308 or 300 Win Mag for Leopard

[Shaw]

Have upcoming hunt in 2028 for Leopard and looking for some input from experienced hunters. Something internal tells me 300 is too big (don't want to damage the hide). Everything I have read 180 gr was too big to get the proper expansion compared a 150gr or 165 gr. Thanks for any input.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I've not leopard hunted yet, so take this FWIW. I will be on a leopard hunt in August along with other big critters, ele and buffalo. As has become my habit, I'll take my .470NE double for the big stuff and my .375HH for smaller animals and a back up for DG.

This means I'll be using my .375HH for leopard. Nathan Askew of @BULLET SAFARIS has taken many leopard in Tanzania and actually prefers the .375HH. The goal is a dead leopard and no one sporting two legs bleeds a drop.

I'm sure the .308W would kill a leopard, but between that and a .300WM, give me the big dog. From my understanding a leopard like other cats does not do well with high velocity, so a 165gr or 180gr well constructed bullet out of the .300WM I believe would be perfect.

 

[Muskox]

You want a deer bullet, not an elk bullet.

You can call Hornady and ask them, but I would shoot whatever bullet has good expansion at the 80-150 yards that you will most likely be at in the blind.

If that is a 150, 165, 180 grain bullet in something like an Interlock that would be ideal.

In importance on the shot:
1. Shot placement.
2. Expansion, and this is both a product of terminal velocity and bullet construction.

In the 308, the 150 is probably great. 165 is probably fine.

In the 300, you might as well use the 180 or the 165.

What else are you hunting and what are you wanting that bullet to do?

Ask Hornady and Nosler what they recommend.

But do not let the bullet guy talk you into using a Partition or Swift type tough bullet, you don't need it. It is a detriment.

I have zero actual experience on leopards, but it is the same as anything else that needs to die right there. You don't want them to take a step.

I shoot a lot of animals here in Europe in heavy ferns, these ferns are up to your shoulders. So tracking is freaking impossible.

Some good options.

Nosler Ballistic tip in the 165 or 180
Hornady Interlock or tipped interlock in the 150-180
Hornady ELD-X
Sierra Game King
Berger Hunting bullets

The American Whitetail line from Hornady comes in this 150-180 grain Interlock, you don't even have to reload.

The interlock would take care of 99% of the animals on the African continent in either rifle cartridge.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Have upcoming hunt in 2028 for Leopard and looking for some input from experienced hunters. Something internal tells me 300 is too big (don't want to damage the hide). Everything I have read 180 gr was too big to get the proper expansion compared a 150gr or 165 gr. Thanks for any input.

.300 Winchester Magnum (loaded with 200Gr Nosler Partitions or AccuBonds) is an excellent choice for leopard over bait (where legal). I’ve shot several with the .30-06 Springfield and 220Gr Remington Core Lokt.

 

[dchum]

I've not leopard hunted yet, so take this FWIW. I will be on a leopard hunt in August along with other big critters, ele and buffalo. As has become my habit, I'll take my .470NE double for the big stuff and my .375HH for smaller animals and a back up for DG.

This means I'll be using my .375HH for leopard. Nathan Askew of @BULLET SAFARIS has taken many leopard in Tanzania and actually prefers the .375HH. The goal is a dead leopard and no one sporting two legs bleeds a drop.

I'm sure the .308W would kill a leopard, but between that and a .300WM, give me the big dog. From my understanding a leopard like other cats does not do well with high velocity, so a 165gr or 180gr well constructed bullet out of the .300WM I believe would be perfect.

That’s also because .375 is the legal minimum for leopard in TZ. They grouped all DG together. That’s just the rule on paper.

I’m sure out in the bush a few Tz leopards have been shot with something smaller…don’t think game scouts are checking lol

 

[coreydb]

Ask your PH and abide by his decision. Although Leopards are soft skin and the size of a large dog, caliber sizes vary with the PH's comfort level with the client. 308 Win Mag with a 180 grain expanding bullet in the right place will kill.....key term here is "in the right place". The PH must feel confident you can do your part with confidence.

 

[Andrew62]

I shot mine with a .375H&H, not sure what the ammo was as that was back in 1988 and I used whatever ammo the guide had. Having said that, I agree with @coreydb, talk to your PH. If the PH green lights either the 300 win mag or .308, you will have many great bullet choices.

