Maneating Lions On Increase

[Jack Flash]

Originally posted by wbraswell:
"Is a .303 Enfield a "Lion Caliber"?"

It is,if that's what is in your hand at the time. ...

I have seen pictures of men using pistols to shoot buffalo in the old American West. I think that we can all agree that just because someone did it doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Similarly, (although a much less extreme mismatch), I know that a lot of African big game has been taken with the .303 British and the 7x57mm. There are better cartridges available to modern sportsmen.

In the picture, Val Kilmer is wielding what appears to be some type of sporter version of the Lee-Enfield. My guess is that these civilian rifles were chambered in cartridges that were more suitable to African big game. From looking at the two rifles, it appears that the prop man at least tried to get the guns right for the period and location.

 

[jimmyj]

Not being a ballistic expert, I was told in the past that the .303 Enfield cartridge was less ballistically than a .308 Winchester?
Jimmy

 

[Texas Star]

Originally posted by jimmyj:
Not being a ballistic expert, I was told in the past that the .303 Enfield cartridge was less ballistically than a .308 Winchester?
Jimmy

Modern .303 softpints launch from a 25.3 inch (Lee-Enfield) barrel at a nominal 2540 FPS. The .308 will go about 100 FPS faster. The difference at average hunting ranges is inconsequential.

However, I think the .308 is available with more complex bullets for when you might need especially deep penetration. The Nosler Partition is a good one. I don't think the .303 is available in other than basic, good softpoints. I think Winchester loads it with their PowerPoint. Still, Canadian sportsmen have killed a lot of moose with the .303.

I'd prefer a more strongly constructed bullet if I might have to penetrate the strong frontal chest muscles on a charging lion. The .30/06 is definitely a better light to medium game caliber than the .303. But I feel sure that I could eat well in Africa if all I had was a .303.

It must work, most of the time. Too many big animals have been killed with the .303 to doubt its effectiveness in competent hands.

It is certainly more rifle than the .30/30 or the .30/40 Krag, to which it is too often compared, mostly by people who are rating it on the basis of the old 215 grain bullet.

The SMLE made a good sporter, and many in military trim were used, too. If one gets one in good condition, not one of the badly cared for surplus rifles, it will also shoot better than many realize. Generally, the No. 4's shoot better, but the old No 1 action looks better on a hunting rifle. If I ever get rich, I intend to order a .303 sporter, largely for nostalgia/sentiment. But I do not doubt that it will put a deer down, fast.

T-Star

 

[Rancher]

The reserve in which the bridge scenes were filmed for Ghost and the Darkness is Songimvelo, in South Africa (check the credits in the video). I hunted there several years ago and took a blue wildebeest and an impala. The stalk to the wildebeest went past no less than 5 white rhino, two of which were cow-calf pairs! The stalk on the impala went through a dry stream bed loaded with pepper ticks and is probably where my case of tick fever came from after that trip (Thank goodness for tetracycline). There were no lions there, but plenty of great scenery, hippos, crocs, and all manner of other game. One of the tracker-skinners was actually run over by a warthog, but that's another story.