I'm heading to ZA July 1 for leopard. Rifle of choice (only) is a Wetherby Vanguard in 300 Weatherby Mag. Leupold 207 with red dot (low light). I'm a fan of Hornady ammo and have used it in calibers up to .458 Lott. I'm planning on shooting 180-gr. Interlocks. Any other interesting ideas?

I have never been to Africa, but your choice sounds good to me.

I love my 300 WBY Mag and feel it would be more than adequate for leopard.

Again, I have no experience, but Craig Bodcington in his books on Africa warns about using too tough a bullet on Leopard. From what Craig writes, a 180 Hornady or 180 Sierra would seem to be just the ticket.

.375 H&H, 300 grain Trophy Bonded Bearclaw

308Sako

Envy

Envy

Envy!

Hope mine looks that good.

I have never taken leopard but considering the animal‘s body size and constitution I would say my 7x57 with heavy round nose bullet would do the job satisfactorily.

CZ

9.3 X 62 with a 286 grain Nosler Partition. Spots DRT, no follow up, no worry. The Nosler Part. is very good for this endevor, no matter what the calibur. Trijicon with the tritium tipped post is the absolute "cats meow", no batteries to fail, no switches to flip, just point and shoot.

Larry Sellers

quote:

Originally posted by poprivit:
308Sako

Envy

Envy

Envy!

Hope mine looks that good.

I hope it does for you as well!

Frank Zitz did the work, and I have never regretted using his talents.

As to caliber, the leopard is not a heavily built animal, but he is a nasty enemy if wounded, a large wide blood trail would be most desirable, and then of course there is tradition to contend with.

tO THE op: Regardless of your choice of caliber, placement, placement and careful placement.

300 Win Mag,
180gr TSX
Place the bullet on top of the heart-taking out the major blood vessels and causing major hydrostatic shock to the spine.
He will fall from the tree like a rock.
I would put the bullet about half way up on the body and slightly behind the shoulder if he is perfectly broadside.

That will work just fine if you can shoot it well enough to make the first shot count. GIVEN a well placed first shot...you can take a Leopard with a lot less rifle than you're proposing. WEATHERBY MAGNUM power isn't at all required. It's much more important to make the first shot a good one because it's the SECOND SHOT where things get hairy.

I've taken two leopard. One with a 375H&H and 300gr TSX. DRT under the limb but way more gun than is necessary.

The second with Ruger #1 in 300H&H with a 180gr TSX. Also DRT under the limb.

Bot times, the TSX bullet performed perfectly on such a soft target. I wouldn't hesitate to use the same bullets again should I decided to chase the spotted tree cat again!

Good luck on your hunt. Hope you get a big one!

poprivit,

To answer your question the 300 WBY 180 Hornady combo will work fine on the leopard with devastating tissue damage. I think if I took a 300 WBY on a leopard hunt I would use a less frangible bullet than the Hornady. Something like the Nosler Partition of Accubond that are less frangible would be more suitable for heavier plains game but still give initial rapid expansion for a quick kill on the leopard.

Mark

I have used the 375H&H/Swift A-Frame combo before on leopard and hopefully, will use it again this July.

But this time I will also be taking a 300 Weatherby loaded with 168 TTSXs due to some longer range plainsgame that will also be on the menu.

A leopard, at 150 pounds, isn't that hard to kill but I want a better bullet, especially at Weatherby velocities, than a Hornady.

I would say a Partition would be about perfect.

Just to prove that I DO take advice, I'm going to use a Partition or TSX for the cat. A gemsbok and a zebra are also on the list, so mayhaps I'll use these bullets on them also. I'll use the Hornady fodder for practice. BTW, my Leupold VX-R with the illuminated red dot works a treat! Also, the Weatherby is much more accurate than I am.

You won't go wrong with either of those bullets. My last leopard was killed with a Nosler Partition.

Poprivit, Do you shoot at Desert Sportsmans?

Look for the Chevy Trailblaser, tan metallic on range #3 some day


D

Hornady superformance 7mm-08 139 grn sst or gmx

quote:

Originally posted by Hunter white:
Hornady superformance 7mm-08 139 grn sst or gmx

Yeah. I've never hunted leopard, nor will I.

But why would it be more difficult to kill a 200 lb leopard than a 250 lb deer or a 600 lb elk?

I'm not trying to be a smart-ass. I'd just like to know.

