Mt Lion rifle

[milkie62]

I have been toying with a Mt lion hunt and was wondering how a lever action 357 mag would stack up. Heard the outfitters do not want to take a chance with a wounded lion around their dogs. Do they prefer a bigger caliber ?

 

[bigngreen]

That will work, use a easy expanding bullet, cats don't open bullets well.
After some wrecks and learning the hard way the best is a 22mag and I've used a 22lr a lot also, shoot them through the heart lungs and they staying the tree and bleed out and are dead when they drop.
357 and 44 mags tend to be loaded with to hard of bullets and the cat will usually fall or come down the tree alive and that is when all hell can break loose. Rolling around with hounds and a MT lion does spike the adrenaline butif you don't like a sever case of the WTH shakes doe it clean.

 

[roninflag]

pre 64 ; 25-35.

 

[Plinker147]

357 lever is a good choice. I use or used I should say a .45 long colt with 250-300 grain bullets XTPs or Barnes, killed a bunch with it, Makes for good stopping power. I like something that has some stopping power in case it gets western.

22mag and lr work good and have killed lots but aren't legal in some places and don't have any stopping power

Lions are thinned skinned so just about any caliber works, to high power blows big holes in hides, hard to beat a good old 30-30 for lions

 

[roninflag]

a 125 sierra in a 30-30 is similar to a 25-35.

 

[milkie62]

That will work, use a easy expanding bullet, cats don't open bullets well.
After some wrecks and learning the hard way the best is a 22mag and I've used a 22lr a lot also, shoot them through the heart lungs and they staying the tree and bleed out and are dead when they drop.
357 and 44 mags tend to be loaded with to hard of bullets and the cat will usually fall or come down the tree alive and that is when all hell can break loose. Rolling around with hounds and a MT lion does spike the adrenaline butif you don't like a sever case of the WTH shakes doe it clean.

From what you say the 22 mag makes alot of sense.Since the 22 mag does not have the energy of a centerfire it would seem it would be more of a slap to the chest than anything until lights out time.Will keep that in mind since I already have 3-22mags in my arsenal.

 

[MallardAddict]

I've only ever shot 3 cats while hound hunting and all with a light 25-20 lever action. All were hit well in the chest and died fast. Only 1 of the 3 came out of the tree and was dead within 25yds.

Cats aren't hard to kill but as said above use a soft bullet as they don't open bullets really well.

Any reasonably accurate lever action in .25 up to the .44 mags are excellent choices in my book. For rifles I prefer light and handy as there is lots of walking and once trees shots are going to be under 25yds typically.

Lots of guys like the 22 mag as mentioned above because it typically isn't enough impact to make the lion leave the tree so they tend to die in the tree without a dog rodeo. It wasn't legal for cats in WA prior to the tree huggers banning hounds for cats hence why I liked my 25-20

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I just came back from a Utah Lion hunt. I had brought a Rem #7 in .223 which my guide was happy to see. I had 50 V-Max and 64 Nosler bonded bullets loaded up. I probably would have used the 64s. Unfortunately, the weather went south and shortened my hunt without an opportunity to try that combo out.

My hunting partner brought an old military 30 carbine with peep sights. That rifle seemed perfect for treed cats; small, light and just enough energy. He took a shot at a large Tom from about 15 yds using a factory load with a 110gr Barnes X bullet. Point of impact was head-on in the chest. At the shot, the cat launched himself out of the tree and bolted across the snow leaving a red trail that was impressive. 50yds further and he slid under a dead fall and it was over. The X bullet exited through his back but neither hole was a problem for the taxidermist.

 

[Broz]

I have been toying with a Mt lion hunt and was wondering how a lever action 357 mag would stack up. Heard the outfitters do not want to take a chance with a wounded lion around their dogs. Do they prefer a bigger caliber ?

I have killed 3 and have been there for the taking of many others. My first was with a 17 HMR I got 3 in him before he jumped and he was dead very soon after he hit the ground. My second was with my 44-40 revolver. One perfectly mushroomed bullet right behind the shoulder and he was dead when he landed. The bullet was on the far side under the hide.

#3 for me was with a 22 magnum pistol. I put one behinf the shoulder and a second as he went out on the limb to jump. Shot 2 landed 3" from shot one. He ran 200 yards before he expired with dogs hot on his tail.

I think your 357 will be fine, use a soft hollow point bullet and put it in the crease just below center. But if I was to offer what I feel is the best rifle? That would be a light weight .223 with a ballistic tip 50 or 55gr bullets.

Jeff

 

[snox801]

357 win a hornady FTC should work great. My mom killed her cat with my grandfathers military 30 carbine. He cat was huge 9'6" if I remember they had to use a lioness foam for the mount it was so large. He hung out in the tree for a bit then expired and fell.
Funny that my mom rarely hunts and has the biggest cat anyone who had seen it had seen.

 

[Coldfinger]

357 lever is a good choice. I use or used I should say a .45 long colt with 250-300 grain bullets XTPs or Barnes, killed a bunch with it, Makes for good stopping power. I like something that has some stopping power in case it gets western.

22mag and lr work good and have killed lots but aren't legal in some places and don't have any stopping power

Lions are thinned skinned so just about any caliber works, to high power blows big holes in hides, hard to beat a good old 30-30 for lions

The lion in my avatar was harvested using a .45 acp. 230 grain Speer gold dot hp sitting on top of some Unique powder. Cut ragged holes at 30 yards out of a smith and Wesson JM series revolver. Cat was stone dead at the hammer fall. Hounds man asked for another chest shot on the ground before letting his hounds at it for reward! Neither bullet over-penetrated but did their job inside the liquid vitals. Looked like the original bullet bounced off opposite shoulder blade and got lodged in the heart lungs mess.

 

[DSheetz]

If you are hunting with dogs a Ruger 10-22 will work when they are treed . A lung shot or a good head shot if you want it over faster then a lung shot .

 

[Argon Glen]

Old thread but since it got bumped I have the same question but for a different cartridge. I have a Browning BLR in 308 Win. I reload so I could make whatever ammo. If that is a bad idea I'll have to buy something. Thoughts? Thank you.

 

[DSheetz]

That's a pretty big round for a treed cat but we use what we have or what means something to us at the time . Go with something that doesn't over penetrate too much as your going to be shooting upward as you know .