What caliber for lion?

[wheelgunslinger]

Does anyone know what caliber the hunters used on that lion that ended up inspiring The Ghost and the Darkness used? IIRC, the lion is still on display in the Smithsonian, stuffed.

Col. Patterson used his own personal .303, I believe.

 

[Treo]

On a side note; I heard on the news (KRDO again) this morning, that while every body was out in East El Paso county chasing the lion that wasn't . a bear that was walked in to a Circuit City at one of the busier intersections in town (North Academy & Woodmen) .

So what caliber for bear in the home electronics section?

 

[robert garner]

I vaguely recall

South Africans use the 303 , on what is refered to as vermin.
Wishing one of those chaps would sing out!
robert

 

[jahwarrior]

the maasai tribe of africa had a tradition, until recent times, meant to prove the manhood of their warriors. a young man would take a leather shield, an axe, and a spear, and would hunt and kill a lion, take off its mane, and wear it back to the village.

with a leather shield, an axe, and a spear.

thank G*D we americans have 12 gauge slugs, instead.

 

[CajunBass]

On a side note; I heard on the news (KRDO again) this morning, that while every body was out in East El Paso county chasing the lion that wasn't . a bear that was walked in to a Circuit City at one of the busier intersections in town (North Academy & Woodmen) .

We had a bear do that at one of the local Wal-Marts not too long ago. Just walked on in when the automatic door opened.

 

[TallPine]

I would just let it hang out in my garden (corn patch)

My mom had a bear hanging around her neighborhood a few years ago (near Academy & Union). I think DOW finally trapped it and moved it. Maybe it came home ?

 

[KiltedClaymore]

.303 is a good choice. better yet, maybe a hakim with 200 grain softpoints? the 8mm is a pretty good penetrator. plus, with heavy bullets, that round becomes a real bone-smasher. and a bear in your corn patch? well, some folks like dogs, others like bears.

 

[TallPine]

a bear in your corn patch?

No, a lion. Not a new one, though.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

so you want a second hand lion?

 

[scrat]

amazing to see all the different calibers people would use.

 

[Bowman140]

I just don't understand why you wouldn't just chase it down and kill it with your bare hands. Or am I the only one that does that?

 

[M203Sniper]

for bear I use a paint marker

 

[KiltedClaymore]

I just don't understand why you wouldn't just chase it down and kill it with your bare hands.

i only do that with water buffalo.

 

[Working Man]

420 or 540-GR .45-70 at 1850 or 1550-FPS, both hard cast in a Marlin.
BFR backup 405-GR 1900-FPS will work.

 

[ARKIESTEEL]

I seem to think that any rifle suited for deer hunting would be ok for lion in a non charge shoot it out the front door kind of way something like a 30-06 300wsm or the like would be fine. If I was caught out I wouldnt be upset to find my 1100 rem 12 gauge in my hand with one round of slug followed by 4 rounds of 00 buckshot. Maybe if I was real lucky I could look down and see my 629 smith loaded with 240 grain half jacked hollow points on my hip. I know most of you say I would need a solid round for the 44 but if I have to pull that pistol its going to be right on top of me otherwise I would still be loading that shotgun and firing it, and I think that at the range of 3 to 10 feet I want to knock as big a hole as I can. I think I still have some 310 grain xtp around the house somewhere that would be better but the standard load of 240 hp is what stays in that pistol most times.


just my thoughts about stuff I already have if we are talking anything goes maybe a double rifle in 470 nitro express

 

[mnw42]

.405 Winchester in an 1895 - It worked for T.R. A 45/70 would be plenty adequate. Since I have neither I''' just use my No.4 with some mk. VII ball or a shotty with slugs.

 

[Crunker1337]

Rifle carry in TX is legal. TAKE ADVANTAGE of that, if you have to go outside before this is all cleared up. AK47, or some other .30 cal semiautomatic, or a powerful bolt-action rifle would be fine.

 

[JWF III]

Most of your suggestions are pure overkill. All of the big cats are thin-skinned animals. Any cartridge that'll put a deer down will do the job (with proper bullet placement).

But if you want my suggestion, the biggest I have (in a repeater) is .300 Win Mag. My personal preference would be an Abrams tank. A jeep just doesn't offer enough armor or weaponry.

 

[Harvster]

Just looked at the pictures and can't believe people could mistake that for a lion. Unless the dog ate it, there is no lion in that picture. And the paw prints...what are they about four inches across? An adult lion would probably have paw prints twice that size. This also makes me wonder how many mountain lion sightings are people's pet kitties.

 

[RonC]

I'm not surprised at the identification of the 'lion' as a dog. The poor photo might hint at a lion on the front end, but the haunches are doggie. Lions butts aren't nearly as hairy as that Great Pyrenees'.

Now, mountain lions - that's a whole different story.

Have y'all seen the Youtube video of the German fellow who gets out of his car in South Africa, right in front of his family, and walks up to a pride of lions to take a video of them. A female jumped him from behind and the rest started making him lunch. No, not making lunch for him. He WAS lunch. For those with weak stomachs, don't watch that particular video. I often work near where he was killed and I had nightmares for days after seeing the video.

Ron

 

[wheelgunslinger]

People are so disconnected from nature that it's sad. They're probably saying bobcats are cougars.

 

[HB]

Stick's and stones just like my great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great Grandpappy used. I don't think 288 generations is old enough though

 

[Z-Michigan]

I seem to think that any rifle suited for deer hunting would be ok for lion in a non charge

and

Most of your suggestions are pure overkill. All of the big cats are thin-skinned animals. Any cartridge that'll put a deer down will do the job (with proper bullet placement).

Uh, watch some lion hunting videos. Yes, a .308 with a well placed shot may kill the lion within 1-3 minutes. In that time the lion can kill you and a dozen of your best friends or relatives, before it dies. Some of the hunting videos are worthy of nightmares. The one I mentioned earlier has a lion hit with an african-class cartridge and it barely fazes it, though does faze it enough that it doesn't try really hard to kill the person it was charging.

If I actually expected to get charged by a lion, I would want semiauto (ideally full-auto, good luck affording one) shooting at least 300gr a pop, preferably >400gr, of big diameter lead.

Mind you, I'm talking about adult african lions. If you start talking about North American mountain lions (still a cat, otherwise completely different), I would not feel undergunned with a .44 magnum handgun, and even a .357 wouldn't be too bad.

 

[Zoogster]

Tranquilizer dart!

Then good transport. It is worth a lot more alive.

Who wants to buy a lion?

the maasai tribe of africa had a tradition, until recent times, meant to prove the manhood of their warriors. a young man would take a leather shield, an axe, and a spear, and would hunt and kill a lion, take off its mane, and wear it back to the village.

Sounds like an awesome safari. Why kill it from a distance when you can actualy battle it?

I mean the Romans captured them with brute force ALIVE to bring back for the arenas. Certainly killing one is far easier than that.

 

[oneshooter]

A traditional "lion gun".

60cal. caplock double rifle!

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas