What Cartridge-Rifle do you prefer for Hog hunting?

[snake284-1]

I have shot hogs with at least 5 different rifles-cartridges. I really was impressed with the way my .270 killed a big boar during deer season at right at 300 yards. I was even more impressed how my 30-06 killed one back in May. The bullet went in the back above the tail and went all the way through the lungs. Of course, I was shooting 200 grain Sierras when that happened. But still. It did a fantastic job. So I was thinking about which rifles and cartridges I have used to kill hogs. Here is what I can remember:

.270 Winchester
.280 Remington
8x57 Mauser
30-06 Springfield
.250 Savage
.308 Winchester

I have not always been so lucky because I have shot some hogs, heard them squeel and knew the way they reacted that they were hit, but had them run off and never found them. That happens to us all on occasion. We don't quite hit where we want or the hog is exceedingly tough. I don't know all the reasons-excuses, but it's happened to me a couple of times. How about y'all? What is your favorite Hog gun and bullet-load and have you had any get away to root another day?

[Zee]

I've used:

Knife
Bow
Tire Iron
Truck
.223
.22-250
.260
.308
.30-06
.35 Remington
.35 Whelen
.38 Spl (finished off with a log because 3 rounds didn't work)
.44 Mag
.45-70
.45 ACP
They all worked well and haven't lost one yet.

[cpj]

Rope.
Of course I didn't kill it, but still.

[snake284-1]

Rope.
Of course I didn't kill it, but still.

My youngest son prefers the knife. Of course he's also been known to jump out of perfectly good air planes that weren't even on fire. So you see what I'm dealing with.

[jaywapti]

When i'm going just for hogs, .358 win. 51gr IMR 4895, Fed 210M primer, WW cases, 225 Sierra SBT. Others are'
25-06
30-30
30-06
30-338 mag
41 mag
44 mag

JAY

[Ernie Bishop]

Not killed many, but each I shot at has died fairly quickly:
454 Casull
284 Winchester
7.82 Patriot

[knitepoet]

Only been "hog hunting" on one occasion, and I was carrying my 6.5 Grendel. Due to the ranges involved (~200) I wasn't comfortable with the 50 Beowulf. If the range will be under 150 yards, the 'wulf is my "go to"

[bullsi1911]

The last couple of times I went, I used the AR-10 in .308.

I would have no problem using the .454, or 7.62x39.

[orchidman]

.222
7mm08.

All were recovered.

[BigDanS]

7.62x39
30-06

[snake284-1]

I have to admit, judging by performance on the animals, the 30-06 gets my nod as favorite. Will I ever use anything else? Heck yeah. In fact, the 8x57 did a mighty impressive job along with the .270. I actually believe with hogs it's 90% Shot placement, like most other things. However I have to admit that the 30-06 really impressed me more than any of them seeing that it penetrated the body length wise from butt to brisket. Yeah it was a Texas Heart Shot, but it's all I had and also the landowner doesn't care how pretty the shot is, as long as the hog is down.

[bisley]

All I have to offer is that .223 and .45 ACP require very good shot placement. Normally, I won't take a shot unless I'm sure I can place it where I want it, but the consensus is (in Texas) that if you don't have that shot, you should take the best one you can get, because feral hogs are regarded as vermin. I'm OK with that, but I won't be using a marginal chambering for hogs, again, unless it's just another 'fluke.'

My 7mm-08 AR should do the trick, but I haven't proved that, yet.

[orchidman]

My 7mm-08 AR should do the trick, but I haven't proved that, yet.

140Gr sierra over 44.5 gr of varget in my Tikka is a great hog killer. I have worked up another load using the 120gr sierra and , coincidentally, the same amount of varget is the most accurate.....havent killed any hogs with it yet but I think it will do the trick.

Btw, did I tell you that you suck for having an AR in 7mm08?????????

