No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
#183518
09/18/2017 9:33 PM
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Joined: Dec 2012
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TM
OP
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OP
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I want to to go on a mountain lion hunt, most likely in Colorado. Since "best" is a subjective term I'll use it anyway. I have .357, .44 and .454. Of the 3 listed what would be the best choice for the hunt? Load would probably be the standard 158-180 for the .357, 240 for the .44 and 240-300 for the .454. all SJHP Anyone have any ideas/suggestions?
Thanks,
Tom
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: TM]
#183521
09/18/2017 9:49 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 9,608
s4s4u
Shootist
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Shootist
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What distance do you expect to be shooting? Would the hunt be with hounds, meaning a treed animal? Cats aren't that hard to kill, provided you hit them. Which do you shoot most accurately? The 357 would be more than enough gun.
Rod, too.
Short cuts often lead to long recoveries.
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: TM]
#183522
09/18/2017 9:52 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 818
sixshot
old hand
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old hand
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Good luck on your lion hunt Tom! One things for sure, you're going to get 3 different answers. I used my S&W 8 3/8's 357 magnum & a Keith 173 gr. cast bullet on my lion. I was up in the tree with it & the shot was about 4-5 feet away. The lion hit the ground, took one giant leap & died in mid air. You might be shooting from the ground & the lion might be 60 ft up a tall pine tree. The guide will tie up the hounds so one of them doesn't get killed by a wounded lion when it hits the ground. Lots of options here, others will chime in & all will be good opinions.
Dick
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: TM]
#183523
09/18/2017 10:03 PM
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 11
Chaser
stranger
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stranger
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Hello Tom
I have a confession to make.. Im a hound guy and it is a powerful addiction. I live in Northern NM, seen a lotta lions taken over the years. A lion is a thin skinned cat and not particularly hard to kill. Ive seen them taken with 22 mags, 32 H and R and from there the sky is the limit. A Smith model 657 four inch 41 mag has ridden in my dog collar bag for years and has never failed me. Your 357 will serve you well, my only caution would be to make a good clean shot so as to protect the hound guys dogs as we some times value our dogs lives above all others!
Its a great hunt, but I can tell you that the hunt can be very short or very strenuous. When you let the dogs go you have to go get them and sometimes that has taken multiple days to get them all rounded up!
I hope you enjoy your hunt.. It will truly be a long lasting memory in your life
Best, Billy
Turn em loose !!
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: Chaser]
#183527
09/18/2017 11:21 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,725
500WE
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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I've only killed 2 mountain lions, and used a .44 mag. on each, with a 240 Sierra JHC and 23/296. It worked perfectly.
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: 500WE]
#183528
09/18/2017 11:45 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,836
Whitworth
Shootist
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Shootist
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I used a .454 last January on a big Tom in Utah. Federal 250 grain Barnes XPB loads proved lethal.
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: Whitworth]
#183529
09/19/2017 12:46 AM
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 463
AK hgunner1
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I'm a .357 Maggie man through and through so that is my preference but......My opinion is whatever gun/caliber combination is best for you. Meaning whatever you shoot the best and are most comfortable with. My old S&W 65 is not only my carry gun but it has also take and has few critters (four legged kind) along the way. It feel good in my hand. I know it inside and out and it will eat anything I feed it with almost all the bullets impacting to close the same point of aim. Weird revolver for sure... Now that rank is over....Best of luck to you.
P.S. Anyone know how many cents I am up to. Should be 11 cents worth of B.S by now......
Charlie
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of GOD
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: AK hgunner1]
#183551
09/19/2017 5:37 AM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,155
Bob Roach
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A thought not mentioned is weight of the handgun. You can cover a lot of ground cat hunting. Considering cats are not hard to kill, and any of your listed handguns will work fine. I would consider which one would pack the easiest. Just My Two cents
Bob
See You At The Range
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: Bob Roach]
#183559
09/19/2017 11:11 AM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 750
bluecow
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old hand
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the one that hit my fancy as i walked out the door.
Everything before "but" is B.S.
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: bluecow]
#183561
09/19/2017 11:35 AM
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Joined: Aug 2017
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45MAN
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I ONCE READ ABOUT AN OLD TIME LION HUNTER THAT HAD A COLT SAA CONVERTED TO 25-20 THAT HE USED ON TREED LIONS. HE WOULD SHOOT THEM, LET THEM BLEED OUT AND THEN THEY WOULD FALL OUT OF THE TREE DEAD. DO ANY OF YOU RECALL THAT STORY AND WHO THE HUNTER WAS?
"ADAPT OR DIE". I USE ALL CAPS, NOT BECAUSE I AM YELLING, BUT BECAUSE IT IS AN OLD HABIT FROM MY ARMY DAYS, PLUS IT IS EASIER TO TYPE AND READ.
