Hog hunting bullets and shot placement.

samsmix · December 14, 2023, 08:12 PM

I'm going on a first time Texas hog hunt next fall. We will be using .50 Hawken replicas, and I was wondering what anyone with experience might think was a good projectile. Guns are 1:48" twist.
I was considering the 350gr T/C maxi ball over 70gr of 777.

Where would you place your bullet?

Double Naught Spy · December 15, 2023, 04:03 PM

I don't know anything about TC Maxi balls or black powder, but shot placement isn't different as a result. You are either shooting for the chest vitals, head vitals, or neck vitals, usually, so lungs/heart/upper thoracic spine, brain/brain stem, or cervical spine. You could be a liver shooter and enjoy tracking wounded game. Those are pretty much your shots. Pick any one you want.

Given that you are shooting black powder and your reloads will be slow, I would suggest CNS shots if you can actually make them (brain, brain stem, cervical spine, or upper thoracic spine. The hog will go down and be anchored, if not dead and it should be dead.

If your shot does not do significant CNS damage, either directly (which you may be able to control) or indirectly (which you won't be able to control), then you should expect the hog to run when shot and how far it runs will depend on how well it is shot and what is damaged. A double lung or heart shot may get you 0-100 yards yards. A single lung shot and the hog may run over 400 yards before collapsing. A liver shot can be another long track depending on how well it was shot.

If you are in open field, ideally nicely grazed, runners won't be a problem. If you are near the woods or in the woods, runners will likely mean a search of the woods, thickets, briars, brambles brush piles, or anything a wounded hog can hide under and then die.

Good luck and have fun!

Hawg · December 15, 2023, 04:39 PM

A hogs vitals are a little different from a deer. The heart is lower and well protected. The 50 will do it but if was me I'd bump the charge up to 90 grains. I don't know what the hogs are like where you're going but the ones we have here in MS are a cross between feral hogs and Russian boars. They will often come after you if you make a bad shot.

Japle · December 15, 2023, 09:03 PM

I've shot hogs with various handguns and rifles, generally taking broadside shots through the neck behind the ear.
The spine runs almost straight back from the ear and a solid hit there will do the trick.
My last hog was shot with a suppressed AR pistol chambered for the AK-47 round and was shot through the center of the shoulder. I chose that POA because the hog just wouldn't hold still. It ran 60' and piled up.
https://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/...the-head-shot/

December 14, 2023, 08:12 PM	#1
samsmix Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 2006 Location: Montana (Montucky?) Posts: 1,273	Hog hunting bullets and shot placement. I'm going on a first time Texas hog hunt next fall. We will be using .50 Hawken replicas, and I was wondering what anyone with experience might think was a good projectile. Guns are 1:48" twist. I was considering the 350gr T/C maxi ball over 70gr of 777. Where would you place your bullet? __________________ You'll probably never NEED a gun. I hope you never do. But IF you do, you will need it worse than anything you've ever needed in your life. IF we're not supposed to eat animals, howcome God made 'em outta meat?

December 15, 2023, 04:03 PM	#2
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	I don't know anything about TC Maxi balls or black powder, but shot placement isn't different as a result. You are either shooting for the chest vitals, head vitals, or neck vitals, usually, so lungs/heart/upper thoracic spine, brain/brain stem, or cervical spine. You could be a liver shooter and enjoy tracking wounded game. Those are pretty much your shots. Pick any one you want. Given that you are shooting black powder and your reloads will be slow, I would suggest CNS shots if you can actually make them (brain, brain stem, cervical spine, or upper thoracic spine. The hog will go down and be anchored, if not dead and it should be dead. If your shot does not do significant CNS damage, either directly (which you may be able to control) or indirectly (which you won't be able to control), then you should expect the hog to run when shot and how far it runs will depend on how well it is shot and what is damaged. A double lung or heart shot may get you 0-100 yards yards. A single lung shot and the hog may run over 400 yards before collapsing. A liver shot can be another long track depending on how well it was shot. If you are in open field, ideally nicely grazed, runners won't be a problem. If you are near the woods or in the woods, runners will likely mean a search of the woods, thickets, briars, brambles brush piles, or anything a wounded hog can hide under and then die. Good luck and have fun! __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

December 15, 2023, 04:39 PM	#3
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	A hogs vitals are a little different from a deer. The heart is lower and well protected. The 50 will do it but if was me I'd bump the charge up to 90 grains. I don't know what the hogs are like where you're going but the ones we have here in MS are a cross between feral hogs and Russian boars. They will often come after you if you make a bad shot.

December 15, 2023, 09:03 PM	#4
Japle Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2004 Location: Viera, Florida Posts: 1,340	I've shot hogs with various handguns and rifles, generally taking broadside shots through the neck behind the ear. The spine runs almost straight back from the ear and a solid hit there will do the trick. My last hog was shot with a suppressed AR pistol chambered for the AK-47 round and was shot through the center of the shoulder. I chose that POA because the hog just wouldn't hold still. It ran 60' and piled up. https://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/...the-head-shot/