I had a post here asking about the .308 or 30-06 for Leopard and truly appreciate all the comments. I got to thinking about the 7mm Rem Mag as another possibility. I have a Custom one on a Sako/Shilen set up. How about some feedback on this and what bullet you would suggest? General remarks tend to lean towards larger, slower, softer bullets for cats. Thanks!!

Larry Sellers

Although I have never shot one, I have shot mountain lion and other similar size game with cartridges in the same class without any problem. The 7 mag provides enough power for critters up to and including elk so it should work just fine on leopard. Lou

I shot my one and only Leopard with a 300 grain TBBC. Bullet was too tough! Shot was on the money but very little damage done. I would use a Nosler Partition or an Accubond. It was pretty scary poking in bushes till we found that cat dead. He ran about 40 yards before he ran out of lives but what a 40 yards!!!

Larry,
Got mine with my 7mmRemmag, 160grain Accubond. He simply fekk out of the tree and was DOA on ground...LJS is 100%...use an evpanding bullet, like Accubond or Ballistic Tip...no Hard Bullets!!

Did you book your hunt yet??

I used a 150 grain TSX at about 3200 fps. Considered a faster opening bullet, but since I was using that bullet for larger plains game and it shot great in my rifle, I went with it. Shot the leopard at about 50 yards. Worked perfect.

i'm sure several thousand leopards have been killed with 303s and 7x57s, so a 7 mag is more than sufficient. i'd use 160gr partitions.

I have only shot one ,a very large one . The outfit I hunted with was very, well insistent that nothing under .300 be used . So I used a .338 I'm sure my 7MM RM would have done the job also .

Plains game they didn't care I suppose I could have used a sling shot and they wouldn't have said a word . Saw a fellow hunter using a 270 I was using my 7MM RM .

When they have claws and teeth and can move like lightening the guides prefer stopping power with slug weight is my guess .

A 160-175 grain would do the trick .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

I would prefer the .338 for 400-500 pound plains game and the .270 for 160 pound leopards.

Sure, Larry, your 7mm RM will be fine for leopard. Just about any bullet will do, but about a 150-160 grain bullet of the faster-expanding variety would be optimum. Other than the Nosler Partition, which has a rapidly-expanding nose, I'd stay away from the "premium" bullets. They just don't expand rapidly enough in the light-framed cats to anchor them quickly. A "good blood trail" is not what you want with a leopard -- you want him "dead right there".

Larry, your 7 mag would be perfect. Run a 145 grn speer or 139 grn hornady

Never shot a Leopard, but if I was going to hunt them, my 7mm Mag with 150 grain Nosler Partitions would be what I would use. My son shot a Deer with that bullet in my 7mm Mag this year that was the ultimate definition of bang-flop. The Deer folded, and was dead before it hit the ground. The Deer, a Buck, was hit in the shoulder, and the bullet went through the lungs and broke the far shoulder.

Don

Thanks to all!! Was wondering about the 175 grainers as in Rem. Core-Lokt, Win. Power point and Federal Power Shok. These factory loads are around 2860 fps. Would expansion be quick enough with these bullets on Leopard size game? In most cases people seem to like the 180 grain range in the 30-06 for cats thus the 175 grainers in the 7mmRem?? Thoughts???

Larry Sellers

I like Nosler my self. Partions are my favorite bullet for hunting soft hide creatuers 160-175 weight wise .That being said I've also used a lot of Sierra GameKing's over the years never had either bullet fail me yet .

I've not yet had the occasion to use Barnes Triple Shock hunting , although I hear real good things about them .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

I think I'd stick with the Accubonds or Partitions

Unfortunately in Australia we dont have any big cats as such, the only cat that exists is the common house cat and an occasional myth floating around
i can say however that the game I have hit with a mates 7mm Rem Mag include 100Kg plus pigs and Large Red Deer (100kg plus)and some scrub bulls as well that would go much larger than this

I used 140 Grain Nosler BT's for great results

No comments on the 175 grainer stuff from Win.; Fed.; and Rem.?? Come on, somebody must have a thought or two on these. I know it's their cheap stuff, but that type of bullet seems to make sense on a Leopard??

Larry Sellers

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
No comments on the 175 grainer stuff from Win.; Fed.; and Rem.?? Come on, somebody must have a thought or two on these. I know it's their cheap stuff, but that type of bullet seems to make sense on a Leopard??

