Bill Poole's Trip to the
Republic of South Africa
Day 15
Friday, 13-Nov-98
Africa's Big Shot Show!
 
Someone told me about it, and I saw the signs and an ad in a magazine

I headed up to Kyalami (S 25 deg 59.857', N 28 deg 4.136') exhibition center for an outdoor, hunting, shooting etc show.

There were lots of exhibiters, including numerous gun shops and firearms importers. Hunting Truck customizing companies (Nissan makes a full sized pickup!) Kynoch big bore ammo... Kalahari arms is the remington importer.

Also clothing, safari companies, clubs, etc.

I took a few photos.

Vendor display at Africa's Big Shot Show
 
 

Basically, most everything available in the US is available here, and a few things that aren't.

The Vektor company had a display of pump action rifles, they looked like a valmet or galil variant but with a pumped forarm, in .223. Folks on a farm can own semi-autos as can licensed 'sportsman" or collectors, normally they don't issue licenses for self-loading rifles (lotsa pistols tho).

There were a number of custom rifle makers and knife makers.

Lotsa clothing makers.

Prices on guns looked like about 50% higher than US for US guns and about the same for european guns.

There was a Steyr   Scout and a company that made a nice looking scout out of an Argentine Mauser action and Enfield actions.

There was an enfield (.303) with a folding stock on display, it had a shortened barrel and a scope, a "Bakkie Gun".

The collectors club had a vicker's .303 water cooled WWI machine gun, elsewhere there was a Mauser PanzerFaust? 13.5mm WWI anti-"tank" rifle. Target shooting club had a display.

The national fly fishing club was there. A wildlife rehab place with a Batteur (eagle) and African Fish Eagle (looks like a bald eagle!)

Truck makers had some neat hunting and safari trucks on display. (Note the spigots on the side, they were connected to tanks in the bed and were marked "beer" "gin" "rum" etc.) 

A SA maker had a paraffin fired water heater, it was a water pipe in a chimney with a water jacket, they stoked it up and steaming water came out as fast as cold water went in. Camp or rural shower and hot water.

I saw the company that is making the 1999   Palma Ammo!

I met a guy from NRA there. I did not know him, but he works for Bill Poole (no relation).

They had fly casting pool and a laser beam skeet shoot!

It was worth going to. The after-action report by the organizers.

Look what I found: http://www.shooting-online.co.za/



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last modified by Bill Poole on 10-Jan-99, ©.
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E-mail me if you are so inclined: bill@poole.com
During this trip, (and future trips) I was (will be) available at: bill_poole@yahoo.com