Brings to mind the "wanderings" of Frederick Selous, great white hunter in Africa, with his "Baby" a single-shot 4-bore muzzleloader. Short too, and only about 13 pounds. Always loved this story of a big Bull elephant. From Aussiehunter:
During one particularly hectic chase Selous pulled the trigger only to have the cap misfire. He threw the gun to his gun bearer who, due to several nearby shots, did not realize that the weapon had not discharged. Accordingly he rammed home another full load.
The chase continued with Selous and his companions tearing through the bush after an elephant herd.Selous was running twelve metres ahead of his gun bearers when he came face to face with a belligerent old cow that had waited in ambush for the hunters.
He had to dash madly through the thorns and clawing scrub with the result that he was left wearing only his leather belt and the remnants of his shirt!He doubted that there was a square inch of his body that was not scratched.
Moments later he was charged by a bull and this time he was able to take a rifle from his bearer. Taking a good aim Selous pulled the trigger. The double charged rifle lifted him clear off the ground and he was twisted savagely by the huge recoil. He landed on his face in the sand a metre or two from where he had originally stood.
The gun landed several metres further back. It took some while for the stunned hunter to regain his senses. When he did he found that the bucking stock had laid his cheek open and he was bleeding profusely from a gash that would leave a lifelong scar. More importantly for Selous was the discovery that his right arm hung limp and numb.
Luckily for the hunter and his bearers the elephant had been hard hit too, probably by both projectiles. It stood some distance off rocking to and fro. Selous found that his rifle’s stock had shattered despite the rock hard lashings of green elephant skin used for reinforcing. He marvelled that the barrel had not split and blown his head off.
Selous took his other rifle and proceeded to within thirty-five metres of the wounded bull. After some effort he managed to get his finger on the trigger, however he was still affected by the mishap and could not keep a steady aim on the elephant.
After some massage of his arm Selous continued the chase for some hours firing several more shots in the process. However the heavy recoil combined with the loss of his hat in the hot sun forced him to abandon the hunt. It was ten days before he regained enough use of his arm to begin shooting again.
Despite the punishment that he received from the blunt end of his armoury Selous persevered and was rewarded with seventy seven elephant during his initial three year hunting season.
In later years Selous stated that the big bores had kicked frightfully and affected his nerves to the extent that his shooting was ever after influenced by the punishment he had received. He added that he heartily wished that he had never had anything to do with them.