22-250 and 243 for "small" plains game

[375Fox]

I wouldn’t be afraid to take a Hyena with a .243. Practice, practice, practice. Off sticks too!

They aren’t an animal that provide perfect shots or in perfect light. I’ve shot 3. One was running down the track of the road at last light. One was shot in last few seconds of visible light through scope at bait. One was a nice broadside shot in daylight at water. Even at a bait you don’t have unlimited time to wait for shots.

 

[CBH Australia]

I wouldn’t be afraid to take a Hyena with a ..243

Bob would,

 

[WyoBull]

243 Win hand loaded with Barnes 80 gr TTSX at 3375 fps and you have a great load for any of the medium sized and smaller PG animals.

Leave the 22-250 at home.

 

[Flbt]

Hello everyone hope everyone is doing well I was just thinking about a scenario whereas I was talking to my wife about joining me on a plains game hunt...she is a beginner hunter and I bought her a rifle chambered in 243 Winchester but myself also own a rifle chambered in 22-250 I know the calibers may be marginal for anything maybe bigger than impala and she said she would be more than happy to take any of the canines (jackal or spotted hyena) because she just wants the experience of african hunting, she's a little twitchy when it comes to anything bigger than a 270 Winchester....what are you guys opinion on 22-250 or 243 for animals up to springbok or hyena max, or do we approach it like coyote hunting here in America

I have no idea on African game. Deer and hogs a 6mm Remington works on them even big hogs a honest 350+ the scal stopped at 350. The 6mm is just a little faster than the 243. If she can’t use something bigger if you want more power the 240 weatherbey.
I have had very good luck with the 6mm.
My wife uses a 6mm to and she has shot my 6.5x55 with no problem.

 

[dchum]

My 308 win with a silencer kicks less than my Sako 243 that is un Supressed

Most outfitters have a Supressed .308 or something in that class

 

[DelRock83]

F- it, honey just hit it with the 30-06 we'll worry bout the numb shoulder and the laceration on your forehead when we get home....

 

[Ed Lally]

I was always a little recoil shy. My .308 was all I wanted to experience until I shot so many rounds that I becane completely comfortable with it. Eventually transitioned through .300 mag to .375 H&H, to 470NE. Have not yet gotten comfortable with .458 Lott and nay never. My point being, take your wife shooting enough and she will gradually lose her recoil sensitivity. My favorite for midsize African game is the 25-06 but to each their own.

 

[HankBuck]

Hello everyone hope everyone is doing well I was just thinking about a scenario whereas I was talking to my wife about joining me on a plains game hunt...she is a beginner hunter and I bought her a rifle chambered in 243 Winchester but myself also own a rifle chambered in 22-250 I know the calibers may be marginal for anything maybe bigger than impala and she said she would be more than happy to take any of the canines (jackal or spotted hyena) because she just wants the experience of african hunting, she's a little twitchy when it comes to anything bigger than a 270 Winchester....what are you guys opinion on 22-250 or 243 for animals up to springbok or hyena max, or do we approach it like coyote hunting here in America

@DelRock83 - I do a lot of Coyote & Fox shooting with a .22-250 and it is MORE then needed for both - hits Fox like a grenade and almost as hard on Coyote. I’ve killed 35-40 Coyote with the .22-250 using either 50 gr Hornady Superformance @ 4000 fps or 55 gr Winchester ballistic tip @3850. Most shots were 125 to 250 yrds and any broadside shot = Exit wounds 2”-3” diameter. Only lost one Coyote - poor shooting “leg hit”. I like the .22-250 very much and would use one on deer or impala BEFORE I would use it on Hyena….in fact I would Never use it on Hyena, they are VERY Tough, hard muscled and heavy boned and Spotted Hyena are larger then many realize. Even for Impala I would say .243 minimum and while I am comfortable using .243 for deer - I would use .270 and above for Hyena, just based on my limited experiance with Hyena they seem “disgustingly tough” and scare me more then any animal I saw in TZ….I’d rather fight a Leopard or Lion then a Hyena: I might survive the Leopard and the Lion would kill me quick & clean….but the Hyena would just crush every bone in my body and eat me alive !!

 

[CBH Australia]

I was always a little recoil shy. My .308 was all I wanted to experience until I shot so many rounds that I becane completely comfortable with it. Eventually transitioned through .300 mag to .375 H&H, to 470NE. Have not yet gotten comfortable with .458 Lott and nay never. My point being, take your wife shooting enough and she will gradually lose her recoil sensitivity. My favorite for midsize African game is the 25-06 but to each their own.

