Velo Dog
AH ambassador
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2014
- Messages
- 5,013
- Reaction score
- 8,581
- Location
- Anchorage Alaska, USA
- Media
- 82
- Member of
- NRA Life Member.
- Hunted
- Africa 7 times. And the USA - most western states including Alaska and Hawaii.
Having not hunted even one leopard, do take my opinion with a pinch of salt.
That said, I am familiar with a good bit of the details, as I’ve hung baits in Limpopo District, South Africa and have examined gunshot wounds in a leopard or two, shot by other hunters.
At this stage, I expect it’s worth mentioning that I am not wired right for sitting still and quiet, hour after hour after many more long hours.
My ex-wife will tell you that I’m not wired right for much of anything.![ROFL :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@14.0.2/assets/72x72/1f923.png)
Anyway, if I was to set out for leopard, I would want a best quality Austro-German scope on my rifle, not too much magnification, in low rings, close as possible to the bore.
I’d want my rifle to be minimum 7x57 caliber and my bullet to be at least 160 grain, round nose soft, such as Woodleigh or the old original Hornady RNSP.
That said, the vintage design Nosler Partition, 160 grain, is a little more pointy shaped than I like for shots under about 300 paces (and especially at extra-short range).
Nonetheless, I believe it would be excellent for big and potentially grumpy kitty cats.
Furthermore, I could underline the word “minimum”, in regards to the 7x57 caliber.
If I found myself having to follow up a wounded leopard, I would prefer an open sight (“express sights”) double rifle, caliber 9.3x74R or .375 H&H.
Another one that I would be inclined to use for wounded leopard follow up would be a double barreled 12 bore shotgun, 25” barrels, loaded with Brenneke 1 oz slugs (2&3/4 inch).
Again, I’ve not hunted a leopard but if I was to do so, the above is what I’d prefer.
Cheers.
That said, I am familiar with a good bit of the details, as I’ve hung baits in Limpopo District, South Africa and have examined gunshot wounds in a leopard or two, shot by other hunters.
At this stage, I expect it’s worth mentioning that I am not wired right for sitting still and quiet, hour after hour after many more long hours.
My ex-wife will tell you that I’m not wired right for much of anything.
![ROFL :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@14.0.2/assets/72x72/1f923.png)
Anyway, if I was to set out for leopard, I would want a best quality Austro-German scope on my rifle, not too much magnification, in low rings, close as possible to the bore.
I’d want my rifle to be minimum 7x57 caliber and my bullet to be at least 160 grain, round nose soft, such as Woodleigh or the old original Hornady RNSP.
That said, the vintage design Nosler Partition, 160 grain, is a little more pointy shaped than I like for shots under about 300 paces (and especially at extra-short range).
Nonetheless, I believe it would be excellent for big and potentially grumpy kitty cats.
Furthermore, I could underline the word “minimum”, in regards to the 7x57 caliber.
If I found myself having to follow up a wounded leopard, I would prefer an open sight (“express sights”) double rifle, caliber 9.3x74R or .375 H&H.
Another one that I would be inclined to use for wounded leopard follow up would be a double barreled 12 bore shotgun, 25” barrels, loaded with Brenneke 1 oz slugs (2&3/4 inch).
Again, I’ve not hunted a leopard but if I was to do so, the above is what I’d prefer.
Cheers.