south African Hunting Bullet Manufactures

[DaavG]

Good morning All,

I am interested to find out your thoughts on the various local manufactured hunting bullets, like and dislikes etc. Not to be brand bashing exercise by any means but to get feedback on their performance.

I haven't used any of them but toying with the idea of supporting local. This would be in my .243 and 7x57, max ranges 250m.

So here is my summary of the manufacturers I have found:

1. GS Custom (Copper Mono)
2. PMP (Cup and Core)
3. Impala (Brass Alloy Mono)
4. Ballistixs (Copper Mono)
5. Rhino (Mono and Bonded)
6. Claw (Bonded Bullet)
7. Kriek (Mono)
8. Frontier (Mono Polymet Tipped and hollow point)
9. Peregrine (Copper Mono)
10. Titan (Copper Mono)
11. Stewart (Bonded Bullet)

Any I have missed which should be considered? I haven't check pricing vs imported bullets so this maybe a mute point.

[414gates]

Not GS Custom. Maybe it's just me, but I have an order outstanding that was paid for 3 years ago.

I gave up trying to contact them a year after that.

[DaavG]

I have heard about their lack of service, yes thank you for the reminder.

[MyLani]

Not GS Custom. Maybe it's just me, but I have an order outstanding that was paid for 3 years ago.

I gave up trying to contact them a year after that.

I believe GS Customs has been bought out, and a new owner will be making them again. Doesn't make up for you loss though with the previous owner

[Toxxyc]

Not GS Custom. Maybe it's just me, but I have an order outstanding that was paid for 3 years ago.

I gave up trying to contact them a year after that.

GS Custom is making a comeback. There's a lot of movement, new owners, etc. Might be worth contacting them to get what's yours after all this time. Koos Barnard did some testing for them very recently.

[treeman]

GS Custom (Copper Mono - loved them, but they gone now. The bullet was good, but availability and supply brought the company down.
PMP (Cup and Core) - I personally feel they great bullets if not used for highly demanding shooting, big bones on big animals. Shot many kudu on the shoulder and they worked fine, but do not try your .243 PMP combo on same shoulder - Duh!
Impala (Brass Alloy Mono)- a interesting alternative approach to killing. The bullets kill dead when placed properly, but are hopeless in regard to death by wounding affect. A shot that was not a, shall we say direct hit to aimed for spot drops the animal 30/50 paces further than it would have, using a bonded or cup and core bullet. That same less than pin point accuracy with a Impala is a miss, a wounded animal that just keeps going. We have shot (wounded) problem rams with Impala bullets on enclosed farms and then finally culled the unwanted ram 2/3 months later with a healed or partially healed wound. I like the surgical cleanness of the wound because a wounded animal may just actually survive.
Ballistixs (Copper Mono) - Still wish to try them.
Rhino (Mono and Bonded) - had mixed results, the bonded bullets have exultant terminal performance with good penetration. I battled with accuracy from one batch to the next. Seems every batch was not as the batch before.
Claw (Bonded Bullet) - Same as with Rhino bullets, accuracy varied from great to WTF year to year, batch to batch.
Kriek (Mono) - Have not played enough to be of valid input.
Frontier (Mono Polymet Tipped and hollow point)- never used them myself, but have a large group of my chosen few regular hunting mates that use them and only them and have also only ever used them. Graham said" my first reloads were these bullets and I have never needed to try anything else" Caan said about the same and Phil and Sol.
Peregrine (Copper Mono) - They work - they cost too much.
Titan (Copper Mono) - Never used
Stewart (Bonded Bullet) - Never Used

[414gates]

GS Custom is making a comeback. There's a lot of movement, new owners, etc. Might be worth contacting them to get what's yours after all this time. Koos Barnard did some testing for them very recently.

I will never buy GS Custom again.

I buy all my monos from Peregrine. Quality is excellent. Price is better than GS Custom was. Service is fantastic. And their BC numbers are not overstated.

Our target shooters especially like to use the expensive imported bullets, and Peregrine provides target bullets with better performance, tighter tolerance, better consistency and a better price.

I'm not a hunter, but their hunting bullets must also be good, or the big bore guys wouldn't use them so much.

I used to think they were expensive, and relatively speaking two years ago they were. Their Rand price has in fact gone down in two years, where all the other prices of imported stuff has gone up, so now they are actually cheaper than the premium imports.

Go look on their online shop, and compare the price to whatever premium bullet you use now.

[TStone]

[QUOTE=414gates;1406571
I'm not a hunter, but their hunting bullets must also be good, or the big bore guys wouldn't use them so much.

[/QUOTE]

Their hunting bullets are excellent.

[ady]

I will never buy GS Custom again.

I buy all my monos from Peregrine. Quality is excellent. Price is better than GS Custom was. Service is fantastic. And their BC numbers are not overstated.

Our target shooters especially like to use the expensive imported bullets, and Peregrine provides target bullets with better performance, tighter tolerance, better consistency and a better price.

I'm not a hunter, but their hunting bullets must also be good, or the big bore guys wouldn't use them so much.

I used to think they were expensive, and relatively speaking two years ago they were. Their Rand price has in fact gone down in two years, where all the other prices of imported stuff has gone up, so now they are actually cheaper than the premium imports.

Go look on their online shop, and compare the price to whatever premium bullet you use now.

One important factor for me in choosing Peregrine is that they are local. So no out of stock and waiting for the importer to get another shipment.

A PH friend of mine swore by Nosler in his 30-06 and they worked well, until he couldn't get stock and had to load develop on another bullet. I didn't feel like giving myself that head ache.

[neilw]

I use Peregrine VRG4 bullets in my 338 Sabi. I havent had any issues with them and I am happy with their performance