Another Hog Question

JKump · January 8, 2005, 02:30 PM

I am going Hog hunting now that deer season has ended. I have a single shot rifle. I carry a handgun with me when I am in the woods. My question is what handgun should I have with me for Hogs. I currently have a single action .357 Mag (Western Marshal), a Taurus 7 shot total Ti .357 Mag ( 2" barrel), a Glock 17, a Browning Hi-Power (both 9mm) and lastly my duty weapon, a Sig 220 .45 cal.. At this time I can't go out and buy another handgun. From those listed what should I carry?

Long Path · January 8, 2005, 03:24 PM

I like the Sig, myself, but the SA .357 loaded with hot 180 JSPs would be a nice companion, too, if you're decent with it.

I've carried my duty .45 (Kimber 1911) with me hog hunting several times, and have used it for coup de grace. I have to admit that, in the rain and dark with little or no light, I wasn't spectacularly impressed with Gold Dot 230's against a wounded 200 lb sow, but I didn't hit her very well, either (no night sights). Especially with a single-shot, I think it's imperative to carry a sidearm when hunting hog. I would put preferance for accuracy first, then power, then speed. If you hit a hog with a middlin' hard hit and see it dragging off into the brush, your sidearm may well be what you use to anchor it. The more and more I think about it, the answer comes to the SA or the Sig, whichever you can hit more accurately with.

Oh, and when trying to anchor a retreating hog with a pistol, shoot it anywhere you like-- so long as it's just behind the ear.

Smokey Joe · January 11, 2005, 08:55 PM

I'd have to second Long Path's reccommendation for weapon, but have to disagree with him on the load for the .357 mag. For hogs, to put 'em down but good, you want a hard cast lead bullet, with a fairly large meplat and probably gas-checked, going as fast as safety and accuracy will allow. I use 180-grainers from Beartooth Bullets for this—also my deer load—but you probably can get them locally.

A lead bullet will expand and still penetrate. For hogs you want both, as they are noted for being tenacious of life, as well as having that cartilage collar from ears to shoulder.

Dixie Slugs · January 25, 2005, 06:09 PM

I don't know Smokey Joe, but he knows his business with heavy Beartooth Bullets and the .357! After a nice operation on my hand, I retired my .44, and started useing my Smith & Wesson 686-3 and 180's with a big meplat. Some will say the .44 is 30% better than the .357........I say how can one kill something 123% dead!..........James@Dixie Slugs

impact · January 25, 2005, 10:44 PM

It's always good to have a sidearm while hog hunting. About the only time I use mine is to clean up pigglets

. I like to knock down a sow with pigglets. The pigglets will stay with the sow. Then knock them off with my Ruger single action in 45 colt. The 45 just puts a big hole in the pigglet and knocks them over dead. The 45 load don't expand and leaves lots of pigglet for the Q. I don't count on my sidearm to kill a sow but if I have too! I will try.

PSE · January 26, 2005, 10:01 AM

anthing more than a 22mag is overkill.

beenthere · January 26, 2005, 01:34 PM

Have to show my ignorance. No such word as meplat in the dictionary so I assume it's become a fixture in the shooting fraternity in the 5-6 years when I was incapacitated. Anyone care to help me out?

FirstFreedom · January 26, 2005, 04:16 PM

I named my 4 kids Meplat, Ogive, Cannelure, and Cordite.

JK. Actually, I forgot what meplat means.

arthurrh · January 26, 2005, 09:20 PM

from the SAMMI glossary:

MEPLAT
A term for the blunt tip of a bullet, specifically the tip’s diameter.

http://www.saami.org/glossary/display.cfm?letter=M

Smokey Joe · January 27, 2005, 12:49 PM

PSE--well, while I've seen piglets taken quite effectively with a .22mag, I would doubt its penetration ability on an adult pig, especially through the cartilage collar. I've had shots @ pigs at over 100yd, at which range a .22mag has slowed down considerably. Can you give some examples of effective use of this cartridge on adult boars at a distance, perhaps through some intervening brush or weeds?

If it works for you, good! I would however cite the old dictum of "use enough gun" for an effective, humane kill under less than ideal circumstances.

PSE · January 28, 2005, 10:31 AM

while the dog has 'em by the ears and a$$, you come up from behind and pop 'em behind the head.

Smokey Joe · January 28, 2005, 02:08 PM

PSE--Yeah, of course. Shoulda known. Yeah, a .22mag will do it for you in that circumstance. Sorry, I was thinking of hog hunting w/o dogs, where you are shooting at "hunting distances." Please pardon my presumption.

Back when we were farming, my father-in-law kilt hogs for butchering, with a .22 Long hollow-point, as a standard procedure. But his muzzle was right on the pig's head. Worked every time.

January 8, 2005, 02:30 PM	#1
JKump Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 1998 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 428	Another Hog Question I am going Hog hunting now that deer season has ended. I have a single shot rifle. I carry a handgun with me when I am in the woods. My question is what handgun should I have with me for Hogs. I currently have a single action .357 Mag (Western Marshal), a Taurus 7 shot total Ti .357 Mag ( 2" barrel), a Glock 17, a Browning Hi-Power (both 9mm) and lastly my duty weapon, a Sig 220 .45 cal.. At this time I can't go out and buy another handgun. From those listed what should I carry?

