SOUTH AFRICA: Surviving A Lion Charge Lion In The Kalahari!!!

[Rare Breed]

With a double I have always practiced loading both barrels. My ammo carrier is made so that two rounds are seperated from the next two round group, the two rounds fit between the three middle fingers of the hand and are positioned to pull and drop into the chambers. Before going on a DG hunt I practice this over and over with snap caps till I can do it in the dark.

With a ruger #1 Start with two between the fingers, and as you are at the zenith of the recoil pulse you are already pulling the action lever down and round in the chamber in a fluid motion. When I practiced that operation I could shoot 3 rounds quicker from a number 1 than I could from a bolt gun. However I have done that practice in a number of years and would be very rusty. But with work and good hand eye coordination it can be done.

Absolutely perfect advice by AZDAVE none of which I did!!! To his point it will not happen again…I will practice just as he describes!!!

 

[PARA45]

@Rare Breed congrats again sir, and well done for standing your ground and staring at this beast in the face. What a hunt, and what an unforgettable experience. WOW, wonderful experience!!!!!

 

[Rich s]

Wow quite a lot of pucker factor right there. Congratulations again on another fine hunt. That’s why them PH’s make the big bucks. To save our assets when things go south.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Everyone please forgive my video upload skills which are non existent. I have asked @VertigoBE to help me given I had no problem sending to him on WhatsApp.
To be clear, my purpose is not to boast, I could have just left me over the animal like the one I posted. Instead I think it is a great learning video for the following reasons:
1. Don’t underestimate these animals…when you see the video you will see no slam dunk easy hunt
2. @Hunter-Habib provides great learning in that I used Barnes TSX at only 2052 FPS the shot went through its right ear then through both lungs with very little expansion which explains how this 378 pounds lion got up and charged.
3. On hindsight, I should have waited until the lion stood up
4. Last but not least I should have practiced much more on fast reloading which I practiced everything but that

A very strong word of advice to every aspiring lion hunter.

Buy single every box of these bullets that you can find.

 

[Nyati]

Also in the Kalahari, I spotted him about 20m away

He charged, and my friend shot him less than 10m away, just above his left eye, dead on the spot, hunter was 82 years of age at the time.

CBL hunting can be very exciting, if done properly

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Thank you for sharing and congratulations.

Understatement of the year in the video: “Thank you, Sir.”

Safe hunting

 

[sestoppelman]

If you look up the word tenacity in the dictionary, will be a picture of THAT lion!

 

[DieJager]

Nice lion. Wmh!

 

[Frederik]

Wow quite a lot of pucker factor right there. Congratulations again on another fine hunt. That’s why them PH’s make the big bucks. To save our assets when things go south.

I doubt it, its tough making a decent life as a ph with a family.

 

[Frederik]

@Rare Breed thanks for posting the video, also good to see the ph's didnt fire untill they had too.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Thank you for posting. I would have never guessed a charge was coming after that first shot and the way he fell over.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Thank you for posting. I would have never guessed a charge was coming after that first shot and the way he fell over.

Always remember to keep your eyes on the rear legs of the lion.

 

[FlowHamed18]

Congratulations!

May I ask a question - please forgive my potential stupidity:
Wouldn't it be "easier" to fire a second security shot directly after the first one, when the lion is still down... maybe that would have stopped the charge before it even started...

I never hunted lions and potentially never will, it's just what came into my mind while watching the video.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Congratulations!

May I ask a question - please forgive my potential stupidity:
Wouldn't it be "easier" to fire a second security shot directly after the first one, when the lion is still down... maybe that would have stopped the charge before it even started...

I never hunted lions and potentially never will, it's just what came into my mind while watching the video.

Some things to remember:
- Barnes TSX (or indeed any monometal bullet) is an EXTREMELY POOR choice for lions, Royal Bengal tigers or leopards. Things only go from bad to worse when you’re taking a broadside heart-lung shot (unless if you manage to hit the scapula/shoulder bone itself). Things only go from worse to nightmarish when those Barnes TSX bullets travel at a slower than standard velocity. Those 500Gr .474 caliber Barnes TSX bullets are supposed to be loaded to 2150fps, not the 2052fps velocity which was achieved in this scenario.

- An elephant or a cape buffalo or a hippopotamus which has been shot through both lungs seldom thinks of charging. But this is not so for the great cats.

-Insurance shots on the great cats are an absolute must, once they are down and if you still see the rear legs kicking. I shot this man eating Royal Bengal tiger from a speedboat in 1989. I was using my 7x57mm Mauser Churchill Gunmakers Model Deluxe (loaded with Winchester Super X 175Gr soft points). It was a broadside shot which broke the scapula and tore into one lung. The man eater was downed for almost 5 seconds, writhing and kicking. I had plenty of time to cycle the bolt and give him a second finishing shot, but I stupidly assumed that he was done for. He made off and started playing a very macabre game of hide-and-seek with me and my men. Long story short, it took us 3 more hours to find him. But fortunately, he had already expired by the time we found him.

