Leopard bullet choice

[Chad '06]

Please don't misconstrue what I said as suggesting that hunting a leopard is no different than hunting a whitetail, only that they are similar sized animals. Tracking a whitetail is no big deal but it doesn't even take a room temperature IQ to realize that tracking a wounded leopard is potentially disastrous. I am simply suggesting a bullet that will expand and put the animal down would preferable to one whose penetration could be measured in yards.

Note that neither bullet I mentioned was along the lines of a ballistic tip, vmax, or game king. One is bonded and the other is a partition. They aren't exactly prone to inadequate penetration but they don't sacrifice expansion.

 

[IvW]

In 375 H&H the 300gr Fusion is too slow, 2400 fps.

Partition is very old bullet technology designed to loose the front portion.

Not two bullets I would use

 

[M Whitley]

I took my leopard in October 2020 with my 375 H&H shooting Nosler factory Accubond 300 gr. The cat was dead before he hit the ground. I shot buffalo, eland, hartebeest, oribi, zebra, and impala with the same loads and all the Nosler factory ammo performed good.

 

[Chad '06]

In 375 H&H the 300gr Fusion is too slow, 2400 fps.

Partition is very old bullet technology designed to loose the front portion.

Not two bullets I would use

Slow is cartridge/loading issue, not a bullet design issue. The original poster had asked about his 300 WSM. Velocity with that cartridge would be considerably higher.

As for the partition, I would say it is more correct to say that it is designed to not lose the base and guarantee penetration. It may be old but many swear by it.

Fortunately, we have many bullets and calibers to choose from these days.

 

[IvW]

Correct 300WSM 280 gr NP, 160lb, empty stomach, cat shot at 06h35 in the morning, recovered the next morning with a pack of hounds, dead

 

[Wyatt Smith]

@IvW how would you rate the 250 grain swift a frame out of a 375? They can get to near 2800. Are they still too hard?

 

[Tanks]

Well, I am going to be shooting my leopard with a Hornady 9.3x74R 286 grain spire point going at ~ 2,460 fps out of a 26" barrel. I expect it to do the job assuming I do mine.

Sometimes we overthink the ballistics.

 

[Tanks]

Correct 300WSM 280 gr NP...

I assume you mean 180 grain?

 

[IvW]

@IvW how would you rate the 250 grain swift a frame out of a 375? They can get to near 2800. Are they still too hard?

Excellent

 

[krinkansas]

I used a tsx for my leopard. Had the same concerns you had. My leopard went 40 yds and was down. No hide damage. Don't overthink it, just aim true

Guess there is going to be a give and take on that issue. If successful I guess my taxidermist will have a little more repair work. If I had my choice I would just use the Barnes triple shock that my gun was built/sighted in with. But the consensus is that's the wrong bullet.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Nosler partition is a great starting point but opt to find one of the lowest SD bullets available maybe the ballistic tip... Something that will literally blow up shortly after impact and defragment doing as much damage as possible especially considering the rather interesting nervous systems of the cats. Seeing how the ballistic tip and the berger Target bullets blew up on game previously ironically they'd be moved to the head of the line for leopard! Read Kevin Robertson's book on this very topic. The solid copper bullets are just too good for this task!

 

[AES]

Thoughts on 300PRC, Hornady ELD-X 212gr (precision hunter)?

 

[C.W. Richter]

Thoughts on 300PRC, Hornady ELD-X 212gr (precision hunter)?

that's heading the opposite direction of what's recommended on cats. that's a premium, bonded, high SD model. think cheap, frangible, near explosive at higher velocity. the animal weighs <180 lbs and is sitting 40 yds in front of you. dead on the ground is where I'd want it to be (not back in the bush somewhere!) someone above mentioned the cheap factory Rem lead tipped bullets: excellent choice! With the low SD 230-260 gr 375 bullets, they can be pushed north of 3,000 fps in handloads....low SD comes apart, if traditional style bullet. think of it as a shotgun with 1,000+ additional fps velocity. coming apart (inside the animal) is actually good on cats. Myself, the PH and trackers all agree that a Taxidermist possibly fixing (the back of a) hide is far more desirable than having a hospital do same on us! I'd prefer a hot 6.5-7-30-338 for cats (3,250 fps+ w/ the aforementioned bullet characteristics.) Uncle Roy is smiling down on this post for those of you that don't prefer wildcats and/or handloading.

 

[Professor Mawla]

I have personally had very good success on our Asiatic leopards , with two varieties in my .458 Winchester Magnum :
1 ) 500 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw ( Federal factory loaded ammunition )
2 ) 500 grain Nosler Partition ( Nosler Factory loaded ammunition )

 

[Frank Cavallo]

View attachment 389161
If they all performed like the bullet on the right they would be fine but they do not.

Many use only Barnes and swear by them but I do not and I do not recommend them. Especially for leopard or lion...

Yup. Neither are thick skinned. I used my 180 gr TSX in my 300 Win for my leopard in Namibia and also for my lion in Zimbabwe. The 300 gr TSX in my 375 H&H just didn't open up well at all on any of my lion bait (including eland and a buff) so we decided to use the 300 Win.

Going back to Zim in April for elephant in the Save and have ditched TSX and will be taking 300 gr A frames (and CEB solids) in my 375 H&H in addition to my 500.

 

[autofire]

150gr tsx FN hollow points. They open up quickly and create large mushroom projectile. Broke leopards shoulder and took out lung. 308 30-06 would work fine.

 

[Capebuffalo]

I would use either the .375 Ruger (first choice as bigger usually better) or if you are going to use the .300 I would use Swift Sicrocco as it expands faster. I wish the made the Sicrocco in .375. I need a more expanding .375 bullet-and ideas? Do not use Barnes on leopard please.
Philip

Philip
What about the Hornady 270 grain Interlock or the Woodleigh 270 grain SP RN...?

 

[Capebuffalo]

Ok guy's I'd like some opinions on bullet choice for my up coming leopard hunt. I am bringing my 300 WSM and most likely use 180 grain Nosler Partions in it as it groups very well with them and I also have the Barnes TTSX. I ve heard opinions that I should not use the Barnes as it is too fast and will not open quickly enough on the thin skinned animal. My other thought was to bring my 375 Ruger shooting 300 grain Swift A frames, opinion?

Johnny,
Wonder how your leopard hunt went....?
I would have considered the 375 Ruger with 270 grain Interlocks as well...but after careful consideration, I think my 338 WM with Hornady 250 grain SP RN or Woodleigh 225 grain SP RN would be my choice.

 

[Philip Glass]

Philip
What about the Hornady 270 grain Interlock or the Woodleigh 270 grain SP RN...?

I have still not completely warmed up to most Hornady bullets for DG. Maybe at some point. I’ve not used Woodleigh bullets because I don’t reload. I am sure those two would be fine if the shot is good.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Out of all the leopards that I’ve shot, I’ve observed the best results to be from Nosler Partitions. But since there’s currently a worldwide shortage on Nosler products, my second choice would be for Federal’s 300Gr Power-Shok factory loads for the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum.

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The unbonded cup & core design is actually a very good thing for leopard and lion, because of the quick manner of expansion on these thin skinned creatures.

I generally avoid monometal bullets (such as the Barnes TSX) for hunting the great cats, because they don’t expand properly inside these thin skinned game. In high velocity calibers, this problem is somewhat mitigated and the bullets begin to expand relatively quickly. But still, not my 1st or 2nd or even 3rd choice for leopard or lion (especially those shot over bait).