Hunting African Lion & Kodiac Bears: What would you chose for rifle?

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No no my experience with cats is the siamese I used to have, and the Lynx I chased around a few years ago with a S&W 22..

The guy in the pic is a fellow from Texas I beleive....he also has a 50 Alaskan and I am waiting to see what he got with it..

WildmeowAlaska
 
AK Brown Bear, 375 all-around cartridge

I purchased my Rem700, Safari Grade, 375H&H Mag in Alaska - there, the 375H&H was the cartridge of choice. The '06 class didn't have the power to knock a "Brownie" off its feet if charging - if "up close", you get only one shot. I found the 1-4X Leupold to be ideal; you don't want a hi-mag scope when a bear stands up at 30 - 40 ft in the alders. I shot a trophy size, 60 inch moose, one shot, knocked it off its feet. Fantastic ! The 375 with the 270grBT Speer is ideal flat-shooting, long range elk-- I load it down to 75% if I'm going to shoot elk <200yds. I weigh 150 lb & recoil of the 375 doesen't bother me at all. True, it's a BIG "push" but not the painful jab of the 300s.
Another, of many advantages, is that you can find 375 ammo, off-the-shelf practically anywhere in the world. For decades, the 375H&H has been aclaimed as the best all-around-cartridge in existance. Somewhere, in high road, yesterday I put in some citations & authoritative articles that have been published about the cartridge over the last 20 or 30 yrs. If you can find it, it will likely convince you that the 375HH is the "only" thing to buy.
[email protected]
 
Lions and Bears...OH MY!!

While I really like my .411/.416 Rem Mag., It's a Ruger #1 single shot. I'd rather shoot both at a distance with something like that. For my main DG weapon, I'd like a Winchester M70 controlled feed in stainless with a good synthetic stock. The barrel would be 22 inches and caliber would be .458 Lott. If forced to, one could shoot .458Winchester in it. The bullets would be Barnes-X or Trophy Bonded. Optics would be a 1-4x scope in QD mounts with a ghost ring as back up or close range. :scrutiny:
 
This is obviously an older thread, right?

However, it remains a legitimate question. :D

Allright, I am no dangerous game hunter (yet). The African lion is strong and moves very fast. The Kodiac bear is of huge size, is unbelieveable strong and moves fast. Being attacked by either is a terrifying thought. According to the reports I've read, the African lion is not as difficult to put down than an angry Kodiac bear.

I think, a .375 H&H seems to be the absolute minimum caliber I'd have in my hands in case of a charge. The .416 Rigby looks even better and even one of the big .458 caliber rifles or the .470 N.E. 3 1/4" doesn't look to be too much gun, provided the user can shoot them accurately.

Col. Jeff Cooper recommends the .30-06 w/heavy 200 grs. bullets for lion. Legality in many African countries aside, this combo seems to me to be a little bit on the light side, but I have no experience.
 
If you decide to go with the slapdown 45-70 loads in a Marlin, you might as well go with the Cowboy model with the 10 ROUND MAGAZINE!!!! :evil: :neener:
 
I would either go with a 9.3x62 or a .35 Whelen. I am not a magnum guy if I can avoid it.

ranburr
 
I personally want a gun with a larger margin of reliability than a loaded-to-the limits lever gun. If you're pushing up against the strength limits of the action, as some of the hot 45-70 loads are
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Not arguing for the 45-70, just pointing out that the 45-70 can be plenty effective without pushing the gun to its pressure limits.

There was a magazine article awhile back written by a man who hunted Cape Buffalo with the 45-70 and the Cor-Bon load. The Cor-Bon load isn't maxed out and yet it fully penetrated a large buff, breaking both shoulders and also did the same on the smaller cow concealed behind it. The bullet stopped under the offside skin on the cow.

Not hard to understand when one realizes that a huge number of Bison were killed off with the black powder 45-70 which only stepped out of the muzzle around 1300fps...
 
A few years back, Rich Lucibella did an Arican hunt with a lever action .45-70. He got a couple of buffalo.

You can do a search in the Hunt forum over at TFL for stories and pictures.

