Plains99
.300 member
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 225
Loc: Dodge City, Kansas, USA
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I recently purchased an old 1947 book by an American named Truesdale (sp) on the "Development of the Sporting Rifle." I read it over the weekend. The author related hundreds of quotes from experienced and famous hunters around the world and their experiences with different rifle calibers and their effectiveness on large and small game. It is fascinating reading because it is before the modern "magnum" calibers. I was intrigued with the universal popularity and effectiveness of the .256 Mannlicher in the early part of the 20th Century, for instance. What surprised me was that the 9.3X62 or 9.3X64 were never mentioned in the book although there were rave reviews of the .35 Whelen which is nearly identical. There were a few passing references by hunters such as Karmon Kittenberger, for instance, regarding the 8X68, 9mm, or even much mention of the 7.9X57 (8mm Mauser)... yet we know (or I thought) that these calibers were quite popular in Africa. Who were the famous European (continental) Ivory and Big Game hunters of the early 20th Century and what European calibers did they use. Is there an old book that discusses this?
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Plains99
.300 member
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 225
Loc: Dodge City, Kansas, USA
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Looks like I have a research project on my hands. Surely Kittenberger wasn't the only one. I love a challenge.
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ORION
.275 member
Reged: 25/01/03
Posts: 58
Loc: SSouth Australia
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HI
Wanderings of an Elephant Hunter
a must read!
W.D.M. BELL { KARAMOJO BELL }
Weidmannsheil
ORION
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40630
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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I'm trying to think of the book(s).
But I remember reading the 8x60 was popular (which is the 8x57 slightly lengthened).
The 10.75x68 was infamous. Many claiming it was inferior but probably due to the inferior 347 gr FMJ projectile which wasn't well constructed. Reference to this was in Harry Manners' book "Kambaku". Manners was a German descended ivory hunter in Mozambique. He rejected the 10.75x68 for a Winchester 70 in .375 H&H and later two of them.
The 7x57 was a popular round in South Africa as it was a Boer military and para-military round.
I remember a German hunter (not African) used a 7mm Super Express vom Hofe as his plains game and mountain round in Africa and Asia. I think his heavy rifle was a .500 NE double. Harold Wolfe of "Hatari Times" wrote about him in one of his issues. Maybe someone else can post his name.
Alf would be a great person to answer your questions especially with regard to Mausers.
--------------------
John aka NitroX
 ...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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577Robert
.224 member
Reged: 10/02/05
Posts: 30
Loc: Germany, NRW
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Hello Plains99
I am not 100% sure if we have the same books because mine is titeled "the RIFLE its developement for Big-Game hunting", but S.R. Truesdell refers in his book a couple of times to the 9,3 Mauser and has even a picture of a double square brigde Mauser available. This is the 9,3x62.
Robert
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