The Big Stick - Theodore Roosevelt's Safari Rifle
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- Опубліковано 12 лип 2022
- A look at the history of Theodore Roosevelt's Holland & Holland Royal double rifle, nicknamed the "Big Stick," from his African safari in 1909. The gun is on display at the Frazier History Museum in Louisville, KY.
Frazier Classic: www.fraziermuseum.org/classic
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#TheodoreRoosevelt #africansafari
My favorite quote of all time, and one I use frequently, is "do the best you can, with what you have, where you are." Teddy Roosevelt
Amen!!! 🤠👍
Teddy Roosevelt truly lived his life to the full. He never had to embellish his accomplishments.
You can say that again!
But he did anyway. Lol!
I do t blame him
TR is (and probably always will be) my favorite president. He was a true renaissance man. He was a politician, a zoologist, conservationist, cowboy, soldier, writer, scholar, and God knows what else. I’ve read the collection of articles he wrote on his 1909 African safari, and while he did shoot some animals for trophies, the vast majority of the time he and his crew did in fact eat what they killed.
Oh, but he did!!!!!! He was probably the most braggadocios politician ever, until Trump. His tales were heavily "embellished". Read a couple of his books.
He was HATED by his own party for his progressive policies and they did everything they could to get rid of him. (just as establishment Republicans do to Trump)
They offered him the VP job for McKinley in order to put him in an irrelevant position. Sort of like Kamala Harris. "Sit over there in the corner and shut up!"
They didn't count on McKinley getting assassinated a few months into his term.🤷♂
He preserved land to protect it from exploitation, he broke up big business and he expanded the US role in the world.
He was, basically, an environmentalist wacko, pro-union, pro-labor, anti-big business, and a globalist. He was comparable to John Kerry for his time.
He wanted the Panama canal. Republicans didn't. They wanted to expand railroads (for their big business donors) and f**k the rest of the world. The rest of the world can just around South America. The Panama canal hurt the railroads and cut profits and increased competition for shipping. It was, for the time as "Globalist" an idea as there ever was.
After his terms in office, he was so disgusted with the Republican party, that he ran for President again in 1912 as an independent to assure the Democrat, Woodrow Wilson, would win.
@@alextepe4309 I love TR. Don't get me wrong.
His African Safari was funded by the American Museum of Natural History in NYC and was intended to collect specimens for display. TR was only too happy to test out his favorite rifles on a variety of African animals on someone else's dime.
In today's world, TR would be an environmental wacko, and a globalist. His policies were pro-union, anti big business and preservationist.
He would definitely lock up the Alaskan oil fields, involve the US in wars and press for regime change and be a global warming activist. He was so pro-war that when rejected for combat duty, he funded his own volunteer regiment in order to get a commission as an officer. (you could do that, at that time)
I have a 470 nitro I custom ordered in 2015 ( i over estimated the cost by ALOT and ordered after I had the cash), I saved for yrs and thru multiple deployments to iraq and afghanistan to get it. That rifle alone is my most prized possesion and its not a show peice as ive taken many bear and moose with it.
Nice! A 470 is on my list!
Thats awesome.
How much does one cost and how bad does it kick
@@chesterswortham5197 now they start at 99,000 pounds (british) and go up from there
It could be worse, you could have ordered 577 or 700 nitro express royal grade
That gun was literally made 100 yds from my house at the H&H factory. Good to see it was out to good use 👍🍻
That's awesome! I'll be over there in about a month!
Essa espingarda aqui no Brasil,é vendida por 20 mil dólares,qdo aparece algum louco vendendo.
Kensal Green
Do / did they test fire rifles at the factory? If they did there should have been bangs heard.
Roosevelt was a guy that actually DID all those things, rather than just SAY he did all those things. Teddy Roosevelt was (and is still) the youngest man ever to become President. He did more before becoming President than the current, oldest President, has done in his whole life.
Beautiful rifle. Remarkable man.
"Beautiful rifle. Remarkable man." Yep. That about sums it up. Thanks for watching!
Are you saying Joe Bitme is a fabulist aka full of shit?
@@dennisschaaf8813 I am sure Biden was actually a lifeguard, bus driver, truck driver, locomotive engineer, single black mom, Puerto Rican, Italian, a college professor...of course! Who wouldn't believe that?
Yep. That’s *Teds* for you.
Yes Gary He served . Nice Video !
Fabulous rifle chambered in a great historic cartridge. Well done H & H. 🇬🇧
We need him or a reincarnation of him today. True Americanism.
