What 9.3 bullet would be the recommended medicine for Mr. leopard? I'm shooting it out a Merkel 141.

We can't legally import leopard into Australia, so I have never hunted them, but have seen them in the bush and I would think the RWS H-Mantle would be ideal for them...........

Brain1

Any 9.3 premium bullet will do the trick as will a slew of other calibers and bullets. People over think rifles and bullet choices for leopard. Anything you are using for buff or the rest of your safari will do nicely for Mr. Spots.

Mark

My first choice would be the Barnes 250 gr triple shock

The 250gr Ballistic Tip is what I shot mine with from a 9.3x62. It worked very well and did not tear the pelt up. (2600fps muzzle vel and cat at about 75yds.)

I have also shot a large (for us), 120# white tail doe with a 286gr Woodleigh soft point. It opened up quite well, but did not leave a exit wound much larger than the 250gr BT. I'd recommend either of them for leopard w/o reservation. Kudude

Although I missed out on my leopard hunt this year I have hunted them before with a 9.3x62 without success.
I had 286grn Woodleigh round nose softs which worked well on Hyena though.
The 258grn RWS H-Mantel would also work well on leopard.
Woodleighs's should shoot well from your Merkel and if you are hunting big game areas where a Jumbo might step on you while on the way to, in or from the Hide, you could load some solid's of the same type for back up.

Brain1

While I have not shot a leopard, I have set in a leopard blind a "few" times with my 9,3 Chapuis and a Blaser R 93 in 308.

I have taken quite a bit of game in the US, a black bear in Canada, and a lot of game in Zimbabwe with my 9,3x74R Chapuis double.

I have used several different bullets, but none worked better, whether the game is small, like an impala, or large like a cape buff than the 286 Woodleigh Soft.

The 286 gr Nosler has also worked very good.

Either one of those bullets will serve you well

PS. Your short,scoped 9,3 Merkel will make a most excellent leopard gun, as well as other African game as well.

Woodleigh 286grn is a good choice, so are the noslers. Do not go heavier - you need an impact velocity of over 2250fps IMHO

As with all game the most important thing is shot placement but for bullet choice, I'd recommend a fast opening soft point such as the Winchester Silvertip or Woodleigh SP...... there's plenty of other good un's out there as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Brain1:
What 9.3 bullet would be the recommended medicine for Mr. leopard? I'm shooting it out a Merkel 141.

If your Merkel shoots well with it, i would recommend/use Woodleighs.
My DR shoots well with woodleigh 286gr rn and i use theese bullets for all game.

Other bullets who might be usefull is Norma Oryx, and Lapua Mega.

This impala was shot with 286 gr. Woodleigh rn.

Bullet placement with any bullet is paramount, shoot the Bastard in the foot with any bullet or any caliber and you have a pot full of shit to deal with!

So far my gun has performed well on deer and wild hogs, but these animals don't try to bite and scratch. Has anybody had any dealings with the Hornady 9.3 bullet? I have had good results from their bullets in my other rifles.

Seems to me the 286 grain Nosler Partition would be about perfect for this application. It opens fast for maximum shock (to which leopard are highly suseptable) but will hold together for deep penetration if bones are hit. I drove a 270 grain partition down 14" of leopaed spine with my 375 H&H. That was one dead leopard when it hit the ground.

465H&H