Larry Sellers

First, check the actual velocity from your gun with these heavyweights. The 7mm RM is, for reasons unclear to me, often underloaded by the factories. The 175 spitzer, if it is lumbering along at 2700 fps or so, wont' be a very quick opener. That's why I would recommend a lighter, faster, quicker opening bullet. The largest of leopards shot at the most disadvantageous angle simply doesn't have enough body mass to prevent any reasonble middle-weight bullet from a 7mm from penetrating the vitals amply.

Larry,

If I had to pick a bullet for the 7 Mag to use for leopard and plains game I'd just try the 160 Nosler Partition. I think it is about the optimum bullet for the big 7 and will work very well on leopard. The front end of the Partition will do incredible tissue damage to the inside of the chest.

Mark

Thanks Mark and Coldcreek - I have killed lots of game with Nosler Partitions so I am most likly convinced to go that route. Mark I'll make a point to see you at SCI Reno.

Larry Sellers

why all the long range rifles and cartridges for a cat that is usually shot at night, close up, over bait?

Leopards being a nocturnal animal they aren't easy to find under the best of circumstances..

Am I misunderstanding something here?

Is this topic an april fools posting?

Wouldn't a better choice be a 12ga pump shotgun, with
a modified choke tube and 00 buckshot be more
appropriate?

Allen - All the Leopard hunts I have been on so far (3) and ones my friends have been on the distance from blind to bait is usually 50 to 100 meters. I know this is not a "long shot" in most cases but it's way to long for a shotgun with buckshot and a modified choke and open or no sights. Also shot placement if very critical so a good scope is also of the essence on a tackdriver rifle. So surely you are the one pulling the "April Fools" rabbit out of the hat??

Larry Sellers

quote:

Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
why all the long range rifles and cartridges for a cat that is usually shot at night, close up, over bait?

Leopards being a nocturnal animal they aren't easy to find under the best of circumstances..

Am I misunderstanding something here?

Is this topic an april fools posting?

Wouldn't a better choice be a 12ga pump shotgun, with
a modified choke tube and 00 buckshot be more
appropriate?

Larry,
The 7mm mag. with cheap frangible bullets should work well. This past May I took a 147 lb. tom at 50 yds. using a 338 Win. mag. First rule of thumb, always listen to your PH. I asked what bullet should I use? I had 210 Noslers, 250 gr. Woodleighs, and cheap 200 gr. Win. Power Points for baboons. The PH said bullets that hold together, often allow the cat to run off even if shot well. He advised that I use the ammo I had been using to whack baboons, that being the 200 gr. Power Points.

When hit, the cat rolled over and only twitched a leg. When skinned out, we recovered only part of the jacket. By current standards, it was complete bullet failure. No lead fragments were found. The Power Point apparently went off like a grenade in the cat.

I would not hesitate to use a 7mm Mag. with 150 gr. cup and core bullets on my next leopard.

Geoff

the only person I actually know who has shot a leopard shot one at no more than 15meters with a 12ga shotgun.

It was related that it was shot over a teathered goat used as bait and this "hunt" was conducted in the late 1960's, some 40-odd years ago.

I put my fingers into the holes made in the pelt by the buckshot used... all 9 pellets in a 7" circle

I could cover the entire shot pattern with a 45rpm record.

I was led to believe that the way to kill one involved sitting very quietly over bait... and killing it at VERY close range.

I have never (until now) heard anything different.

AD

Hey Mark, your advice on the 160 grain Nosler's is "dead on". I have two leopards to show for with the 160 Partitions from my 7 mag as well as several kudus and a host of other game.

139 sst or Cx

The 160 gr partition or the Accubonds will work in a 7 mag as they tend to open up quickly but are not prone to do a lot of skin damage...but any caliber within reason that qualifies as a deer or antelope rifle will work fine on Leopard.. 30-06 or 270 has normally been my choice to make a combo with a 404 or 416 for Africa with the lessor for PG leopard, but they all work.

I've killed two leopards with 7 mm rem mag, both 168 Berger vlds at 2950. They died very well.

2015 was my year of cats.

In August I shot my Leopard in Mozambique with a 168 gr Barnes TTSX bullet from my .300 Weatherby with a 50 yd shot. A complete pass through one shoulder and destroying his lungs. He ran 19 paces and fell dead.

In Decenber I shot my Mountain Lion in Colorado with a 150 gr Sierra FP bullet from my .30-30. It was a head-on shot from about 20 yds and he fell dead out of the tree.

Both cats were 7'-1" long, nose to tail.

Over the years, I've had good results with my 7mm Rem mag on North American and African animals from Duiker to Elk and Kudu, mostly with 160 gr Accubonds, but also with 140 gr Ballistic Tip bullets.

I would not hesitate to shoot a Leopard with my 7 mm RM and a 160 gr Accubond bullet.