That depends on what you mean by Americanism. He was a very complicated man who had ideas that would be considered progressive by today's standards.
Here in Brazil we name an important river with the name of Rio Roosevelt in the state of Mato Grosso in honor of this US president. River still wild with many fish that deserves to be known in a fishing trip.
Nice
Although I know little about rifles, it was still interesting to learn the history behind Theodore Roosevelt's safari rifle. We have so much to be thankful for regard President Roosevelt. It is scary to think of what I'll wild places in America might look like if he and others hadn't had the foresight to protect them.
Thanks for watching, Sue!
That is so true...
Incredible! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Thanks for watching!
My wife: How can you not have fallen asleep listening to this?
Me: Then why are you not asleep?
I then shared my excitement at the size and makeup of the round. Imagine shooting a bullet that big. The kick must have been…it was at that point that I noticed she was asleep. Moments later, they discussed the recoil of the rifle. Life is good.
Thanks very much for watching. I've not shot a 500/450 NE, but I have shot a 600 NE and it was ridiculous!
They shot this gun and even let a teenage boy shoot a Buffalo with it in Africa. I believe the documentary is called “in the blood” it’s on UA-cam and has a Cape buffalo as the thumb nail.
@@bobswagger6748 Yep. A couple clips in this video are from that film.
His South American exploration of "The River of Doubt", an uncharted tributary to the Amazon River, was insane. Read a good book about it for a more detailed description almost day to day. He went after his presidency with his son .
I read that book, too. Fascinating stuff!
Yes, and excellent read and it makes you wonder about how “soft” most people have become since WWI and WWII. I’m not sure many of today’s social media crowd would survive one day, yet be able to withstand the recoil of the “Big Stick”. His “Man on the Arena” quote is my favorite.
Thank you, and also for mentioning his Win 1895’s in .405 Win., “Big Medicine”
Thanks for watching! He actually called it his "Medicine Gun." The term "Big Medicine" was never used by TR. It's a more modern mash-up of "Big Stick" and "Medicine Gun."
Roosevelt felt the .405 was a fine lion cartridge, but he and his son Kermit also used it to take rhinos and even elephants. Results on the latter were decidedly mixed, and Roosevelt admitted it was a bit wanting at the largest end of the game spectrum.@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC
I was fortunate enough to go see the rifle for myself!
It's a great piece to see!
By his own admission Theodore Roosevelt was a poor shot. He said, "I don't shoot well but I shoot often."
Hahaha I have used that same quote when helping my Guide buddy with clients who miss.
The Frazier museum is a great place to spend a day.
It's definitely a neat place.
In my many years employed by the US NPS and working with the unmatched collection at Springfield Armory NHS, I enjoyed handling and studying the Springfield .30" caliber rifle used on this expedition and that you mentioned. It is, in gact, a specially modified early M1903 rifle made to TR's orders as a sporting rifle. It is in .30" caliber '03, however, not the .30" caliber '06 as you stated and likely repeated from numerous modern printed authors. At the Springfield Armory Museum, we carefully examined the rifle and found that it had never been altered to the later .30" caliber '06. So, now we all know!
Greetings from another former NPS employee! the collection at Springfield is really impressive.
Cool stuff! He's 1 of my favorite presidents
One of mine as well. Thanks for watching.
2150 fps factory loaded, .450s were banned in Sudan and India in 1905 due to fear of rebels using the components in captured Martini Henrys, so .i465, 470 and so were born. Both .450 NE, HHs, .465,470 and dozens more gave about the same pressure , ballistic and energy. Great to see the fine rifle,and "In the Blood" is a ery good documentary .
Yes, "In the Blood" was indeed a good watch.
Truly beautiful rifle
It sure is!
Beautiful thanks for sharing with us
Thanks for watching!
Thats was both informative and educational. TY Johnny
Thanks for watching!
What an extraordinary man! A great President, Conservationist and Sportsman!!!
He led quite the life!
Spectacular video! Will definitely visit that museum someday!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks, that is an excellent report.
Glad you enjoyed it.
I attended Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa. Of course, our sports teams were the Roughriders, and the girl teams were Rideretts
Very cool!
There is a great hunting documentary/actual safari video on YT called “In the Blood” all about Roosevelt & his book
“African Game Trails” and they actually hunt with and use this rifle. He wrote several books, I’ve read African game trails and it’s actually pretty good. I also read a book he wrote about his service in the Spanish American war & time with the “Rough Riders” & combat in Puerto Rico it’s excellent too
Yes, some of the clips in this video are from that documentary.
