What Bullets and Gun to shoot Tiny Ten with?

[Buckdog]

Thanks guys for all the help. I agree with Red leg if you mess too much with 2 guns I never have the right one when I need it. My 416 is deadly out too 200yds so I am thinking I will carry it as my primary weapon and loaded it up with 400gr swift a frames until a buff goes down and keep some solids on my belt. then when buff down load it up with solids and shoot the little guys. I like what some have said the solids will easy go right thru trees and brush. I will save the 300win mag for Nyala and if Andri tells me I will need it to take a long shot at mtn rhebuck, or something, etc.
I agree with red leg if I shoot a tiny duiker etc with that 416 and a swift a frame neither god or the almighty Dennis will be able to resurrect it

 

[Hank2211]

I have done both the .375 solid and soft on the little guys. The soft through the guts is not a very, shall we say, aesthetically pleasing way to kill game. I center of massed a red duiker with a soft, and he is a euro mount (don't thing the good Lord could have resurrected him - much less Dennis). I also tried a reload (SP to solid) a couple of times at close range - that doesn't work well either. Headed back to Moz in October and think I will try the Woodleigh Cup monos for everything when toting the .375.

Sorry to hear about your mount Red Leg!

Oddly perhaps, I shot a red duiker in Natal with a .416 Rigby with a Barnes triple shock, and it just punched a hole through him. Nice, neat hole at that. Perhaps the bullet was too hard to expand properly on that size of game? Or perhaps no bone was hit (I aimed for the "body" rather than the shoulders to avoid that problem)? Not sure, but either way, I have a nice full mount red duiker now!

Two more to go until I have them all!

 

[IvW]

There are too many variables to generalise across board for all the Tiny Ten. Hunting the Tiny Ten (or Twelve) can be more difficult than the big six. They are found in so many different habitats and will therefore require more specialized rifles to collect them by the serious Tiny ten trophy hunter. Some are found in very dense forest other's high up in the mountains with very little stalking cover.


If you are going on a DG or PG safari and a few of the Tiny Ten may cross your path, then take your normal rifles and pack some solids. Here I would recommend round nosed solids as opposed to flat/meplat nosed solids or conical solids. The round nosed ones make a smaller wound channel and will cause less damage to the cape. Try to stay away from high velocity calibre's or download them for the same reason.


For the more serious Tiny Ten trophy hunter, as an example, while hunting the Tiny ten I have ended up trying to shoot Red Duiker and Suni in the coastal forests using a shotgun, then the little buggers pop out 100 yards down an open track and no shot is possible. Likewise, I have sat calling for them in bush where their middens have been found and then have them almost run me over, rendering a shot with a rifle useless. I subsequently bought 2 combination rifles (9.3mm x 74R/12ga combo and a 7 x 65R/12ga Combo, fitted with a claw mount detachable scope-for my son). Loaded with the correct solids you are ready for any of these scenarios. They also double as our bush pig and warthog guns.


For the serious Tiny Ten hunters, I recommend below as a guideline.


Tiny Ten Species


1. Blue Duiker-Shotgun or Combination. Rifle barrel-solids.

2. Damara Dik-Dik-Shotgun or Combination. Rifle barrel-solids.

3. Cape Grysbok (Southern Grysbok)-Rifle, Shotgun or Combination, depending on terrain (nocturnal, best bet at last and first light).

4. Common Duiker (Grey Duiker or Bush Duiker)-Rifle, solids or bonded softs at lower velocity calibres.

5. Klipspringer-Rifle, solids, ranges could be long then bonded softs at sensible velocity, as they have hollow hair and are very prone to hair slip. You want to minimize the shot damage.

6. Oribi-Rifle, solids, ranges could be long then bonded softs at sensible velocity.

7. Red Forest Duiker (Red Duiker, Natal Duiker or Natal Red Duiker)-Shotgun or Combination. Rifle barrel-solids.

8. Sharp's Grysbok (Northern Grysbok)- Rifle, solids. Shotgun or Combination. Rifle barrel-solids.

9. Steenbok (Steinbuck or Steinbok)-Rifle, solids or bonded softs at lower velocity calibres.

10. Shotgun or Combination. Rifle barrel-solids.


The two that are commonly added/substituted in South Africa:


11. Rhebuck (Grey Rhebuck or Vaal Rhebuck). Rifle-flat shooting as ranges will more than likely be long. Premium bonded soft.

