13 February 2004, 06:00
GAHUNTER.375 bullet for leopard?
Which one would you load in .375 H&H?
I asume you would want something pretty soft in the 270-grain range.
13 February 2004, 06:54
MARK H. YOUNGGAHUNTER,
I believe that you should only take one soft point load per rifle on safari. This will avoid having the wrong load in the magazine when that big buffalo or whatever pops out of the bush. So you would need a bullet that would open on a relatively soft animal such as a leopard but still penetrate enough for a buffalo etc. The Nosler Partition will do just that. It is not the most modern bullet but I think it may still be the best all around bullet for a safari were the 375 is the only rifle.
Of course in the case of a leopard like any other game the shot has to be placed correctly. Personally I have killed leopards with a 338 and a 250 Trophy Bonded, a 330 Dakota with a 250 NP and a 375 H&H with a 300 Trophy Bonded. All died inmediately. Interestingly the one I shot with the 375 just sagged in the crotch of the tree where he was feeding and never moved otherwise. Think more about making a good shot than having the perfect bullet.
Regards,
Mark
13 February 2004, 07:13
HunterJimGAHunter,
I used the .375 H&H soft I had along for the hunt, the 300 grain Swift A-Frame.
The shot was from 40 yards through the chest just behind the elbow, and it got the heart and both lungs. The leopard sommersaulted out of the tree and died about 20 seconds later (we could hear his death groan).
This might be thought in theory too hard a bullet, but in practice it worked fine.
jim dodd
13 February 2004, 07:22
Jeff AlexanderLet me say right up front - I'm a leopard "virgin" - so my opinion means squat. My buddy Richard shot his with a 375HH with a 300 Grain Partition. One shot-one kill
I did have a long talk with my PH - Brent Leesmay about leopard. He said that the most impressive kills he's seen on leopards - (3 times) - was with a 270Win with 150G Partitions. He seems to think they kill them quicker than the 375s. Jeff
13 February 2004, 07:23
AtkinsonI would use about any 270 or 300 gr. 375 bullet prefering the Nosler 260 and the 270 or 300 gr. Woodleighs...