Hey, Thank you. I was wondering about exactly the information that you put in your comment. I want to read both books now
Super cool
Indeed it is! Thanks for watching!
@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC always enjoy it when I do my friend. Your channel is vastly underrated by the gun tube universe.
@@Followme556 Thanks very much for the kind words.
Thank you for the education
Thanks for watching!
Such a great history - and Kynoch are still making that ammunition today near me.
Appreciate you watching the video!
Can you imagine if he were alive today. He would have every split-tail in America hounding his trail for his hunting prowess. Ohhhhh to have those days back again.
It would definitely be interesting to see TR in the 21st century.
@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC He is ... his name is Donald John Trump.
@@richardgreen7811regardless of political views non of the last few presidential could hold a candle to Theodore Roosevelt.
After George Washington, Teddy Roosevelt was my favorite President!
The man never backed away from a challenge and achieved more than most could ever imagine!
He's one of my favorites, too.
Scott from Kentucky Ballistics is drooling right now!
For sure!
Great history lesson
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it.
It is a work of art !
Indeed it is!
Great insight into history …. Thank you. I’read his book but this is great ancillary information and lovely visuals. Im in Africa and cant pop into the museum so this is next best!
Thanks for watching!
Very informative, thanks.
Thanks for watching!
What a beautiful weapon😌
Indeed it is!
Great video 🙏🏻
Thank you 🙌
Our greatest president ever
Une merveille de H & H .
Certes, mais sans doute à 200.000 euros ?
AWESOME
Thanks!
In January 1909, Roosevelt had the first opportunity to test the new rifle, and he recorded his thoughts in his diary: "Ouch!"
Haha, yep!
Nice info
Cheers
Jim
Glad you enjoyed it, Jim!
Probably the most famous rifle owned (and actually used) by any U.S. President. Priceless.
Yep, I would say that's an accurate statement of fame.
The film documentary clips come from In the Blood by George Butler. Some of the rifles were destroyed in a bush fire in Tanzania.
Yes, the documentary is indeed called In the Blood, and more importantly, one of the guides on the hunt also died in the fire.
@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC Yes I remember well, I flew the body out to Arusha
@@irismccallum I did some looking after your first comment and, thanks to your unique name, had a feeling that you were the pilot involved. It's a shame that the loss of life part of the story has been buried for so many years.
@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC I am hoping to rectify that this year. Thank you
Brilliant!!! Theodore ( Never Teddy) is My Hero!!!!
Yep, he despised "Teddy." Thanks for watching!
Just thinking about the recoil of this rifle makes my teeth hurt. T.R. was a real man, especially when you consider that he started out as a sickly, asthmatic child who was close to death more than once. Just shows what guts, and the Grace of God can do.
TR definitely did not know the definition of the word "quit."
According to my Winchester book he also carried a model 94 Winchester in .32 win special which he took an elephant with using a single head shot
W. D. M. Bell used to hunt elephants with 6.5×54 Mannlicher-Schönauer, so that's certainly plausible.
@@jic1 Not many of them,as the 160 Fmj bent due to pressure, so he used the 7x57 for most of the up to 800 . But the rest of bag in total ,and which he got most elephants was with .318 Wr in a safari. But he also,had larger rifles.
As his safaris grew ,so did the use of heavier cartridges also.
My grandfather had a 32 special he got conned out of it in his later years it was promised to be sold to someone in the family after his passing I tried to buy it and the 30-30 but they were already sold
Me encantan todos esos calibres africanos, los rifles que más me gustan son los rifles dobles desde el 375 H&H Mag hasta el 700 H&H Nitro Express..!! Muy buen documental de la bibliografía de Theodore Roosevelt..!! Excelente video..!!
Muchas gracias!
From *Mombasa, the Isle of War!*
Good video about a wonderful rifle (a functioning work of art & engineering) and President T.R..
Glad I watched it as it reminded me to read the 3 books by T.R. that I found on e - b a y and put them on my shelf. There is/are an interesting video series about T.R. when he was younger as a rancher/cowboy/hunter (and unpaid Posse member) in the state of North Dakota. The video(s) are shown on the North Dakota P.B.S. station at least once a year.
Great info, is there any knowledge of what happened to the two 1895 .405 Winchester rifles he took on safari?
Robert
South Africa
I'd love nothing more than to shoot this beautiful work of art but knowing my bad luck me and my wheelchair would probably end up in another zipcode 😂
I'd love to shoot it, too!
Thank you for sharing this so we don't have to go to the various museums where it was been located and the invitation to events at the Frazier Museum. The gold medalion seems a little gaudy though.