From here: http://tinyurl.com/cg5le2p

"Africa
The weight of an adult male leopard is 135 lbs on average in Southern Africa (Kruger National Park, Sabi Sands Game Reserve etc. where the maximum recorded weights are 200 lbs), They are much smaller in the mountains of the Cape Provinces where they weigh only 70lbs. Variation in size occurs throughout it's African range due to environmental factors.

"Asia
The Persian leopard (P.p. saxicolor) is the largest subspecies weighing 155 lbs on average.
The Amur leopard (P.p. orientalis) and North Chinese leopard (P.p. japonensis) are not as large averaging 110 lbs.
The Sri Lankan leopard (P.p. kotiya) weigh 128 lbs on average.
The Indian leopard (P.p. fusca) weigh 120 lbs on average.
The Arabian leopard (P.p. nimr) are the smallest at only 70 lbs."

I'm not quite so sure it's that Leopard are just "that much harder to kill" as much as it is "I want it dead as quick as possible because I hate the idea of dancing with a dying Leopard" more than anything else.

I've watched my housecat lay absolute waste to birds and squirrels. The thought of a 150# Leopard wanting a piece of me? I'd take my .375 H&H and never look back.

Deader is better, IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
I'm not quite so sure it's that Leopard are just "that much harder to kill" as much as it is "I want it dead as quick as possible because I hate the idea of dancing with a dying Leopard" more than anything else.

I've watched my housecat lay absolute waste to birds and squirrels. The thought of a 150# Leopard wanting a piece of me? I'd take my .375 H&H and never look back.

Deader is better, IMO.

That's an absolutely fair answer, one I hadn't considered.

But when I think about this, I think I might opt for a BAR in a lesser caliber than something like a .458. I mean, if I failed to kill the animal with my first shot, and it charged, I'd want as many follow-up shots as quickly as I could get them.

I'm sure there are different views on this, but 2 -3 shots, quickly and accurately delivered from a .30-06 or .308 (quickly delivered because the BAR is a semi-auto, and accurate because my aim wouldn't be much disrupted by heavy recoil) might not be a bad option for dealing with a 200 lb animal.

Is this a reasonable way to look at this? I'd welcome your thoughts.

When I took my leopard, I asked the PH as to what bullet/ammo I should use. I had Nosler PT's and some cheap Win. Power Points I was using to blow up some baboons with my 338 Win. Mag. He recommended the frangible Power Pts. and they worked extremely well, with no exit hole. The bullet completely disintegrated like a grenade in the cat.

Boddington is correct about using too hard a bullet on leopard.

Geoff

I have shot a number of both leopards and lions, practically all with either Barnes X or our own Walterhog bullets.

These are made from pure copper rod and have a hollow point.

Despite all the reports from t5eh past, bullets such as these work just as well as any fast expanding bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by B L O'Connor:

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
I'm not quite so sure it's that Leopard are just "that much harder to kill" as much as it is "I want it dead as quick as possible because I hate the idea of dancing with a dying Leopard" more than anything else.

I've watched my housecat lay absolute waste to birds and squirrels. The thought of a 150# Leopard wanting a piece of me? I'd take my .375 H&H and never look back.

Deader is better, IMO.

That's an absolutely fair answer, one I hadn't considered.

But when I think about this, I think I might opt for a BAR in a lesser caliber than something like a .458. I mean, if I failed to kill the animal with my first shot, and it charged, I'd want as many follow-up shots as quickly as I could get them.

I'm sure there are different views on this, but 2 -3 shots, quickly and accurately delivered from a .30-06 or .308 (quickly delivered because the BAR is a semi-auto, and accurate because my aim wouldn't be much disrupted by heavy recoil) might not be a bad option for dealing with a 200 lb animal.

Is this a reasonable way to look at this? I'd welcome your thoughts.

Good luck getting a semi-auto into most of Africa.

RSA makes it difficult, Zims, too, AFAIK - Moz? Nam? Bot? Tz?

Anyone know.

Seems people with semi-auto (therefore military-style assault) rifles might want to take out the government, and most of the governments don't feel as beloved as they might.

quote:

Originally posted by B L O'Connor:

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
I'm not quite so sure it's that Leopard are just "that much harder to kill" as much as it is "I want it dead as quick as possible because I hate the idea of dancing with a dying Leopard" more than anything else.

I've watched my housecat lay absolute waste to birds and squirrels. The thought of a 150# Leopard wanting a piece of me? I'd take my .375 H&H and never look back.

Deader is better, IMO.

That's an absolutely fair answer, one I hadn't considered.

But when I think about this, I think I might opt for a BAR in a lesser caliber than something like a .458. I mean, if I failed to kill the animal with my first shot, and it charged, I'd want as many follow-up shots as quickly as I could get them.

