Namibia has a minimum caliber of 7mm I believe. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Pygmy Antelopes from my collection:

Klipspringer - .223 Zimbabwe 2011
Common Oribi - x2 .300WM w/solid Mozambique 2003 & Zambia 2004
Steenbok - .300wm Zimbabwe 1997
Cape Grysbok- .300wm w/solid RSA 2003
Sharpe Grysbok - .223 Zimbabwe 2011
Livingstone Suni - 480ruger handgun Mozambique 2003 - world record
Southern Bush Duiker - .300wm Zimbabwe 1997
Natal Red Duiker - x2 .44mag handgun RSA 1999 & .500s&w handgun Mozambique 2005 - world record
Blue Duiker - 12ga. w/#6 birdshot RSA 2003

As mentioned by others, some of the species named in prior posts are not classified as Pygmy Antelope and therefore should not be counted as Tiny Ten species.

How about a 30-30 Winchester, for fun and nostalgia?

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:
Pygmy Antelopes from my collection:



As mentioned by others, some of the species named in prior posts are not classified as Pygmy Antelope and therefore should not be counted as Tiny Ten species.

This, none of the reedbuck are true contenders for the tiny 10 challenge. The real tiny 10 have straight, not curved horns.

Not sure that's true. My Oribi's horns are somewhat curved in the front and they are a part of the tiny ten.

Woodleigh make a Hydro solid in 308 in 150 grains.

That might be a good thing in a 30 calibre rifle.

As to specialised rifles for small antelopes, I used a 257Wby shooting 90 XBT's to take my Vaal Rhebok and Klipspringer with no real ill effects on the capes, though the Klippie was taken at over 400 yards.

A 243 with reduced loads as Saeed mentioned would be a good thing........provided you were not attempting too long a shot!

But whatever bullet/calibre choice you make, it will cause damage to the cape, shot placement then becomes so important, must be WELL behind the shoulder.

Well I am just about to leave Africa. I used a 30-06 loaded with 180 grain Nosler Partitions @ 2650fps on a Common Duiker @ 190yards. Out of the entire hunt, it was the only shot that didn't exit!

The PH says he likes a 375 H&H with solids on the little stuff.

My 375 H&H did outstanding on Impala, Blesbuck, and Kudu.

My 30-06 did a job on 3 neck shot Springbuck; huge exit holes!! All were much Larger than a softball

In Moz on the Suni we used shotguns and .223 Rem 700 with FMJ bullets. It was a camp gun but luckily it was sighted in and I made an nice shot thru the jungle vegetation with the 700 and it made a nice little entrance and exit hole. The shot was long but through some nasty tangles of trees vines etc so fast moving bullet was good. Would not want to only have a .223 in buff and elephant country though

I have taken klipspringer, steenbok, jackal while hunting other large game. Just used solids from my 375 H&H or 9.3 x 62. Passed through with zero skin damage.
lb

Solids in a 22 savage double rifle
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Another vote for 375 H&H with solids.

A lot of good and interesting comments. I've become interested in the little guys of late. My .416 with a solid doesn't tear much up, assuming you don't hit a major bone, like the shoulder. I would think that would do less damage than a faster, lighter, expandable bullet, even of a much smaller caliber.

varmint hunting experience tells me that a 17 or 22 with a really frangible bullet at very high velocity (3500) will go in but not come out. so a 22-250 or 220 Swift; or 17/223 (17 Rem) would be an interesting choice. you might get the same result with your 243 with a very light super-explosive bullet but you risk cutting the critter in half. I would advise AGAINST using "normal" 243 deer ammo, I tried that once on a jackal and ended up with 2 pieces and a lot of splatter.

That seems risky Russ. If you get an exit, it's going to be the size of your fist.

22 Hornet...?

I think I have shot 8 or so of the pygmy antelope including Duikers and Dik-Dik.

If I don't have solids with me, I have shot them with whatever soft I happened to have right behind the rib cage. Nothing that hasn't been repairable, but it looks a little messy at the photo shoot.

Admittedly, I have not done any dedicated hunts for the small stuff, they have always been targets of opportunity.

If I was going to SA on a "Tiny 10 Safari" I think I would use a .22 Hornet for it.

Otherwise, I plan on loading the magazine with solids and just eject the soft if I am on the track of a little feller. .375, .416, .470 all punch a big straight hole and have worked so far, albeit occasionally needing a bit of tracking.