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Hey, what do you all use for a lion gun? All I have is a .22 and a 30-.06. Not sure I trust the .22 and the .06 seems like overkill. Thanks

Either one will kill a lion just fine. Here in CO. it would be illegal to use the .22. I personally carry a .44 with a 7 1/2 inch barrel. No reason to carry a long gun unless you like carrying extra wieght. I think the perfect all around gun to carry for bear or lion is a 16" Tompson Contender with something like a 30-30 barrel. You can still put it in your pack but its got a long enough barrel you can make a good shot at those 50-70 yard ranges that you get some time.

I seldon disagree with Dean but after 40 years of hound hunting and 50 years of gunning the TC is a piss poor choice for all conditions and has let me down terribly in freezing conditions and gotten people and hounds hurt. I string along with Tony De Almieda the most famous jaguar hunter of all times, the Smith and Wesson stainless in 357 with 158 Gr, jacketed bullets and if you must carry a rifle for client shooter. A modest Mauser type claw extraction bolt gun in common caliber 243, 308 or there abouts with factory soft points. Aperature sights are best but the common open sight that can hit a beer can at 50 yards is fine.

Most sportsment like a man with me yesterday don't understand the dynamics of real lion hunting and they can make a mess of it. He is 20 feet away with a 243(fine calber), a big scope, with V-max loaded hot. I say shoot him in the lungs. No I don't want to tear a big hold in the hide. I say lion hide is like rubber do it. Bang! Lion goes off bluff and hits ground and takes off wounded bullet shattered on shoulder. So the old 357 comes out and the muck out in the brush and boulders with blood and slobber flying , and it is done. Hurt hounds? Yes, dead lion ? Yes but one simple shot in the right place would have made the difference.

Don't be confused not all lions are setting pretty up a snowy pine tree broadside for you, so don't linit yourself use a professional's gun.

Forget who said it but one of my favorite quotes... I can't be over gunned cause they can't be over dead.

JT

FOR SALE

Tompson Contender, 16" barrel, 30-30. Great for warm weather bear hunting!

Dean there is no caliber restriction in MT. Many a lion have fallen to a .22 in MT, mine included.

i am taken my hounds and going cat hunting this weekend, i have never hunted cats in my life but i will be carrying my Ruger Hawkey .223 loaded with 55gr. cor-lokts and of course i will be carrying my 44 mag superblackhawk also. hopefully i find one and get to try out my 223.

I carry a Marlin 336 Texan in 30-30. I know of people who carry long barreled .44's or the like. If I want a pistol, its going to be small - 4" or so long barrel and medium frame.

I have taken 2 lions with the .30-30. 1 with 150 grain bullets and one with 170. The first one was alive when it hit the ground but not for long. The second one was dead when it hit the ground.

Later,

Marcial

I shot one a few years ago with a Thompson Contender .223, from now on it will be the trusty old 30-30. Works better than the .223 in my opinion.

I am not really into handguns but I am sure what others have mentioned would work just fine. The .223 hit the heart but it ran about a 1/2 a mile. I am not big on crawling into the brush to finish one off. Call me a wuss if you want to.

Every gun mentioned here will do the job and many more and bow , spear, what ever shot placement, shot placement,shot placement work's every time.

Doogie wrote:Dean there is no caliber restriction in MT. Many a lion have fallen to a .22 in MT, mine included.

Where do you shoot a lion at with a .22 for the best kill shot?

Mike Leonard wrote:....... I say shoot him in the lungs. No I don't want to tear a big hold in the hide. I say lion hide is like rubber do it........Yes but one simple shot in the right place would have made the difference.........

best listen to Mike.

so with a .22 shoot a lion in the lungs?

Coonsbware,

Remember in WA it has to be .22 centerfire or larger.

I use the TC contender in a 30-30 carbine its never failed me yet... got to make sure the hammer "selector" is in the center fire position though. I also really like the .357, Black Hills Ammo make a real stout load for it if you think you need it.