.223 for Steinbok, Duiker, Klipspringer?

[62flint]

I have shot 10s of thousands of rounds of 223 granted most was full auto lol. Will it work on tiny 10? I have no doubt. Would I shoot FMJ mil spec at them, absolutely not. I have had numerous ground hogs make it to the hole leaving a blood trail with a 55g or 62g green tip punching a nice little hole through them. Fox, coyotes cull deer all the same. 22cal hole punches through and the critter runs off. Yes little hide damage but you better do head shots or be good at tracking. I think a partition ,tsx or something that expands with out exploding would be much better.

 

[radname]

Zero chance you shoot it as well as you think you do.

I know I shoot it well enough to be effective.

 

[Daisy]

Just because something has been done doesn't mean it's a good idea. Without perfect shot placement a .223 is inadequate for large game animals. My buddy shot a buck while we were hunting together. I saw that one shoulder appeared to be bulged. Someone had shot the buck square in the shoulder with a .22 caliber something (most likely a .223). We cut the shoulder but could not salvage the deer. We ended up throwing it away. Anyone who says they never miss, or make a shot that isn't exactly where they thought they were aiming, is lying.

Again. Read it first before getting to high on the horse.

Believe it or not bullet energy doesn’t kill an animal.

 

[Daisy]

I have shot 10s of thousands of rounds of 223 granted most was full auto lol. Will it work on tiny 10? I have no doubt. Would I shoot FMJ mil spec at them, absolutely not. I have had numerous ground hogs make it to the hole leaving a blood trail with a 55g or 62g green tip punching a nice little hole through them. Fox, coyotes cull deer all the same. 22cal hole punches through and the critter runs off. Yes little hide damage but you better do head shots or be good at tracking. I think a partition ,tsx or something that expands with out exploding would be much better.

I agree with that. Would use a frangibke bullet.

 

[Daisy]

I know I shoot it well enough to be effective.

Then you would shoot a smaller caliber even more effectively. It’s simple physics.

 

[radname]

And you’d be dead wrong on what you’ll find.

Again. Read it first before getting to high on the horse.

Believe it or not bullet energy doesn’t kill an animal.

But it certainly effects the range at which you shoot it and how the bullet operates.

 

[radname]

Then you would shoot a smaller caliber even more effectively. It’s simple physics.

If you understood anything about physics we wouldn't be having this conversation.

 

[Daisy]

But it certainly effects the range at which you shoot it and how the bullet operates.

No. Velocity has that effect. Not energy.

Energy “may” have an effect on stopping a charging buffalo. Has zero input into our conversation of shooting a tiny ten. Or really any non dangerous game animal.

 

[radname]

No. Velocity has that effect. Not energy.

Energy “may” have an effect on stopping a charging buffalo. Has zero input into our conversation of shooting a tiny ten. Or really any non dangerous game animal.

I was replying to a comment about shooting caribou with.223. Admittedly the thread is not about that, so this may not be the appropriate place for this little tangent we find ourselves on.

 

[Daisy]

I was replying to a comment about shooting caribou with.223. Admittedly the thread is not about that, so this may not be the appropriate place for this little tangent we find ourselves on.

True. Read the thread on other site and let me know what you think. I will say it makes a lot of sense and goes against most of what I read here. I have taken several deer with 223 and they die just as dead.

 

[radname]

True. Read the thread on other site and let me know what you think. I will say it makes a lot of sense and goes against most of what I read here. I have taken several deer with 223 and they die just as dead.

I'll read it with an open mind. Thanks.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

The .223 is perfectly acceptable for steinbok, duiker & klipspringer. Just use FMJ military ball in order to minimize hide meat damage.

Larger bore rifle (like a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum) loaded with solids is also a very good alternative.

I have also successfully hunted forest duiker with a 12 gauge shotgun & AAA or No. 4 buckshot.

My now deceased friend shot a duiker with his 375 and woodleighs, it punched a neat hole through the animal, which dropped on the spot, made a full body mount with it.
gumpy

 

[Tra3]

With potentially 30 species of antelope roaming the area, a .223 would not be an ideal, or even a good choice. Even in a focused tiny 10 hunt, there is always a good chance for something else. You can’t take what the bush offers unless you are adequately prepared.

We have had to do some creative poses and significant cleaning to get a photo of the tiny ten when a .270 or 7 mag was used. The .375 doesn’t require that type of cleanup. With a .375, it looks like a paper punch cut two perfect holes in the animal.

I followed the wisdom of my PH as well as other experienced hunters and used a .375 on safari #2 and 3. It was well counseled advice im glad I followed. The .375 and 9.3x62 will be with me in September in Namibia for trip #4. I’ll definitely go after any tiny 10 that I can.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Pelt hunters in USA have been worried about that far longer than people here have. Go to any predator hunting website and it is talked about ad nauseam. And not one will suggest a 375 with a solid.

