RE: What Caliber for Leopard?
 

for leopard ( and all dangerous game in africa)isuspect the .375 H&H minimum is very sensible, whether legislated or not. the weight and skin of a leopard suggest lighter calibres, his sheer aggression and tenacity suggest larger. bullet placement is critical enough without being under gunned.

talk to your professional hunter. since he's the poor soul who mighthave to follow up a wounded leopard in the (likely) dark, i'm sure he'll have some very firm views on what he'll let you use.

if you do choose a new rifle, why not check out the new Ruger 77 hawkeyes in 375 Ruger?

to okcmco: karamojo bell did indeed use the 7mm mauser on elephants. he also used the 6.5x54 mannlicher! but he was using solids, and had dissected elephant skulls so as to know every possible angle from which to score a brain hit. and the bulk of his elephants were actually taken with larger calibres like the 303 british and ( i think) the 318 westley richards

RE: What Caliber for Leopard?
 

I'm not angry at all. I was just making a point. Can I ask why the .270 WSM is "impractical"?

RE: What Caliber for Leopard?
 

Great point. I would definitely go to Africa with a 375. Even though since it's new it may be "impractical". ;)

RE: What Caliber for Leopard?
 

I actually agree with brutal attack about the 270 wsm... you won't tear a bowling ball sized hole in the other side of the leapord like a 300 mag will. They are not the thickest skinned game around but still can pose a threat if you don't kill it. This is a great reason to purchse a new rifle.

BTW, I would also have alot of confidence in that 7mm-08.. I have one also and love it

RE: What Caliber for Leopard?
 

I was just picking on you about you getting mad. No offense intended.
The reason the .270 WSM is impractical is that for now, it isn't one of the mainstream calibers, though I think it'll be one in a year or two, but the WSMs just haven't been around for awhile, and the .270 WSM recently graduated from being a wildcat cartridge, so it needs to have some time to get more popular, and the more popular a cartridge is, the cheaper it gets, because more companies will start manufacturing it in larger quantities.

That's why another caliber, and bigger is safer out there anyway.

RE: What Caliber for Leopard?
 

For something new and different... Check out the .338 Federal.

RE: What Caliber for Leopard?
 

I greatly appreciate your input brutal, but I would submit that in my case, the .270 WSM is impractical because it is, in effect less gun than I already have in my 7mm08. Anything suggested in the lighter or smaller direction would, at least in my mind, just be a vote for bringing my 7-08.

Same buddy who suggested the 7-08, ironically, took a gemsbok on his first safari with it. He shot it three times at 175 yards. All three bullets were within 3 inches of each other, right in the boiler room. The animal never moved until the third shot, when it took off and quit after about 100 yards. He really recommened I step up a notch for kudu and gemsbok.


All:

Please bear in mind, that a .375 H&H(I don't know about the 375 Ruger), is not required. And I don't want to blow a basketball sized hole in my new rug! Keep the suggestions coming.


PS: Saw a Sauer P90 in 30/06 on the used rack (or should I say, in the used case) at the gun shop yesterday, already wearing a Zeiss Diavari....could it be an option?

RE: What Caliber for Leopard?
 

Um...I don't think you looked at the numbers I was showing you.

The .270 WSM has almost 1,000 ft/lbs more energy at the muzzle and almost 700 ft/lbs more energy at every other range.

I'm not sure where you're coming up with your conclusion but I'm not steering you in the wrong directionI promise.

You don't necessarily need to have a larger caliber bullet to make more power.

I think the 7mm-08 is a tad on the light side for elk sized game at distance so why would I reccomend a caliber to you that is "less gun"?

Please compare the .270 150 gr. with the 7mm-08 140 gr.

.270 is on the top

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/comparative_ballistics_results.aspx?data=PRA270WSM B*PRA7M08RB

RE: What Caliber for Leopard?
 

I saw the numbers quiet clearly Brutal. And I understand where you are coming from, but please understand this, no matter how much I work out between now and the hunt, I doubt I will be able to kill that Leopard out of the tree at 60 yards with the ballistics tables...I just won't be able to throw them hard enough.

Please remember, I reload for my 7mm08. And I canmake it give you numbers with my reloads, things that .270 WSM factory loads could never dream about. (Like, for example, shoot a 160 grain bullet...).

RE: What Caliber for Leopard?
 

To be honest, I agree, I do think that the 7-08 is erring on the small size for elk and the relatively equal sized game. Moreover, I think the .270 and its newer WSM form is as well.

Inside of 100 yards, which is where a leopard is going to be, there is just not enough difference to justify the time, money and effort in a .270 when I have the 7-08.