Knowing @Rare Breed as I do, he is an incredibly swift learner. I am confident that next time he will arm himself with a .500/416 Nitro Express loaded with 400Gr Nosler Partitions or Swift A Frames at 2330fps. And he will make short work of the next lion.

 

[Rare Breed]

Some things to remember:
- Barnes TSX (or indeed any monometal bullet) is an EXTREMELY POOR choice for lions, Royal Bengal tigers or leopards. Things only go from bad to worse when you’re taking a broadside heart-lung shot (unless if you manage to hit the scapula/shoulder bone itself). Things only go from worse to nightmarish when those Barnes TSX bullets travel at a slower than standard velocity. Those 500Gr .474 caliber Barnes TSX bullets are supposed to be loaded to 2150fps, not the 2052fps velocity which was achieved in this scenario.

- An elephant or a cape buffalo or a hippopotamus which has been shot through both lungs seldom thinks of charging. But this is not so for the great cats.

-Insurance shots on the great cats are an absolute must, once they are down and if you still see the rear legs kicking. I shot this man eating Royal Bengal tiger from a speedboat in 1989. I was using my 7x57mm Mauser Churchill Gunmakers Model Deluxe (loaded with Winchester Super X 175Gr soft points). It was a broadside shot which broke the scapula and tore into one lung. The man eater was downed for almost 5 seconds, writhing and kicking. I had plenty of time to cycle the bolt and give him a second finishing shot, but I stupidly assumed that he was done for. He made off and started playing a very macabre game of hide-and-seek with me. Long story short, it took us 3 more hours to find him. But fortunately, he had already expired by the time we found him.

View attachment 554363
Knowing @Rare Breed as I do, he is an incredibly swift learner. I am confident that next time he will arm himself with a .500/416 Nitro Express loaded with 400Gr Nosler Partitions or Swift A Frames at 2330fps. And he will make short work of the next lion.

My good friend @Hunter-Habib is correct!!! I learned so much from this experience, mistakes I will not make again. I find one mistake many of us make at least I do…admiring my first shot thinking I made a perfect shot based on the lions fall…man was I wrong!!!! Will not happen again!

 

[Mark haynes]

I’ve known Justin for several years and hunted with him several times good man great P H. And congratulations on your lion.

 

[Dawg2019]

Thank you for sharing the video, what a memory.

 

[WyoBull]

Great thread and great instructional video as well. Congratulations on your Lion.
Pondering what has been said regarding the mono metal bullets like Barnes, should your PH have known this was not the right bullet to use? I certainly am not casting blame or pointing fingers, just curious to know.
I shot a Cape Buffalo and Crocodile 3 weeks ago using my 375 H&H and Barnes 300 gr TSX hand loads. They performed just as they should. In talking with our PH’s regarding hunting the cats, both of them said without hesitation that a softer lead core like the Swift A-frame or Nosler Partition is what you use on cats.

 

[BloodyKnuckles]

Congratulations @Rare Breed
Great lion and thanks for the video.

 

[Rare Breed]

Great thread and great instructional video as well. Congratulations on your Lion.
Pondering what has been said regarding the mono metal bullets like Barnes, should your PH have known

Great thread and great instructional video as well. Congratulations on your Lion.
Pondering what has been said regarding the mono metal bullets like Barnes, should your PH have known this was not the right bullet to use? I certainly am not casting blame or pointing fingers, just curious to know.
I shot a Cape Buffalo and Crocodile 3 weeks ago using my 375 H&H and Barnes 300 gr TSX hand loads. They performed just as they should. In talking with our PH’s regarding hunting the cats, both of them said without hesitation that a softer lead core like the Swift A-frame or Nosler Partition is what you use on cats.

Great thread and great instructional video as well. Congratulations on your Lion.
Pondering what has been said regarding the mono metal bullets like Barnes, should your PH have known this was not the right bullet to use? I certainly am not casting blame or pointing fingers, just curious to know.
I shot a Cape Buffalo and Crocodile 3 weeks ago using my 375 H&H and Barnes 300 gr TSX hand loads. They performed just as they should. In talking with our PH’s regarding hunting the cats, both of them said without hesitation that a softer lead core like the Swift A-frame or Nosler Partition is what you use on cats.

my two friends on our Zim hunt both shot Barnes TSX on their buffalos and they dropped both their animals with one shot. I think the issue is for my lion at my low FPS there are just much better bullet choices
this was not the right bullet to use? I certainly am not casting blame or pointing fingers, just curious to know.
I shot a Cape Buffalo and Crocodile 3 weeks ago using my 375 H&H and Barnes 300 gr TSX hand loads. They performed just as they should. In talking with our PH’s regarding hunting the cats, both of them said without hesitation that a softer lead core like the Swift A-frame or Nosler Partition is what you use on