I KNOW IT IS OVERKILL BUT WHAT BULLET AND WEIGHT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IN .458 WIN MAG FOR LEOPARD?

[codofish]

The 458 is not my first choice for leopard but it is my first choice for cape buffalo and I will be hunting both. I am trying to see if I get just take one rifle. Leopard is my main objective but since I am traveling along I would like to save weight with luggage. I have access to 300 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.

 

[Doug3006]

You already know that the 458 is not needed…so

You may want to consider loading it down to 45-70 velocity using Trail Boss powder.

 

[375Fox]

If you are taking 1 rifle on a buffalo/leopard hunt you’ll only be taking 1 bullet too. The point of impact of 450s or 500s for buffalo will be very different than 300 gr Ballistic tips. If you want to experiment to find a softer leopard bullet for the same point of impact you can, but any 458 soft point is going to kill a leopard if you can shoot it accurately. Use the same bullet you’ll hunt buffalo with or take 2 rifles.

 

[Safari Dave]

Load it with your 300g Nosler's and you should be fine.

 

[codofish]

Federal just dropped a bunch of 400 gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw which my rifle shoots to 1 MOA at 100 yards from the bench. I may use that on the buffalo, is that a crazy idea for the leopard?

 

[Flipper Dude]

Don’t do that. It’s as easy to take two rifles as one. Take one you can be precise with. That ain’t a 458 WM.

 

[375Fox]

Federal just dropped a bunch of 400 gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw which my rifle shoots to 1 MOA at 100 yards from the bench. I may use that on the buffalo, is that a crazy idea for the leopard?

That’s very light for caliber with a lead core bullet. Penetration on buffalo might suffer.

 

[wvfred]

If I had to use a 458 for leopard I would use bullets designed for a 45/70 for rapid expansion out of a 458.

 

[1dirthawker]

Federal just dropped a bunch of 400 gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw which my rifle shoots to 1 MOA at 100 yards from the bench. I may use that on the buffalo, is that a crazy idea for the leopard?

ironically, i was going to suggest that combo. i shoot them at brown bear, if your shot is good, it will kill a leopard. that combo shoots out of my 24" interarms mark X at 2315 fps. recoil is not bad. it will also do fine on a cape buffalo, you can have a harder bullet in the magazine for a departing bull, solid or cup point solid. anyway, good luck on your hunt.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I took a 3 rifle battery: 22 Hornet, 30-06, 458WM, on my latest trip to RS only because I was going for various size animals and didn't have the time to develop lighter loads for my CZ550 458WM.

I would have preferred a 2 rifle battery: 22 Hornet and 458WM to save overweight charges.

For your 1 gun battery I'd vote for the 400 or 450 grain 1 bullet ammo or split 50 rounds 25 each 500 grain for buff and 350 grain for leopard and any of the additional PG for leopard bait. Reason for 25 rounds minimum is based on number of hunting days and checking and adjusting your scope when changing your priority animals from successful buff hunt to leopard or visa versa.

 

[DLSJR]

Federal just dropped a bunch of 400 gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw which my rifle shoots to 1 MOA at 100 yards from the bench. I may use that on the buffalo, is that a crazy idea for the leopard?

If you’re going to just use your 458, shooting a Bearclaw for both is an excellent idea. Bearclaws are a great leopard bullet and also an excellent soft point for buffalo. I’ve shot 2 leopards and a lion with Bearclaws and my last 7 buffalo with Bearclaws.

If your gun shoots them well, 400 grain bullets would be a good compromise. That said, I would not shoot a 458 for leopard. If I was taking one gun for both I’d be carrying a 375 H&H. It’s a great compromise. But that’s just me. I wish you great success on your hunt.

 

[AustinM]

The 250 gr socom from CEB is a solid choice.

 

[DieJager]

Any well placed 458 bullet in the vitals on leopard and you have a dead dead one.

If you are set on taking only one rifle the compromise is that you'll probably have less expansion on the the leopard than the buffalo with the same bullet. But thats the trade off.

I would not go too soft because you'll hunt buffalo with it too.

Other option is taking two QD scopes set for different bullets. One for buffalo and one for the leopard.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

The 458 is not my first choice for leopard but it is my first choice for cape buffalo and I will be hunting both. I am trying to see if I get just take one rifle. Leopard is my main objective but since I am traveling along I would like to save weight with luggage. I have access to 300 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.

480Gr Hornady DGX Bonded. It will work on both the Cape buffalo and the leopard.

 

[ofbiro]

Use your .458 for buffalo and borrow a 7x57 or a .30-06 or whatever the PH has for leopard.
Save your expensive ammo and your shoulder bones for another day.

 

[TSIBINDI]

...No need to overthink bullet selection. Shoot the same bullet for the leopard as for the buffalo. Swift A Frame, or Trophy Bonded Bear Claw would be my choice. Let the taxidermist repair the holes in the hide.

 

[Nevada Mike]

Taking 2 loads for the same rifle invites possible problems. Better, I think, to optimize your chances for both animals by using two rifles- .458 for buff and 30-‘06 or similar for the leopard. Taking two rifles is no more trouble than taking one in my experience.

 

[Sourdough]

The 458 is not my first choice for leopard but it is my first choice for cape buffalo and I will be hunting both. I am trying to see if I get just take one rifle. Leopard is my main objective but since I am traveling along I would like to save weight with luggage. I have access to 300 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.

500gr Soft Point. You can use that for your Buffalo as well.

 

[codofish]

...No need to overthink bullet selection. Shoot the same bullet for the leopard as for the buffalo. Swift A Frame, or Trophy Bonded Bear Claw would be my choice. Let the taxidermist repair the holes in the hide.

Oh, I am definitely overthinking this, but that's what I do, LOL. Overthinking is the only think I am good at. I am going through the same process with scope, clothes, boots, etc.

 

[codofish]

Lots of different opinions and I am grateful for all of them.

I think I will explore loading to 45-70 levels for the leopard with an expanding bullet since I have all the dies. I have a 2-10 Leupold scope with the CDS dial system so I could just change dials when I change bullets.

I have a 300 grain Barnes TSX load worked up for a bear hunt that could for for the buffalo but I think it would not expand enough on the cat.