 

[deewayne2003]

.300 Winchester Magnum (loaded with 200Gr Nosler Partitions or AccuBonds) is an excellent choice for leopard over bait. I’ve shot several with the .30-06 Springfield and 220Gr Remington Core Lokt.

On my tuskless hunt in Zim my PH was a self described leopard junkie and we talked about leopard hunting at length; he said .300win with partitions was the perfect combination for clients.

"The partition opens up quick and is more than tough enough for the bait that needs to be shot."

 

[uplander01]

I have not hunted leopard, so my thoughts are just that, thoughts. If I were booking a leopard hunt tomorrow, I would plan on using my 375 and 270 Barnes TSX, a handload, that's pushing 2730 fps. But, I don't like traveling with two guns. I would also make sure that whatever scope I put on there for spots had possible illumination......and it would be a german scope, I just "think" the glass is better when pushing the boundaries of light.

That said I'm quite confident that I have a 308 win 180gr Sierra PH load going 2700 fps that would create a lot of internal damage on a cat. The Norma Alaska 180 .308 bullet is a good one for africa as well.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

On my tuskless hunt in Zim my PH was a self described leopard junkie and we talked about leopard hunting at length; he said .300win with partitions was the perfect combination for clients.

"The partition opens up quick and is more than tough enough for the bait that needs to be shot."

A dear friend of mine, Dr. Arman Sattar killed five Asiatic leopards in the 1950s & 1960s; four of which were with a .270 Winchester Model 70 Super Grade loaded with the 150Gr Winchester Super X Power Point (three livestock killers, one man eater & one for sport). Three of these were one shot kills. I’m trying to get him to join AH forums and regale us with a few of his hunting stories. He’s currently in Zambia on Safari (for elephant) and will hopefully join these forums in a month.

He lent me these photographs to share here. The largest one he shot (bottom photograph), measured a full eight feet between the pegs and weighed 183 LB.

 

[Fabnosh]

I agree with Muskox and would merely add in the 30cal dept (.308 in my case) the 180grn Nosler Accubond to the list. For all my African stuff I use either 165 Sierra Game Kings or 180 grn Nosler Accubond. In my .375H&H double I use 300grn DGX and DGS. I'd rather use the .30 cal on cats.

FN

 

[Betterinthebush]

I’ve had the extreme pleasure of conversing w/ @Hunter-Habib on this subject. His approval of my rig and his expert knowledge of the great cats and bullet selection has allowed me to settle and concentrate on training for my leopard hunt in 51/2 weeks.

100 yards slow on the first two shots with the third rapid behind the second.

 

[DLSJR]

Having shot 3 leopards myself already, I’ll give you some good advice….

It doesn’t matter which of those 2 rifles you take. Either one will be fine.

The bullet you shoot will be more important than which 30 caliber cartridge you select. A 165-180 Nosler Partition, Accubond, Trophy Bonded, CoreLokt or Sierra Game King will all do fine. Some will disagree but I absolutely want an exit hole as 2 holes in the chest are better than one, both for blood trail as well as collapsing the lungs. Leopards die quickly when their lungs collapse, just like everything else.

Leopards are not difficult to kill as long as you hit them right with your first shot. I’ve shot leopards with a 300 Winchester and 180 grain Partition, as well as a 225 grain Bearclaw from my 338 Winchester. All were stone dead either straight under the limb or within 20 yards. Both of those are way more gun than you need for a leopard, but I shot them on general bag hunts, not dedicated leopard hunts. If I was on a dedicated leopard hunt I’d take a 30-06, 308, 7x57 or 270 and know I had plenty of gun for the task at hand.

Your shot will most likely be 40-60 yards and you’ll be shooting from a solid rest at a broadside cat that is standing on a limb. It’s not a difficult shot, other than controlling yourself.

 

[DLSJR]

View attachment 754426

I’ve had the extreme pleasure of conversing w/ @Hunter-Habib on this subject. His approval of my rig and his expert knowledge of the great cats and bullet selection has allowed me to settle and concentrate on training for my leopard hunt in 51/2 weeks.

100 yards slow on the first two shots with the third rapid behind the second.

You’d better make sure it’s legal to bring a semi-auto rifle into the country you’ll be hunting. Not all African countries allow semi-auto rifles. If you bring that rifle to the wrong country, your leopard hunt may be over before it starts.

