Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Leopard. Cartridge and bullet choice.

I could see that being very effective

243s all the way to 458s. Neither of which would be my first choice or 101st choice; but interesting reading nonetheless. Leaning towards the 308 with the 150g interlock and using the 300h&h for some plains game.

KY221,
Did I not mention that the .458 2.4 also killed one elephant and several cape buffalo on the same outing?
Spots was just an opportunistic kill.

With the right weapon, thee is no need to be bothered with toting multiple weapons and ammo all round the country.

Of your two choices, I don't think it matters. See Mule Deer's post. I've read John Kingsley-Heath's book and he's right. Those who use heavier rifles on leopard are usually hunters who hunt other game on the same safari and don't want to bring more than one rifle.

I don't believe in hunting dangerous game with a single-shot rifle, though with a leopard you'll probably only get one shot anyway.

Which is one reason JKH kept a pre-'64 Featherweight .243 in camp. He often "suggested" his clients use the rifle on leopard, depending on how the client shot with larger cartridges.

I think you left that part out. 😉


I wouldn't consider a 300 or 308 a "heavier rifle. Always thought it seemed just about right for a leopard safari that involves some plains game. I was more interested in hearing about 30 cal bullet choice as I was about getting into a cartridge debate. But I do like hearing the varying opinions and thoughts on the subject.

Out of curiosity, what would a PH carry to back up a client hunting leopard? I'm assuming either a double or a 12 gauge? (I've seen the relatively recent clip of the wounded leopard mauling the guy after all the PHs miss with rifles and always wondered if a couple loads of 00 magnum buck would've saved the guy some stitches?)

Mule Deer,
JOC gave JKH a custom 243 as a thank you. It was a pre64 M70 Fwt which Mr O had restocked by Earl Milliron of Portland OR. I was lucky enough to see it when I was visiting Earl. That rifle was involved in many many leopard hunts.

I’ve only shot 2 leopards, so am far from an expert but know what has worked for me. My first leopard was shot with a 300 Winchester and 180 grain Nosler Partition. He was dead before he fell off the limb, and was directly under the tree limb when we walked up to him. Second leopard I shot with my 338 Winchester and 225 grain Trophy Bonded Bearclaws. This one was a Kalahari Desert cat, so on the ground. It crushed him, DRT.

You DO NOT NEED any magnum to cleanly and quickly kill even the biggest leopard, just a standard caliber rifle shooting a good standard bullet like a Sierra Game King, Remington Core Lokt or Nosler Ballistic tip. A 270 or 30-06 shooting one of these Bullets would be close to perfect as a leopard cartridge. With leopards, it really is all about making a good first shot, then you won’t need a 2nd shot. They’re not hard to kill if shot well with the first shot.

I’ve got a hunt coming up in 2 months and leopard (likely my last one) will again be one of the animals I’m hunting. I’ll be shooting it with my 338 and either a 225 grain Bearclaw or Barnes TTSX. The only reason I’m shooting it with this rifle is because it’s what I do the heavy majority of my hunting with, not because I need that much horsepower for any cat.

My leopard was DRT with a 225 grain Partition out of a .338 Winchester. No followup was needed, but my .470 was standing by just in case.

I have never hunted big cats, but I have seen a poorly shot bobcat charge and know of another that wounded a man badly. I vote for the bolt action 30 caliber over the falling block 30 caliber rifle. Shot cats that aren't dead are mean.

I’ve never shot one, but in sticky situations I’d want more then one shot.
I’d load up some 165 partitions for your 308 never look back

I’ve never killed a leopard but I have killed many animals with a 308 and the majority of those animals fell to a 150 hornady. I would have absolute faith in that combination. As someone else mentioned I would hang the best/brightest scope I could find on it. Good luck on your hunt.

Interesting comment about the best/brightest scope. I’m actually changing out the 4-14 Zeiss conquest I have on my .338 to a Leupold VX5HD 2-10 for that very reason. 30mm tube with the fire dot reticle should be a great scope for leopard hunting, as well as everything else. Nothing wrong with the Zeiss, I just wanted a 30mm tube and love the fire dot.

I shot my one leopard with my .338 Winchester mag and 250 grain nosier partition. One shot and he died under limb he had been standing on. This was the gun I used for everything other than Cape buffalo

I used 9.3 x 62 on my leopard, but I've always thought the .444 Marlin or .45-70 with hollow points would be some wicked cat medicine. It has been pointed out to me that those two cartridges would leave some nasty holes for the taxidermist.

Mule Deer - You might know this story about JK-H, but it remains harrowing. Met him at SCI years ago when he was with Safari South.


In August 1961, when Kingsley-Heath was leading a private safari along the Kisigo river in Tanganyika. From inside a blind (a shelter for hunters), he turned to see a huge, maned lion crouching behind him not 15ft away. As it gathered itself to spring, Kingsley-Heath shot it, and the lion fled. He and his gunbearers gave chase and found the wounded creature lying on its side, breathing heavily.

It was down, but not out. When Kingsley-Heath's client opened fire, the lion made a single bound of 22ft towards the two men. Kingsley-Heath dropped to the ground and smashed the barrel of his .470 rifle over the animal's head, breaking the stock at the pistol grip; the lion staggered. As his gunbearers and client ran for cover Kingsley-Heath struggled on to his elbows to get clear.

"Too late," he recalled, "the lion was upon me, I smelt his foul breath as, doubling my legs up to protect my stomach, I hit him in the mouth with my right fist as hard as I could. His mouth must have been partly open as my fist went straight in."

With a single jerk of its head, the lion broke Kingsley-Heath's right arm; as he punched it with his left fist, the lion bit clean through his left wrist, breaking the left arm and leaving the hand hanging by its sinews. Next it clamped his foot in its jaws, crushing the bones in it by twisting his ankle.

One of the gunbearers arrived, threw himself on the animal's back and stabbed it repeatedly with a hunting knife. With Kingsley-Heath's foot still locked in its mouth, the lion was finally shot dead. The client reappeared, and with his rifle blew the creature's jaws apart so that Kingsley-Heath's foot could be removed.

Tom has experience with antique anything, as he was around when it was introduced as "new".

Nice to see you posting again Carl.

But you're mean....

I have never killed a leopard or any other big cat,but I have taken dozens of deer and hogs with the 150 grain Hornady flat base interlock. It is one of my all time favorite fast killers out of 308,30-06,and 300 win mag.

I have used on it huge wild boars where it worked perfectly.

I can't imagine a better load for a close range leopard.

I am sorry, Tom, but you know the drill. Insulting the GP, preferably with an age related tone, as in "back when he started hunting, right around the time earths crust was done solidifying, he only had to wait eons..." would earn one the appropriate response for members of the merry band of turdlikes.

:-)

I have been around, keeping taps, staying in touch with a few guys. I miss my going to the states and meet you guys, but with the global epidemic...