[bisley]

140Gr sierra over 44.5 gr of varget in my Tikka is a great hog killer. I have worked up another load using the 120gr sierra and , coincidentally, the same amount of varget is the most accurate.....havent killed any hogs with it yet but I think it will do the trick.

Btw, did I tell you that you suck for having an AR in 7mm08?????????

That's good info. I presently have a hundred rounds of 139 gr. Hornady SSTs loaded up with 43.5 grains of Varget. They consistently group under MOA, and I'm gonna practice with them and get used to the trigger, before trying to squeeze it down to maybe even smaller groups. I also have some loads to check with necked down .308 cases. I've got about 500 of those Hornady bullets, counting the Midway 'blems' that are identical in appearance, weight and measurement, so I'm going to make them work, if I can. I may decide to get a Timney trigger, if I think the factory one is holding me down, and start bumping up the charge a bit. MOA is fine for hunting, but I have an itch to shoot small groups at 300 yards, while my eyesight is still up to it.

And, yes, you did tell me I sucked, but coming from a guy with a closet full of pre-'64 Model 70's, I knew you were just being polite. By the way, I was seriously considering the Tikka, on your recommendation, but the AR jumped out at me and I couldn't see anything else.

[snake284-1]

All I have to offer is that .223 and .45 ACP require very good shot placement. Normally, I won't take a shot unless I'm sure I can place it where I want it, but the consensus is (in Texas) that if you don't have that shot, you should take the best one you can get, because feral hogs are regarded as vermin. I'm OK with that, but I won't be using a marginal chambering for hogs, again, unless it's just another 'fluke.'

My 7mm-08 AR should do the trick, but I haven't proved that, yet.

I believe the 7-08 (Even though it's a .270 Wanna be-) is more than enough hog gun, especially in the case of an AR, with fast second shot possible.

Seriously and all jokes aside, I would love a 7mm-08 in an AR. Again, all jokes aside, a 7-08 doesn't give up much to a 270 or a .280 , and in an AR I think it would be a great hog gun. With a 139-140 grain bullet I think it'd be hell on hogs AND deer for that matter.

[WORLD T]

My S&W M&P 300 Whisper
Sako 270 WSM
Ruger 44 Mag revolver

[snake284-1]

My S&W M&P 300 Whisper
Sako 270 WSM
Ruger 44 Mag revolver

World T, not that I'm going to run out and buy one anytime soon, but a .270 WSM is much to my liking. It's more akin to a .270 WBY than the WIN. and in a lighter rifle. But I'd probably put a brake and a soft pad on one.

[Jeeper]

.44 carbine. Got two of 'em in different styles (Marlin 1894P, Ruger Deerslayer). Shooting either WWB 240 gr JSP, or Hornady 225 gr LeveREvolution ammo. Haven't lost anything yet. Admittedly, down here the range is RARELY ever more than 125 yds, and mostly well under 100.

Luis

[snake284]

.44 carbine. Got two of 'em in different styles (Marlin 1894P, Ruger Deerslayer). Shooting either WWB 240 gr JSP, or Hornady 225 gr LeveREvolution ammo. Haven't lost anything yet. Admittedly, down here the range is RARELY ever more than 125 yds, and mostly well under 100.

Luis

Those Ruger Semi Auto Carbines in 44 Mag. to me just scream out Hog Hunting. If you were to design a short range hog gun, the Ruger 44 mag carbine would probably be what you came up with or one close to it. It is the quintessential hog gun.

[snake284]

I'm really thinking about going out this afternoon. If I go, I'm thinking of taking my 7 mag. I loaded up some 150 grain Combined Technology Ballistic Silvertips last week and I have two five gallons of sour corn ready to take out and dump. That should bring em in.

[Jeeper]

Those Ruger Semi Auto Carbines in 44 Mag. to me just scream out Hog Hunting. If you were to design a short range hog gun, the Ruger 44 mag carbine would probably be what you came up with or one close to it. It is the quintessential hog gun.

