Hunting a Lion what caliber would you use?

[horsemen61]

Ok guys let's say you have all your ducks in a row to speak you going to be hunting lion no this one doesn't have a name now from what I've read/heard you best chance of getting one is at night over bait so what Gun/Caliber would you use after much thought I'm thinking of a bolt action 375 h&h with a sturdy 1x5 scope on it what say you???

 

[jmorris]

Why .223 of course...

 

[TimSr]

Uh Oh, J Morris is about to have angry protestors at his doorstep!

 

[jmorris]

Only members of the blind PETA club, they wouldn't make it past the front gate.

 

[cpt-t]

jmorris: Thanks for that. I needed a little humor, this morning. A real class act. ((( Now That Is Funny, I don`t care what you say ))).
ken

 

[eastbank]

the two times i faced lions i had a cz 550 in .375 H&H mag loaded with 260gr accabond bullets as i was not hunting lions i did not shoot them and they just walked by at about 80 yards, with hardly a back ward glance and that was fine with me. they sure look a hell of a lot bigger with only a little brush between you and them. eastbank.

 

[Jim Watson]

Teddy Roosevelt called the .405 WCF his "Medicine Gun" for lion.

 

[Choctaw]

the two times i faced lions i had a cz 550 in .375 H&H mag loaded with 260gr accabond bullets as i was not hunting lions i did not shoot them and they just walked by at about 80 yards, with hardly a back ward glance and that was fine with me. they sure look a hell of a lot bigger with only a little brush between you and them. eastbank.

But for stuffed lions .223 will do the job.

 

[Nom de Forum]

A Marlin 1895 with a few parts swapped out for some from Jim in Anchorage's shop, a low power long eye relief scope, and loaded with Garrett 420 Hammerheads that I would strive to use at 50-100 yards and be physically and psychologically prepared to fire quickly at near contact range.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

A Marlin 1895 with a few parts swapped out for some from Jim in Anchorage's shop, a low power variable, and loaded with Garrett 420 Hammerheads that I would strive to use at 50-100 yards and be physically and psychologically prepared to fire quickly at near contact range.

Nom, you and I think alike. My 1895 has also been to WWG. It stared life as an 18" SBL (stainless, XS sights, big loop) and I had the barrel chopped down to 16.5" and a 12.75" LOP. Of what I own this is what I would use. Don't know what bullets are best for a lion.

If not that, then I'd want a shotgun with Breneke slugs.

Either way, I want big holes.

 

[Robert]

375h&h.

 

[CraigC]

You want some expansion. Big bores are great but for lions, best with a soft point. The main thing, even moreso than usual, is to make the first shot count!

If I were using Thee's "big medicine", it's be stoked with Woodleigh or North Fork soft points. Because the 300gr Hornady sucks.

 

[Bobson]

If it has a heartbeat, a 300 grain Swift A-Frame loaded in a .375 H&H will kill it.

 

[eastbank]

the cz 550 in .375 H&H mag i used in africa, a little heavy but it worked on every thing i shot with it. eastbank.

 

[Nom de Forum]

You want some expansion. Big bores are great but for lions, best with a soft point. The main thing, even moreso than usual, is to make the first shot count!

If I were using Thee's "big medicine", it's be stoked with Woodleigh or North Fork soft points. Because the 300gr Hornady sucks.

Thought about 350 Woodleighs for the 45-70. Garrett recomends the 420 HC for lion. Not that the 350 would be a bad choice on lion, but 420 cut big and deep without expansion and less chance of deflection. The 420 is also a better choice if something big, angry, and with horns makes a surprise visit.

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

Removed

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

.470 H&H SXS. They look correct for African hunting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tbSuGINWic

 

[Patocazador]

I'd use a .375 H&H Mag. because that's what I have. It has a 1 3/4" scope on it but I think I would lose the scope and use open sights just in case it got too close.

 

[krimmie]

As far as the video, do you all think the first shot hit that lion? The second shot put a quick stop to it though.

 

[jerkface11]

Is the heat getting to everyone and making them grumpy?

 

[Gun Master]

A .375 H&H should be sufficient, especially if the lion may be hunting you.

Sometimes I can't comprehend why, a supposedly scient being, would seek to possibly end his mortal existence, for a trophy.

Mountain lion while deer hunting, maybe. But African lion, no. Well, maybe that's just me.

 

[Robert]

Folks,its fairly simple question. Answer the question asked, not the one you think should have been asked.

 

[ZeroJunk]

I don't see anything wrong with shooting them with the biggest thing you can stand to shoot. Pretty much feel that way about everything and assuming that they are not very tasty the meat loss argument sort of flies out the window.

 

[Fremmer]

.300 Weatherby mag.

 

[gbran]

You can bet I'm going to choose something big enough to put it down and it won't be an arrow. I guess ditto on the 375 H7H.