Art
 
Col. Jeff Cooper recommends the .30-06 w/heavy 200 grs. bullets for lion. Legality in many African countries aside, this combo seems to me to be a little bit on the light side, but I have no experience.
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"Ernest Hemingway, on his 1936 safari, used his .30-06 Springfield to take lions, buffalos and rhinos, because he abhorred the trigger pull on his double .470."

And ballistics have certainly improved since then!
 
H&Hhunter said:
Top ten reasons to own a double.

1. Much of the stuff you've heard about doubles and there "weak" action have been solved with modern meturolgy. They really are quite stout now days. (Note never use high pressure rounds in a double .458 win + double=BIG TROUBLE! EAA stopping rifle included!)

2. Think of it as two single shot rifles tied together (at least in one with two triggers/hammers and a non automatic safety) so if one rifle dies you still have the other barrel.

3. Automatic ejectors makes it actually faster to shoot four rounds than a turn bolt. (I know... but it's been proven time and again.)

4. Nothing on earth handles faster than a double rifle that is fit correctly.

5. Nitro express rounds while not any more powerfull than current shorter rounds are so long and fat they just look more powerfull.
:D

6. Most likely you'll be the only kid at the range to have one.

7. You really didn't need all that money in the bank anyway just sitting there collecting all that pesky interest.

8. At $10.00 a round your not just shooting your helping increase the GNP.

9. Chicks dig it.

10. Cool factor is so high that sun glasses are required at all times when carrying it.
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H&H Hunter,
like your reasoning.
Now, which double rifle make/model do you recommend?
What $$$ are we looking at and caliber?
 
Zerstoerer said:
H&H Hunter,
like your reasoning.
Now, which double rifle make/model do you recommend?
What $$$ are we looking at and caliber?
Click to expand...

Zerstoerer,

My opinion only as there are lots of good doubles out there. For the money if you want a good solid working double the Searcy PH model in .470NE is very tough to beat.

I owned a Searcy field grade in .470NE and traded it in to the factory on the newer, nicer PH model last October. I'll be getting my new PH model this year sometime.

I like the .470NE caliber for several reasons. It is the most common NE round on the planet and that makes ammo and component availability very easy to come by. The .470 has just enough power to handle any hunting situation on earth yet isn't obnoxious to shoot in a well fitting rifle.

I've killed buffalo, elephant, wildebeest and impala all in the same week with the same .470. I've also killed feral hog and coyotes with it well past 100 yards. The Searcy is one of the most accurate rifles I own. The accuracy on this rifle must be seen to be believed.

.470 caliber doubles tend to have a higher resale value than other NE rifles due to the popularity of the caliber.

I don't know for sure what the prices are this year I heard they are going up. The PH model was $9500 last year.

Some other nice doubles for around the same money are Kreighoff and Merkel.

I've shot them all and prefer the Searcy.

www.searcyent.com

Greg

AHH I just had a look. The price HAS gone up!
 
H&Hhunter said:
I like the .470NE caliber for several reasons.

I've killed buffalo, elephant, wildebeest and impala all in the same week with the same .470. I've also killed feral hog and coyotes with it well past 100 yards. The Searcy is one of the most accurate rifles I own. The accuracy on this rifle must be seen to be believed.

.470 caliber doubles tend to have a higher resale value than other NE rifles due to the popularity of the caliber.


AHH I just had a look. The price HAS gone up!
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Greg,

thanks for the info. I have never shot anything that big. How does recoil compare to let's say a lightweight 12 GA shotgun?

Thanks
 
Dr.Rob said:
CZ 550 magnum in 375, Barnes x bullets. Spare plastic stock for the Kodiak trip, nice wood one for Africa. Scope optional.

When going after dangerous game, a close up shot might be needed.
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Ditto. That .357 CZ is one rifle I really regret not hanging onto.
 
.338 Lapua

I wouldn't be a lot of help as far as lions goes. But I can tell you this with high conficance.... 338 Lapua will take any Bear any size and any where, under any circumstance.

It is very potent and can easly become your best friend at the range and on the hunt....

Good luck on your search

Killzone

MN (-60 Last week):neener:
 
BAR

I've often looked at Brownings BAR in 300 or 338 Mags for close up work on dangerous type game where caliber restrictions would not apply.

Follow up shots would be fast, shorten barrel lenght down to 20 inches with a Boss system installed, install a premium red dot type sight.

12-34hom.
 
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