I’m not saying .223 isn’t a great caliber. If I was forced to own just 3 rifles/calibers it’s likely the .223 would be one of them. I can’t help but notice you seem to keep comparing coyote hunting to Tiny 10 Hunting. Would you mind sharing how many African Safaris you’ve been on/with who? How many Tiny 10 Species have you shot, and how many were with the .223? Where do you do most of your hunting with a .223?

I’ve spoken to more than 1 PH who loves a .223. Many use it for culling animals like springbok and Impala with headshots. When speaking with one of these PH’s (who likely shoots more African game in a year with a .223 than I’ll ever shoot in my lifetime) about rifle choice for a dedicated Tiny 10 hunt he told me to stick with the .375 even if I was bringing multiple rifles. When speaking with a hunter in Namibia about his Dik-Dik hunt, he used a .22Mag and was unable to locate or recover his Dik-Dik but claimed it was a good shot.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

With potentially 30 species of antelope roaming the area, a .223 would not be an ideal, or even a good choice. Even in a focused tiny 10 hunt, there is always a good chance for something else. You can’t take what the bush offers unless you are adequately prepared.

We have had to do some creative poses and significant cleaning to get a photo of the tiny ten when a .270 or 7 mag was used. The .375 doesn’t require that type of cleanup. With a .375, it looks like a paper punch cut two perfect holes in the animal.

I followed the wisdom of my PH as well as other experienced hunters and used a .375 on safari #2 and 3. It was well counseled advice im glad I followed. The .375 and 9.3x62 will be with me in September in Namibia for trip #4. I’ll definitely go after any tiny 10 that I can.

Good Luck on your hunt. Has your PH secured a Dik-Dik permit for you? Have you spoken to him about one?

 

[Tra3]

Good Luck on your hunt. Has your PH secured a Dik-Dik permit for you? Have you spoken to him about one?

Thank you! I shot a dik-dik last summer. I don’t think I’ll go after one again this year, they are about the most expensive animal in Africa, if measured by weight!

Steinbok and duiker are readily found, for sure I’ll chase either of them when seen. It is like hunting rabbits. You don’t know you are on a rabbit hunt until you see one. And, if you don’t get it, it isn’t terribly disappointing because there is likely to be another.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Thank you! I shot a dik-dik last summer. I don’t think I’ll go after one again this year, they are about the most expensive animal in Africa, if measured by weight!

Steinbok and duiker are readily found, for sure I’ll chase either of them when seen. It is like hunting rabbits. You don’t know you are on a rabbit hunt until you see one. And, if you don’t get it, it isn’t terribly disappointing because there is likely to be another.

Just wait until you start getting into some of the more specialized Tiny 10. I’ve seen Suni Prices in RSA that are higher than a Cape Buffalo hunt with trophy fees, exceed the cost of a 7 Day hunt in Mozambique including trophy fees for the same Suni.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Again. Read it first before getting to high on the horse.

Believe it or not bullet energy doesn’t kill an animal.

Believe it or not, a larger faster bullet applied in the same spot is generally more effective than a smaller bullet. And yes, I do own a .223.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I’ve shot 8 of the Tiny 10 Species and shot multiples of most (20+ total). I have only shot three of all those animals (duplicates included) with rounds other than a .375 H&H and many were on a dedicated Tiny 10 Hunt. Two of the animals I’ve shot were with a .308 Win (Klipspringer and Cape Grysbok). I was using a very hard bonded bullet, aimed for the last rib and still had more damage than a 375 with the TBBC, A-Frame, or Woodleigh Solid.

I thought hard about guns on the dedicated T10 Hunt. Spoke with the outfitter(s). I looked at a 22WMR or Hornet, a 222 or .223 and decided not to take them. In Zim I took along a .22LR, it was great for shooting birds, but when I encountered my Sharpes the 375 with a Woodleigh Solid was in hand. The 22LR was very handy for guinea fowl, go away birds, ducks and geese. The trackers were always handing me the .22.

Personally the .375 is my choice and it’s likely what I’ll use to finish’s my Tiny 10.

Once I met a guy while we were both on safari. He had just shot a grysbuck with his .375 (sorry I don't know what bullet). It made a neat hole through the rib cage. In Zimbabwe no antelope is smaller than the grysbuck.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Once I met a guy while we were both on safari. He had just shot a grysbuck with his .375 (sorry I don't know what bullet). It made a neat hole through the rib cage. In Zimbabwe no antelope is smaller than the grysbuck.

I shot my Cape Grysbok with a .308 and Sharpes Grysbok with the 375. I learned my lesson on the Cape Grysbok ….