45ACP for pig?

Beretta686 · November 12, 2009, 06:29 PM

I've carried a Glock 21 in 45ACP as my back-up gun while pig hunting in South Texas, as we get some pretty mean SOBs. However, I've never actually shot a pig with it nor any other .45, as my 7.62x39 AR does the job rather nicely.

However, I'm looking at getting a .45ACP carbine as a play toy & pig gun possibly with a suppressor (legal to hunt pig with in TX), hehehe

.

But as the .45 is a heavy but pretty slow moving round, I'm curious about how effective it is on piggies, compared to a .357 or .44 mag? Anyone have insight?

omega · November 12, 2009, 06:36 PM

Slide your Glock receiver into this http://www.mechtechsys.com/ and find out. These nifty little things actually increase the muzzle velocity enough to make the .45 a formidable round - as if it isn't wicked enough already.

Enjoy.

hogdogs · November 12, 2009, 07:14 PM

.45ACP=better than nuttin! Me? I keep my buck 110 handy and the climber trees closer! If I am armed with a long gun, No pistol in the world would trump the long gun...
Not enuff "take a nap" in any of them for me...
Brent

simonkenton · November 12, 2009, 08:00 PM

I have killed two hogs with the .45 acp. I was using military hardball ammo.

The first one, my buddy had wounded the hog and I went in, in the dark, to finish him off. Two in the lungs, dead pig.

The second hog I was hunting with that pistol. It was pretty cool, walking through the swamps with my hands free, just that pistol in a holster.

I saw a 140 pound boar. I got up within 30 yard and fired for a lung shot.
I hit high. The bullet got the top of the lungs, and clipped the spine.
The pig was down, his hind legs wouldn't work. He was spinning around, snorting.

I ran right up and shot him twice in the lungs, lights out.

357MagFan · November 12, 2009, 08:26 PM

There is a 7.62x39 AR ? What the hell.

MLeake · November 12, 2009, 08:31 PM

... a 7.62x51 AR, or a 7.62x39 AK?

I've never seen a 7.62x39 AR; I have seen (and committed) many a typo.

Just did a Google search, though, and Del-Ton sells 7.62x39 AR uppers. If one company does, others probably do, so maybe he did mean 7.62x39 AR.

Beretta686 · November 13, 2009, 12:58 AM

Quote:

... a 7.62x51 AR, or a 7.62x39 AK?

It's a 11.5 inch 7.62x39 Model 1 Sales upper, with C-Products high-cap mags & Leupold CQT. It runs decent with Wolf surplus ammo and flawless with quality commercial ammo.

I've got a .30 cal suppressor for it that makes it a perfect pig gun. The sonic-crack is rather noticeable but wildlife won't think of it as a gun-shot.

But with the sub-sonic .45 & suppressor out of the accuracy of a long-gun, pigs wouldn't stand a chance.

2damnold4this · November 13, 2009, 11:21 AM

I've killed one 170 lb sow with a .45 ACP. Two shots to the thorax and one to the head that probably wasn't needed just for good measure.

Buzzard Bait · November 13, 2009, 11:56 AM

I followed a very large wounded south texas monster hog into the brush with a 45 auto thinking I would find a dead or near dead hog. I found a very alive very dissatisfied hog that was cornered agaist a brush pile. shot # 1 to the head at about 20 yards must have only hit bone (the brain is high and to the rear of the skull) shot #4 was at about 10 feet it must of found his brain because it instantly fliped his off switch. The thing was so heavy that two men working together could not drag him (he was heavier by 6 bullets). In total he took a shoulder shot from a 243 at maybe 100 yards a going away shot that raked his back with a 243 then 4 head shoots from a 45 acp with fmjs. Made me think of the scene in jaws where the guy backed into the cabin of the boat and said we need a bigger boat.

So the name buzzard Bait

GeauxTide · November 13, 2009, 01:54 PM

Cartidge designed, bullets designed for peoples. Now a 45LC with 275LFN at 1100 is proper poison.

**Bud Helms** · November 13, 2009, 02:33 PM

peoples in mammals.

pigs is mammals.

Para Bellum · November 13, 2009, 03:07 PM

Stunning. I'd consider a .45 rather weak with regards to pigs an sectional density...
FMJ ammo maybe, but still .... stunning.

simonkenton · November 13, 2009, 03:08 PM

They are mammals, and not too different from humans.

Beretta686 · November 13, 2009, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Cartidge designed, bullets designed for peoples. Now a 45LC with 275LFN at 1100 is proper poison.

