Gun choice for Tiny 10 and small night cats

[Green Chile]

Posted for Matt...

 

[matt vejar]

How do you attach a video? Any one know! The horn was just broken. That’s why he shot it.

 

[matt vejar]

Thanks green chili.

 

[MarkB]

Just shot Blue Duiker and Common Duiker with a 22 Hornet using Barnes TSX. Worked very well with extremely little damage on both.

Now that's what I like to see. Real life verified info from those that probably see more bullet impacts with outcome data to support in 1 year than I will in a life time. Another reason this site works for us all.

Good on you KMG.

MB

 

[MarkB]

I used a .17 Fireball on small critters, caracal, gennet, steenbok, porcupine, monkey, jackal, and white breasted crow, amongst others. The only ones that were a taxidermist's nightmare were the springhares and rock rabbits. Took springbok, warthog and blesbok with the same rifle. If you use non lead bullets, you should be good on the little guys. Coyote hunters selling pelts are a good source of information on different bullets and cartridges to use.

I never even thought of a 17, only experience with one was a chance raven while in Alberta on a whitetail hunt. There must be a ton of calibers and bullets that are not mentioned here. I only reported/mentioned on what did or did not work for me. Good point on the predator hunter guys, they certainly get experience on smaller stuff. Here close to home we have no coyotes thank God (they would decimate our small black tails), but lots of wolves, shoot them with whatever gun is in hand when seen. 243-338 so far.

All this info will be a good read and info for OP. Not sure if any definitive outcome will persuade gun/bullet decision. Great info for us with dreams of a small critter hunt return.

MB

 

[Green Chile]

I thought of .17 but I also don't want too much speed or shallow entry/blowup. There are probably much better bullet choices today in the .17's but the only sizable animal I have shot and lost was a bobcat, shot in the chest with a 17. Still hate thinking about that.

 

[tward1604]

I suggest a bespoke 22 hornet double, regulated for the Peregrine Bushmaster bullets.


Purely because I dream big, even with tiny targets.

 

[SETH RINGER]

TINY TEN REALLY DO NOT INTEREST ME, BUT WE HAVE TAKEN A BUNCH OF NIGHT CRITTERS WITH A .357MAG LEVER GUN.

 

[McKenzie Sims]

I have taken several of the tiny's with a 7mm and a 7 saum along with a 375 with a solid never once destroying the capes. I’ve also used a shot gun in Cameroon for blue duiker and a shot gun in SA for a caracal and a barrowed 22 for night critters in SA. If you wanted to take a gun just for the little guys and didn’t want to worry, I’d say a 223 would be great that way you can shoot 100-150 yards pretty easily at some of the duikers and such. 22 is great but your limited on range and punch power if need be on some of the bigger ones.

 

[sureshot375]

Not a solid per se but I used a TSX 300 grain .375 on my honey badger with no big mess at about 40 yards.

View attachment 608905

Used a Oryx 7mm on this huge duiker at 20 yards...thankfully behind the shoulder and didn't blow it up. This is the offside with just a pencil hole through it. Both small beasts were in excellent shape for full mounts but I could have blown them up with a shoulder hit. That's why I'm looking at smaller calibers for these little dudes.

View attachment 608906

Honey Badgers are a whole different animal. I had one tote a solid .375 at 10 yards. He made it to a hole where he later became a leopard snack.

I shot another one with a .500/.416 woodleigh soft at 10 yards. It worked with no damage.

 

[Green Chile]

WIth HB, you have to use enough gun!

 

[Green Chile]

Got the Swaro Z8i mounted to the cape gun tonight. Had to run it all the way back for eye relief.

Now I need to find or make some 70 grain .227 solids. I've got a lot of softs but they are running 2700fps and that might make a mess.

 

[MarkB]

If you can find and get a solid slower maybe 2500 fps? and be accurate I think you have the perfect set up. Close ups with the 16 gauge and all the reach needed in the 22. That along with the blazer aboard with a "normal" PG barrel and you have nearly all options covered best.

MB

 

[Green Chile]

Almost all published load data is for 2700+ fps with 70's but with IMR 4198, I can get it down to about 2460fps. Nice thing about a scoped cape gun is it doesn't have to regulate. It's basically a scoped single shot rifle with an extra shotgun barrel.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Got the Swaro Z8i mounted to the cape gun tonight. Had to run it all the way back for eye relief.

Now I need to find or make some 70 grain .227 solids. I've got a lot of softs but they are running 2700fps and that might make a mess.

View attachment 609193

You need to use this ASAP.

You already know I'm going to continue to use a 375 on the last 2 species I need. A .22LR wouldn't be a bad option and also opens the door for shooting a lot of different bird species. A 22 WMR or Hornet would definitely work but I know of a couple Dik-Dik that weren't recovered when shot with 22WMR's and a Zim PH who told me in his experience the 22 Hornet is too fast and does more damage than the 375 on exit. My Sharps with him fell to my 375 despite having the .22LR in the truck. Used what I had in hand when we encountered him.

 

[Andrew62]

I’ve had great success using 300 grain Barnes TSX out of my .375H&H

 

[ActionBob]

We are going to get our 4457's this week. Planning to take a 375, 404. And 450NE for buffalo and some bigger PG. A 22 Hornet with a suppressor and Swaro Z6i and clip on Leica Calinox thermal. Hopefully a drilling in 16 x 22 Hornet x 7mm but presently it is doubling the 7mm and left 16 gauge.... On its way to JJ. And 7mm Mauser that if I remove the rear sight, that clip on thermal will fit it too!

Hunting from Genet to Giraffe And the three of us are hunting buffalo also thus the need for 3 heavy guns.

In the past I've used a 6.5 Creedmoor and blew little things up. A 30-06 with solids. A 7 x 57 with 173 grain bullets seemed to work pretty well. And I've used my 375 H&H with solids and with A Frames.

 

[IvW]

A Tikka 512S 222Rem/12ga may just be ideal for this application......loaded with a 55gr Rhino bullet and 12ga depending on target animal.....

 

[Kharn]

If trophy collecting is the goal I would opt for the smallest capable caliber to decrease the risk of trophy damage.

.22LR or .22WMR

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

If trophy collecting is the goal I would opt for the smallest capable caliber to decrease the risk of trophy damage.

.22LR or .22WMR

22 Hornet