Bullets for Kudu and Gemsbok

tusker

Well-Known Member
Hi chaps, opinions please. Rifle is 270. Bullet is Speer grand slam 130 grn. Is that enough for said animals or 150 grn?

Tusker
 
Bullet is relatively well made and am sure would be good enough if you stick it in the right place!!
That said Kudu are big compared to your average UK Red Stag

as to bullet weights......
150gr at factory speeds has lower downrange energy and worse trajectory than 130gr

unless you are pushing you 150gr at above 29-3000fps then IMO stick with 130's

this one fairly dropped:

 
I have to say I wouldn't dream of using a .270 in Africa!
I used my .416 Rem with a Speer 350gr SP to good effect - instant death and no chasing of wounded animals for hours.
I would recommend a MINIMUM of a 7mm Mag with a good heavy good quality bullet.
 
I use my .270 and 130gn Speer Grandslams for everything I shoot in Africa - unless you're hunting dangerous stuff like hippo, buffalo etc, you'll be fine for everything up to and including Eland. Same applies to 7x57, .260R, .270WSM etc - I've seen them all used with aplomb and animals all dead on the spot.

Most of the plains game species are pretty thin skinned - just buy yourself a pocket copy of The Perfect Shot and make sure you are familier with the slightly different heart/lung placement than found in European large game species. Many PHs like you to use .30s and Magnums because they have a bit more margin for error but if you know your shot placements and are confident at longer ranges off sticks, they're not essential.

A.
 
I use my .270 and 130gn Speer Grandslams for everything I shoot in Africa - unless you're hunting dangerous stuff like hippo, buffalo etc, you'll be fine for everything up to and including Eland. Same applies to 7x57, .260R, .270WSM etc - I've seen them all used with aplomb and animals all dead on the spot.

Most of the plains game species are pretty thin skinned - just buy yourself a pocket copy of The Perfect Shot and make sure you are familier with the slightly different heart/lung placement than found in European large game species. Many PHs like you to use .30s and Magnums because they have a bit more margin for error but if you know your shot placements and are confident at longer ranges off sticks, they're not essential.

A.

Great advice I can tell you fact no big game animal on the planet will survive long with correct placement. I've used accubonds and Barnes in Africa with superb results they also may be another option to look at. No experience of the grand slams though no doubt there good though. try africahunting.com forum some good stuff on shot placement HUNTING Kudu | AfricaHunting.com
 
I started on 6.5 x 55 before I got my 9.3 x 62.

Most stuff I have shot with the Swede. Only Eland have I NOT used the Swede on.

I now carry my 9.3 and my son carries the 6.5.

Kudu and Eland I would choose to use the 9.3 but everything smaller is fine with the 6.5.

Just hit them in the correct place.

Stan

P.S Zebra are better with a bigger calibre than 6.5 / .270
You Really do want to stop them running. Surprising how far one can run after a 9.3 in the shoulder...... Three hours and 20 miles.
 
The majority of the game ranches that I know in the Northern Cape use Privi.

Gemsbok are no tougher than fallow. Kudu perhaps a little tougher.

Anything that works on red stags will work on either.
 
Have used my 270 with Barnes 130 gn TTXs on four hunts on plains game up to a kudu bull, the Barnes performed perfectly and all were one shot kills, used 130gn partition the first time then found Barnes and have used them ever since, they punch through bone and muscle and leave an exit hole except on the larger antelope species, where they sit under the hide on the offside. Would recommend them to anyone, they perform well and you can eat right up to the bullet track as well. deerwarden
 
Tusker,

I should have said that in my Swede I use Norma factory ammo with 140gr Nosler Partitions.
My son shot a big bull Wildebeest in the engine room. Bullet hit a rib on the exit and deflected 90 degrees toward the chest. Rear of the bullet pierced the chest skin with the mushroom preventing exit. Bullet was as intact as any Partition I've recovered.

Stan
 
The game range I visited two years ago in the eastern cape uses 243win for their guests. They reason it with many of their guests just not being able to shoot a heavier cartridge well. I spent my childhood in South Africa and we did quite a bit of Kudu hunting, the old 303 and 308 were popular and knocked Kudu over well. I would not go 130gr, rather 150 as a min and 165 being about perfect. Just learn the drops.
edi
 
I'm headed to SA in 10 days hunting with and SA mate from UK visiting his folks nr the Karoo, they shoot a lot of Springbok, Kudu and occasionally Eland. I am taking my .243 for Springbok hunts, they use mostly 22.250 and .222 for Springbok, .303 and .270 for Kudu and up, the .270 running 130grn.
 
Back
Top