January 8, 2005, 03:24 PM	#2
Long Path Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: N. Texas Posts: 5,899	I like the Sig, myself, but the SA .357 loaded with hot 180 JSPs would be a nice companion, too, if you're decent with it. I've carried my duty .45 (Kimber 1911) with me hog hunting several times, and have used it for coup de grace. I have to admit that, in the rain and dark with little or no light, I wasn't spectacularly impressed with Gold Dot 230's against a wounded 200 lb sow, but I didn't hit her very well, either (no night sights). Especially with a single-shot, I think it's imperative to carry a sidearm when hunting hog. I would put preferance for accuracy first, then power, then speed. If you hit a hog with a middlin' hard hit and see it dragging off into the brush, your sidearm may well be what you use to anchor it. The more and more I think about it, the answer comes to the SA or the Sig, whichever you can hit more accurately with. Oh, and when trying to anchor a retreating hog with a pistol, shoot it anywhere you like-- so long as it's just behind the ear. __________________ "Welcome to The Firing Line, a virtual community dedicated to the discussion and advancement of responsible firearms ownership."T.F.L. Policy Page Will you, too, be one who stands in the gap? ____________

January 11, 2005, 08:55 PM	#3
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	Loads for hogs I'd have to second Long Path's reccommendation for weapon, but have to disagree with him on the load for the .357 mag. For hogs, to put 'em down but good, you want a hard cast lead bullet, with a fairly large meplat and probably gas-checked, going as fast as safety and accuracy will allow. I use 180-grainers from Beartooth Bullets for this—also my deer load—but you probably can get them locally. A lead bullet will expand and still penetrate. For hogs you want both, as they are noted for being tenacious of life, as well as having that cartilage collar from ears to shoulder. __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe

January 25, 2005, 06:09 PM	#4
Dixie Slugs Member Join Date: November 22, 2004 Posts: 24	I don't know Smokey Joe, but he knows his business with heavy Beartooth Bullets and the .357! After a nice operation on my hand, I retired my .44, and started useing my Smith & Wesson 686-3 and 180's with a big meplat. Some will say the .44 is 30% better than the .357........I say how can one kill something 123% dead!..........James@Dixie Slugs __________________ Dixie Slugs (dixieslugs.com)-Home of the Original Terminator Slug

January 26, 2005, 01:34 PM	#7
beenthere Senior Member Join Date: November 16, 2004 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 460	meplat Have to show my ignorance. No such word as meplat in the dictionary so I assume it's become a fixture in the shooting fraternity in the 5-6 years when I was incapacitated. Anyone care to help me out?

January 25, 2005, 10:44 PM	#5
impact Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2005 Location: the great state of Texas Posts: 854	It's always good to have a sidearm while hog hunting. About the only time I use mine is to clean up pigglets . I like to knock down a sow with pigglets. The pigglets will stay with the sow. Then knock them off with my Ruger single action in 45 colt. The 45 just puts a big hole in the pigglet and knocks them over dead. The 45 load don't expand and leaves lots of pigglet for the Q. I don't count on my sidearm to kill a sow but if I have too! I will try.

January 26, 2005, 10:01 AM	#6
PSE Junior member Join Date: July 23, 2004 Location: stupids womb, SC Posts: 475	anthing more than a 22mag is overkill.

January 26, 2005, 04:16 PM	#8
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	I named my 4 kids Meplat, Ogive, Cannelure, and Cordite. JK. Actually, I forgot what meplat means.

January 26, 2005, 09:20 PM	#9
arthurrh Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2004 Posts: 189	from the SAMMI glossary: MEPLAT A term for the blunt tip of a bullet, specifically the tip’s diameter. http://www.saami.org/glossary/display.cfm?letter=M

January 27, 2005, 12:49 PM	#10
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	.22 mag, hmmmmm PSE--well, while I've seen piglets taken quite effectively with a .22mag, I would doubt its penetration ability on an adult pig, especially through the cartilage collar. I've had shots @ pigs at over 100yd, at which range a .22mag has slowed down considerably. Can you give some examples of effective use of this cartridge on adult boars at a distance, perhaps through some intervening brush or weeds? If it works for you, good! I would however cite the old dictum of "use enough gun" for an effective, humane kill under less than ideal circumstances. __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe

January 28, 2005, 10:31 AM	#11
PSE Junior member Join Date: July 23, 2004 Location: stupids womb, SC Posts: 475	while the dog has 'em by the ears and a$$, you come up from behind and pop 'em behind the head.

January 28, 2005, 02:08 PM	#12
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	Dog has it down, do the kill shot. PSE--Yeah, of course. Shoulda known. Yeah, a .22mag will do it for you in that circumstance. Sorry, I was thinking of hog hunting w/o dogs, where you are shooting at "hunting distances." Please pardon my presumption. Back when we were farming, my father-in-law kilt hogs for butchering, with a .22 Long hollow-point, as a standard procedure. But his muzzle was right on the pig's head. Worked every time. __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe