hog hunting... calibers you'd use first???

[Rangerrich99]

Twenty-five years ago when I still lived in the Mid-West, we hunted hogs with .30 cals (.30-30, .30-06, .308). As a group, my friends and I just decided that since pigs were tough little bugers, a .30 cal was probably the right choice for the job. And a couple years ago when I went to TX for a little pig hunting I brought my .30-06, which worked just fine.

That said, last year I read an article in a hunting mag (can't remember which one) where the journalist and his wife went pig hunting; he with a .308 and her with an AR-15 chambered in .223. In the story he credits her with not only more pigs dropped, but he noted that the pigs shot with her AR seemed to go down quicker than the ones he hit with his.308.

He does of course note that there was nothing scientific about his observations, but he did say that he would take some time to further evaluate the .223 as a hog-killing round.

For myself, I find it hard to believe that the .223 can be a reliable pig killer, but I have to admit more than a little curiosity, and on my next hog hunt, I might just take the AR along.

[mapsjanhere]

Merkel SR-1 in 9.3 x 62. Even hogzilla wouldn't argue back.

[Mike / Tx]

My close friend had an uncle who patrolled their property for quite a few years with a Rem .17 that dropped them unbelievably fast. I couldn't really believe it when I saw it with my own eyes let alone when I did it myself. These were mid sized to large 150 - 175'ish pound hogs out of the river bottom not piglets.

I personally have used mostly handguns in calibers from .357 up through my 454 but have also used my BH in 30 Carbine. My mainstay however is usually my .308 in the form of a Ruger Compact. Mainly it is light weight, easy to bring up on close shots and has plenty of punch for ranges out to 400yds if I do my part.

As mentioned for the most part they aren't the bullet proof non dieing beast that are broadly portrayed, however if you shoot them like a deer your usually in for a tracking job as their vitals are tucked up behind the front leg rather than behind the shoulder like a deer or similar. If you hit them there you usually hit stomach. Combine that with the fat just under the skin and you end up with a plugged up hole and a mess when you DO find them.

[bumnote]

The first time I went hunting feral hogs, I used my .223. I handload and used Hornady 55gr V-Max bullets. Dropped them in their tracks.
I was hunting in the Texas Hill Country, close distances and most of the hogs are around 100lbs...some more, some less.
For Texas feral hogs, I've used 223, 308, 30-06, 204, 30 carbine, and a 22LR (maybe 30lbs and under 50 yards). Aim for the ear and those calibers dropped them all. If I had to aim for the shoulder area...I'd probably use something more than a 223. But if your a good shot and it's not a behemoth, the 223 is fine.

[Double Naught Spy]

The reason I am not a big fan of .223 for hogs (though I have used it with some success) is that there seems to be a lack of optimal shots. Sure, if you put it in the base of the ear, the hog will go down. You can do that with a pellet gun as well. That doesn't make .223 a great hog round.

I do know of a couple of professional hog hunters who use .223. They are very good hunters who are out multiple times per week and shooting many hogs a week. They know their gear, performance limitations, and are excellent shooters. They get good results. However, they aren't your average hunter.

The reality for most average hunters is that they don't get out to hunt very often, regardless of the trophies on their walls. They don't deal with the stresses of hunting very well. They don't have the ability (sometimes) or patience to wait for the optimal shot and given time, expense, and limited opportunities, are going to take less than perfect shots in order to try to get their quarry. The conditions under which they are hunting are not always optimal. We see this all the time. I am guilty of it as well. I don't know a hunter who isn't. Bigger, better performing calibers will help make a marginal shot viable. No caliber change will make a bad shot into a good shot.

If we were all perfect shot hunters, nobody would need much over a .17 hmr, except maybe a .223 for long range hunting, right?

While some folks do hunt at longer ranges, I would be willing to guess that >98% of hog hunting is at distances less than 200 yards and >75% less than 100 yards. There is a lot of reasons for these numbers including hunter skill, but also preferred hog habitats and hunter access to hunting areas.

For me, what has turned out to be a rather optimal caliber is 6.5 Grendel. At 123 gr. (Hornady SST), the bullet has the sectional density and penetration potential of a 150 gr. .308 without the recoil of a .308.

Here is a hog that two of us shot, me with a Grendel and my buddy with a .308 and as it turned out, we got very similarly penetration performance.
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=0UCUaCnCryI

My second choice, based on performance, would be 6.8. The ballistics are very similar, recoil is similar, but 6.8 makes a slightly bigger hole at the expense of slightly worse ballistics and less penetration potential. Ammo is more readily available and choices are much more numerous, however, than for the Grendel.

If recoil and followup shots not so much of an issue (such as with bolt or lever guns), then you can't go wrong with .308 for hogs and my all time favorite is .45-70.

[mxsailor803]

If its no more than a 50-75yd shot, I'll use my Henry .44mag. For 75-125yd I'll use my .300BO or 6.8spc. Beyond 125yds I'll use a .270, 30-06, or .308. Alot of people like using thos smaller rounds but I'm hog hunting from the ground usually. On a mean boar's level, I want bigger calibers. Now I've killed a couple with a .22mag Henry squirrel hunting over the years but it required patience and the perfect shot. In most realistic hunting situations, there is no perfect shot.

[Brotherbadger]

Depends on the size of the hogs, but 223 or 300BO are my usual go to calibers. 30-06 for longer range shots.

[Old Stony]

Double Naught knows of what he speaks. I am in the woods checking traps daily and often go back out at night for hunting from stands near feeders. I have played with a lot of calibers but come back to the old .223 and .308's. Both work well, if you don't try to take out lungs or gut shoot the hogs. I normally take them directly through the middle of the the shoulder...bang..flop. Either of my preferred calibers works just fine but I don't do long range shooting at them either. I never am presented with a shot over 100 yds. as most are taken at between 70 and 100.
The only reason I grab one rifle over another is sights. I have night vision on one and a Leupold with Firedot on the other. Some of my areas have better lighting than others. During the daytime I can use a variety of rifles as I can use open sights then.

