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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting 223 ammo for small antelopeGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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| One of Us |
Planning a trip to RSA and was advised to bring my 223. What ammo? Best, hollow point, or fmj? Will be using it for duicker, oribi, so forth. Thanks. Meat Eater. | ||
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Personally, I would NOT use any hollow point or varmint bullet if you intend to mount the animals. I'd shoot a nosler partition, which shouldn't do too much damage and which would also be suitable for impala and the other antelope of less than 150 pounds. | |||
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I have shot a lot(I would guess 80-100) of impala with a .223 and 55 grain Hornady spire points. Shoot them just behind the shoulder at the point where the hair changes color and it will wreck the lungs. They will not go far. | |||
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I don't know if I would go to RSA with just a 223. I might bring one as a second gun if I planned to do a lot of varmint (monkeys, hyrax, etc.) hunting but I wouldn't bring it for my primary hunting gun for anything bigger than that. Frank "I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money." - Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953 NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite | |||
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I have taken a .223 to Africa 4 or 5 times and it's been great to have. Here is what I have learned. My first trip with the .223, I took Hornady V-Max loads and they were too destructive on most small animals - even put a big exit hole in my Steinbok. Overall, my favorite .223 load has become the 62 grain Federal Fusion round. It shoots tiny groups from both my .223 rifles and it has killed several Impala and Springbuck with a single shot. It is not particularly damaging on smaller critters. I don't use the .223 for trophy Impala or any like-sized animal. I stick with larger rounds where shots might be long or the presentation is not ideal. On Impala/springbuck sized antelope, I limit the .223 to culling and only when the shots are perfect and no more than 100 meters. I'm sure the round can do more, but personally, I don't want to risk wounding an animal. I use the .223 Primarily for very small animals like Jackal, fox and the like. For tiny antelope like Duiker and Orobi, a .223 seems perfect to me. Have a great time in Africa. | |||
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I filled up my wall space with my last trip. Next trip will be for caracal, civet and genet. Life size mounts. A 223 with partitions should be about right. Dave | |||
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I grew up shooting many dozens of antelope and small animals with a 222 Rem and I now have a 6x45 that I love. However... it is not something that I would recommend. Firstly, a .22 centrefire is illegal (IIRC) as the minimum is a 6mm for protected game and secondly, as stated above, many bullets are not designed for hunting. Shot placement is everything, but your margin for error is simply better with a bigger cartridge. Your favourite deer rifle will do it all and more. | |||
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FMJ or solids are the best for small antelope (duiker, dik-dik etc). However I would not bring an extra gun for that. Just find a solid that shots nicely out of your main rifle. | |||
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. You favourite rifle or even a 375 pushing solids. 1/ a decent taxidermist can easily plug the two holes 2/ you are covered if you see that lifetime warthog or anything bigger than a duiker ! My 2 cents. Enjoy ! . "Up the ladders and down the snakes!" | |||
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Ive shot a lot of game with my 222 Rem. and my 6x45..My favorite bullet for the 222 is the Hornady 60 gr. HP or SP, both work..I don't like partitions and bonded core bullets in caliber less than a 25 cal. and they work best in 270 and up IMO. I use the GS Customs 80 gr. in my 6x45 and also in my 250-3000.. My use of light calibers is determined by the circumstances. For serious trophy hunting I would prefer something on the order of a 250 Savage or 30-06 for deer and a 338 0r 9.3x62 for our local elk. I've used the small guns at the ranch for culling and meat. All my kids and grandkids shot their first deer with the 222 or 6x45, and my near 30 year old grandson uses the 6x45 to this day. He has never killed a deer or elk with any other rifle and he is near 30 years old. but he is a cowboy and knows where the elk are and just waits until one presents a good shot, he is amonst them.. Ive culled in African with both, mostly head shots but a large number of heart/lung shots..I prefer the 6x45 for no particular reason. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I would be worried about the animal running off and not being found with the use of such a small FMJ, maybe no blood to track. Varmint bullets will surely be destructive. The 62 grain nosler partition might be the least destructive to a cape. Winchester has a .223 load with the 64 grain power-point that might work, it's rated for deer. | |||
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I am going to do something that is often my pet peeve - not answer the original question but make a suggestion. Pack a .243 Win loaded with Swift Sciroccos, can handle all the small game without much damage to the hides and in the right hands all the medium sized plains game and even some of the larger plains game. Its also a small package/light rifle but far more effective and versatile | |||
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I've use the .223 on pygmy antelope up to Impala, Blesbuck & varmints. 60 grain Nosler Partition did the job. Never a problem with blowing a big exit hole. If you need a more internally destructive bullet that is catastrophic on internal organs of medium game, use a Raptor by Cutting Edge Bullets if you reload. Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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I've taken everything from African wild cat to big baboons with a .223 using military ball ammunition. Use whatever shoots best in your rifle, and go for it. Good hunting | |||
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,,,,,,,Very good advice! A 375 H&H with a selection of softs and solids will do it all without undue damage to be repaired by your taxidermist! ......................................................................  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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The reality is that a lot of small to medium African game gets shot by local hunters using a 22 cal rifle. While visiting my friend on his ranch in Namibia a few yeas go my son and I shot hare, springbok, caracal, wild cat, steinbok and a gemsbok (headshot) using a 222 rem loaded with 52gn match bullets. I have also shot warthog off maize fields in South Africa using a 223 with match bullets and had good success. If you can get them in the USA, a 55gn Sierra Game king is a very good 22 cal bullet for the 222 or 223. They sell them in Australia in bulk branded as a "Super Roo" bullet. I would be happy to take a small 22 as an additional rifle for a trip to SA. | |||
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Bwana_500' Sierra bullets are Made in the USA, so yes you can get them here. Still one of the best brand bullets. | |||
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