The great Indian road trip
Hi guys! I was away on leave and was not able to contribute to the forum but could drop in a few times and get an idea of the fun u were having. I had taken a long leave and driven around 4434 kilometres.
I started my journey from the eastern seaboard of India , Orissa. This state is almost pristine and untouched but is being gradually developed owing to its massive stores of minerals and timber. Wildlife abounds but is off limits. It is still the place where tuskers rule supreme and sloth bears are not uncommon. Crossing this diamond in the rough I reached the state capital, Bhubaneswar. It is called the city of temples owing to the 790 + temples in the city. U can find GAP and Mc Donalds interspersed between the temple boulevards.
Next day i crossed the state of West Bengal. One could see rice paddies as far as the eye could go. The impression is akin to a vast green carpet being unfurled by nature. As rice is the staple food crop of this region they grow a lot of it. Cultivation is intensive in nature and up to three crops of rice can be had per field per year. The area is also dotted with ponds and rivers where fishing is good and u can find eel, rohu and various other edible species. The state is sadly in the grip of communists and is not the haven it can be for people like us.
Crossing the state border landed me in Jharkhand, another great outdoor destination. The land is pristine and the forests virgin. The locals are for the most part tribals and simple folk. Surprisingly they follow a matriarchal way of life and are great trappers and hunters. I have seen them trap and kill game (jackals) using snares made of telephone wire and bamboo bow and arrows. No mechanical heads for these guys, they use crudely made fixed broad heads and the arrow is also made of bamboo. They have different languages in each tribe and are
"touchy". Any differences are still settled the old way.
Then I traversed the length of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. These states account for huge areas and population densities are high. The expressway provided for inspired driving and great views. The flip side was a rough stretch of road and the crowds during the festive season. Shortly I reached Delhi, the capital and after a spot of shopping was home. Seems so small written down, it took me 4 days but my Chevy compact held up and kept the missus and kids comfy.
I picked up a 4 tins of H & N barracudas and was itching to try them. Besides these guys i had a tin of Gamo pro magnums and the Indian home brew by a guy who does contract manufacture for RWS. At first glance these (Barracuda/Kodiaks) did not appear worth the hype. They were just a bit longer than the G Smiths (Indian manufacturer) and a lot longer than the Gamos. The pellets were also the cleanest I have ever seen. I felt a wee bit cheated as I had just paid 2 times the cost at pyramid / tin of 500 pellets. Then the process of introducing madam discovery to my home started. I tried along range shot using a Kodiak and was royally pissed when I missed. Tried again using the Indian pellet and was rewarded by the THWOK we all love. The Gamos are going to be fishing line weights and were as terrible as the reviews said they would be.
I was still wondering about the Kodiaks and decided to re-sight the gun. Surprise I was getting all shots on a dime and the group was high and right of the POA. I took the combo hunting and had mixed results with 100 % hits till 40 yds and not so good at longer ranges. A re sighting and Chair gun had me set up. the clincher came when i was trying for a flying rat at 70 yds or so sitting on an electric pole in my field's . aimed two mil dots up but did not faze him the least, but by now i was sure of my line but not the elevation. said a hail mary and let the kodiak ne barracuda fly. perfect hit and the rat goes down. this was the longest shot till date i had tried ! it turned out that these pellets shoot flatter than the others i have been using.
since then i have been able to take out a large no of critters at astonishing ranges and my disco has become super lethal. so much so that i have decided to not use any other pellet as far as possible in my gun.
as i post this Photobucket is acting up and i can't upload any photos or vids. one is pretty cool backward somersault by a head shot crow and a few good hits on the flying rats.
am looking for a second air rifle and am thinking for the Diana 34 p as it is not reliant on the pump and can be kept in the car as a rough and ready shooter.
Your views on this , gents ?







aim small, miss smaller

open fields , relaxed critters and not having office for a month ! i loved it.

aim small, miss smaller

....for your second gun.

If you have trouble getting pellets, let me know and I'll try and ship to you. USPS Priority International Mail, well-packed, and a reasonable price compared to what you're paying now!

Randy

http://www.adventuresinairguns.com

it is not possible to import pellets by post. my first tin of kodiaks was confiscated by customs. only way to get pellets in is via personal luggage. but do see if u can give me a good price on a diana 34 compact and send it via fedex . thanks anyway guys !

aim small, miss smaller