7mm mag and hogs

[mackillan]

Is a 7mm mag (rem or wby) too big for a hog? Would 120 grain be light enough?

[armedtotheteeth]

Well, I use a 300 Win Mag at times for the far out hoggs here in Tx. I have no Idea how big your hogs are up there just south of Santas place, but, the 7mm should work just find. Expect lots of meat damage, depending on shot placement. I shoot for the head myself, No meat damage and no chasing hogs. Sometimes even a good "boiler room " shot on a hog will allow it to run a couple of hundred yards. Someplaces like here, that means you will not find it untill the buzzards do.

[mackillan]

Hogs are not native to here but have gotten loose and bred like crazy. Ive pared down all my rifles to 2 .204s, 3 Sako 7mm rem mags, 1 7mm wby mag and 2 Shiloh sharps 45/70s, one 45/65 and one 45/110. I wish that I had kept the 257 wby.

[armedtotheteeth]

i would think the 45-70 would be ideal!! Since semi auto is a no no up there.

[simonkenton]

Go with the lung shot with the 7 mag, you will bowl 'em over, and not have too bad meat damage, just lose some ribs.
I would go with a bigger bullet than the 120 grain.

[Daryl]

JThe 7mm mag will work fine on hogs, with likely less meat damage than a smaller cartridge, if you use the right bullet.

Use a well constructed bullet that isn't likely to fragment. I'm partial to most bullets Speer makes, especially the BTSP and Grand Slams. I use 145 grain for everything, from coues deer to buffalo with no trouble at all.

Daryl

[Doyle]

Don't use too light a bullet. Big hogs have a "shield" of gristle over their vitals that is as tough as armor. A bullet that is designed to fragment (like for varments) will not do well against a big hog's shield. Pick a decent bullet and the 7mm mag will be an excellent choice.

[adobewalls]

About 10 years ago I hit a 300+ pounder (looked like a black volkswagon motoring through the woods) just behind the shoulder at about 80 yards using a 7mm mag and 160 Sierra Game Kings. The bullet traversed the torso and cracked 4 ribs on the off side, but did not exit. The hog still managed to go about 200 yards, before falling over. I still remember being dumbfounded that the pig was not rolled when he was hit. I watched the pig rock up from the impact and one of the tushes glint as it cought the sunlight coming through the trees; but it immediately spun around and high-tailed it the other direction, irrespective of the fact I had just shredded his lungs.

Earlier this year my son and I went pig hunting, using 7mm Mags and we both killed pigs. His not quite 250# (at 400 yards) and mine not quite 300# (at 70 yards). Both he and I shot our pigs just behind and little lower than the ear. Both pigs dropped like they were struck by the hammer of Thor.

I recommend head shots - find the ear, aim a little behind and low, exhale, pull the trigger; go collect the bacon.

[armedtotheteeth]

Yup, Definetly head shot/ neck shots on hogs. Body shots have to be very good to drop them in their tracks. Besides, if you shoot them in the ribs, how are you going to boil their ribs in a pot of beer, and then barbq them??HMMMM? Them Wild piggie ribs is good eatin, provided their is not testicles attached to the same animal. :barf:

[simonkenton]

I have killed a dozen wild hogs.
None bigger than 150 pounds.
I found them easier to kill than a deer.
Seven of these pigs I killed with a muzzleloader, with a .50 round ball.
In each case, hit right behind the shoulder, for a pass through lung shot.
None of the hogs made more than 50 yards.

[armedtotheteeth]

I have killed perhaps 100 or so in the last 3 years. I have shot them in the neck with a 300 win mag and had them run off. I have also shot them in the ass and had them dead right there. Just depends on what you hit. My go to gun for hogs now is a Ar15 . in 223.

[texfar]

The 7mm Mag, old rem 77 was my go to gun for years for everything and was never disappointed and have never lost a pig with it. My load was with 140 gr Nosler Partition. See if I can find a pic somewhere.
Ken