How do you think the triple shock will perform on leopard, will it open fast enough to give the necessary shock? I am planning on loading 200gr. Barnes triple shock for my Win. Mag. which I think will perform well on plains game, it is grouping well and doesn't appear to have the fouling associated with the other Barnes.

CFA

CFA: I've had real good success with the 180 out of my 300 Weatherby and other calibers I've tried. Terry Blauwkamp has used them extensively in africa with great success. I thnik I would prefer a more frangible bullet, but I'd aim for the shoulder and be done with it. jorge

I just had a friend get back from using the 200 TSX in his 300, and they worked great on all plains game, including Lord Derby Eland.

However, I would hesitate using the 200 gr on a Leopard, unless as Jorge says, you hit the shoulder.

Would I use a 150 gr TSX in the 30 Cal? Yes. Or maybe a 130 gr in the 270 etc.

I've used 140 gr TSX in me 270 Win on game as small as Mt Reed Bok and Springbuck, and they opened up just fine, so they should work on a Leopard.

Do you have another "soft" bullet your rifle will shoot to the same POI as the 200 TSX? If so use that for Leopard.

I'm going after leopard and plains game with the same rifle in May -- a .35 Whelen. What I'm doing is loading two diffent bullets that shoot to the same point of impact: the 225-grain Nosler Partition and the 225-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. The partition will be used on the antelope and zebra, while the explosive ballistic tip is reserved for the soft-skinned leopard.

I'm no expert, but I've always heard that you should use the softest bullet possible on leopard, as they are vulnerable to hydrostatic shock -- much more so than the antelope species.

I'm even thinking about going to the 225-grain Sierra Game King, If I can get it shoot at the same POI ans the partition.

I know that are better leopard bullets than a 300 grain "X" but I shot a leopard with one this October with instantaneous results. I did hit him right on the shoulder. The bullet opened but did not do a lot of cape damage.

I'm with Gahunter on the Noslers. I used a 225 gr partition in my 350 rem mag on my leopard. I hit him on the point of the left shoulder, exiting out the right side about mid lenght.
I used barnes x's in my 375 on my first trip and noticed more one shot and instant kills with the Noslers. I belive the Barnes are too hard for any of the softer animals.

I"ve shoot 2 bobcats, yes I know thats not a leopad, using a 30-06 and a 180gr X while deer hunting. Try and tell the bobcats that the X is too hard and want open up

If it was my Leopard, I would not use an untested bullet, let someone else do that, always good advise...

I would use a 180 gr. Nosler, or Northfork if I were you..both proven in the field on Leopard. I have had exceptional luck with the 200 gr. Noslers in my 300 H&H on everything from Duiker to Eland...

I greatly appreciate your feedback, it's always nice to just take one cartridge but I understand leopard are different and require a fast expanding bullet to peovide that hydrostatic shock. Apparently there is not any experience with TSX on leopard yet so as Ray says I will stick to the proven. This will make my second try for leopard so would hate to not use the right bullet. I do have a very accurate 180gr nosler partition already for the .300 so that is what I will take and try the TSX on the plains game where it should work well.

I would call that an excellent choice.

Interesting topic, and one that I have been wrestling with for several months. I've had to choose between and 270 Winchester and a 338 Win. Mag. Finally landed on the 338. Then in choosing a bullet, I too flirted a lot with the triple x idea. Finally landed on the 210 Nosler. Bound to expand well, bound to penetrate well, from any angle on a leopard.

Should work great for shooting bait as well.

By the way, seems to me that the accuracy would have to be really terrible for the right construction of bullet to not shoot well enough in the rifle at typical leopard ranges. Takes away some of the reason to use a triple-x, at least for me. So, Nosler partition it is.

In Aug. of 04 I took a large leopard in Zim with a 180 gr. TSX, from a 300 WSM, @ 2985 fps.
The shot took him in the near shoulder, through the lungs, and exited behind the ribcage.
He ran off coughing and growling, leading to a 3-hour followup (only about 60 yards, but darkness fell 5 min. after the shot) in the dark.
When the bullet path was dissected,there was no noticeable sign of expansion, very little blood in the thorax, relatively minor tissue trauma. He died, however.
Ten other animals on that hunt, from duiker to baboon through zebra were taken cleanly, and even the smallest of the others showed more sign of expansion and greater wound channels.I was overall pleased with the bullet, but my PH and I both would have chosen something a little softer on a potentially DANGEROUS, thin-skinned/small animal.

