I assume the answer would be a bolt action rifle.
I watched the movie, "The Ghost and the Darkness," starring Val Kilmer, and wrote about it in another topic. It was about a British engineer, John Patterson, who had to hunt down two maneating lions who had attacked and killed so many railroad workers that construction of a Bridge over the Tsavo River had to be stopped. The lions killed at least 35 workers and were credited with another 100 killings, as well. Patterson and others believed the beasts were killing for sport. The historical event was also portrayed in Bwana Devil, the first full length 3D movie.
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British Martini-Henry rifle
What struck me was how dangerous the big cats were. Patterson shot the second lion 7 times! I believe one shot was with a shotgun, 3 from an Enfield sporting rifle, and 3 more form a British Henry-Martini .577/450 carbine. It chased Patterson up a tree, even though its leg was broken by one of the rounds! Shortly afterwards, he put it down with Martini carbine, then fired another shot into its chest, and finally one in its head. The animal did not die easily. Patterson wrote it "died gamely, biting savagely at a branch which had fallen to the ground."
He killed the first lion with multiple shots. First, he shot it with what I believe was some sort of Express Rifle, probably firing .450 rounds. I'm not sure whether he used soft (lead) bullets, or hard (steel). This is the borrowed rifle which misfired when he was less than 20 yards from the maneater. Once he realized it was a double-barreled rifle, he fired the other charge. Later, he shot a "blaze" of bullets into the lion from an stand, killing it. My belief is these were form his Enfield Sporting rifle, which a colleague called a "popgun."
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Compare the British .303 (third from the left) to the Martini .577/450 (far right)
I have an Enfield, and there's no way in heck I would hunt a maneating lion with it - not after reading how tough these animals are. What would you use - and why?
I watched the movie, "The Ghost and the Darkness," starring Val Kilmer, and wrote about it in another topic. It was about a British engineer, John Patterson, who had to hunt down two maneating lions who had attacked and killed so many railroad workers that construction of a Bridge over the Tsavo River had to be stopped. The lions killed at least 35 workers and were credited with another 100 killings, as well. Patterson and others believed the beasts were killing for sport. The historical event was also portrayed in Bwana Devil, the first full length 3D movie.
British Martini-Henry rifle
What struck me was how dangerous the big cats were. Patterson shot the second lion 7 times! I believe one shot was with a shotgun, 3 from an Enfield sporting rifle, and 3 more form a British Henry-Martini .577/450 carbine. It chased Patterson up a tree, even though its leg was broken by one of the rounds! Shortly afterwards, he put it down with Martini carbine, then fired another shot into its chest, and finally one in its head. The animal did not die easily. Patterson wrote it "died gamely, biting savagely at a branch which had fallen to the ground."
He killed the first lion with multiple shots. First, he shot it with what I believe was some sort of Express Rifle, probably firing .450 rounds. I'm not sure whether he used soft (lead) bullets, or hard (steel). This is the borrowed rifle which misfired when he was less than 20 yards from the maneater. Once he realized it was a double-barreled rifle, he fired the other charge. Later, he shot a "blaze" of bullets into the lion from an stand, killing it. My belief is these were form his Enfield Sporting rifle, which a colleague called a "popgun."
Compare the British .303 (third from the left) to the Martini .577/450 (far right)
I have an Enfield, and there's no way in heck I would hunt a maneating lion with it - not after reading how tough these animals are. What would you use - and why?
