Next month - my plan is hunting plain games in SA with my 44/4" - 300 gr/1000 fps.
But I have got a good quote for a female lion longer north in SA - than EC which is my destination..
My plan is then to jump off in J`burg, drive 3 hours - and hunt this cat - and then travel to my original destination.
BUT!!!
Will I succeed with this load?????

Of course I can bring with me my 454 - but this year I have decided to hunt with the "little gun".

What do you think?
Maybe some of you have shot lions with a .44 and "slow" fps/heavy bullets?

If you hit her in the right spots it will work.

I say right "SPOTS", because you might have to hit her more than once.

But I would not be afraid to hunt a lion with a 4" 44 Mag.

But I would carry a couple of speed loaders, just in case.

On certain types of "released-lion"--read small enclosure, relatively tame lioness--you would probably be OK. On anything resembling a wild lion in a large enclosure, I don't think it would be advisable for many reasons. Of course, on real wild lions in the wild, it would be lunacy.

cats, as i hear it, do respond to shock .. which i have been told is lighter bullets fast ..

don't know what that means, though.. puma is as big a cat I would chase with a pistol as my primary

When we were in Zim - my friend shot a lion with his 404 Jeffrey. The lion span around and around - and ran 50 yds. away from us. Found him dead.
He also shot a buffalo which ran 150 yds. - also away from us. And was dead.

My buffalo - ran 65 yds. after he was hit with my 454/378 gr. bullet. He also run away from me. And was found dead.

I`m sure that the .44 will penetrate through the cat - even with only 1000 fps, but will the bullet stop her before she catch us? That`s my doubt. I suppose that the distance will be 20-50 yds. If she choose to run the opposite way - I`m sure that we will find her dead within 150 yds.

Well - this is what the DG gives us: Challenge!

Somebody get the kicks when they jump from a high mountain.
Others when they are hunting DG.

My daughters said to me before the Zim-travel: Pa - you can die! Yes - I can. But what do you think is the best: Me - 80 years of age which is "nipping" sweet nurses in their asses, while I spit and say words you don`t like when I`m a patient in a hospital.
Or a father who died when he was taken by an elephant in Africa?

And: I`ve got a good insurance - so you will never be free of food

Id do it in a second but i think id up the velocity to about 1200 just for a little insurance on something that can bite back. Id definatley want a hard cast bullet when hunting anything dangerous. Its no time to be using a bullet that could possibly under penentrate.

This doesn't sound like a good idea. It may be pulled off, but not with consistancy.

Definetly qualifies as a stunt hunt, but what the hell if you got the balls to do it then get after it.
If you asked me to guide you I might well say well sure I will get you in range and then be ready to come along after and scoop up the pieces if needed..
BUT, I most likely would tell you to find someone else or be prepared to follow up your own wounded game.
If you get some hardworking PH maimed or killed because you wanted to play cowboy and lions then that would be worse than tragic, it would be stupidly tragic.

Lion have been taken with this caliber. However, I would not recommend it. Your .454 makes much more sense. I have used the .480Ruger and the 500S&W in Africa, including Cape Buff, but Lion is different IMO. I do now wish I had chosen to kill my Lion with my 500S&W rather than my .458Lott.