Need some input on the best bullet, construction and weight to use for Lion. Will be reloading for my 375 H&H.

Thanks for your input,
rslus@hotmail.com

To my mind, a 300 Grain Nosler Partiton is hard to beat.
Rich Elliott

I'm not sure how many folks with real experience read the reloading forum.....and certainly I have no experience shooting 600 pound pussy cats that have an attitude problem....
You might want to link this thread to another one on the African hunting forum to get a few more experienced shooters.....

Personally, I'd be throwing 300 grain A-Frames but then that's the novice talking.....you want real experience!

I shot mine with a 300gr.Sierra Gameking.Killed it deader than vaudville.

L. David Keith recently killed a lion with a 375H&H. His report is under African Hunting reports. If he doesn't mention his bullet choice, post up or pm him for the info.

David Walker

Still looking for a big, mature male, but I take 300gr A-frames.

Lion are two different animals depending on conditions. when relaxed they are very soft and easy to kill. When wounded and pumped up, their chest muwscles will stop inferiour bullets.

I have personally seen a 465grn Lion load from A Square (.458 Win) fail to make it through the chest muscles of a charging lion. I have also seen lion killed by tribesment with a single blast of AAA from a standard 2 3/4 shotgun, and picked up where 7 loads of OO and OOO buck fired at ranges of 15 yards to 3 yards failed to get through to the vitals on an Angry lioness.

As you will be coming out as a client, the odds are you will shooting one off a bait- so you need a bullet that expands quicly, and imparts lots of tissue damage and shock. A nosler partion is great. So are the 250grn Barnes TSX. Even for a follow up of a wounded cat those two bullets are adequate.

For a PH baking up a client, I would go with more stoutly constructed , so slower expanding bullets- like using a 300grn TSX (lower impact velocity than the 250grn and more bullet to open up guarantees sufficient penetration)

In 9,3x62 I use Stuart 286 grn, flat nosed, bonded core bullets, made with an extra heavy jacket (to order). They are perfect for buffalo and a follow up on lion. They are too slow expanding to be ideal for the first shot. But, since I left government service, the only lion I will ever get to shoot again is one wounded by a client.

As recommended by the likes of Ganyana and Zim Pro Hunter Ian Gibbson I used the Woodleigh Round nose soft bullet from my 9.3x62 with good results.
In the 375H&H I would use a 300grn bullet in the form of ether a Woodleigh Protected Point, Swift-A-frame, Nosler Partition or RWS Cone Point.
ozhunter

ozhunter are you sure about RWS Cone point - isn't it too soft?

I would use a 300 grain bullet in the 375H&H and it would be the same soft-point bullet that I would use for buffalo.

A lion is kind of like a 450 pound hard-rubber-ball (all muscle).

In 2004 I shot one in the chest at 25 yards with a 400 grain barnes X bullet (416 Rigby) and the bullet did not exit. I'm going to try it again this year and this time I will be using a 370 grain Northfork soft (from the same 416 Rigby).

rslus,dump the 375 plastic toy gun and go for the L O T T and the 5 0 0 grain bullet. Choose the one that will steal the show and save the day as the shooting ballerina will say!

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
rslus,dump the 375 plastic toy gun and go for the L O T T and the 5 0 0 grain bullet. Choose the one that will steal the show and save the day as the shooting ballerina will say!

Shootaway.....how many lions have you killed with the LOTT?.....what bullet did you use? Can you describe the events?.....I'd love to hear the stories!

Craig Boddington in the current "RifleShooter" (July/August 2007) has an article with some insightful opinions on lion hunting. While he is not specific regarding individual bullets, he is definite in his ideas regarding type of bullet. He also goes into depth regarding rifle caliber and balance.

I have no aspirations for hunting the game he writes about (leopard and bear in addition to lion), but have read the article several times. Very informative.

"Lion are two different animals depending on conditions. When relaxed they are very soft and easy to kill. When wounded and pumped up, their chest muscles will stop inferior bullets."

Ganyana's comment is insightful.

thanks to all who responded. I am going to test shoot some Swift A-frames in a 300grain soft point. my son-in-law has a 458 lott who can back me up if needed.

thanks again,
rslus