I used a hired 7mmRm in South Africa.
I later found the outfitters wife uses a .25-06 and had 2 nice Kudu on display taken with the .25-06

 

[BenKK]

With a 55 grain Barnes TSX the .22-250 is an over-achiever (boars, buffalo, wild cattle in Australia). I think it would be wonderful for impala, baboons, warthogs and even old kudu bulls, but only in situation where I could take my time, get nicely setup and pick my shot unhurried.

 

[Tex .416]

Hello everyone hope everyone is doing well I was just thinking about a scenario whereas I was talking to my wife about joining me on a plains game hunt...she is a beginner hunter and I bought her a rifle chambered in 243 Winchester but myself also own a rifle chambered in 22-250 I know the calibers may be marginal for anything maybe bigger than impala and she said she would be more than happy to take any of the canines (jackal or spotted hyena) because she just wants the experience of african hunting, she's a little twitchy when it comes to anything bigger than a 270 Winchester....what are you guys opinion on 22-250 or 243 for animals up to springbok or hyena max, or do we approach it like coyote hunting here in America

After 37 years with my wife, who hunts with me, here are my two cents.

Use enough gun applies for women even more than for yourself. If there is a debacle with wounded animals, it will be a nightmare for her.

My 65 year old wife uses a .308 Win with a muzzle brake with Barnes TTSX 130 and 150's without any trouble. fwiw - she used to shoot the same .308 in competition with 175's with a muzzle brake made by American Precision Arms. See their website. (I have no connection to them whatsoever, other than be very impressed with their muzzle brakes.) Their brakes are extremely effective. Little kids have shot my .338 Lapua with an APA brake. Also, the APA brakes vent gases to the 3 and 9 o'clock positions, so do not create big clouds of dust from the ground like Vais style brakes, which are not as effective and which can create dust clouds or grass blowing up on the shooter. The .308 Win with an APA brake has almost no recoil. Put the APA brake on her .270 with a Barnes TTSX 130 and she'll be comfortable and have a very effective bullet.

I 100% guarantee your wife will gladly handle some extra recoil to avoid having an animal not go down hard and fast. Set up her up with every advantage possible. Use more gun with a muzzle brake and tell the complainers to wear ear muffs and keep quiet.

p.s. buy her at least as nice of a rifle, scope, and binos, as what you use. If you give her cheap crap, she'll know it and what message does that send to her about how important she is to you? Again, give her every possible advantage for success.

If she has a good time, she will support you spending money on guns and hunts.

 

[HankBuck]

With a 55 grain Barnes TSX the .22-250 is an over-achiever (boars, buffalo, wild cattle in Australia). I think it would be wonderful for impala, baboons, warthogs and even old kudu bulls, but only in situation where I could take my time, get nicely setup and pick my shot unhurried.

@BenKK - when you write about the .25-06 that you “think it would be WONDERFUL for impala, warthogs, baboons, Kudu”….but add “ONLY in a situation I could take my time, get set up nicely, and pick my shot UNhurried” —that doesn’t exactly sound like “Wonderful” to me —- more like “Might work” if everything else is Perfect. Now, I love the .25-06 and my Tikka is sub MOA accurate and hits hard….and while it will kill deer sized game ….I just can’t describe it as “Wonderful” for deer sized game But it is OUTSTANDING for Coyote, Fox, and sending wood chucks & prairie dogs “Flying”.

 

[IvW]

F- it, honey just hit it with the 30-06 we'll worry bout the numb shoulder and the laceration on your forehead when we get home....

And the 4 that got shot in the arse and could not be found.......

 

[Tex .416]

And the 4 that got shot in the arse and could not be found.......

My experience teaching and hunting with women is given training and quality equipment, they typically are better shots than most men.

 

[HankBuck]

@BenKK - when you write about the .25-06 that you “think it would be WONDERFUL for impala, warthogs, baboons, Kudu”….but add “ONLY in a situation I could take my time, get set up nicely, and pick my shot UNhurried” —that doesn’t exactly sound like “Wonderful” to me —- more like “Might work” if everything else is Perfect. Now, I love the .25-06 and my Tikka is sub MOA accurate and hits hard….and while it will kill deer sized game ….I just can’t describe it as “Wonderful” for deer sized game But it is OUTSTANDING for Coyote, Fox, and sending wood chucks & prairie dogs “Flying”.

ERROR —- I meant this about the .22-250…..NOT .25-06

 

[IvW]

My experience teaching and hunting with women is given training and quality equipment, they typically are better shots than most men.

100% as with any hunter as long as they can handle the recoil.....
Not the attitude commment I replied to.....
If you say fuck the recoil just pull the trigger it is gonna cost you ....