Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Bullets for Steenbuck

Hi everyone,
I'm going to Namibia next year and am taking a .325. I'm planning to load 200gr Barnes x bullets, however I'd also like to shoot a steenbuck. Do you all think the x bullet will be ok for this small of a critter? I don't want to completely destroy it. What does everyone else use for the small antelope?

375 with any solid. Of course if you want to do a shoulder mount it does not matter because the rear half mostly gets torn up.

If you are looking at a life size mount, go with a solid, or find out if the camp has a 222 you can use. Many times farmers in Namibia have a 223 and then use a standard military FMJ in it.

46 grain soft in a .22 Hornet does a nice job, but I guess you don't want to bring two rifles.

30 pounds is a big one...think coyote size.

You'll be fine with the TSXs. I have shot several of the little guys with them using both .375 and .338. Just do a lung shot rather than a shoulder shot and there is not issue. Good luck with the steenbuck, I am still trying to get one of them.

Mec if you do not like to destroy it go for a solid as Pieter recommend and aim slightly rear front leg. Have shoot some roe deer calf's (same size) with 9,3x64 using Brenneke TOG and there was nothing left (if you hit in shoulder) except back legs.

.243W with 100 grain Partition exit hole in a Steenbok.

I shot this one with a .375 H&H and a 270 gr TSX....he looks good on this side but the other side? Well let's just say that the taxidermist and I are discussing how to fix it since I just got the cape back from the tannery. Try to borrow a smaller rifle. I would think a .22mag would be about right. Also solids as has been mentioned would work. They are small, beautiful, and very delicate creatures and they put a rabbit to shame the way they run and weave and jump.

Any deer bullet at moderate velocity...Since I've been to Africa once, never shot a tiny antelope, I am twice as smart as I was last year.

Pieter has got it spot on. .375 with solids will be the best to preserve the cape.
TSX are excellent bullets , but will still make a mess on the little fellas.

I happened across a silver medal klipspringer in Zim a little over 3 years ago. I was on a DG hunt and had only brought my .416 Rigby and a .470. Shot the little fellow with a solid from the .416. He died promptly and there was little damage. By contrast, I shot a jackal with a 200 grain Swift A-Frame from a .300 Winchester the year before and he virtually vaporized. There was little left and nothing useable. I vote for a solid.

I shot a Steenbok with a 300 grain TSX out of my 375. Just remember to aim a little further aft as you don't want to hit a lot of bone.

Exit hole:

Rifle: Ruger M77 Mk II in .30-06 Springfield
Handload: 220 gr Woodleigh round nose at 2460 fps (10 shot chrono average)
South Africa - way back in 2002

The only one I've ever taken but the Woodleigh worked very well without too much unnecessary destruction / damage....



Excellent advice, IMHO, and that's exactly what I tried to do, and succeeded in doing, with my shot.


Cheers!
-Bob F.

The owner of the farm I hunted in Namibia in 2009, said he uses a 22 hornet. I used a 280, on two of them. One with a Ttsx 140gr bullet and the other a 140gr BT. The BT, essentially blew a hole as big as my fist right out, behind the ribs (bullet going at an angle) the Ttsx came out between the neck and shoulder, and blew a silver dollar sized hole out, which ruined the cape. These guys aren't very big, as noted.

Have shot only one Steenbok and it was for the trackers for supper. Shot it in the head so as to not ruin any meat. I was using a 375H&H with 270gr Nosler Partitions. The trackers did find one horn for me as a souvenir and said the meat was perfect.

300 UltraMag with a 200 g TSX. I shot in the middle and have a nice pedestal shoulder mount. If I had had a solid, I would had have a full body mount.

I shot mine with a .35 Whelen using 225 gr. TBBC at about 75 yards. Made a 2 inch exit, but nothing that the taxidermist could not repair.

I shot mine in 2009 with a 45-110 Sharps. 511 grain paper patched lead bullet at 49 yards. Caliber sized hole in, nickle sized hole out. DRT.

Use a solid in the 8mm 325 WSM for steenbuck. Pull some from some surplus military ammo and work up a moderate velocity load.

Trust me...

L2S

Use solids if you want something to mount. I shot a nice klipspringer in Zimbabwe once with my 338 and 225 grain trophy bonded bearclaws. There was one hell of a huge exit hole.

Also shot a klippie with my 270 and 150 nosler partitions on a different safari. Shot that one farther back and had no problems.

Soft or solid does not matter. The velocity is the culprit for the tissue destruction problems.

This common "legend" or hearsay of softs causing so much damage is false unless shooting varmint bullets. Just think logically here, If your soft point hitting a 25lb animal is going to expand with such violence that excessive tissue damage occurs how is that same bullet gonna hold together and help you on a rock solid 700 lb blue wildebeest zebra kudu waterbuck gemsbok etc? If a steenbok opens your bullet what chance does it have to go deep or exit a big animal?

What is a steenboks diameter? Maybe 10" or so? It has the structural integrity of a fluorescent light bulb. The concern here is grossly misguided. If the worry of a softpoint blowing up a steenbok is a real concern your missing the big picture of that same bullet failing on all other bigger game!

That little steenbok will not mushroom your softpoint. If it does your screwed using it on anything bigger! Shoot it in the guts no where near the shoulder. If you hit the scapula it's much like internal anatomical bowling with the pins blowing out of the hide in every direction.

I've seen as many shot with a 375 as I have with all others combined. The bullets used have been every type you can imagine. The bullet type is not the issue the velocity and placement are. Those hit with 7 and 30 mags have been nearly cut in half. Those with slower bullets are badly damaged but intact. I doubt anyone here has seen more steenbok shot then Pieter or I on this site just think about shooting a red fox or a very small coyote. For body size. Although coyotes are much tougher and with thicker hide and fur to hide damage.