Help me choose which gun for mountain lion!!

[280Ackley]

Got invited to go on lion hunt Saturday. We will be hunting with dogs so range shouldn’t be an issue. Trying to figure out what rifle to bring. The only lion I have shot in the past was at 300 yards. Wanting to make sure I don’t ruin the hide if we are lucky enough to find a big Tom. One of my boys will be the shooter this time!!

Caliber options are below with what bullets I have ready to go.

AR 223. 55 fmj, 55 tnt hp and 55 grain vmax
AR 6.5 Grendel 140 Berger vld, 130 sierra GK and 130 ELD-m
6.5 creedmoore same bullet options as the Grendel
25-06 117 Berger Vld

These are the lighter, smaller calibers that will be easier to pack that I have.

 

[nidaho]

Not the fmj. The largest grain bullet that is going the slowest is the one I would choose, would think some of those lighter ones would blow a big hole in the hide. We have always used a 30-30 and it knocks them dead. Make sure on the shot placement cats can be deceiving all scrunched up in a tree.

 

[Ucsdryder]

The lightest one you got. I hate packing a heavy gun up the mountain.

Oh and I’m super jealous.

 

[FLAK]

I'd go with your .223 AR and a 55gr. Vmax.
I know squat about Lion hunting.

 

[Wapiti1]

The 6.5 Grendel or Creedmoor with 130 GK's if one is light and handy. Lion aren't hard to kill, but you don't always get a good angle on them if they are high in the tree. Something with a little penetration isn't bad. If it were me, I'd take a .357 mag revolver.

Jeremy

 

[280Ackley]

Thanks everyone we postponed the hunt until the conditions are better. If it were me I would use the 45 long colt but since one of my boys will be doing the shooting I am leaning towards the Grendel.

 

[TimberHunter]

I was able to harvest a lion this morning. Used a new to me 22-250 with 52 grain Vmax going approx 3650fps at the muzzle.

Shot was only 20 yards away and was a near perfect chest shot. Lion was dead in a matter of seconds.

First and only lion I’ve shot so take it for it’s worth but I’ll be using my 22-250 in the future


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Treerat-sniper]

^ Predator hunting legend Gerry Blair used a .22-250 for lions with great success.

 

[Travis Hobbs]

I’ve watched 25+ lions fall out of a tree with a .22 long rifle, most of them a pistol. It’s all we use.

 

[nodakian]

I’ve watched 25+ lions fall out of a tree with a .22 long rifle, most of them a pistol. It’s all we use.

My brother and his cat hunting partner use 22s also. Lots of dead cats. I wanted a little more insurance so used a 357 on mine.

 

[TheGDog]

I’ve watched 25+ lions fall out of a tree with a .22 long rifle, most of them a pistol. It’s all we use.

Yeah... I was gonna say in all the videos I'd ever watched about this when they bae'd up a tree they just use like .22 Mag.

 

[nidaho]

If your son is shooting get a laser pointer the red ones and you can show him exactly where to shoot sometimes the angle to vitals is hard for people to see it really helps first timers out and reduces wounded cats. We alway use one if we have it.

 

[bbell]

My daughter and I killed a couple blacktails this year with the Grendel and it did a number on them. We used the hornady
eld-m ammo. Actually built the rifle for calling cougars and scouting. It would work great for cougar. Hope the conditions get better so you can get out there. I would love to do that kind of hunt some day.

 

[Coldtrail]

I wouldn't take any firearm that I cared about on a hound hunt unless you planned to case it the whole time. Handgun is usually the go to, much easier to pack and keep snow out of. A straight shooting .357 should keep the dog owners happy.

 

[MTSasquatch]

Last lion hunt I went on was a disaster with a .22. Shot it and the bullet stopped between the hide and bone/meat on the entrance side. Not good. I’d go with at least the 22-250. Last thing you want, and last thing the houndsmen want, is an injured cat coming down out of the tree where dogs can be seriously injured. Those dogs want that cat bad, and they’ll try and fight it given the opportunity. I ended up shooting that cat with a short barrel 308, and the holes weren’t large enough to ruin the hide. Just my experience anyhow. Good luck, cat hunting is a blast!

 

[Wmmichael20]

I have no experience though I'd love a chance at it. That being said my boss went when I first graduated from high school so 20 years ago...damn I'm old, he said he took an open sited 30/30 cuz that's what his guide recommend...and that his guide and another houndsman that was with them carried 10mm Glock pistols. I'd imagine that Grendel would be just the ticket.

 

[freddyG]

22 lr is all I use. Cats are very easy to kill. With a cat in a tree, shot placement shouldn’t be an issue.

 

[Brent9477]

I shot my cat with a 327 federal carbine rifle . Worked great made small entrance no exit cat died quick.

 

[kodiak17]

I would go with the 22 mag, good killing power and won't mess the hide up.

 

[IDLassie]

Simple .22mag. You're shooting a lion in a tree.