Small caliber for Small game

I am doing a small antelope hunt and small cats next year and am thing of taking a .222 I am wondering what Bullet to use with out busting the animal up too bad.

>>When I went to Africa in 2007 I was considering taking along my 22/250 for shooting the small cats. I contacted Hornady & they said at the time the Barnes 52 gr. bullet was the best on the market. I asked them if this was Hornady or not & he said it was. They just did not have a decent bullet at the time to keep pelt damage to a minimum. I bought a box & worked up a load & loaded the restup. I have shot one Fox with that load & no pelt damage at all!

sounds like a good bullet but 52 gr what is the rest called or is there only one Barnes 52 gr Bullet

They are triple shot X. I didn't keep the box & I had to look in an old catalogue. It appears as though that was 53 gr. bullets . My mistake! They do shoot well though!

Originally Posted by Blaserman

I am doing a small antelope hunt and small cats next year and am thing of taking a .222 I am wondering what Bullet to use with out busting the animal up too bad.

Small cats and antelope are soft.

The 222Rem is a very fast caliber. If you use a SP bullet and you dont place the bullet perfect and you hit bone your taxidermist is gonna have it work cut out to close the holes.

I would suggest you use a solid or something as possible to solids to try and reduce wound cavity.

As said before Barnes bullets should do the trick but you still have to remember that shot placement is very very important.


Hope this helps.

Excellent caliber, as I have read 22-250, although I am of calibers slightly more powerful like for example 224 Weatherby and if you throw something bigger 257 Weatherby.

Oscar.

If you handload, you could also look at getting a 6x45 built