30.06 FMJ for caracal/serval?

[Pavel U]

From the picture, pictogram and text in their catalogue it seems that Sellier & Bellot thinks FMJ is a way to go , so You should be Ok with the felines

 

[Ridgewalker]

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement!
I have lost jackals using 300gr fmjs in my 375 H&H. I have taken bobcats and coyotes using 110gr and 150 gr fmjs in 30-06.
Best of luck!

 

[ActionBob]

Ah, well I'm relying on factory loads, so I'll have to trust them. Having said that, I will be buying a ton to make sure they can perform well, and that I can perform well with them.

Yea that was ammo I bought. Very hard to find and very expensive. I think it was from one of the custom loader companies. I should look, probably still have some on the back of a shelf somewhere.

 

[ActionBob]

My much older colleague hunters said they used to shoot european foxes with FMJ in the old days. Long story short: if hit, they die eventually, but can run away up to 200 meters, so plenty of tracking for not much blood and can end up in the thickest bush imaginable (most shots with 7x57 - don't know bullet weight).
So it definitely can be done, just be prepared for some serious tracking.

IMHO aiming for the spine should prevent You for several hours tracking adventure
Rather than 147 (or 150) I would go with 180 grs for this.
I agree with @shootist~ : the blunt nose could be way to go

But must say that in general I do not like much such experiments - I personally aim for the cleanest and fastest kill possible to minimize suffering - so expanding bullets is THE WAY

p.s.: I think I saw a cutting edge recommendation .... don't think this is a good idea - several people told me it is a good recipe to turning fox into the red mist with chunks of fox laying around ...

A spine hit usually results in a very big hole in these small critters. I hit a velvet monkey in the spine with a 180 grain round nose solid and mostly cut it in half. The PH threw it into the bushes and said let's find another. Shooting a tree top distance, a 12 gauge with 4 shot works well.

 

[shootist~]

Sample of one, but my 30-06 150 Hornady FMJ reloads @ 2,789 fps regulate well with my 180 gr A-Frame reloads that run 2,753 fps. The 150s shoot 1.25 MOA lower with windage being negligible.

I wanted a lower recoil practice load and the 150 FMJ with 56.0 grains of H4350 was the first and only load I tried.

 

[shootist~]

@Eventually_Africa_Again

Just food for thought should you decide to go with just one 30-06 load, including Eland. And apparently in stock:

Buy Barnes TSX 30-06 Springfield Ammo 180 | P3006AE

Shopping for the Barnes TSX - Learn more about the latest Barnes TSX and other hunting or shooting gear at Federal Ammunition.

www.federalpremium.com

IMO, the 180 TSX is not ideal (too tough) for small/medium plains game, but that could be a good thing in your case.

 

[shark_za]

Just load a 220gr SP for all game, Eland to Serval.