CEB, Accubond, or TSX for leopard/lion

[Mountaineer]

I’m highly considering hunting leopard or lion in the next few years. I’m thinking about using my 9.3x74r and have plans to start developing a load. For those that have hunted leopard and/lion what do you think would be the best bullet? 200 grain CEB Raptor, 250 grain Nosler Accubond, or 250 grain Barnes TSX. Thanks for your input.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I like Nosler Partitions for cats, so my vote would be for the Accubond

 

[Fatback]

I plan on using 260 grain Accubonds on my lion hunt next year.

 

[Andrew62]

I used Barnes TSX on mine, but if I were ever to hunt another lion I would use either Northfork Percussion Point or Accubond.

 

[eyedok]

For lion, I used a Barnes TSX, punched a hole right thru, long follow up, if I hunt another i would probably use a Accubond as well.
For leopard i used a 170gr flat nose Sierra gameking designed for a .30-30 but I loaded it in a 30-06, worked perfect and i would 100% use that again, they were surprisingly incredibly accurate also, 1/4” groups out of a factory supergrade

 

[Das765]

Go with the 250gr Nosler Accubond.

From guys who've actually taken leopard lion with these or similar setups in the 9.3x74R range the Accubond or Partition style gets the nod for cats. It expands reliably on thinner skinned game while still holding together for good penetration better wound channel than the tougher Barnes TSX, which some report punches through without opening up enough on lions leopards.

CEB Raptor is brutal on broadside hits with its fragmenting design, but a couple reports mention petals shedding early on bone shoulder, which isn't ideal if angles get weird. TSX is a tank for tougher stuff but often criticized for cats.

Accubond strikes the best balance for your cartridge and these animals. Develop the load and shoot it straight. Good luck.

 

[Clodo Ferreira]

Having used the 250 Accubonds and Barnes 250 grs in my 9,3x62, not for leopard but for Fallow and Red deer, I would use the AB or Barnes but TTSX, not TSX.

 

[Philip Glass]

I’m highly considering hunting leopard or lion in the next few years. I’m thinking about using my 9.3x74r and have plans to start developing a load. For those that have hunted leopard and/lion what do you think would be the best bullet? 200 grain CEB Raptor, 250 grain Nosler Accubond, or 250 grain Barnes TSX. Thanks for your input.

I shot my lion with a 300g Accubond and any of the better bullets you mention will do. The leopard is different and a softer bullet may be a better choice. I chose the Swift Scirocco and the results were devastating!

 

[buffybr]

I used a 168 gr TSX from my .300 Wby on my leopard. He died 19 steps from where I shot him.

Before my leopard hunt I was considering a lion hunt and worked up a moa load with 300 gr Partitions for my .375 RUM.

 

[Doug3006]

Leopard don’t require tough, premium bullets. You’d be better off using a typical whitetail bullet. A big male weighs 150-160 pounds and its chest is less than 18 inches from side to side. They are indeed a tough, tenacious creature, but any soft hunting bullet placed through the shoulders is going to kill it in short order.