Planning a Zim hunt for leopard this Spring. The PH recommends a one firearm arsenal...a 375. Any recommendations for one factory all-around load?

What else are you gonna shoot?

I do it with a handgun -- but the same chambering --

I like to carry 260gr Accubonds for big plainsgame and the big cats and 300gr Barnes solids for everything else. I load them to shoot to the same point of aim at 100 yards, so I can switch back and forth as required with no concerns.

Planning on bait animals, zebra and possibly sable.

tsouthpaw,

I like the one gun concept because of simplicity and a 375 is perfect for that. Just remember that offers you no back up in case of a malfunction and it's alway a crap shoot as to what the PH may have as a spare. As for 375 bullets I think my first recommendation would be for a Nosler 300 ACB or NP. I'm sure the 260's would work well but just in case you find youself witha raking shot on the sable or zebra the 300's might be better.

Mark

Only shot one leopard with the 260 AB in 375, but it worked great. Also had no complaints with eland, kudu, zebra, gemsbok, and hartebeest. 40+ animals in two long trips to Namibia.

I e-mailed Nosler and asked them which of their bullets they would recommend for leopard using a 375 H&H. I also said I'd be hunting in an area with buffalo and elephant present. Their reply was the 300 grain Partition.

300 grain Swift A-Frame. Used it on leopard, zebra, gemsbock, kudu, springbock, impala and a whole lot more. It flat works.

But to be honest...most anything out of a 375 is going to kill a leopard. If you direct it properly, etc., etc.

Only shot one, it was with a 300 gr trophy bonded. I thought it worked well but the leopard had some complaints.

My first leopard fell to a 300 grain trophy bonded bear claw. He was dead at the base of the tree.

I have had the pleasure of taking two leopards. Both were dead right there cats. first was a Hornady .375 H&H300gr round nose at 40yds. Hit him hanging on a lion bait in the chest and exited out between the shoulder blades. I recovered the bullet from the bait tree. Second cat was shot at 62yds, lazered. 300gr TSX downward angle hit him high in the back standing up on a lion bait and passed downward thru chest exiting just in front of stomach from a left to right pass thru.
A Hornady would pass thru a leopard from front to rear and will not even slow down on a shoulder to shoulder thru and tru shot.
2500 to 2700 fps with accurate shooting will flatten the cat. More importantly a illuminated red dot with a 50mm bell for light at dark.

Mike