Best Handgun Caliber as a Sidearm for Hogs?

.40 s&w... is that enough?

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with the right bullet selection it should be. it's a good minimum. i'f your looking for a dedicated hunting sidearm, the 357 mag opens up alot of bullet and gun options. if your set on an auto pistol, 357 sig, 10mm, and 45 acp would be good choices. with any of these bullet selection is critical. feral hogs are tough, crazy little critters. your gonna want a tough bullet, something that will expand, but not come apart. first choice would be a barnes x, a jsp, maybe efmj.

If you are going to go .40, I would say you should probably go for a longer barrel, and a heavy, deep penetrator loaded about as hot as .40 can go, like maybe the Hornady 200 grain XTP, or Buffalo Bore or Double Tap loadings of either that or a FMJ or hard cast bullet.

10mm would probably be about the best you could do for it, other than a .357 or .44 revolver, again with a 200 grain bullet, one of those two companies also sells a 230 grain hard cast 10mm load which would be great.



I don't know about hunting hogs, but that's what I would go with for an autopistol.

I would go with a 357 mag Lots of different loads to be found A single action Ruger be my choice accurate and reliable

From a tree blind or in a vehicle, .357 would be fine. If I am on the ground face to face with a big boar, I want the biggest thing I can tote. .45 Long Colt with a 300 gr solids comes to mind.

From the side or rear, it doesn't take much to put a hog down. From the front, there is a lot of gristle and bone to defeat to hit a vital spot.

Hello friends and neighbors // I carry a 6" 357( did not notice this was autoloader my bad)

I think it is a good idea to carry a handgun that is legal to hunt with to avoid problems with DNR.
My choice: S&W 586 6" 357 ///It is a great woods handgun and with the longer barrel gives the best (IMHO) power and accuracy.
You also have the versatility of 357/38 in a wide variety of loads.

Nowadays you would have to get the S&W686 or Ruger GP100 or other. I checked out an 8 shot Taurus 608 with ventilated rib in 357 recently. Very light compared to my 586 but a nice revolve non the less.
good luck finding what works for you.

I carried a .357 mag revolver until I got a Glock 29 in 10mm. I would feel comfortable with a 180 +p .40 S&W load but prefer a 10mm. A good .357 mag revolver makes a great wood gun, I suggest a Ruger GP100, I have a 3" fixed sight one that is pretty cool. I also have a S&W 327 trr8 from the performance center. It has a 5" barrel and hold 8 rounds.

I'd go 10mm, .45 ACP with +P, or .45 super. That being said, there are a whole lot more options for wheel guns.

Jason

I'd agree with the .40 being a minimum. I'm comfortable with the .357 in this role, with the size and temperament of the hogs that we have here in Oklahoma.

I've carried a .40 and a .44 while hog hunting/tracking, but never had to shoot on with it. I always felt ok with the .40 but I had a buddy totin' a 12 ga. right beside me so it wasn't like I was alone. These day's I'd probably carry my .45 with FMJ/HP's alternated in the mag, just because.

I know this is the autoloading handgun forum but for the question you asked, the 44 Magnum is taylor made for your requirements. It also happens to be the ultimate reloaders caliber.

I've killed hogs with 180 FMJ .40 S&W loads, range being between 15-20 yards max.

Depends how big of a hog. If it's like one of these semi-mythological 1000 lb Hogzillas, I might like something larger than .40.

In all reality though, I always liked the idea of a revolver for protection from dangerous game because I feel more confident you could fire off all your shots in a mauling-type situation, God forbid. If you've got an animal on top of you, and you're shooting and your slide hangs up on fur, clothing, flailing limbs, etc, fat chance you're gonna be able to reach over and clear the weapon. Perhaps it's not a realistic concern, but I've always though it was valid consideration.

I would vote for the 10mm as well. Those 230gr hardcast rounds from DT penetrate like you wouldn't believe. Top end to top end the 10mm is a more powerful round than the 357 mag. You can also run 30rg heavier bullets in it... there is no reason to use a 357 instead of a 10mm.

If you're going with the wheelgun approach however, 41 and up will do better than the 10mm. You can get to mid-range 41 mag ballistics with the 10mm, and duplicate some of the off the shelf stuff 44 mag as well if you're using lighter bullet weights. If you're handloading (or buying DT or Buffalo Bore, etc) the upper end 41 and mid range and up 44 mag will do better. I've found that my G20 with a 6" match grade pipe (Jarvis) will penetrate nearly what my 44 mag will... 230gr vs 320gr. The 44 mag wins with about double the wound channel though... a lot of it is what you shoot best.

For this application, you would do well to use the caliber with the largest cross-section, a heavy bullet, and the most powerful loading that you, yourself, can shoot ACCURATELY and QUICKLY on follow-up shots.

Is this a trick question?

My vote is for a 44 magnum, in this scenario, bigger IS better. If a revolver is out of the question, then my vote goes to the 10mm.

I have killed probably 15 wild pigs with a traditional bow. Never felt a need to have gun with me before the shot, but crawling on your hands and knees through thick brush following a wounded hog at night will cause you to pucker a bit.

Not sure there are any handguns that fit the bill for the situation I am faced with, but I stoke my Python with a max load behind 158 grain hard cast bullet. Gives me piece of mind if nothing else.

My vote is for a 44 magnum, in this scenario, bigger IS better. If a revolver is out of the question, then my vote goes to the 10mm.

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+1 - good advice.

No right or wrong answer, but to my way of thinking, a 4" revolver in .45 colt is the perfect pig/ black bear / cougar / rogue hillbilly woods sidearm. Also good for shooting your deer when directly under your stand and you cannot position your rifle. Keep 2 or 3 chambers with bird shot in case you encounter a snake or chattering squirrel. You can substitute .44 mag if you like. It's *almost* as good.

Top end to top end the 10mm is a more powerful round than the 357 mag.

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Not this one again... :banghead:
It's more powerful in that you have 15 or 16 of them on tap, but ballistically they're more or less tied--and that's quite the endorsement for the 10mm.

Kingofthehill said:

10mm

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What he said

Think of it this way. Handguns are insufficient protection from human predators weighing about 200 lbs. We only carry them because rifles aren't practical to carry around everywhere.

There are hogs and there are hogs. How big are the big ones in your area? Running wild, with unlimited feed, they can easily exceed 200 lbs. And are at LEAST as dangerous as a charging human. If it were a human, I would want something bigger than regular defensive ammo. If it HAS to be a handgun, I'm thinking heavy revolver.

As it happens, I am in the process of getting a 10mm as a woods/hunting backup gun.

.44 magnum just to be sure.