I just got a new (for me) Husqvarna in 9.3x62. It's a sweet little rifle, one of the older ones with steel bottom metal. A trip up to Mark Penrod and it is now proper. He drilled and tapped it and milled bases to fit. I have a new Swaro 3x9 that I'm thinking of putting on it.

If the economy doesn't get me I'm thinking I may pony up for a leopard if I make it back to Zambia next year.

I'm thinking that something like a 250gr TSX at around 2,500 would have to be poison on leopards and PG.

Yes, have tried many times for leopard with a 9.3 at hand, but I would not use an X bullet for this situation.
250 to 285grn Woodleigh round nose softs, Partition's and H-Mantles are about perfect.

I would use either a 286 Nosler Partition or a 286gr Woodleigh Soft, the RN not the Protected Point.

Any decent deer bullet makes a fine leopard bullet. A 270 grain Speer, or a 286 grain Hornady would work. A cool caliber for sure.

I love the caliber, the bullet choice and leopard hunting, and the combination will work perfectly. I have shot a few leopards with solids, (9.3x64 and .450 Rigby) and out of the bigger calibers, it is also deadly, though not first choice. ANY modern 9.3 bullet of expanding type will work excellent, even the Barnes TSX.

Me Anything from 232grn up to 286grn works well

IMO, the 9.3X62, or the 9.3X74R with 286 gr Nosler Partition, and a good illuminated scope, is just about perfect for ole spots over bait. The 196 gr 8mms are also fine for the leopard over bait, but with dogs, I'd rather have the 9.3 286 gr Partition, for it's big impact on the cat to avoid dog being hurt my a wounded cat, not to mention myself, and crew!

I have a perfect bait gun for leopard, and American lion , and black bear over bait. It is a sidelock cape gun 16ga/8X57JR useing a 196 gr rn soft point in the rifle barrel for on bait primary shot, along with a Brenneke slug in the shot barrel for walk up.

All the above is speculation however, because I don't have a Leopard just an opinion! You know what they say about opinions!

Andy, my first safari consisted on plains game up to kudu and my rifle was a CZ 9.3x62 loaded with 286 gr Nosler Partitions at about 2500 fps. The combo worked like a charm. The front part of this bullet is a bit soft and opens right up to the partition. I would think it would be awsome for leopards.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

Graf's has the PRVI Paratizan cases and bullets very inexpensively. I would use their soft point 286gr bullets, actually, I will when I get back for a whack at old chui.

Rich
Buff Killer

Andy,

I have a 9.3x62 but have not taken it to Africa yet. I would think at the ranges you would encounter in most of Zambia the 9.3 would work very well for everything including your leopard. I must agree with Gary that the 286 Partition might be perfect for the full spectrum of game you will encounter. Throw on a few solids and your covered from grysbok through buffalo.

Mark

Abie DuPlooy told me that the 9.3x62 is his all time favorite cartridge for leopard, said it really knocks the stuffing out of them.

I am thinking of taking my now 11 year old son with me to shoot some PG. I think he will better handle the 9.3 than one of my 375s. I'll also either take my .450 Dakota or my Lott for the buff.

I bought some of the Prvi bullets and cases from Graf's that Rich referred to. Nice brass, headstamped Graf and nicely annealed. The Prvi bullets are accurate with modest charge of RL-15 but I haven't killed anything with them yet.

For leopard, a standard cup/core bullet should be perfect. If you are using it for some larger game on the same trip, the North Fork opens up quickly, so should work well on leopard. It definitely will flatten black bears,etc.