That's what I'm kinda thinking. I could always sell the Glock 21 & get a G20 10mm and I think we'd be in business....

I saw a guy take a .45 230-gr FMJ to the chest, stand-up and run around for a while, so though I still used a .45 as my go-to gun, I'm not exactly in awe of it. And for a pig with all it's think bones & all I think there are better options.

Willie Lowman · November 14, 2009, 12:11 AM

No magic caliber. No magic bullet. Some are better than others for a particular task. That said, 10mm would probably be better. Nothing wrong with .45 as long as it is back up to a good long arm. Like Hogdogs said, "They have more go to sleep in them"

Buzzard Bait · November 14, 2009, 09:27 AM

There is nothing wrong with the 45 acp for killing hogs, it's all about shot placement. I had a lot to learn about pig anatamy. Their organs are not in the same place as a deer. Head shooting a large hog gives you a large target that is mostly bone, you can poke a lot of holes in it without hitting anything vital. The brain is a small part of that target which you can hit but you neeed to know where to aim. I aimed between the eyes which put my shots below the brain at that angle. Once you learn how a pig is put together they are not hard to kill.

Buzzard Bait

Old Grump · November 14, 2009, 01:12 PM

45 carbine is fine, especially if you use XTP bullets, +P if you can find them.

For those who haven't hunted hogs their organs are further front than you would expect as shown in link. Nice diagram in this link:

http://www.hunting-in-texas.com/learnhogs.htm#anatomy

As many have discovered head shot is a hard shot, brain is small and above eyes not behind the eyes. Fine if you are slaughtering a hog in a chute, a straight down shot with a 22 is more than enough but shooting a moving hog head on is nearly impossible because its a small 3" moving target behind thick bone. Obvious choice of target between the eyes is the wrong choice but in the heat of the moment we revert to what seems to be logical.

Al Thompson · November 14, 2009, 02:23 PM

Colt made a 7.62x39 AR.

Had one, switched over to 5.56.

BB and OG have it exactly right for shooting hogs, IMHO. I've killed several with a 9mm and 124 gr JHPs. Works great for head shots.

Para Bellum · November 15, 2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

They are mammals, and not too different from humans.

Yep but the chest of a human is from the front is like a roe deer.
And the pigs we have (european sus scrofa) are much much tougher.
Would'nt wanna try a .45 ACP on them, if we are on the same ground level...

November 12, 2009, 06:29 PM	#1
Beretta686 Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 761	45ACP for pig? I've carried a Glock 21 in 45ACP as my back-up gun while pig hunting in South Texas, as we get some pretty mean SOBs. However, I've never actually shot a pig with it nor any other .45, as my 7.62x39 AR does the job rather nicely. However, I'm looking at getting a .45ACP carbine as a play toy & pig gun possibly with a suppressor (legal to hunt pig with in TX), hehehe . But as the .45 is a heavy but pretty slow moving round, I'm curious about how effective it is on piggies, compared to a .357 or .44 mag? Anyone have insight? __________________ "Our contract called for 16 cases of rifles and ammunition for $10,000 dollars, not a machine gun...........That is our present to the General"-Pike Bishop “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”

November 12, 2009, 06:36 PM	#2
omega Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2009 Location: homeless Posts: 140	Slide your Glock receiver into this http://www.mechtechsys.com/ and find out. These nifty little things actually increase the muzzle velocity enough to make the .45 a formidable round - as if it isn't wicked enough already. Enjoy. __________________ end up with the right regrets Last edited by omega; November 12, 2009 at 06:48 PM.

November 12, 2009, 08:31 PM	#6
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	Maybe he meant... ... a 7.62x51 AR, or a 7.62x39 AK? I've never seen a 7.62x39 AR; I have seen (and committed) many a typo. Just did a Google search, though, and Del-Ton sells 7.62x39 AR uppers. If one company does, others probably do, so maybe he did mean 7.62x39 AR.

November 13, 2009, 11:56 AM	#9
Buzzard Bait Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 502	Bring a change of underwear I followed a very large wounded south texas monster hog into the brush with a 45 auto thinking I would find a dead or near dead hog. I found a very alive very dissatisfied hog that was cornered agaist a brush pile. shot # 1 to the head at about 20 yards must have only hit bone (the brain is high and to the rear of the skull) shot #4 was at about 10 feet it must of found his brain because it instantly fliped his off switch. The thing was so heavy that two men working together could not drag him (he was heavier by 6 bullets). In total he took a shoulder shot from a 243 at maybe 100 yards a going away shot that raked his back with a 243 then 4 head shoots from a 45 acp with fmjs. Made me think of the scene in jaws where the guy backed into the cabin of the boat and said we need a bigger boat. So the name buzzard Bait Last edited by Buzzard Bait; November 13, 2009 at 12:08 PM. Reason: spelling skill of a child

November 13, 2009, 01:54 PM	#10
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,424	ACPeoples Cartidge designed, bullets designed for peoples. Now a 45LC with 275LFN at 1100 is proper poison.