12. Mountain Reedbuck. Rifle-Premium bonded soft. Depending where you hunt them ranges can be long.


Good luck, hope you are successful, the Tiny Twelve are awesome to hunt.

 

[Bullthrower338]

My only little guy so far is a duiker, used a 375 with 300gr a-frame, worked perfectly only a small(1/2") hole to sew on exit. 150 yard shot, really suprised me how well it worked. You would think I work for Swift by the way I praise their bullets but I don't. I just can't find much wrong with them when a soft is used for African game. Picture shows exit side.

 

[Hank2211]

There are too many variables to generalise across board for all the Tiny Ten. Hunting the Tiny Ten (or Twelve) can be more difficult than the big six. They are found in so many different habitats and will therefore require more specialized rifles to collect them by the serious Tiny ten trophy hunter. Some are found in very dense forest other's high up in the mountains with very little stalking cover.


If you are going on a DG or PG safari and a few of the Tiny Ten may cross your path, then take your normal rifles and pack some solids. Here I would recommend round nosed solids as opposed to flat/meplat nosed solids or conical solids. The round nosed ones make a smaller wound channel and will cause less damage to the cape. Try to stay away from high velocity calibre's or download them for the same reason.


For the more serious Tiny Ten trophy hunter, as an example, while hunting the Tiny ten I have ended up trying to shoot Red Duiker and Suni in the coastal forests using a shotgun, then the little buggers pop out 100 yards down an open track and no shot is possible. Likewise, I have sat calling for them in bush where their middens have been found and then have them almost run me over, rendering a shot with a rifle useless. I subsequently bought 2 combination rifles (9.3mm x 74R/12ga combo and a 7 x 65R/12ga Combo, fitted with a claw mount detachable scope-for my son). Loaded with the correct solids you are ready for any of these scenarios. They also double as our bush pig and warthog guns.


For the serious Tiny Ten hunters, I recommend below as a guideline.


Tiny Ten Species


1. Blue Duiker-Shotgun or Combination. Rifle barrel-solids.

2. Damara Dik-Dik-Shotgun or Combination. Rifle barrel-solids.

3. Cape Grysbok (Southern Grysbok)-Rifle, Shotgun or Combination, depending on terrain (nocturnal, best bet at last and first light).

4. Common Duiker (Grey Duiker or Bush Duiker)-Rifle, solids or bonded softs at lower velocity calibres.

5. Klipspringer-Rifle, solids, ranges could be long then bonded softs at sensible velocity, as they have hollow hair and are very prone to hair slip. You want to minimize the shot damage.

6. Oribi-Rifle, solids, ranges could be long then bonded softs at sensible velocity.

7. Red Forest Duiker (Red Duiker, Natal Duiker or Natal Red Duiker)-Shotgun or Combination. Rifle barrel-solids.

8. Sharp's Grysbok (Northern Grysbok)- Rifle, solids. Shotgun or Combination. Rifle barrel-solids.

9. Steenbok (Steinbuck or Steinbok)-Rifle, solids or bonded softs at lower velocity calibres.

10. Shotgun or Combination. Rifle barrel-solids.


The two that are commonly added/substituted in South Africa:


11. Rhebuck (Grey Rhebuck or Vaal Rhebuck). Rifle-flat shooting as ranges will more than likely be long. Premium bonded soft.

12. Mountain Reedbuck. Rifle-Premium bonded soft. Depending where you hunt them ranges can be long.


Good luck, hope you are successful, the Tiny Twelve are awesome to hunt.

I understand adding to the Tiny Ten, but where did the Vaal Rhebuk and Mountain Reedbuck come from? Both are, I think, far larger than any other of the Tiny Ten (maybe the common duiker or the oribi get close). If you wanted to add, I'd suggest some of the other dik-dik, some of the other duiker, Royal Antelope, etc. The only thing the Rhebukk and Mountain Reedbuck have going for them is that they are both found in South Africa!

