.357 and mountain lion, hard cast, JSP or JHP?

Never shot a ML but am planning on it, actually started the ball rolling this fall. I'm planning on using my FA 353 with a 180gr XTP. Personally if I was using a "standard" 357 I would pick 158gr XTP. From the research I've done a ML is not a really tough animal to kill. As a matter of fact some use or would use a 22mag where legal. Maybe others with real world experience will comment.

99% of the Mountain Lions taken are with dogs so the lion is treed. Most shots are close & you can pretty much pick your shot after the dogs are tied up.
I shot my lion with a S&W 357 maggie & a 173 gr. Keith bullet out of a 38 special case using 13.5 grs of 2400 at a distance of five feet...... yes, I was in the tree with it. I intended to shoot it twice but it hit the ground before I could pull the trigger a second time!
We had jumped it off a lion kill in deep snow & we were wearing snow shoes, my buddy was much lighter & could walk on top, I was heavier & broke through with every step. Eleven hours of pure hell but it sure was fun! I have my lion mounted life size above my computer desk.

Dick

Very nice, do you have a picture?

My lion fell to one shot from a 6 inch Python. The dogs had it treed as expected. I dwalked around the tree until I got an opening for a heart/lung shot. The bullet was the Speer 146 gr. hollow point that was semi wadcutter configuration with a half jacket with a full charge of 296. The cat lingered on the limb near the trunk for a short time and then fell to the ground dead.
The .357 is all you need. I would chose the 158gr. XTP hollow point Many a deer has ended up in the freezer with that bullet fired from the Python at distances much farther than the tallest tree a mountain lion will climb.
I wish you the best of luck and admit to being jealous I'm not going along!

As would I

I should mention that those 146gr Speers have long been discontinued. Supposedly they would shed that half jacket in the barrel. I got this straight from Speer customer service when I shopped for a new supply and couldn't get them. I never had a problem and many a critter bit the dust after being struck with one of the bullets. I switched to the 158 XTP HP as a replacement and never looked back.

I killed both of my lions with a 629 and 240 JHP's, but a .357 will be just fine. Like others, I would select the 158 XTP in a .357.
I know sixshot has a picture, but he's so old, I think they had just invented cameras back then, so the tintype may have broken.
Here are some photos to whet your appetite:
Utah, Feb. '93




Utah, Dec. '93:




Finally, lest anyone get the wrong idea about my earlier comments, sixshot / Dick is actually my very good friend and Brother ... plus, I'm really older than he is!

Nice job, congratulations!! Is the 158 gr XTP big enough for even the bigger cats??

Yes it is. Nothing wrong with bigger, though....41, .44, etc. Obviously, I like .44's and have used them extensively over the years... because I had them.

Nice cat....I have taken two in Az with .44 Special 5.5inch Blackhawk.