GS Custom Bullets - Looking for feedback/reviews

[HuntingGold]

Greetings!

While on my hunt with Marius (KMG Safaris) I had the opportunity to use his gun and shooting GS Custom Bullets. The gun appeared to be custom built on a Mauser Action, chambered in .308 Winchester. Nice gun. He had it loaded with 130 grain GS Custom HV bullets. The girls and I shot six critters with that gun and load combo (Kudu, warthog, cape bushbuck, duiker, impala, and blesbuck). The bullet performed wonderfully and left an impression on me.

Since returning from Africa, I have been trying to do some research on the bullets and loads for my .270 Winchester. Gerard with GS custom recommeds the 110 grain HV bullet out of the .270. In the states I would be using this primarily on mule deer and elk. My gut tells me that this is too small for elk but some of the stories I am hearing of have me curious.

On to my question, do any of you have experience with the GS custom bullets with African plains game? Specifically I am very interested in experiences with the .277 calibers and .308 calibers shot at mid to large sized antelope species.

Thanks in advance for your replies.
Randy

 

[HuntingGold]

A few photos of the critters taken with the 130 grain GS Custom bullet fired out of the .308 Winchester.

Reallly hoping to get some good feedback. Marius swears by them. Curious what others think.

Thanks in advance for the replies.

Randy

 

[Bobpuckett]

Nice Pics Randy! the Browning A Bolt in a 308 is what I used last May/June using 150gr Etip loved it except for the 360 yard Shot on my Vaal Rhebok. I found that I was having to lob the rounds in after 300 yards other then that all I believe were 1 shot kills. of course the wife using a 300 Win Mag and a 30-06 did a little better. we're both going with a 300 Win Mag and a 243 Akley improved for the hunt in May and June of this year.

 

[enysse]

Randy, I'm sure they work fine, it's all about shot placement anyway and a bullet that can break bones is a good thing too. I still like my cheap soft bullets, but there are plenty of days I love the Swift A Frame and Barnes TTSX and TSX.
I wouldn't worry so much about bullet type and I would worry about how to make that double lung shot.

 

[Norwegianwoods]

I have not used any of the GS Custom Bullets myself, but I have used Barnes TSX and TTSX bullets much.
They are both monometal bullets.

In my opinion, it is not the original weight of the bullet that is important. It is how much it weights after it has done its job.
Many standard cup and core bullets lose much of their weight when they hit the animal. Specially if bone is hit at short ranges/high speeds.

This is where high quality bonded and monometal bullets shine. They have very high weight retention, even after hitting bones at short ranges/high speeds.

A rather normal weight retention from standard cup and core bullet when bones are hit, is 55-65%. Specially at short ranges/high speeds.
A high quality bonded or monometal bullet normally has a weight retention of 85-99% in the same situation.

A 150 grain cup and core bullet often then ends up weighing 83-98 grains after impact.
A 110 grain high quality bonded or monometal bullet often ends up weighing 94-109 grains after impact.

With the same impact speed, these 2 different bullets will penetrate about the same with an advantage to the latter bullet if they open up to the same diameter.
Since the lighter 110 grain bullet in reality will have higher speed at the same distance, it will most likely penetrate much better.

I know very well that standard cup and core bullets in perfect situations, keep more than 65% weight retention. But I never prepare for best case scenarios.

I also know that many want their bullets to dump all their energy in the animal and stop at the skin on the off side when shooting broadside shots.
I want a bullet that can penetrate very well and increase my odds for reaching the vitals no matter what speed, angle and what bones hit.

With high quality bonded and monometal(swift a-frame and barnes ttsx) 120 grain bullets in my 6.5-06 I have only needed one shot to kill all the Moose I have killed with that gun. The biggest was a about 1000 pounds live weight bull shot at 220 meters with a 120 grain a-frame and the bullet broke the ridge on the scapula before destroying the lungs and stopping in the skin on the offside. It moved a few meters and dropped.

I will not hesitate to use the same bullets and gun if I go hunting Elk with a gun.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I just looked them up on the net and tried to get some reloading data for the 270.
I looked at the reloading data sheets and they were empty save for a few bullet types and calibers.
Any suggestions where else to look?

I'd like to test them out myself. Is there any powder suggestions for North America?
(Not that the powder will be available any time)

Looks like a good design on the hunting HV bullets to my untrained eyes.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Gentleman,
I believe that the reloading sheets are being updated. They are usually complete with all the data required. Feel free to email Gerard, the owner. He will answer each email personally on all of your questions.
Brickburn, you are correct on the HV's. They are the hunting bullets. (Expanding solids) Very effective. The quicker you drive them, the better they perform. No pressure problems, even with loading them against the lands. Less fouling and barrel wear.
I have used them now for about 5 years, and have not found a bullet to match their performance on accurance, weight retention and penetration.

 

[HuntingGold]

I have been hunting for over thirty years and reloading rifle ammo for about 25 years. With that said, I have also been fortunate enough to have taken a fair amount of North American big game, mostly deer with about twenty elk scattered in there. Nearly 98% of my critters have been taken with the .270 including all the elk and one moose. Each time I go after elk, I get a little leary as, until recently, the bullets and loads have been what I would call marginal. Shot selection is key and always will be. However in hunting elk on public lands, the ideal shot is rarely obtained.
I will expand upon my experience a little. I am also a game warden in the states and investigate a number of legal and illegally killed wildlife. These critters are killed with all sorts of weapons and by all sorts of bullets. I have seen all types of bullet performance.
With all that said, I must say that those little bullets made by GS Custom really left an impression on me. In doing my research on these bullets, I am just not finding much out there. Perhaps it is the cost as they are expensive. Part of the reason for my post is that I am a cheap-skate and hoping to piggy-back on the experience of others and thus save a little while developing loads.
There is an interesting article on the GS custom Austral asia web page relating to a Sambar being taken using the 270 and 110s as well as using the 243 on fallow deer if I recal.

I got to run. If I get a chance I will provide a link to those articles.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can provide info.
Randy

 

[HuntingGold]

I was in a hurry when I wrote the previous post. Though I would say I have a fair amount of experience, I clearly dont know it all. Please dont take that impression away. I do wish to say that I saw enough to be impressed. Again my purpose for the post is to find out if there are others with good or bad experiences with these bullets.

Here is a link to the Australasia page where a few articles have been written. gs_custom_bullets_customer_feedback

Thanks in advance for any comments,
Randy

 

[enysse]

Randy you might want to take a look at North Fork bullets....about the same thing for some bullets and Berger bullets would cover the long range stuff.

 

[Patrick R]

I can only vouch for their FN solids - excellent!!!! Using 450gr FN solids in my for my .458wm.

 

[HuntingGold]

Thanks Guys!
I have been very busy since coming back from South Africa. Trying to catch up on things and spring turkey hunting. I hope to get to the reloading soon.
Randy

 

[KAROO WILD Safaris]

I've just bought a pack of the .270 calibre 130 grain HP heads. I wanted to try the HV heads after reading the reviews but 110 grain seems a bit light for the larger plains game. Anyone have any experience with the HP bullets? I know the get the same powder as for jacketed rounds but wanted to know if they're as suitable for hunting as the HV rounds

 

[Pheroze]

I have not shot any yet but thought I would post an initial impression about the company - Super helpful! I am trying to get some sent to me in Canada and I made contact with Gerard. Great information and very helpful. I am looking forward to trying them out.

 

[Brian]

I have .284 and .243 GS Custom Bullets HV for sale in Canada. It's my personal supply and I have 10 boxes of each caliber for sale. Brian
brian@fastcutcnc.com