Hello Guys,

I have hooked up with some guys here who run lions with dogs. They are extremly successful at bagging very big cats. They have taken a few over 170 lbs, and a good cat will be over 130-150 lbs on average.

I have a few pistols available to use, they are:

A 44 Mag Blackhawk (6 inch barrel I believe)
A 357 Colt Trooper MkIII 6 inch barrel
A 22 Hornet in Contender
A 7-30 Waters in Contender

What bullets would you reccomend using? Shots will be under 20 yds, but would like to be good to 50 yds if something was to happen. I dont want a big hole for pelt damage, I plan on having a rug made up.

Any information - advice would be appreciated, thanks everyone,

Chad

I would take the 7-30 Waters contender AND the 44 mag in a crossdraw holster. Best of both worlds...

I would agree with BigBores. I would go with a 120gr Nosler in the 7-30 Waters and a 300gr hard cast in the 44 Mag

The 357,44 or 7-30 waters. Well all work just fine. As you said shots well be under 20 yards. If you place the bullet right dead cat. If for any reason you want to use one or the other take that one. Like it was my dads gun or some other. Use the one you well enjoy shooting the cat with most.

ANY of them will work depending on the application. The Hornet would be appropriate if there would be potential for hitting a dog...those dogs are generally worth more than your gun and the cost of the hunt combined!

I have guided for an outfitter in northwestern Colorado for about 10 years. We get 6 to 10 lions per year, so I have been able to see quite a few kills with a bow, handgun, and rifle. If you get the lion in a tree where you can put a bullet behind the shoulder into the lungs, about anything will work. If you don't have a good angle, or if you have to settle a ground fight before the lion kills a dog, you will definitely appreciate having something bigger. I carry either a S&W 629 or a Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt, either with reltively heavy jacketed hollow points. I have killed two wounded lions with the 240 gr. Sierra HP from the .45 Colt, but the bullets did not expand very well. Now I carry Hornady XTPs or hard cast SWCs, but haven't had to use them. When I got a chance to hunt a lion for myself I used my 7-30 Waters T/C with the 140 gr. Nosler partition. I shot a big one (missed B&C by 5/16") lengthwise, with the bullet going in just inside the shoulder by the neck. He never even quivered. We could not find the bullet, and it never exited. I like the partition bullet because the front expands easily, and it penetrates well. Lighter bullets are fine for deer and antelope. A lion has dense muscle and penetration is often less than you expect. I once saw an 82-pound female lion take a 150 gr. Rem. Core-Lokt bullet lengthwise like the one I shot, and the bullet did not exit. Anyone interested in wildlife anatomy should not pass up the opportunity to skin a mountain lion. The muscles, especially on the face, are really impressive.

I have rambled on too much so I will summarize by saying take something that will penetrate to the vitals from less than an ideal angle, and use a little more gun or a little heavier bullet than you would normally for a 150 pound critter. You might not need it, but it is better than botching the kill with something inadequate.

Be in good shape for chasing lions. It is physically some of the hardest hunting I have done, and also some of the most enjoyable. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

If it were my call, knowing my experience w/mountain lions (0) and knowing that predators are generally unpleasant when you do things such as shoot at them (especially when they think of you as the meal, not vice versa) I'd grab the .44Mag and load it with 300 grain Hydra-Shocks. Maybe after I get a few, i'll get real cocky and drop all the way down to a 7mm round.

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When in doubt, do a nuclear strike.

Thanks everyone for the reccomendations. I agree I would prefer to go in a bit over gunned if something was to turn for the worse. Could get very eventful trying to reload a contender with a big cat after you.

I will probably handload some XTP Hornadys and Some branes X's and see what shoots best.

The weather is showing snow for Tuesday, maybe just maybe I might connect.

Chad

Among the houndsmen I know there are two different opinions about guns for lions. The first is big bullet-big hole BUT may knock the cat out of the tree and even a dying cat can kill a dog. The other side is shoot a small caliber and let the cat die in the tree. A lot of old-time lion hunters used to swear by 22 rimfire magnum pistols, but I would go little bigger than that.