[dean1818]

I chose the 6.8

The 120 SST from Hornady is my DRT bullet on pigs (Dead right there)


Many people in Texas use 6.8 and 300blk for pigs,

but.... there seems to be more and more people using the 62-70g 223 bullets with success

[Kosh75287]

In the past, I've used an L1-A1 (Franken FAL) loaded with factory 180s. When I do MY part, the pigs fall down, even the big males. The rifle doesn't handle as nicely as a lever-action, and navigating heavy brush with it is sometimes no joy, but I'm familiar with it, and know what to expect from it.

Were I to build a hog-gun from the ground up, I'd be tempted to find a BLR in .358, or one of the old Savage pump-action rifles in .35 Remington. The .35 Remington seems a good round for hogs, and the .358 may seem "a bit much" ballistically, but I like to have "extra stuff" for exceptional (Murphy's Law) situations.

Any of the Marlin large-bore lever guns would work, also. I guess at some point, it'd be a matter of which platform would take the shortest amount of time to truly master.

[TimSr]

Whatever you would use for deer at the same distances will work well. If you are just hunting for pest control, and are not harvesting the meat, the bigger the better if you shoot it well.

[Husqvarna]

we have calibre restrictions over here, as does most of europe

boar is a "big" game animal so the same rules as for moose, red-deer etc

bullet weight 9g and 2700joule at 100m
or
10g and 2000joule at 100m

so basically 6,5x55 is the minimum, slugs are okey to (but not for moose for some reason)

some other calibres can be loaded hot up to class 1

I have used 6,5/308/30-30/9,3x62, 358win

driven type hunts I do want the 9,3x62, if I am huntign with the dog I use 358 but that is more to do with the type of rifle

the blr in 358 is great pig medicine, but most of my kills have been with a 308 because I had that first and only had one rifle then

[Husqvarna]

For myself, I find it hard to believe that the .223 can be a reliable pig killer

does it count if people double or triple tap them?

because I have seen plenty of boar run quite a distance withgood hits from
both 308 and 6,5x55

and I mean good hits hunting over a feeder, good scope, good rest and they tend to run with heart/lung hits

now 9,3x62 on the other hand, THAT is a showstopper, people hunt water buffalo with that you know

[rickyrick]

There's no restrictions on feral pig in the US. They are a non-native invasive species.

If shot in a good place, the high velocity of .223 causes a very quick incapacitation. At the very minimum, having both eyes dangling would be a huge inconvenience.

[Panfisher]

I guess it would depend on how I was planning on hunting. If I only got to travel to where hogs were once a year to hunt, and wanted to bring the meat home, I would likely be shooting my Rem Md. 7 in 7-08 Rem. If on the other hand I lived around them and was hunting to simply reduce the numbers, probably my AR would get the call for repeated follow up shots with Barnes TSX bullets, especially if I didn't care about recovery of them. Given a midas touch I would probably build an AR in 6x45, why simply everybody has a 6.5 or 6.8, and why not be special, and I have 6mm bullets in my supply.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I've got a 6 X 45 contender barrel, & dies... always wondered why someone didn't jump on that as an AR caliber ???

[NINEX19]

we have calibre restrictions over here, as does most of europe

Yes, this is a good point. Different states have different regulations for hunting. I know you said where your at there are no caliber restrictions, but if you ever go hog hunting in another state that has a restriction, you might want to keep that in mind when choosing your caliber.

Washington State does not allow anything to be hunted with less than a .24 caliber. We don't have a feral pig population either though.

Edited to correct: Mountain lion alone can be hunted with a .22 caliber center fire.

[rickyrick]

Caliber restrictions are for game animals. Maybe California considers them game, I'm not sure of others. Non-game species usually have no restrictions other than a hunting license.

I'm agreeing with those that are gonna hunt them as a trip or weekend hunt with only one opportunity, take a more powerful gun.

[Double Naught Spy]

Not only does California consider hogs to be game, tags are issued for regular hunting and folks get prosecuted for poaching (no tags) and wastage.

[j102]

.223 will kill a hog but you need to shoot it in the right place. I would prefer bigger rounds. Although not the biggest or the best, my preferred hog gun is my Marlin 336SS in 30-30. It gives me a fast second shot with a decent and powerful round. I have also used my Remington 870 12ga.

[AllenJ]

Not only does California consider hogs to be game, tags are issued for regular hunting and folks get prosecuted for poaching (no tags) and wastage.

Not to mention the exorbitant prices ranchers want you to pay to hunt them on their property. When I was young there were no pig tags and there was no season, and people wanted the critters off their ranches. Now it's a money making deal for them so I've not hunted pigs in 30+ years.

The only time I got the hunt pigs I took a small boar with my 30-06 using 165 grn Hornady Interlocks. Bullet made a nice big hole but the jacket did separate from the core. I did not see anything special that made a "normal" sized animal look armored plated but years later when I was managing a hog farm we had a bore that weighed in at 805 lbs on slaughter day. If I ever get to hunt hogs again and I come across something that big, I'll wish I had my 30-06 again!

[rickyrick]

Does that .24 caliber restriction in Washington include coyote?

[grey.ghost]

My preference is the dirty thirty.

[NINEX19]

Originally Posted by rickyrick

Does that .24 caliber restriction in Washington include coyote?

Yes, that restriction includes coyote.

[ammo.crafter]

.357 Maximum with Hornady HP-XPT 180gr at about 1800 f/s.
Shot from a TC 15" heavy barrel with low power scope.