I'm sure there are different views on this, but 2 -3 shots, quickly and accurately delivered from a .30-06 or .308 (quickly delivered because the BAR is a semi-auto, and accurate because my aim wouldn't be much disrupted by heavy recoil) might not be a bad option for dealing with a 200 lb animal.

Is this a reasonable way to look at this? I'd welcome your thoughts.

I haven't shot a big cat and frankly I don't want to but if I did, I wouldn't want to rely on a semi-auto to get the job done. Firstly there's the issue of reliability (just imagine if the extractor fails to remove the first empty) and secondly, there's the potential for over-confidence to creep in when armed with an automatic weapon. I don't want the lingering thought in the back of my mind that I've got another 10, 20 or 30 rounds in reserve when I'm lining up my first shot. If it were me, I'd want something like a 7x57 that I know I can shoot reasonably well, in some sort of Mauser 98 that I know will almost certainly give me a second or third shot, if needed.

Use the same bullet on Leopard that you use on a deer or antelope..I would suggest a tough bullet so as not to tear up the pelt too much. My choice would be the 200 gr. Nosler, it kills well and does less skin damage. I use it in the 06 and 300 H&H..An option is to slow down the Wby with the 180, but on safari thats not a practical approach unless your gun will shoot them to the same POI..I have not used the 300 Wby enough to know what is best so I am guessing and by goshing..but what you want is a 1.5" exit hole or thereabouts.

My idea of a perfect Leopard gun is a 7x57 with 150 gr. Noslers at 2800 FPS or a 180 gr. 06 at 2700 FPS.

quote:

originally posted by Bren7X64:



Good luck getting a semi-auto into most of Africa.

RSA makes it difficult, Zims, too, AFAIK - Moz? Nam? Bot? Tz?

Anyone know.

Seems people with semi-auto (therefore military-style assault) rifles might want to take out the government, and most of the governments don't feel as beloved as they might.

Now THAT I hadn't thought of! I think that's probably dispositive. DOH!

quote:

Originally posted by lonewulf:

quote:

Originally posted by B L O'Connor:
[ . . . ]
That's an absolutely fair answer, one I hadn't considered.

But when I think about this, I think I might opt for a BAR in a lesser caliber than something like a .458. I mean, if I failed to kill the animal with my first shot, and it charged, I'd want as many follow-up shots as quickly as I could get them.

I'm sure there are different views on this, but 2 -3 shots, quickly and accurately delivered from a .30-06 or .308 (quickly delivered because the BAR is a semi-auto, and accurate because my aim wouldn't be much disrupted by heavy recoil) might not be a bad option for dealing with a 200 lb animal.

Is this a reasonable way to look at this? I'd welcome your thoughts.

I haven't shot a big cat and frankly I don't want to but if I did, I wouldn't want to rely on a semi-auto to get the job done. Firstly there's the issue of reliability (just imagine if the extractor fails to remove the first empty) and secondly, there's the potential for over-confidence to creep in when armed with an automatic weapon. I don't want the lingering thought in the back of my mind that I've got another 10, 20 or 30 rounds in reserve when I'm lining up my first shot. If it were me, I'd want something like a 7x57 that I know I can shoot reasonably well, in some sort of Mauser 98 that I know will almost certainly give me a second or third shot, if needed.

My thoughts centered on the possibility of needing a fast second shot, and a semi-auto was the first action that sprang to mind. A lever action or pump might serve as well.

Still, I appreciate your point about the reliability of a semi-auto when the chips are down. I think that's completely legitimate, especially if the rifle wasn't well cared for.

But I might be less concerned than I probably should be. After all, semi-autos have been around a long time: they've been adopted by most militaries and are the go-to rifle for many in LE.

I wouldn't hunt any dangerous game with a rifle whose reliability I wasn't absolutely sure of, and nor should anyone else IMO. And, since the BAR's magazine holds only 4 .30-06 cartridges, I don't think I'd develop a mind-set that would tempt me to throw off a poorly-aimed or poorly-advised first shot based on my having virtually unlimited firepower. (Not that I would be careless with my first shot even if I did have a 30 round magazine.)

But I sense that there is a consensus developing that a leopard doesn't necessarily need a magnum caliber. I like Ray Atkinson's idea that a decent deer cartridge is ample, and a slowly-opening bullet is preferable to save the pelt (hadn't thought of that, but it makes good sense).

To me, this is purely academic. I do not have a vested interest in being right or wrong. I'm just interested in different ways to think about this issue, and I greatly appreciate the opinions of those who are commenting.

