My understanding is that the big cats actually succumb more easily to a mid-sized round than the big antelopes do -- something about the feline antomy making them more susceptible to vascular shock. I'm curious about that because I plan to go back to Botswana and Namibia next summer for a leopard -- and I'd feel a helluva lot more comfortable with a fast, flat-shooting 7 mm mag, .300 Win-mag or even a hot-loaded 30-06, than something like a .375. I don't like the idea of shooting a parabola at something six inches tall on a branch in twilight at 150 yards -- especially with the prospect of dealing with a wounded predator somewhere out there in the dark.
Thoughts?
My understanding is that the big cats actually succumb more easily to a mid-sized round than the big antelopes do -- something about the feline antomy making them more susceptible to vascular shock. I'm curious about that because I plan to go back to Botswana and Namibia next summer for a leopard -- and I'd feel a helluva lot more comfortable with a fast, flat-shooting 7 mm mag, .300 Win-mag or even a hot-loaded 30-06, than something like a .375. I don't like the idea of shooting a parabola at something six inches tall on a branch in twilight at 150 yards -- especially with the prospect of dealing with a wounded predator somewhere out there in the dark. Thoughts?
I'd have to agree with you about the drop of a .375 at distance, though I'd certainly want a rifle that handled well and was sighted in for close work should the cats choose to do some hunting of their own.
Maybe the .338 Lapua as the best of both worlds, offering long distance capability as well, and a very likely pick for antelope, should that opportunity arise, or if you require catbait. And carry of a few *just in case* solids would seem prudent too, in the event a buff or other surprise were to come along. I'm not aware of anyone who has taken an elephant with the .338LM but it wouldn't surprise me. And being based on a shortened .416 Rigby case, it should at least offer a minimal chance of hangups in the magazine.
Perhaps one of the new *short magnum* cases would have some utility, too, though I generally prefer to stick with that which has been tried and proven. But it is from such new offerings that advances come, and there may be some possible gems among those stubby little cartridges.
-archy-/-