muzzle loader rifle:
By the looks of it Swannie knows how to handle these old stalwarts:

Now to measure:

Working the rod to keep everything down and thight:

Aim:

Shoot:

I think that was when he shot from the 150 meter distance...

 

[spike.t]

really interesting seeing it all gert. enjoyed last years as well

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Now to measure:

All very cool and very good shooting offhand! Was that horn cut to measure the perfect quantity when leveled off? Thanks for sharing it all with us!

 

[Gert Odendaal]

A few more photos regarding cooking and baking by all concerned ...A few more photos regarding cooking and baking by all concerned ...
As indicated previously, Johan Greyling is an excellent baker when it comes to huge white bread...the fire in the river bank is as usual started by using a Tonteldoos and flint:

Using horse manure to ignite and place it in a handful of grass to start the fire:

Handful of grass ignites:

The fire is burns:

Johan Greyling mixing the dough:

The results:

The end product:

Hansie Minnaar en Erik baking :Rooster koek".

Rolling out the dough using a fine vintage wine bottle:

Cutting the squares:

Onto the fire in a rooster:

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Willie Barnard cooked us a Impala/Warthog roll:

MC Heunis and Swannie made us "stormjaers" it is a "Vet koek" I doubt there to be an English version of the Vetkoek...it is dough balls cooked in deep fried mutton fat..

The main course, lamb pot with spaghetti, potatoes and onions:

Note the replica of an 1880 era spice box made by a good friend Chris Moolman:

End result:
Photo is still uploading ..slow internet..

 

[Wheels]

Gert, really enjoying the photos.

Do you have any photos of the finished flat bread?

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I will take a look, still have five hundred photos to look at..I can send you a recipe of the "flat bread "

 

[Gert Odendaal]

All very cool and very good shooting offhand! Was that horn cut to measure the perfect quantity when leveled off? Thanks for sharing it all with us!

Phillip, definitely so, the Boer hunters really made ingenious plans to make things easier for themselves , remember there was not a lot powder available in those days, they had to bring it from the Cape with them when they trek to other parts of the country...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Finally the end result:

 

[Jfet]

Outstanding story