Is the 338 Winchester Magnum enough gun for lion with 250 gr Grand Slams

Yep.

My bookmark is a pic of my grandfather with his TZ lion from 1990 . . . shot with a lowly 338 using 250 grain lion loads from A Square.

He also used it for EA and Lord Derby Eland, several cape and savanna buffalo, banteng, water buff, leopard, brown bear, etc, etc, etc.

I once had Harry Selby tell me via email that my 300 H&H would be more than adequate for a well placed initial shot on a Lion. It's all where you poke that hole I suspect.

That said a 250 grain Nosler Partition from a .338 did this and I believe the critter is a bit bigger than a Lion. It died where the first shot hit it, although I emptied out to be sure.

As everyone here agrees (so far), yes, a .338wm is enough gun for Lion. I like the Swift A-Frame for that kind of work, much more than the Speer.

If I were doing it, and I have considered my go to leopard rig - a 338 - for my lion hunt in June, I'd use a 250 grain NP or other very soft and fast expanding bullet.

The .338 is an excellent caliber for lion. I agree with Will, something like a Nosler Partition might be the ideal lion bullet for this caliber, or any for that matter.

I recall a picture that Peter Johnstone had of a magnificent Matetsi lion that he shot for himself, with a .30-06. He thought that was enough gun, and he was right.

The .338 is a very serious cartridge.

From personal experience, I can confirm that the .338 Win. Mag. is plenty powerful enough for lion.

having taken a hippo(using solids), a 15 ft croc, eland, zebra, and a WHOLE lot of other plains game with a .338, i gotta say-it's enough gun.

Didn't Patterson use a 303 on the lions at Savo?

Mike

Isn't it illegal in most places to shoot a lion with a.338?

It's legal in Zim to shoot one with a .300 Wby. but my PH advised against it so I used a .375 with 300 grain bullets.

I used 225 Barnes Triple Shocks. Did the job.

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Reply

The 338 Win Mag - THE MOST UNDER RATED CALIBRE IN AFRICA

Yes it dropped mine like a bag of sh_t.

Used swift Aframe and passed through.

It is not what you use but where you place the bullet.

email me if you want to talk more.

mark.mclean@rocketmail.com

Regards mark

I never really had much interest in killing a lion with three daughters in college mainly because of cost an odds of actually putting one in the salt the first trip,I understand in some areas it could run me near $100,000 to do so. That was until a few months ago when a new neighbor moved in with his lion mount from RSA he had taken with a bow and arrow. I know, I know, I know the caged lion debate rages on about doing so but I'm not his keeper what he does or did is his business not mine. I've been to Africa for PG and buffalo a few times now am thinking of returning in the near future when daughter number three gradutaes next spring for another go around prior to the wedding bells beginning to peal. My neighbor, Ron seems to be a pretty straight shooter,no BS just get to the point sort an as he tells me it was more of a hunt than he originally thought it would be though he knew going in he would kill a lion an did so on day four.
He mentioned he hunted near the Botswana border on a ranch named Prima (I believe) with Steyn Safaris does anyone know of them or the ranch. A quick Google found their web site as well as debates on caged lion shoots. I do not care to become embroiled in those debates here rather I would like to know of Steyn or another PH named Bertus Meyer whom also offers lion behind wire. If you have knowledge of either please relate here or if you prefer PM me if you care not to have your name published in support or anti of such operations. Thank you, Doc

Watched my father drop a big one in its tracks with a .340 Weatherby and 210 grain Nosler Partitions (same caliber with a bit more speed). The PH stated that the .338 Win Mag is the most effective round he has seen on lion. Said that in his experience, overall, the .338 Win Mag seems to drop them faster than the larger rounds. Based upon what I saw the .338 do and the PH's comments, I would say it's a good lion round.

2thDoc:

quote:

A quick Google found their web site as well as debates on caged lion shoots. I do not care to become embroiled in those debates here rather I would like to know of Steyn or another PH named Bertus Meyer whom also offers lion behind wire. If you have knowledge of either please relate here or if you prefer PM me if you care not to have your name published in support or anti of such operations. Thank you, Doc

The general sentiment on the "hunting" of caged lions is by and large treated with contempt on this forum.
Your earlier posting on Bert Meyer came and went without a single response - a signal of sorts maybe?
If you feel this kind of hunt appeals to you go ahead and do it - it is a free world after all

quote:

Originally posted by Friday:
Watched my father drop a big one in its tracks with a .340 Weatherby and 210 grain Nosler Partitions (same caliber with a bit more speed). The PH stated that the .338 Win Mag is the most effective round he has seen on lion. Said that in his experience, overall, the .338 Win Mag seems to drop them faster than the larger rounds. Based upon what I saw the .338 do and the PH's comments, I would say it's a good lion round.

It's a most effective round on most anything out there in fact better than some of the "minimum caliber requirements" demanded by some countries for DG

I thank you for your reply but whether or not it appeals to me was not the question I posed, experiences with Steyn or Meyers was.

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Originally posted by fujotupu:
2thDoc:

quote:

A quick Google found their web site as well as debates on caged lion shoots. I do not care to become embroiled in those debates here rather I would like to know of Steyn or another PH named Bertus Meyer whom also offers lion behind wire. If you have knowledge of either please relate here or if you prefer PM me if you care not to have your name published in support or anti of such operations. Thank you, Doc

The general sentiment on the "hunting" of caged lions is by and large treated with contempt on this forum.
Your earlier posting on Bert Meyer came and went without a single response - a signal of sorts maybe?
If you feel this kind of hunt appeals to you go ahead and do it - it is a free world after all

My father shot over 20 tigers, below is one of them. He shot most of them with a 9x57 mauser, which is more or less the same bullet wt (245 grains) as a 338 Win mag, but only going around 2200 fps!



He was a pretty cool shot though and shot most of his tigers alone with native trackers armed with axes if that for backup! He did say the trackers could all climb trees pretty quick though, if the going got rough .

Great photo!

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Originally posted by reddy375:
My father shot over 20 tigers, below is one of them. He shot most of them with a 9x57 mauser, which is more or less the same bullet wt (245 grains) as a 338 Win mag, but only going around 2200 fps!



He was a pretty cool shot though and shot most of his tigers alone with native trackers armed with axes if that for backup! He did say the trackers could all climb trees pretty quick though, if the going got rough .

How old was he in that picture?

Early 20s, he shot his first tiger at 16. It charged him and he finished it off. I remember him telling me the story and how fast it came at it. He said it was a blur of stripes. His father (my grandfather who shot over 50 tigers) had told him that's what a tiger looks like when they are coming at you, he told me he thought the old man was exaggerating but said believe you me that's what you see! Sadly I never did and never will.....

quote:

Originally posted by reddy375:
Early 20s, he shot his first tiger at 16. It charged him and he finished it off. I remember him telling me the story and how fast it came at it. He said it was a blur of stripes. His father (my grandfather who shot over 50 tigers) had told him that's what a tiger looks like when they are coming at you, he told me he thought the old man was exaggerating but said believe you me that's what you see! Sadly I never did and never will.....

That is a great picture. He was a handsome young man.

that is an excellent picture. do you have any more tiger pictures you could share?

He must have been a cool shot and was surely fortunate to live in a time that was possible.

IMHO the .338 would be an excellent choice. An alternative would be the 235 Barnes TSX in a .375. It moves out of the .375 at over 3000 fps and just does an amazing amount of damage. Opens and does it's job without a hitch. If you're stuck in .338 mode, try the 210 Barnes TSX or the 225 gr. You can't go wrong.

That is a great picture Arjun, thanks for posting it!