I speak with no experience of hunting leopard, but I've been in camp with people who have extensively and I've seen some of the videos that are out there. I'd say that the opportunity for a second shot when the first was at a leopard on a bait in a tree is sufficiently remote to not be worthy of featuring in your decision making. An accurate rifle that you shoot well is what I would go for.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
My idea of a perfect Leopard gun is a 7x57 with 150 gr. Noslers at 2800 FPS or a 180 gr. 06 at 2700 FPS.

I'd be listening to Ray on this one.

Poprivit:

We are going throught the same analysis at this time. I'm hunting my first leopard in October. I'll be using a .300 WSM. (and replaceing a VXL with a VXR). I've been stocking up on Barnes and Nosler partitions. I'll choose what ultimately shoots the best in my rifle. I think either will be fine. However, others' experience with both gives me some comfort.

My 9.3 x 74R worked well. Doubt I would use a Hawk bullet again.

I've managed to shoot four leopards with various riles from 338 to 416.

Anything north of a 22 hornet will work fine provided you shoot him right. A fragile bullet is your best choice. I've used Nosler partitions, bear claws, and a-frames, all with great success.

Incidentally, the one I shot with a 416 went the farthest. The one with a 375 was DRT. One with a 338 went 30 yards and one with a 338 went 100 yards.

Bottom line, where you shoot is far more important than what you shoot.

quote:

Originally posted by safari-lawyer:

Bottom line, where you shoot is far more important than what you shoot.

Spot on with your reccomendation ...

quote:

I've managed to shoot four leopards with various riles from 338 to 416.

Hey Will, leave some for the rest of us ! :-)

$0 days and counting. The 300 W'by is finally putting 'em all into the same hole at 100 yards. Damn near had to send it back 'cause it wouldn't do any better than cloverleafs. (Me? I'm the best shot in my family! I'm also the ONLy shot in my family. I'm hell on barn doors from inside.)

Love the 300.

my fave plains game rifle is a 300 wby. i would use nosler partition 180 gr bullets. Over any other super soft (hornady etc) or super hard (TSX etc)
In 300, noslers are superb. Not so in 375 and above.
I you reload, another GREAT option is the North Fork percussion point bullet.

Listen to the guys who have actually shot leopards, and then decide. I've been listening, and I leave for my first try at leopard the end of July. If I'm successful, I'll offer an opinion on what to use.

Mine too. 286 gr. Part. out of a 9.3 X 62. DRT.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
You won't go wrong with either of those bullets. My last leopard was killed with a Nosler Partition.

I would opt for the 200 gr. Nosler partition in any big 300 and have been using that bullet in my hot loaded 300 H&H for years on everything from diker to one Cape buffalo, that was injured..

For a strictly Leopard hunt I would use my 7x57 and the 130 gr. Speer or 145 gr. Speer. Any good deer caliber and deer bullet works well on Leopard. Leopards are 150 to 200 lbs. the same size as a mule deer.

Keep in mind that you need not tear up the skin anymore than necessary. a heavy bullet in your 300 will prevent that and still kill well as a rule, and the 180 Nosler partition is also a good choice.

I've never hunted them but seem's to me that most guy's are taking a larger more powerful cartridge because of the other game they will hunt. I read the article on Leopard weights and can't imagine that a 243 wouldn't do well on them. Problem is that unless all your gonna hunt after that is a Dik Dik, your a bit under gunned!

I am in the never shot one group

However…………….

I had a girlfriend that worked a as a volunteer at a private zoo picking up catshit. So I have had the opportunity to be with a live leopard.

A leopard is not very thick, viewed from the top the big one was about 6 or 8 inches across the ribcage. It would not take a lot of penetration to go through. From the front it would be a tougher shot needing 18” or so to get through the heart/lung parts. I think the TSX/Partition/A-Frame would be the way to go opens fast but keeps going.

They had lions, leopards, a jaguar and others. They had been hand raised and with a proper introduction most could be approached and petted. When leaving the cage you backed out, was told never turn your back to them. The lions were very well behaved, the leopard were OK but approach with great caution. The jaguar is a different story, the one they had went 350 lbs but looked way bigger.it was wild as could be, even thou it had been raised from a cub after it was about a year old no one went in the cage. The tigers had a bowling ball to play with; roll the ball to it and the he would swat it back faster than I could throw a baseball.

Going in the cages with the cats I am sure was a VERY bad idea. But I was young and did not want to look like a coward, my girlfriend went in the cages every day.

Mark

ruger mk2, 30-06, 180gr partitions.