November 12, 2009, 07:14 PM	#3
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	.45ACP=better than nuttin! Me? I keep my buck 110 handy and the climber trees closer! If I am armed with a long gun, No pistol in the world would trump the long gun... Not enuff "take a nap" in any of them for me... Brent

November 12, 2009, 08:00 PM	#4
simonkenton Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 891	I have killed two hogs with the .45 acp. I was using military hardball ammo. The first one, my buddy had wounded the hog and I went in, in the dark, to finish him off. Two in the lungs, dead pig. The second hog I was hunting with that pistol. It was pretty cool, walking through the swamps with my hands free, just that pistol in a holster. I saw a 140 pound boar. I got up within 30 yard and fired for a lung shot. I hit high. The bullet got the top of the lungs, and clipped the spine. The pig was down, his hind legs wouldn't work. He was spinning around, snorting. I ran right up and shot him twice in the lungs, lights out.

November 12, 2009, 08:26 PM	#5
357MagFan Junior member Join Date: December 28, 2004 Posts: 205	There is a 7.62x39 AR ? What the hell.

November 13, 2009, 11:21 AM	#8
2damnold4this Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2009 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 2,526	I've killed one 170 lb sow with a .45 ACP. Two shots to the thorax and one to the head that probably wasn't needed just for good measure.

November 13, 2009, 02:33 PM	#11
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	peoples in mammals. pigs is mammals.

November 13, 2009, 03:07 PM	#12
Para Bellum Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2005 Location: right there Posts: 1,882	Stunning. I'd consider a .45 rather weak with regards to pigs an sectional density... FMJ ammo maybe, but still .... stunning. __________________ Si vis pacem - para bellum If you want peace - prepare for war

November 13, 2009, 03:08 PM	#13
simonkenton Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 891	They are mammals, and not too different from humans.

November 14, 2009, 12:11 AM	#15
Willie Lowman Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Uh-Hi-O Posts: 3,006	No magic caliber. No magic bullet. Some are better than others for a particular task. That said, 10mm would probably be better. Nothing wrong with .45 as long as it is back up to a good long arm. Like Hogdogs said, "They have more go to sleep in them" __________________ "9mm has a very long history of being a pointy little bullet moving quickly" --Sevens

November 14, 2009, 09:27 AM	#16
Buzzard Bait Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 502	it's not the caliber There is nothing wrong with the 45 acp for killing hogs, it's all about shot placement. I had a lot to learn about pig anatamy. Their organs are not in the same place as a deer. Head shooting a large hog gives you a large target that is mostly bone, you can poke a lot of holes in it without hitting anything vital. The brain is a small part of that target which you can hit but you neeed to know where to aim. I aimed between the eyes which put my shots below the brain at that angle. Once you learn how a pig is put together they are not hard to kill. Buzzard Bait

November 14, 2009, 01:12 PM	#17
Old Grump Member in memoriam Join Date: April 9, 2009 Location: Blue River Wisconsin, in Posts: 3,144	45 carbine is fine, especially if you use XTP bullets, +P if you can find them. For those who haven't hunted hogs their organs are further front than you would expect as shown in link. Nice diagram in this link: http://www.hunting-in-texas.com/learnhogs.htm#anatomy As many have discovered head shot is a hard shot, brain is small and above eyes not behind the eyes. Fine if you are slaughtering a hog in a chute, a straight down shot with a 22 is more than enough but shooting a moving hog head on is nearly impossible because its a small 3" moving target behind thick bone. Obvious choice of target between the eyes is the wrong choice but in the heat of the moment we revert to what seems to be logical. __________________ Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern will, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. --Daniel Webster--

November 14, 2009, 02:23 PM	#18
Al Thompson Staff Alumnus Join Date: May 2, 1999 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,611	Colt made a 7.62x39 AR. Had one, switched over to 5.56. BB and OG have it exactly right for shooting hogs, IMHO. I've killed several with a 9mm and 124 gr JHPs. Works great for head shots. __________________ http://www.scfirearms.org/