223 In Africa

[IvW]

Meat damage and being wind sensitive is a big issue.....
Typically springbuck an blesbuck are hunted in wide open areas prone to wind.....as soon as the wind picks up pack away the high speed 22 centre fires.....
Just not worth it....
I own 2 x 222rem I use them for varmint hunting etc.
7x57mm with 140gr bullets is my small to medium game open area rifle

 

[MerKuryM8]

Check with your laws you have certain minimum energy and caliber requirements for species.

From NAPHA website

Firearms

As per the Nature Conservation Ordinance No 4 of 1975:

No person shall use a revolver, pistol or automatic firearm when hunting game or use a firearm of which the bullet has an energy at the muzzle of the barrel which is lower than the following when hunting a species of game indicated there under:

Small Game:
(e.g. Dik-Dik; Steenbok; Duiker; Springbok)
Minimum caliber: .243 (or equivalent caliber in mm)
Energy: 1350 Joule

Copied from the NAPHA website so seems that 243 is the minimum there is your answer.

I have read this before, but thought it was just for International Hunters because I know of a few people using .22 cals for hunting here. But I will check whether it applies to me as well, thank you.

 

[ChrisG]

I would say for a meat hunter, that for animals up to maybe 150-250lbs, the .223 with something like a 55-62 grain Barnes TTSX, it would do the job and probably, given patient shot placement, even on larger animals (Heck, I am an airgun hunter and I am constantly impressed with what 100J will do from a 25 cal airgun).

That said, I think the main issue I have with using a .223 on large game comes down to tracking jobs. Tracking can be excessively long and difficult. That tiny entrance hole and, typically, lack of an exit, means that most of the blood stays on the inside of the animal and is therefore difficult to track.

That is why I would say that the .243 is probably a better choice and any of the .25 cals to 6.5mms would be better still.

 

[Tra3]

I agree with @IvW the .22-250 is subject to wind drift. Look up some ballistics charts, there is quite a bit more drift than a .243 or bigger.

A .223 or a .22-250 is kinda like owning a convertible car here in the cold, rainy, snowy state of Minnesota: most of the time it isn’t practical, but occasionally it is perfect. Buy a caliber that works in the majority of conditions and shot angles, rather than just the perfect moment. The longer one hunts, the more imperfect moments happen.