I'm not trying to be difficult (some say I can be difficult without actually trying), but saying you have the Tiny Ten when you include a Mountain Reedbuck is like saying you have the Big Five when you got a hippo instead of an elephant!

Add all you want, but this is like ordering the special. No substitutions allowed.

 

[enysse]

You got a good point Hank 2211. I personally think it helps from a sales pitch better. There are definitely some other special tiny antelope in northern Africa that are dreamy but less affordable.
I personally would just like to hunt the small ones and skip the glory species just because they are so unaffordable. Daily rates are still pretty high though......

 

[Royal27]

Totally agree Hank!

And I do think that this comes down to marketing terms largely, other than the big five. Whether it be the Tiny Ten, or the Spiral Horn Slam (which people say is for animals. Uhm....), or Springbok slam, etc....

And don't even get me started on folks saying a hippo can replace a rhino for the Big Five. No, it doesn't. Tough luck.

But you're right, enjoy the Ten, or add other little guys as you can, don't just substitute for a title.

 

[WildRose]

I need advice from those of you out there that have shot the little guys like grysbok, duiker, Mtn. Reedbuck, etc.
I will be taking 416 rem for buff maybe giraffe and 300 win mag with me for little guys and plains game. I shot a steenbuck with the 300 win mag before with 200gr nos accubond and it wasn't pretty! I am pretty sure if I can get the little guys inside 200yds I can use the solids from the 416 at 2525fps and not blow them up?? Am I right on this? Are there any bullets you guys have used in 300 mags that wont blow up the little guys? maybe mono metal barnes bullets? 30 cal swift A-Frames? I reload so anything is possible. I have some 30 cal Barnes solids but PH (Andri Fox) looked at them Friday and said might whistle right thru and some of those little guys would go and would have to bring dogs as not big enough wound with 30 cal solid. My taxidermist (Dennis Harris) says use the 300 and shoot center mass in the guts blow out guts and call it a day just don't hit the front end PH says the same use 300 at long range 416 solids close in.
Ph says some of these little guys live where we will be shooting across valley so need 300 to reach out for a few of them. Personally I want to use 300 on all of them if I can find a load and bullet that wont blow them up?

I ran into similar issues with some of the tiny guys I shot on my trip. After having some serious issues with the Swift Sirocco 180's I was shooting in the .300 I got turned onto the Peregrine VRG4 Plainsmaster bullets.

At any range, soft bodied or thick and bony I have yet to have any wasted meat from them even when punching both shoulders and the spine on Texas White Tails and on boars up to over 500lbs I get an exit of about one or two fingers again when punching through the shoulders and the spine.

They are made in South Africa but are available now in the US through their distributor Herman Weidemann.

<hermann@peregrinebullets.com>

I've shot just about every "premium bullet" available in the US over the last thirty or forty years and this is the closest thing to the "Perfect Hunting Bullet" that I've come across.

Stay just back of the shoulders and I think even on the littlest guys you'll be ok. For my next trip to the RSA I'm probably going to take the
375 Ruger and either my .22 Hornet or .260 Remington loaded with the Plainsmaster or their new VLR4 for the little guys.

After my experiene with them I really think something like the .22 Hornet and 50gr bullet would be just about perfect for them. You just need to avoid any bullet that either over expands or doesn't expand at all and try not to hit the spine from the shoulders forward as vertebra turn into fragmentation bombs when hit at high velocity.

 

[IvW]

My only little guy so far is a duiker, used a 375 with 300gr a-frame, worked perfectly only a small(1/2") hole to sew on exit. 150 yard shot, really suprised me how well it worked. You would think I work for Swift by the way I praise their bullets but I don't. I just can't find much wrong with them when a soft is used for African game. Picture shows exit side.
View attachment 171072

Perfect shot placement.

Some of the small ones tend to rip open in the gut area if shots are placed too far back as the belly skin is very soft.

