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Also, I noticed both shooters seemed casual about reloading/replenishing the magazine. The last thing to be saddled with in a tight situation is an empty rifle.
When I shot my first elephant, I was standing looking down at it and it occurred to me that I should reload my rifle, a bolt gun which I had emptied at a range of about 35 feet. When I opened the bolt, I was surprised to find a live round in the chamber and a full magazine. I looked down and there were four empty cases at my feet.
I had drilled myself in reloading so carefully that reloading had become automatic and I had carried it out without even being aware of it. Practice makes perfect.
Funny that you mention this. I am of the same opinion as you, and before going ele hunting some years ago, practiced filling my magazine until it became automatic. When I eventually did shoot an ele, my PH mentioned shortly afterwards that I should refill my mag. When I put my hand down to fish out some cartridges from my cartridge wallet, it was already missing the number of rounds I had fired. This had been done so automatically, that just as you had experienced, I had not been aware that I had done it. It had also been done so swiftly that the PH didn't catch that I had done it either.
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Re: Elephant charge!