While I wouldn't recommend it for general use, the .22 Hornet my then-11 year old son used in RSA in 2002 worked pretty well on the little plains game. Six animals taken with , I believe, 8 shots. None lost. Using the mighty 46 grain soft point, got pass throughs on several antelope, including impala at about 80 yards. He took blesbok (required a finisher in the neck), impala, duiker, springbok, common reedbuck, and steenbok. Ranges were limited, no moving animals, and only broadside shots. It worked, but made things quite time-consuming and required a very patient PH. Next summer he'll have a 7x57--much mo' better.

Doc - Hunter jim got it right - From a blind any light rifle is fine. Lion die very easily with any high velocity bullet in the chest. I started out with a 7mm Mauser and my father shot dozens of lion with his 8mm Mauser.

Problem is when something goes wrong. The chest muscles on even a small lioness will disintergrate most normal soft points. Have seen A square Lion load from a .458 fail, and Headman Sibanda got F@#ked up 1O:0 last year by a lioness after his Barnes X from his .458 failed to make it through the chest muscles.(500grn X bullet - velocity too low)

A .375 with good, premium, softs work every time. But after trying it, I quickly discovered the .404

Would not advise anybody come lion hunting with anything smaller than a 9,3

Jorge:

I would love to see the pics and look forward to them.

Sight in all heavy rifles with full power loads off shooting sticks. You will undoubtably be shooting from sticks or offhand at any dangerous game and the Zero from a bench is seldom the same as off sticks.

As to caliber - for a client stick to something you can shoot really well and from an awkward possition in a blind or a snap shot if you can do a walk and stalk. If things go wrong then the PH has a problem, but if you shoot straight the PH will have no problem. As for the likes of Rushby and Yank Alen - with problem lion. I would rather hunt a herd of tuskless ele cows in thick jesse or follow a wounded buff into reeds or palm thickets than have to deal with a lion at night (on foot not in a blind). Have done all three, and lion are much, much more scary. Hence my respect for the above named.

I've never shot a 375, but I have shot a 500 Jeffery. I tried shooting it from the bench. It's amazing at how much more recoil you feel.

I think a good way to see if you feel the 375 is enough is go to a fellow hunters house or a museum and look at the lions. You can stand right next to them and see how big they are. That's what I did and found they are a lot bigger than they appear.

Sevens

I would recommend the 375 H&H with 300 grain premium bullets. I believe anybody can learn to shoot this caliber. My wife and I are going to Africa in September and we are taking 2 rifles: 375H&H and 416 Rigby. She shoots the 375H&H. It has been 2 years since she has killed anything with this rifle (she killed a bear with it 2 years ago in Alaska). Here is what we do: she starts out shooting a 7mmMag (actually shot a 0.7", 4 shot group - I measured it and she kept the target for her scrap book) and then she shoots the 375H&H four or five times and that is it for that session (she has got it down to ~1-1/4" groups, it will only do slightly better than that, but it has a lower power scope that she hasn't quite figured out yet). We have been going to the range every week and she already shoots the light gun as good as it will shoot. Her groups have gotten smaller with both guns and her self-confidence in her shooting ability has grown to the point that she is getting cocky (she want's to have contests and make bets). She has no desire to shoot the 416 Rigby, but she also knows that she can kill anything with that 375H&H. We use the saying from the movie "aim small, miss small" she concentrates on the target, squeezing the trigger, etc. and not the recoil.

Well said.

I'll second that. My Model 70 .375 is a piece of cake to shoot from the bench compared to my 870 with slugs. Certainly a .375 has a noticable amount of recoil but it really isn't difficult to shoot well.

Jeff

Well, I'd rather get practical info from you guys. Seems like most who have responded have some experience. I would like to go to Africa in 2006. I have several acquaintances at my local gun range that have some bigger bore rifles I could try.

There are more lion-rifle experts than there are living lions in sub-saharan Africa. Any stooge at Walmart or at Cabela's 'Gun Library' will be more than willing to tell you everything you need to know about proper lion rifles....

AD

Doc,

I have never hunted Lion first of all. So this is just what my thoughts would be before a first time. I have a class I have to take every two years involving firearms. the guy I go to was ex-secret service/treasury department, FBI trainer etc. etc. he carrys a 45 for a sidearm. not because he isn't a good shot, and Lord knows it isn't because he doesn't have other guns, but as he says, IF he doesn't get a good shot placement, the larger round is going to do more. Now, on game bad placement even with a large rifle won't always help, and never plan on bad placement. But my brain tells me that bigger will give me a larger margin for error. not to push the margin, just knowing that s*#% happens, and usually when I think I am best prepared.

If you can shoot that many rounds with a 460 if you step down to a realistically sized/recoiling round you should be fine. Get a good fit for yourself on a 375 or bigger rifle and you'd be surprised how it feels. Fit is very important though! Weight also matters. I had an 06 improved that hurt more than my 308 norma. My 375 is ok offhand, not as ok from the bench. (still using open sights when stock is better for scope).


Red