Aggie: That is an EXCELLENT data point that goes right to the crux of the matter and validates what a few of us here stated. YOu should use a softer bullet for leopard, My preference for a 300 would be the good ol' Hornady Interlock or the Nosler Partiton. I remember reading, I think it was Capstick, where he would pry the aluminum tip of his 375's Silvertip ammo in order to facilitate expansion on leopard. jorge

Yup,
I agree with the comments made.I have used Barnes bullets extensively here in good old NA, on deer,elk,sheep,griz etc
If they shoot straight in your barrel they are nice,but there is always the problems of them "pencilling thru" - unless you hit major bone.So Barnes kills fine - but it takes some time.With leopard I would want to reduce the time the fellow is running around being dead and not knowing it,thats what you will get with a Barnes.Use a soft bullet,even a cheap one will do.You will not be shooting long distance or fast speeds,thats where you maybe need Barnes.

quote:

Originally posted by Aggie:
In Aug. of 04 I took a large leopard in Zim with a 180 gr. TSX, from a 300 WSM, @ 2985 fps.
The shot took him in the near shoulder, through the lungs, and exited behind the ribcage.
He ran off coughing and growling, leading to a 3-hour followup (only about 60 yards, but darkness fell 5 min. after the shot) in the dark.
When the bullet path was dissected,there was no noticeable sign of expansion, very little blood in the thorax, relatively minor tissue trauma. He died, however.
Ten other animals on that hunt, from duiker to baboon through zebra were taken cleanly, and even the smallest of the others showed more sign of expansion and greater wound channels.I was overall pleased with the bullet, but my PH and I both would have chosen something a little softer on a potentially DANGEROUS, thin-skinned/small animal.

Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for, does prove out that the TSX is not for the thin skinned leopard. Several had come to that conclusion based on bullet construction but it is always good to hear a real experience.

CFA

Mind you, try a 150gr. TSX @ 3300fps and watch out- at least on deer -

My buddy was telling me that this past November he shot a 145 pound 8 pt. Whitetailed Deer as it was facing him (head feeding on ground)at 50 yards with his 300 Win Mag and that at the shot the deer dropped instantly.

Neck was exploded apart, head only holding on by skin parts, bullet completely shattered vertebrae and expanded neck tissue, lodging in right shoulder after developing a 1" wound channel(one petal broke off, rest picture perfect).

Obviously hitting bone helps, but his experience at about 3300FPS, the TSX proved to hold together and expand very well on a light Leopard-sized animal.

But personally, I would use a 180gr. Accubond bullet- I have proven that they are soooo soft that they will expand in a thin-skinned Leopard!

They are a little less violent in expansion than a ballistic tip and will penetrate a bit better. I would however, never use a MV 3000+fps 180gr. ballistic tip or Accubond on African Plains Game larger than Impala/Blesbok-sized- In my experience, they are too soft and likely will not penetrate enough for the job.

I am going in June. I will be using 160TSX in my 7mmRemMag for p-game, but was thinking twice about it for leopard too. I was also thing the 160 Accubond, or 160 Ballistic Tip. What do you all think???

I would prefer the 160gr. Accubonds over the ballistic tips or X-bullets for Leopard- they should both shoot pretty close to each other anyways, especially at leopard ranges!

Some will say that the 7mm is too small a diameter bullet (provided that it is legal in your country)- but I disagree- the 160 Accubond will expand rapidly and provide the necessary killing potential and penetration for leopard.

For PG I would stick with the Accubonds for game of Blesbok or Impala sized and smaller- BUT would move up to the 160gr. TSX or 175gr. TBBC for all larger PG (if they shoot well in your rifle)- this from personal experience with the 7mm TBBC bullets- great stuff- expansion, weight retention and penetration!!