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: s4s4u]
#183563
09/19/2017 12:59 PM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 207
TM
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Kinda leaning towards the .357, it's plenty of gun I think for a cat and relatively light weight compared especially to my Toklat .454 As far as distance, that's anybody's guess, I am thinking it could be anywhere from nearly face to face to 15-25 yards, don't really know never been on such a hunt.
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: Bob Roach]
#183564
09/19/2017 1:03 PM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 207
TM
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A thought not mentioned is weight of the handgun. You can cover a lot of ground cat hunting. Considering cats are not hard to kill, and any of your listed handguns will work fine. I would consider which one would pack the easiest. Just My Two cents
Bob That's one of the reasons I'm considering my .357, it's a 6" S&W 586, I have a Diamond D Guide's Choice Chest rig for it, nice setup!!
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: TM]
#183565
09/19/2017 1:12 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,512
Ernie
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Sounds like you got it figured out.
Ernie the Un-Tactical
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: Ernie]
#183586
09/19/2017 5:01 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
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sixshot
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old hand
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45man, the fellow you refer to was a government trapper in either California or Colorado, can't remember for sure but he killed a lot of lions with that gun! Some lion guides recommend a 22 rimfire for the same reason, shoot them in the tree, let them slowly die & they drop from the tree, not sure I agree with that but they are in the business. When I shot mine I meant to give it a second one double action just for good measure but it hit the ground before I could even pull the trigger....they are quick!
Dick
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: 45MAN]
#183604
09/19/2017 9:07 PM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,374
cmnash
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I ONCE READ ABOUT AN OLD TIME LION HUNTER THAT HAD A COLT SAA CONVERTED TO 25-20 THAT HE USED ON TREED LIONS. HE WOULD SHOOT THEM, LET THEM BLEED OUT AND THEN THEY WOULD FALL OUT OF THE TREE DEAD. DO ANY OF YOU RECALL THAT STORY AND WHO THE HUNTER WAS? Steve Mattes is the professional lion hunter featured in J.D. Jones and Larry Kellys book "Hunting for Handgunners". He used a Colt SA chambered in .218 Bee for the reasons you mention.
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: TM]
#183605
09/19/2017 9:17 PM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,374
cmnash
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I know this is a forum to discuss at length about handguns and bullets, but your choice of sidearm will not be the most important decision. Just choose the one you are most comfortable with; carrying and shooting. Your choice of footwear and clothing will be more critical to your success and enjoyment. Done properly, a mountain lion hunt is the series of events that happen leading up to the shot. Shooting the lion is the punctuation of a successful adventure.
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: cmnash]
#183615
09/20/2017 12:53 AM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 246
Spencer
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I have been on two lion hunts. headed out for my third in December. took my .44 special each time and the guide had no issues with it. as a matter of fact, he carried a Single Six.
NRA life member Let's go make some memories
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: 45MAN]
#183780
09/22/2017 12:11 AM
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 11
Chaser
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Whitworth Thats a great cat that you collected.. Those are hard to come by these days. There is a concerted effort to reduce lion numbers all thru out the West as they take the blame for lots of sheep, deer and elk, and livestock. I think there is room for them all and wish they would cut back on the tags, I know in Utah that they have increased the allocated tags and there aren't near the numbers of cats that there were even just a few years back. Lots od females being killed now and cat numbers are down. Curious who you hunted with? The hound dog community isn't all that large and I imagine that I probably know them... You have a great cat and I congratulate you.
Billy
Turn em loose !!
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: Chaser]
#183782
09/22/2017 12:19 AM
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 14
old colt
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I'd be curious to hear as well, debating whether to book a hunt myself in the next couple years. Curious if you guys are hunting with buddies and on your own, or booking outfitters? (or what)
Are there "better" states and/or Outfitters that any of yous would recommend to do a handgun Cat-hunt with??
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: old colt]
#183783
09/22/2017 12:26 AM
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 11
Chaser
stranger
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Colt One of my close friends, Van Johnson, guided bear and lion hunters for years out of Cortez CO. He sold his outfit and there is a young guy doing it now that is a good hard hunter and would be able to tree you a cat. I also know some guys here in New Mexico that guide for them. Cat hunts are knocking on the door of five thousand dollars these days? You might find a deal out there with someone starting in the business.. Best, Billy
Turn em loose !!
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Re: No Such Thing As "Best" Caliber So What Do I Use??
[Re: Chaser]
#183807
09/22/2017 3:13 AM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 818
sixshot
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old hand
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We have lots of Lions here in SE Idaho but few Outfitters because there are so many locals that have hounds. We have a quota on females, once that quota is met they shut the season down. We always hit the quota quite early in the season. I live right next to a very large winter range for mule deer & as soon as the deer migrate in the lions follow. This area is only a mile from my house, many times we have deer in our yard every night during the winter.
Dick
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