Thanks for watching!
He knew his rifles but there were American rounds that would work.
Well done.
Thank you!
Anyone who doesn't know the story of TR killing the mountain lion that held the Boone&Crockett record for being the largest mountain lion killed on the North American Continent for 47 years should check it out, because he killed it with a knife when it was in a battle with a pack of dogs, got off his horse, pulled his knife and jumped right into the fray and killed it.
Not just bad, b-a-dd (double d) badd.
Everything about TR is badass.
Probably couldn't Rick hitting a dog...? This would be within his character, I think
I've not heard this story, I have to check it out. I love reading of his adventures.
...risk hitting....
@@jimplantinga6288
Exactly, someone in the hunting party shot the cat after the dogs treed it, which is how they hunted them, but instead of the shot killing it the cat fell out of the tree injured and it turned into a large fur ball between it and the dogs, no one wanted to shoot into the fray for fear of hitting one of the dog's, well old TR jumped down off his horse, pulled out a large knife he had and jumped into the mix killing the cat, and as mentioned it held the Boone and Crockett record for the largest cat killed on the North American continent for 47 years, and he killed it with a knife.
Jeff Geoff was the name of the guide who led the hunt, after it was over he gave TR one of the dogs that'd showed affection towards him during their excursion as a sign of appreciation for killing the cat and most likely saving some of his dogs lives.
As it turned out it wound up becoming the presidential dog, the hunt happened when TR was vice president and not long after returning home from it President McKinley was assassinated making TR president and moving both him and the dog into the White House.
@@dukecraig2402 was it a Airdale Terrier???
I would love to see how accurate each barrel shoots in relation to each other. It is easy to achieve at one particular distance, by very difficult to achieve at various ranges. I tested some side by side shotguns and found they cross fired by 14 inches at 50 yards.
If you want to see a movie that features the Holland & Holland double barrel .500 Nitro Express rifle see the movie "The Last Safari".
Holy shit! It’s beautiful
It sure is! 😍
Wish he was alive and could be president he would set this country back straight. Always has been my favorite president I've read just about everything he ever wrote
You’ll find this rifle in the 1923 series on paramount +!
A beautiful video. Hope many will follow.I am omar nedou from kashmir India. Mr Roosevelt 3rd came to India kashmir and hunted here and went on wards to the Pamir mountains .A local guide was hired guide him and he got a world record Marco polo Ram. The local guide from kashmir was given a life pension till his death. Hope you could do a video on the expedition of Mr Roosevelt's to kashmir. Thanks.
.... Of course our rifles look course and cheap and clumsy beside it.... So a century later and nothing has changed then.
Some folks can afford the finer things in life. We can’t. lol
@@frankedgar6694 Lottery tickets and dreams!
Except we can still own weapons and their militaries use ours due to the fact they're more accurate and reliable. Of course I'm referring to the fact that practically every SF unit of any significance uses the M-4 platform over their own indigenous designs. So... there's that.
@lance gardner They might make more Mini's than Aston Martin's. But that doesn't make them better....
@@paulsimmons5726 I just went and spent the money to get a ffl and a sot2 to become a hobbyist gunsmith so I can actually get and make cool things only for myself.... it was a process but it was totally worth it since I got it right before I moved to Oregon from texas lol yes I understand not everyone can get it or even consider it but it's possibly the easiest way to have the best of the best and most fun tools around
Roosevelt's son was called Kermit? That's funny. Nice video, great gun.
Yep, he sure did. Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching.
He was the real deal
He sure was!
Great rifle...
It sure is!
Holland & Holland number one gun and rifle. No compare with other. I have 500 Bore. DBBL.
H&H makes some great guns!
Nothing is as warm and inviting as marbled English Walnut. Smoky and smooth, lol.
Yep, definitely an elegance to it.
Teddy is like. I got a second shot. I'm like. I got 8 mags.
True, but he took more ammo on that safari alone than most people will shoot in a lifetime! LOL!
@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC Yes. Ready 4 battle. Everything was wild back then. Even the people. 🦅🇺🇸
A Belgian A5 or a high grade Winchester model 12 are works of art too.
Yep. Art comes in all forms.
Does anyone know where the 405 Winchesters ended up...or the shotgun?
That rifle is in amazing condition for its age
It's been refinished.
Few gun makers can deliver a more beautiful piece of equipment
Yes, H&H really does make beautiful pieces!
I never could afford a double rifle, but I do have a Cz in 375, its dynamite on deer and elk ,it doesn't blood shoot the meat
One day, maybe I'll be able to afford a nice double.
