A lot of the Howdah pistols were double barreled and chambered for the British military .577 rifle round. I believe it fired a 480 grain .577 diameter bullet. Probably no more than six or seven hundred feet per second from a 12" barrel. A formidable manstopper but woefully inadequate for an anger Tiger.
When I lived in California many years ago A small, female leopard escaped from an exotic animal breeding compound. The cat's name was 'Wicked" and she had a temper that matched her name. She weighed 80 pounds.
The owner, who was a friend of mine, called the Sheriff, as the law demanded. The Sheriff showed up. My friend explained the situation and begged the sheriff not to get his dogs. The Sheriff replied that he had to, that he had no choice. The following conversation ensued:
"I'm sorry, but you're about to lose your cat,"
"No' you're about to lose your dogs. Just leave her alone. She'll come back at feeding time."
"You know I can't do that. Besides you haven't seen my dogs."
And the Sheriff got his dogs, two enormous Irish Wolfhounds. Each dog weighed nearly 200 pounds.
Long story short. The dogs got the cat's scent and took off before the Sheriff could restrain them. The cat was eventually found and shot. The dogs were found the next day. Each dog had been disemboweled ripped to shreds by the leopards claws. A dog has only one weapon, it's teeth. A cat has five, it's teeth and all four feet.
You have noticed that I didn't say where in California this happened or mentioned any names, except the cat's, and that was a nickname. The story never made the papers, the sheriff saw to that. It happened over a quarter of a century ago.
This is an example of how much destruction an 80 pound leopard can do. Imagine a 600 pound Tiger.
If I ever start hunting , it won't be big cats