 

[IvW]

I understand adding to the Tiny Ten, but where did the Vaal Rhebuk and Mountain Reedbuck come from? Both are, I think, far larger than any other of the Tiny Ten (maybe the common duiker or the oribi get close). If you wanted to add, I'd suggest some of the other dik-dik, some of the other duiker, Royal Antelope, etc. The only thing the Rhebukk and Mountain Reedbuck have going for them is that they are both found in South Africa!

I'm not trying to be difficult (some say I can be difficult without actually trying), but saying you have the Tiny Ten when you include a Mountain Reedbuck is like saying you have the Big Five when you got a hippo instead of an elephant!

Add all you want, but this is like ordering the special. No substitutions allowed.

Agreed.

Perhaps I could have worded that differently.
For South African hunters, the Damara Dik Dik is sometimes replaced or substituted with the Vaal Rhebuck or Mountain Reedbuck.

You have mentioned the reason, they both are found in South Africa and I presume this is where it started. It is not a matter of adding what you want it is rather a matter of having another small animal to hunt which is not available in your own country(South Africa). I omitted to add that they are sometimes substituted for the Damara Dik Dik only and not for the others, as this does not occur in South Africa. So for somebody who may only be able to hunt South Africa it at least gives them some options. Hunting Vaal Rhebuck can be one of the most difficult hunts around and then bagging a decent specimen even more so.

Yes sure for purists, it will have to be the first(original) ten.

Yes size is the main factor but difficulty in hunting them is another. The Vaal Rhebuck(has long legs so looks bigger) and the Mountain Reedbuck are both small animals.

As for the Big 5 the original was always Elephant, Black Rhino, Cape Buffalo, Lion, Leopard. Many have substituted the Black Rhino for a White Rhino. Some have preferred to only do green hunts on the Rhino. Hippo have never substituted any of the big 5 but they have in some circles been added and referred to as the Big 6.

In my opinion hunting Hippo on land is much more of a challenge than hunting them in the water or hunting a White Rhino which is like shooting a cow in a paddock most of the time.

For the not so pure Tiny Ten hunter or local South African hunters, the Vaal Rhebuck and/or Mountain Reedbuck are good options to add to the collection if you will not have the opportunity to hunt them in Namibia.

 

[Philip Glass]

I ran into similar issues with some of the tiny guys I shot on my trip. After having some serious issues with the Swift Sirocco 180's I was shooting in the .300 I got turned onto the Peregrine VRG4 Plainsmaster bullets.

At any range, soft bodied or thick and bony I have yet to have any wasted meat from them even when punching both shoulders and the spine on Texas White Tails and on boars up to over 500lbs I get an exit of about one or two fingers again when punching through the shoulders and the spine.

They are made in South Africa but are available now in the US through their distributor Herman Weidemann.

<hermann@peregrinebullets.com>

I've shot just about every "premium bullet" available in the US over the last thirty or forty years and this is the closest thing to the "Perfect Hunting Bullet" that I've come across.

Stay just back of the shoulders and I think even on the littlest guys you'll be ok. For my next trip to the RSA I'm probably going to take the
375 Ruger and either my .22 Hornet or .260 Remington loaded with the Plainsmaster or their new VLR4 for the little guys.

After my experiene with them I really think something like the .22 Hornet and 50gr bullet would be just about perfect for them. You just need to avoid any bullet that either over expands or doesn't expand at all and try not to hit the spine from the shoulders forward as vertebra turn into fragmentation bombs when hit at high velocity.

What loads for the .375 Ruger are you working with? It's my gun of choice so I was curious.
Regards,
Philip

 

[WildRose]

Phillip so far I've just run a handful of the .270 gr Plainsmaster using a 73-75gr charge of Alliant RL-15. I had very good accuracy with it but I'm probably going to try some RL-16 just because of it's better temperature stability.

I was getting best accuracy at 74.2 grains with 2845fps and single digit ES.

I loaded several other bullets as well with different powders and it seems to be a very easy round to load for.

