I've got a leopard hunt this June in Zim and I have two pistols. S&W 357 mag (4.5 inch barrel) and I have a Ruger Alaskan 44 mag. (2.5 inch barrel). No scopes.
The 44 mag seems like a good choice but with the short barrel (shorter sight plane) and decreased velocities?
The 357 mag is a good choice but not too many options on good bullets and optimum velocities.

AMMO:
1. I like the Winchester supreme ammo with the nosler partition bullets for both pistols, 158 grain in the 357 and 250 grain in the 44.

2, Federal's hunting ammo with the 140 grain barnes bullets for the 357 and 225 grain barnes bullets for the 44 mag.

I'm a little premature on my post because I'm going to chrono the ammo through both pistols, I would like to keep the velocity around 1,000 fps and the energy around 500 foot pounds (@25 yds). I personally think this combination will get the job done.

Do any of you have suggestions on what I should have for velocity and energy to make a clean kill, and do you have any ammo suggestions other than the ones mentioned above.

dirk,

Of the two you mention, I'd use the .44mag. as your ranges will be short.

Given my choice of cartridges however, I'd use a warm-loaded .45 Colt in a 5" barrel. It will make a slightly bigger hole than the .44, and I find it to be a more manageable cartridge to shoot.

George

Never shot a leopard with a handgun but I have shot several deer with various handguns.

Do not use the 357! It lacks killing power on deer sized game. Handguns do not have enough velocity to make soft/hollow point bullets reliably expand on game. Use a large calibre, .44 or .45 for a large hole and a big heavy bullet for deep penetration thru bone.

troy

quote:

Originally posted by DTala:
Never shot a leopard with a handgun but I have shot several deer with various handguns.

Do not use the 357! It lacks killing power on deer sized game. Handguns do not have enough velocity to make soft/hollow point bullets reliably expand on game. Use a large calibre, .44 or .45 for a large hole and a big heavy bullet for deep penetration thru bone. troy

I agree. I personally witnessed a boar shooting with a 357 - very, very poor performance, even with multiple well-placed shots and premium ammunition.

If you shoot the 44 well, by all means use it.

I've had very good luck with Florida hogs with the .357, but for leopard I'd use the .44 with some 250 grain hard cast lead bullets. Solid lead seems to work better in my .44, although taking on a leopard with it is something I would not venture to do.

I would use the 44 Mag.

If you are going through South Africa enroute to Zim, you will have to mount a scope on your 44.

Just take it off when you get to Zim.

Then put it back on on the way home.

Be sure your Ph has the proper permit from Parks allowing you to hunt with your "handgun".

On your South African paper work call your 44 a "revolver", on your Zim paperwork call it a "handgun".

From my experience with cougar in Oregon, I would recommend a longer barrel for the increased sight radius and the decreased muzzle rise. I've never hunted with dogs, but Bob Hagel had an article years ago on hunting cougars with a handgun and dogs and he noted that many shots were twenty yards or more even after the cat was treed. The reason for this was the necessity of manuevering for a clear shot sometimes required backing away from the tree.

My choice would be, and is, a S&W Model 57 or 657 .41 magnum with at least a 6" barrel loaded with 210 grain Sierra Silhouette bullets.

Foggy Mountain Outfitters states that the majority of their client's one shot kills on record Black Bear have been with with .41 mag and the Sierra bullet combination. I've used this load for years prior to seeing their claims and I heartily agree. If it will stop a 500-600 pound Black Bear. It should work well on Leopards.

The best all around caliber and handgun combination I have found for hunting.

Don't mean to offend anyone, but I wouldn't trust a 2 1/2" .44 mag to stop a charging tuna sandwich. Poor sight radius and poor controllability for follow-up shots and too much muzzleblast. You could become a "tuna sandwich" before you could get a second shot off.

Dirk,

If you have to use a handgun I have to agree with Cooper. I don't see either of the handguns suggested as medicine for purposely hunting DG. I think if it were me I'd trade both guns in on a longer barreled .44 Mag. Perhaps a 629 S&W and get a load of practice.

A leopard is not the retiring cat that a cougar is. A misplaced shot could create a mess for the dogs and perhaps be very dangerous for the hunters.

Mark

In the for what is worth column—just shot a leopard this past November as part of a hound/leopard hunt in Zim with Charlton Mc Callum Safaris. Cat was in a tree -- distance 40 yards -- rifle 300 Win Mag -- bullet 180 grain Bear Claw at 3100fps. Round placement was dead on the money.
The moral of the story is that -- the much to my amazement -- the bullet did not go through - stopped inside the skin on the off shoulder. The cat was DOA when he hit the ground -- if fact he hit so hard he broke a front leg-- my point being that when you have an agitated puddy tat big time tensed up looking at you -- all the penetration you can get is good thing. I am not saying that a pistol of sufficient umph cannot get r' done but I would recommend all the horsepower you can carry.