The 405 shoots the Hornady factory and reloads with the same bullet 2rights and 2 lefts into 2 `1/2 in at 55 yards. I had a 1895 in 405 that was part of the trade for this double. Still have a 350gr bullet mold and can get similar performance with hard cast. I have ordered some woodleigh's and looking at trying the cutting edge solids and hollow points. (That is what I have my 450NE shooting) Have a good regulation load for barnes, northfork, 286gr and 250gr accubon's in the 9.3. I took a 9.3x74 TC encore last year to the eastern cape and it just anchored everything in one shot 50-310 yards. Would feel completely at ease with either on lion. Both rifles shot minute of lion. Think I will take them both to the range and just shoot steel from 50-200 yards and see which I miss with first
Velo dog love your description of the current trend of wonder fuzz wizzled lazer lightning gad zooks magnaboomers!!! I am an electrical engineer by trade but grew up learning how to build fine furniture with hand tools and just love the feel of english walnut in the vise and a file or scraper in my hand. The only thing I have with a plastic/kevlar stock in my tactical zombie apocalypse 06 AI. I have till early next year to decide when I have to do the SAP paper work. Lucky my better half has her's set and ready to go. No how is that for a kick in the pants the lady has her decision done before the gent
AZDAVE,
I can barely spell engineer but am nonetheless rumored to have a plastic/fiberglass stocked rifle (FAL) in my toy box, just in case.
However, having your photos taken with a lion, while you hold some techno pimped-out "Burnworth Style" contraption, would be like wearing a NASCAR jacket, swim trunks, wingtip shoes, black knee socks and a baseball hat, in your daughter's wedding photos.
Great minds think alike.
Hand finished thin shell walnut and professionally done rust bluing makes me weak in the knees.
Others have mentioned bullets.
The PH that I have hunted the most with gets cold chills when clients start talking about Barnes monolithic type bullets for lion.
He personally has shot a number of problem lion in The Kruger Park, primarily with a .30-06 and Hornady 220 gr RNSP at 2400 fps.
He also likes the .375 H&H with 300 gr RNSP, also at 2400 fps.
Copper alloy is pretty hard, compared to lead (you Engineer types know more about that than ten people like me do).
In the .405, a velocity of 2200 FPS for thin skinned game begs for a semi-soft bullet.
This is not to discount that lion might very well be the most dangerous 4 legged animal on dry land.
Nonetheless, he is not super heavily built, compared to a buffalo, hippo or even a zebra for that matter.
(Having never shot a lion, you can take my thoughts on the subject with a grain of salt).
However it seems to me that these latest flex tip pointed bullets might be too much of a good thing, as they appear to have been designed for whitetail deer (soft target compared to lion, grizzly, etc).
If Hornady makes their old fashioned RNSP in that caliber, I would be interested in shooting it into various test materials.
But, more importantly I would do what you are doing and asking around for people's opinion who may have used this cartridge on lion or at least on similar sized animals.
Lastly, it seems like the original 300 gr Woodleigh Weldcore RNSP would be a top choice.
The blunt shape equates to it being half mushroomed before it even gets to the target.
It is somewhat soft so should (theoretically) fully deform quickly on lion but, due to the bonding process, should also hold together, thereby driving the widely "mushroomed" bullet through.
With that you should have a wide path of tissue, organ, nerve and blood vessel laceration and possibly an exit wound, (blood out-air in) depending on angle/bones hit or not hit, etc.
In the 9.3, I have watched my best friend take a number of PG, including zebra and eland with the 286 gr Nosler Partition, in 2 safaris now (Ruger #1 and Simpson drilling coincidentally to your double).
If I were after lion with that caliber, it seems to me the NP would be about perfect.
The Woodeigh 286 gr seems like another good choice.
Is the 9.3 legal for DG where you are going?
Some countries have banned anything below .375 for lion and some have not.
I look forward to hearing more about which rifle/projectile you settle on.
Regards,
Velo Dog.
, as for whether to use the .405 or 9.3x74r for your lion.......if your .405 had been a 1895 winchester i would have said go with that for the teddy thing, but as its not i would go with the 9.3x74r simply as my double in that cal is my favourite rifle , and if you feel you want something bigger at the time you have your .450 so you are well covered.