I'm liking it enough I'm giving serious consideration to building another on one of my Model 70 donors with a 28" barrel using some slower burning powders to see how it does when I stretch it out.

 

[buffybr]

I'm not looking to enter these animals in any Tiny Ten Grand Slam award or in a Tiny Ten Inner Circle award, if these awards even exist. I just enjoy hunting whatever animals are available in the areas that I am hunting in.

So here are the small African animals that I have hunted, and the guns and bullets that I used.

Steenbok .375 RUM 270 grain TSX
Vaal Rhebok .375 RUM 270 grain TSX
Mtn Reedbok 7 Rem mag 160 grain Accubond
Cape Grysbok .308 Win. 150 grain FMJ
Common Duiker 7 Rem mag 160 grain Accubond and .300 Weatherby 168 grain TSX
Klipspringer .300 Weatherby 168 grain TSX
African Civet .300 Weatherby 150 grain FMJ
Caracal .22 LR
Black Backed Jackal .375 RUM 270 grain. TSX

 

[Buckdog]

buffybr
looks like you have shot a few with some pretty big sticks what can you tell me about damage those rounds did? I have so far only shot a steenbok with a 200gr accubond from a 300 win mag at 100yds and it blew one hell of a big chunk of steenbok out the other side! hit it right about in the hrt but hrt was basically varopized
I am not into any tiny slam either just want to shoot some of them mostly the same ones you have

 

[Goose Cracker]

So I haven't been on my first trip to Africa yet (43 days but already packed and who's counting), but I'm already planning my second trip. First trip SA for plains game. Pretty standard stuff. Second will be for buff, eland and tiny/pygmy antelope. The more I read about the " tiny ten/twelve" the more entranced I become.

For my second safari, why not just take my 375 H&H with Hornady DG 300g softs/solids for buff/eland and take a 223 (bolt, obviously) with really tough bullets (monometals) for the tiny antelope? Something like 55g TTSX or GMX? I've shot yotes and bobcats with them and they seem to put them down quickly with almost no hide damage? Plus a 223 is very flat-shooting, unlike a 22 Hornet.

I get the fact that if I'm carrying a 223 other plains game is off the menu. But if my buff/eland is already taken care of and my PH is carrying something sufficient in case we run across a problem?

 

[Hogpatrol]

I'm the oddball. I've used a .45 muzzleloader, a 6.5x47, 6.5-284, 26 Nosler, 28 Nosler and all the small guys and night animals plus close in springbok get the .17 Fireball. I have not taken any of the big five. My mentor who's hunted Africa over twenty times uses his .375 H&H for everything other than elephant and rhino, including the tiny ten. He just loads accordingly.

 

[crs]

HAVE your Gunbearer tote your big bore and you use .22 LONG RIFLE OR A SHOTGUN.
SWITCH GUNS FOR BIGGER GAME. Unless they are better to eat than a Jack rabbit, I personally would not waste ammo on them. If they taste as good as Cotton tailed Rabbit, then maybe shoot enough for supper.

 

[IvW]

.22lr apart from being illegal is a very bad choice for tiny ten......

 

[Happy Myles]

In my experience an extra rifle is too much hassle. I have always used my plains game rifle with solids or bullets that do not expand rapidly like 180gr TSX in my 300 Win Mag. Take care in shot placement behind the shoulder and not up front and they usually whistle through. Come to think of it have used solids in a 375 on a couple little ones. have taken the tiny ten plus extra ones, so have been been there.

 

[Areaonereal]

I would think a 223 with a 50 to 55 grain Hornady SX would be ideal....a SX will not exit a coyote or groundhog at 50 yds, so no damage to the hide on an exit wound. Used to shoot fox with a 222 rem at 2900 FPS and a 50 grainSX at 100 yds plus, no exit....fox weighs 7 lbs?. dead in the tracks...but they blow up a prairie dog at 300 yds..explosive. My son shot a Jackal at 50 yds with a ttsx Barnes from a 30 06, 2780 FPS muzzle..front half of the Jackal went East, rear half went West, total separation lying 10 inches apart. Not pretty. Cleaved in half.