And no offense intended but thinking about 2nd & 3rd shots is not good for leopard hunting. It’s all about making a great first shot. In most cases you won’t have an opportunity for a quick 2nd shot if you screw up the first shot. And if you make a good first shot there won’t be any need for a follow-up shot at all. It’s very unlikely you’ll be shooting at 100 yards. Most leopards are shot at 40-60 from the blind.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

You’d better make sure it’s legal to bring a semi-auto rifle into the country you’ll be hunting. Not all African countries allow semi-auto rifles. If you bring that rifle to the wrong country, your leopard hunt may be over before it starts.

And no offense intended but thinking about 2nd & 3rd shots is not good for leopard hunting. It’s all about making a great first shot. In most cases you won’t have an opportunity for a quick 2nd shot if you screw up the first shot. And if you make a good first shot there won’t be any need for a follow-up shot at all. It’s very unlikely you’ll be shooting at 100 yards. Most leopards are shot at 40-60 from the blind.

@DLSJR

That's a pump action rifle. A Remington Model 7600.

 

[RR 314]

You’d better make sure it’s legal to bring a semi-auto rifle into the country you’ll be hunting. Not all African countries allow semi-auto rifles. If you bring that rifle to the wrong country, your leopard hunt may be over before it starts.

And no offense intended but thinking about 2nd & 3rd shots is not good for leopard hunting. It’s all about making a great first shot. In most cases you won’t have an opportunity for a quick 2nd shot if you screw up the first shot. And if you make a good first shot there won’t be any need for a follow-up shot at all. It’s very unlikely you’ll be shooting at 100 yards. Most leopards are shot at 40-60 from the blind.

Looks like a pump to me. Not a 742 etc.

 

[RR 314]

Looks like a pump to me. Not a 742 etc.

Ooops. Beat me to it.

 

[FlyGuy]

Corbett put a few of them out of their misery with a 7x57, so a 308 will get the job done with complete satisfaction.
As mentioned, bullet construction is the most important.

 

[BryceM]

The only hide I’d be thinking about would be my own. A few extra stitches from the taxidermist is better than than a couple hundred from your African surgeon.

One perfect first shot is what you need. A .308 can do it just fine, but I’d favor the velocity of the .300 a bit more. A bit. Bullet selection is more important than cartridge. Since the caliber is identical, the only variable is impact velocity. If you shoot the .308 better, use it.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I think it's Kevin Robertson that has a great writeup about Leopard bullets (and Art Alphin of A-Sq fame wrote a LOT about this subject, and even developed the RIP "Lion Load" bullet, specifically designed for cats-that have a rather interesting nervous system that disrupts easily via use of lighter, low-SD for caliber, more thinly jacketed bullets. I'd go with the ".308 WM!" lol (the 300). Any traditional 150-165 gr. (non-Premium) bullet (lead-tipped, jacketed) would do the job, but if you handload Nos BTs (especially the gen. 1 that had even thinner jackets!), and even the Berger original VLD Hunter or the new Classic Hunter (not the heaviest, newest, highest BC/SD) in 150-165gr, as they are not constructed as tough as most plastic-tipped premiums (which, oddly is what you want in this case). The lighter/faster lower SD, thinner-skinned bullets (i.e. 300 WM 165 @ 3,150-3,250 fps) will certainly penetrate a cat (likely pass through,) but the bullet will tend to disintegrate within the animal (in this case, the desired effect on Felines!) Also, any of the cheaper "Whitetail" ammo. sold by all manufacturers would be a great choice for cats (again, using more traditionally-constructed, lighter bullets.) It's an easy shot ONCE it presents itself, and the 300 WM is a super-accurate cartridge (as-is just about anything at that distance! Tracers might be nice in some leopard hunts!! lol)

300 Winchester Magnum 168 Grain Classic Hunter Rifle Ammunition

The 168gr Classic Hunter load represents a relatively light weight option for this cartridge. The bullet produces less recoil leading to greater accuracy.

bergerbullets.com

300 Winchester Magnum 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tip – Copper Creek Cartridge Co.

coppercreekcartridgeco.com

https://www.scheels.com/p/federal-premium-barnes-tsx-300-winchester-magnum-rifle-ammunition-20-round-box/29465-P308H-300WinchesterMagnum/?srsltid=AfmBOorp7B3seoizXaE1k5M4E02Sgk8n-awep28ydvQD3WxqcR0xWNf5

My choice for leopard?? If the country/PH allowed it based upon min. E requirements-a hot .264 (WSM or Wby 130ish gr.), 300 WM, a hot 338 (165-185 gr), or 375/416 (<300/400) on certain hunts (using same types of bullets described above.) GL!