Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Question on Patterson-Tsavo Lions

I have not read the book but watched the movie again last night for the umpteenth time. Anyone know what kind of rifle Patterson used? And does anyone know what kind of rifle was used in the movie if not the same.

Looking at the rifle, it is pretty nice looking with a very slim forearm.

Thanks

Lee-Metford sporter in .303 British!! A really slick Enfield!!

Commonly known as a Lee Speed. 303 with 6 round mag.
Some had tang safeties, some right behind the bolt handle, and some had no safe.
One on the bottom has a bolt mounted side safe.



Been a while since I read the book so don't remember if that's what he actually used.

Pete

One like this...one I own and one I'm building

And therre are some who deem the 303 to be a worthless hunting round. I grew fat eating moose and deer harvested with a #1mk3. An interesting side note to that incident is the historical background. Patterson was over there to build railways as there was much compitition between the British and Geerman to open up AAfrica as colonies.

Because cattle were brought in to feed all the troops and settlers, hoof and mouth became epidemic and resulted in the decimation of the bovine related species as in much of the planes game like wildebeast, eland, cape buffalo etc. This epidemic reached its peak right at the time that the predatory peak cycle was occurring. There were man eater problems throughout Africa because there was little game left for the big predators to eat. We are not that tasty, but hey when you are hungry you will eat most anything.

This period of time saw only the most tenatious and aggresive survive and is partially responsible for the toughness of sais species today.

Randy

Been a long time since I read the book, but iirc at one point he borrowed a Farquharson (or similar) and had it fail to fire when the time came. Went back to his .303.

Good book, really short, I remember wishing he'd gone into more detail.

Incidentally I reread his accounts just these past few days, stuck in sickbay.

The guns he used were mostly the .303 Enfield and a 'smoothbore double' (shotgun with slugs).

He did not have a heavy himself and was loaned one rifle, with indeed failed him in a deceiding moment and was later returned to the owner 'with polite compliments'.

The accounts of Col. Patterson are a valuable and entertaining read; very insightful into the times.

Tsavo Maneaters Download

On this page anyone interested can download the accounts.

Just go to download on the right screen, select your format (.pdf works) and follow the link.

The book is by far a better account than the movie, of course. The Lions are on display in Chicago now....good read!

I went to Tsavo once in 1973. Nasty place, thorns and red dirt. The elephants are red.

IIRC it was a .303 Sporter....
As Randy said above, the .303 has made plenty of meat...a PH I met while hunting in Zim related a story of his first lion charge...unexpected and all he had was his .303..
And I quote " I nearly shat myself!!"
I did a build with a .303 and hunted some plains game with it..my PHs father was genuinely tickled to see the old beast, as he had used one extensively...



Ingwe

My first centerfire was a SMLE .303 anf the funny thing looking back and especially considering the volumes of waffle stated relating to custom actions, claw extractors, CRF and all that, the SMLE has probably taken more game since 1888 than all the other stuff combined. It truely is a world cartridge and has seen use all over the globe.

The other fact that will agrivate hte CRF newcomers, is that the SMLE action is mass produced, has a front bolt face cap that is made in different lengths to alter headspace ( just screw a new one on), is push feed, ahs no feed rails and actually controls the cartride feed from lips designed on tehtop of the magazine.

Everything is wrong and technically imperfect according to the CRF experts.

But it works and still does. As for the cartridge, it is akin to the .308 Winchester in power and a little behind the .30/06. Now duck!

JW

+1, couldn't agree more

what an awesome looking gun

Thanks...I got more comments on that one, than any other one Ive ever posted...it was actually a real pleasure to pack and hunt with...came in at about 6 lbs, and was a pleasure to shoot...

Ingwe

Ever since I was a kid and read all the stories about the famous scout Burnham and his exploits in Africa, I've wanted to build a Medford style rifle.... The Patterson movie didn't help matters any. I suppose you need to start with a #1 Mk III, and just go from there?

Kaywoodie

I took the lazy mans way out and started with a #4 MK I because of the flat left side on the receiver...easy to mount a conventional reciever sight to for my older eyes...
A true-to-life reproduction of a Lee- Metford sporter would be mega-cool..


Ingwe

I can see the Medford as just one of many projects for the future. It would go well with my Krag!!!!!! (I love Krags!)

Latest project will be restoring this old piece that walked into our local gunshop here in our small town. I couldn't believe it when I spotted it yesterday! Had to have it. I've already located the correct rear sight to replace the Marbles that was fitted to it many years ago. Small ring 98 in 8 x 57JS. DST's too!!!!! Has some minor stock bedding to do. But nothing serious.



Kaywoodie

Sweeeeet!

I killed my first Kudu with a rifle very much like that one..


Cool beans!


Ingwe