Nice.Just what I would have got if I was in his position.
Me too! Thanks for watching!
Daaaang 😜 👍
Thanks for watching!
can we just appreciate his 500-450 for a second XD
It's an amazing rifle.
Do´s anybody know, to where Theodore Roosevelt's Mannlicher Schönauer rifle disappeared?
That's a great question, and unfortunately, no, I'm not aware of the gun's whereabouts and, worse yet, I don't know of anyone who does. So much of TR's collection was scattered to the wind, despite Sagamore Hill retaining so much of it.
@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC Some rifles were lost in a fire when they took the rifles back to Tanzania in the early 90's. Part of the film they made is in this clip.
His Springfield 1903 Sporter is at the Springfield Armory Museum. It was custom made to his specification by the Armory
Unbelievable workmanship on this rifle. Too pretty to use some would say ( but not I)
Definitely a work of usable art!
Keep those Videos coming my friend! Got one on a .405 winchester?@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC
I had in history book that John hunter killed loat of man eater in Africa. And used that great gun name Holland and Holland.
Thanks
Good. Very good okkk
IIf it says Holland &Holland, you can probably buy a nice house for what it costs in
Yep, pretty much!
I got a 405 barrel for my oncore. It shoots 3mills at 300yrd.
From the inscription in the gun case “…on behalf of the preservation of species….” they gave him a gun to shoot them.
There may still be one of his .405's in Africa
I read that TR was unimpressed by the performance of some of his other rifles on large African game, guns which were more than adequate for dangerous American game. I suppose then that is why TR had that H&H double rifle custom built for himself. He wanted something that would stop a lion, or a hippo, or perhaps a gnarly cape buffalo, no argument.
He also took some incredibly long shots over in Africa, and was rather candid about his misses and bad hits.
I've read that the double was given to him by friends when he first intended for the 405 to be his heavy rifle. I also read that he said the double was better on the heaviest game, but it was the 405 and the Springfield rifles which he carried himself at all times. The 405 was not as good on the heaviest game, but was non the less used on the heaviest game on a number of occasions.
.405 had 300 grain bullet . The 03. Had 150 or 220 grain , the .450 had 500 grain .458 bullet
Wot, browning couldn't make a SxS? I wonder what the gifters got?
.450 #2 NE (original 480 grains bullet) would have been more logical gun, 26”to 28” hammer less ejector etc.
Maybe so, but this is what TR wanted, made to order.
Don't get me wrong, I love Teddy. But , the line... " A great conversationist , he shot 13 Rino's."
I don't have any clue how TR was in conversation, but I do know that you can't hold the past to today's standards.
You are guilty of “presentism”.
@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC I hear he was a great storyteller! Lol
I thought that museum had closed.
They never closed, but they have rebranded.
Isoo não e uma arma e uma obra prima
Хотя я не чего не понял но признаюсь было очень интересно)))
Didnt he use an 1895 in 405 more than the double?
He used them both quite a bit depending on what he was hunting. The 405 was great for lions and other thin skinned game, but the 500/450 was his choice for bigger game.
@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC but it is said that he did use the 405 on some of the animals he took, including elephant, rhino, and buffalo. But he did say that the double was better for the heavier game.
Roosevelt used a Springfield m 1903 in .30-'03 caliber on his safari. NOT A .30-'06!
Yep, I misspoke.
Strange how anyone could simply lose a forend of a H&H. I understand losing diamond rings and things that don't matter, but come on!
People lose all sorts of things. I know someone who lost the second-largest gold nugget in the world for about 5 years. Turned up in a sock drawer.
Luckily that Crook Larry Wilson didn’t steal it. 😉
He didn't steal it, but I'm almost 100% positive that he made a commission on its sale a couple decades later.
and it cost how much????
When it was built, the cost was £85. The last publicly-known sale price was $500,000.
If that's the big stick which one was called big medicine?
Roosevelt insisted that the 405 Winchester was “for me personally, the ‘medicine gun’ for lions.” More specifically, he's referring to a Winchester Model 1895 in 405 Winchester. "Big Medicine" is a term that he never used but persists in today's nomenclature. It's likely a mashup between "Big Stick" and "Medicine Gun."
@@HighCaliberHistoryLLC Cool. Thanks for answering my question and good history lesson.
It's too bad that a reasonable side by side rifle. Nice to see a .270 Winchester. I saw a nice BSS used for only 15,000. 🙄
You can get decent DR for under $10K USD. Not H&H quality but decent. If you want Excellent quality then you are looking at $25k plus