Totally agree wth you. Fast follow up shots in a handy carbine that points like a dream and makes huge holes without damaging the meat too badly. I have had mine since '82 and it still works flawlessly. The only downside is that its just not all that accurate. :-( No matter what ammo I use it just won't do much better than ~3.5"-4"groups at 100 yds. Easily minute of hog or deer though.

Luis

[Jeeper]

I'm really thinking about going out this afternoon. If I go, I'm thinking of taking my 7 mag. I loaded up some 150 grain Combined Technology Ballistic Silvertips last week and I have two five gallons of sour corn ready to take out and dump. That should bring em in.

So did you ever get out? If so..... any luck?

Luis

[bisley]

Those Ruger Semi Auto Carbines in 44 Mag. to me just scream out Hog Hunting. If you were to design a short range hog gun, the Ruger 44 mag carbine would probably be what you came up with or one close to it. It is the quintessential hog gun.

I like the Ruger OK, but the two or three that I've actually seen in action were jam-o-matics, I suppose because of the rimmed cartridge. If I were picking the 'quintessential' hog rifle, it would be the AR-10. A semi-automatic .308 is a superior killer to the .44 magnum, and is capable of precision shooting at short or long range, plus, it rarely jams. My recent purchase of an AR-10 in 7mm-08 is my compromise between it and the AR-15, because it is soft recoiling and still packs most of the punch of a .308. I'm sure I could have accomplished the same thing by loading a .308 with a lighter bullet, but in my feeble mind, 7mm-08 has more potential for the kind of shooting I want to do.

[snake284]

I like the Ruger OK, but the two or three that I've actually seen in action were jam-o-matics, I suppose because of the rimmed cartridge. If I were picking the 'quintessential' hog rifle, it would be the AR-10. A semi-automatic .308 is a superior killer to the .44 magnum, and is capable of precision shooting at short or long range, plus, it rarely jams. My recent purchase of an AR-10 in 7mm-08 is my compromise between it and the AR-15, because it is soft recoiling and still packs most of the punch of a .308. I'm sure I could have accomplished the same thing by loading a .308 with a lighter bullet, but in my feeble mind, 7mm-08 has more potential for the kind of shooting I want to do.

Unfortunately many Semis can be jamamaticts. But they aren't all that way. The first Ruger like that i ever saw was not a Jammer. It seemed to shoot, load, and eject flawlessly. And that's why I said short range, is because a 44 mag at inside 50 yards will kill a hog as well as anything. But there's no flies in an AR-10s soup either and a 7mm-08 will dispatch a hog as well as any will and at a bit longer range. I don't know if you've tried em in yours yet but try some Combined Technology 7mm 140 grain Ballistic Silvertips. I am here to tell you they work on hogs very well.

[Jeeper]

Snake, at carbine velocities (1750+ fps muzzle velocity) the .44 is a SOLID 100-125 yd performer. But the real advantage is that you can eat the meat just about right up to the bullet hole.

Luis

[snake284]

Snake, at carbine velocities (1750+ fps muzzle velocity) the .44 is a SOLID 100-125 yd performer. But the real advantage is that you can eat the meat just about right up to the bullet hole.

Luis

I hear ya on that. Nothing beats a big bullet at the lower end of the velocity spectrum for killing without making the animal look like an 18 wheeler tire that blew out at 80 MPH.

[timc]

Man over the years I've shot pigs with pretty much everything I own including BP. By far my favorite is the tried and true .308 and out of the ones I own I would say the DPMS LR308.

[Diver43]

I have only shot two. One was from up close and personal with a .357 mag behind the ear and the other was with a 30-06.

[Adrian]

I just got back from my first ever hog hunt in TX. I used a .308 Winchester loaded with 165gr Sierra Game Kings and it worked perfectly on a 180lb boar.

[5280 shooter II]

I use VISA, the ultimate plastic fantastic tool.