Too all,

So that I'm not taking credit where it isn't due, not all of those elephants were killed with one perfect brain shot. Some where knocked down or down and out out with the first shot but needed my second barrel to kill them, some took more than that. I'm successful braining the elephant on my first shot roughly 50% of the time or so.

Larcher,

The barrels on my rifle are 26 1/4". They are in mm's but the rifle isn't here (at my office) and I don't recall that number but the inches aka American version I do know!

I don't think my numbers are off too much. If you look at the bulls and the two cows on there sides, one with two bullet holes, one large on with only one, you might re-evaluate.

Ripp,

The rifle is a Marcel Thys in 458wm.

I know that only rimmed cartridges work in doubles, but please don't tell my rifle that. I also know that 450gr or 500gr bullets from the 458wm bounce off buff and elephants and no less than a Lott is needed, but please don't tell the elephants that either.

I agree on the elephant hunting and you've seen the evidence that elephant hunting is more adictive than crack cocaine. I was lucky I had a wife, kids and mortgage before shooting my first elephant or I would have foregone all of those for fufilling the fever.

BigMaxx,

You've got the fever, I can tell already!

A double is the ultimate rifle for elephant hunting. But if you think you'll be shooting more than one or two, make it a 450NE or better. John Taylor wasn't all wrong! My rifle has saved my life or the lives of a tracket or game scout more than once.

Bake,

Don't overlook a tuskless hunt, it is typically a more exciting but less physically demanding hunt. Cheaper too. So try a tuskless as soon as you can and then go for the bull, is my advice.

BTW, I head out on the 28th with quota for five more tuskless and a trophy bull. More quota than time since I need to be feet on the ground here the 19th October, but they were packaged together in two pieces and neither piece alone had what I wanted.

After this hunt I believe I will need to batten down the hatches for a while and attend to business in what looks like its going to be a tough economy.

JPK