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.

[neilw]

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

[TStone]

I have had excellent results with the Peregrine and Ballistix bullets. Both are accurate and give excellent terminal performance.
Years ago, I used a lot of Rhino solid shank bullets with good results but later on I started noticing major differences in the length of bullets in the same caliber and weight.
Impala bullets give good results in medium bore calibers (.338" and above), I used a few in 6.5mm and 7mm and can not recommend them for hunting in these calibers.
I have had good results with PMP bullets (both brown box and Pro-amm) in my 7x57. They are by no means premium bullets though.
While I have had good results on game with Claw bullets, I have never been able to get good accuracy out of them. They are ok for bushveld hunting.

[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

[264WinMag]

Same comments as above om GS custom. Worked great in 308 but slow/no service has impact.

Used Rhino bullets effectively on 6.5 cal but switched to imported brand due to accuracy issues.


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[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

[ady]

I bought Peregrines on special for my 243 and 300WM. The nice thing with Peregrine is they make a range bullet that you can use for load development for their hunting bullet and it is cheaper with the Same weight and ogive.

The 87gr 243 bullet gave me my best grouping out of my 243 that i have ever achieved. I have only had good results with hunting with Peregrine.

I had an issue that Adriaan Rall helped me sort out over the phone. I don't know of any other manufacturers that would do that for you.