Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Large Cat Caliber

Fun to talk about! Took that one in Rungwa. They have lions to beat the band there.

Sadly, the sport of hunting lion is quickly becoming the exclusive past time of Russian mafiaso, Arab sheiks, and Dot.com blunderaires. I do not fit in any of those "cat"-a-gories, and therefore lions may remain safe from my predations.

On the other hand, buffalo and leopards beware!

Sadly it appears those two species (actually, DG hunting in general) is heading in that direction. Have you seen the price increase in Zimbabwe lately? Next season the rate jumps even higher.

Yea, I have. It killed the trip to Zim this year. Zambia is still not open, and when it does, it will probably be stupid expensive too.

So how did the .450/400 NE double work out against three to five lions all at the same time?

Op only needs to deal with ONE African Lion.



Now the 20 adult tigers on the other hand! You'd need to have more capacity than your 45-70 rifle recommendations also. But only if they are all on you at the same time. Which is not common with what I have read. Herding big cats would probably be like herding frogs...they'll be all over the place.

the Winchester 1876 in 50-95 was actually exported to India and was fairly popular as a tiger and leopard rifle in some circles

And a handsome choice it is. Plus an impressive buffalo.
Having quite a few monetary priorities that currently rank higher than a classic English double, and given the current economy, I unfortunately don't see one in my immediate future.

It appears (to me) that the conventional wisdom of those with experience falls a bit toward the faster .375's though there's no doubt in my mind that all of the cartidges mentioned could be used effectively.
I'll just keep on the look out for a used rifle in say 35 or 375 Whelen (or 9.3mm) up to the .375 magnums that REALLY grabs my fancy.
Not goofin on the 45-70, I've run some very heavy loads thru a Ruger No 1 for many years but I've worked a bolt thousands of times for every time I've worked a lever action. I could just see myself reaching for the bolt handle on a lever gun : )
Until then I'm fairly content with my current 30-06 w/Nosler Partition, I've carried that rifle since 1980 and it's a near and dear friend.
Maybe put an adjustable gas plug on my '43 M1, mount a 2 1/2X scope ahead of the action and see how it likes the 200 gr. Partition just for fun.

John

As previously stated, because they are a highly endangered species and due to the harsh penalties imposed by the Lacey Act, I have never hunted tigers (and never will). It is clear that I have no personal experience in tiger hunting (as I do with lion and leopard), but from reading and studying them in videos, it is apparent that tigers are solitary cats and hunt alone, much like a leopard does. They are not pride animals, as are lions, and are are unlikely to congregate in a group long enough to be shot at. Especially after the first shot or two is fired.

I don't think i really understand your situation, but if you are speaking about captive, caged tigers, perhaps the wisest course is to build strong, high double fences separated by some distance and requiring two separate gates for the keepers to enter and leave through. Even the best enclosures can be defeated by a motivated cat, as the San Francisco Zoo incident of a year or two ago proved.

Should you expect a mass escape of 10 to 20 tigers, perhaps you would be best served by a mini gun or a Vulcan. I don't know if you are close to a Walmart, but I believe that are presently having a sale on their existing inventory of both mini guns and Vulcans, though they are limiting sales of 20mm ammunition to three boxes per customer. Why don't you email BATF and explain why you need the mini gun or Vulcan? I'm certain they would be sympathetic to your cause.

So now that's out of the way. I have this nagging fear of being attacked by rabid Unicorns. What to use? Would a 223AI be enough?

Evidently not, It's all within this thread though.
It would be silly for me to repeat it.

The basic question was, the big, slower .458's vs the faster mid bores on large cats.

John

Without a DOUBT and facts back it up, the latter are FAR superior on cats...

I got a model 1899 Savage in 22 Hi Power that was bad Tiger Medicine about 100 years ago. I got a photo of a guy standing next to a dead Tiger that he killed with a 70 grain .228 bullet at 2800'/sec. If it worked then it should work again.

I think that was missionary Harry Caldwell. Savage used to use that picture in their ads. Roy Chapman Andrews, another 99 user, met him in southeastern China. Roy's rifle was chambered for the .250-3000 and he used it all over Mongolia to collect specimens for the Museum of Natural History in New York. Jack O'Connor wrote a few paragraphs about this a long time ago.

has anyone tried to stir the pot by suggesting the 7mm mashburn and a good 160 or 175?

I read through this thread and, just out of curiosity(as I have no experience with DG)...Wouldn't a CZ-550 in 9.3x62 with 5 in the box be about ideal...285 gr Nosler Partitions...

your right it was Caldwell, tiger in question was shot in China

Frankly, that would scare the heck outa me, trying to shoot a tiger with such small pills. Especially if he was around the ten yard line.



Certainly wouldn't be a bad choice. Other than the fact OP was asking bout 458 Win's & 375's, which would be better?

Well, I'm quickly developing an interest in rebarreling an '06 to either 9.3 or .375-06.

John

The 9.3x62mm with a 286gr. NP clipping along at 2450fps or even a 250gr. Nosler AB around 2550fps will undoubtedly work. Recoil is mild, so follow up shoots can be a little quicker.

I'm building a 9.3x62 on a Mauser this year, never know when I might get charged by a cape buff when I'm squirrel hunting..