Which semi auto is best combo for plinking/hogs

A lot of these replies are a little humorous in my opinion. The criteria was a caliber that provides for cheap plinking and okay for hogs. The only caliber that fits those two criteria is the 7.62x39. Hogs have thick skulls and I highly doubt the effectiveness of a light bullet against them. Okay, so you go for a chest shot with your .223? Fine in theory but if it's running at you, a chest shot isn't quite an option. The only other gun that *might* fit these criteria is a Saiga in .308, ONLY because you can feed it the cheap Russian stuff (Tulammo, Brown bear, Silver bear, Wolf, anything with a berden primer.)

Final options:
>AR-15 in 7.62x39
>SKS
>Saiga in 7.62x39 or if you want to spend a tad more, .308
> AK clones in 7.62x39

Hrrm. Aside from Dragunov or similar, are there any 7.62x54r semi autos? Though mosin are cheap enough that you could buy 6 and make a faux gatling for the same price as a dragunov.

Of the final 4, I love plinking with my s.308. I keep asking the Texans who come up here to bring up some feral hogs, but they never do. . .

Mini 14
or
Marlin 1894 44 mag or 45 colt. Either of these guns can be backed up very effectively with a Ruger Blackhawk and a Ruger Single Six for cheap fun.

AR-15s in 7.62x39 suck due to feeding issues caused by the shape of the magwell. I would avoid them.

The SKS fits your needs perfectly.

AR-15s in 7.62x39 suck due to feeding issues caused by the shape of the magwell. I would avoid them.

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When I first got my Model one upper in 7.62x39 I used Armalite mags because I had several. 10 rounders and 30 round mags. Then I got a few other mags from Centerfiresystems; looked just like the Armalite only less expensive. I have never had a feeding issue with dirty Tula 154gr soft point, Yugo fmj, or Wolf HP . In truth I have not had the upper for years of use but at this point and time I have not seen any problems. I have had 2 primer strikes where the round did not fire on the Tula soft point but just reloaded and boom. The primer had a good detent but guess not good enough?

God, if I had to hunt with an AK or SKS, I just wouldn't.

A good levergun in .357, .44Mag, .45Colt or any of the .30-30 class cartridges will do everything that needs doing. Plenty of cheap, used lightweight .30-30's on the market and they easily outhandle the cumbersome SKS. The imagined advantage of quick followup shots is negated with practice. Which should be done with anything.

I've gotta interject here for a second. in the past year I've have taken hogs with an ak 47, using tula 124gr. softpoints, mosin nagant using surplus ammo, 12 gauge with a winchester supreme slug, my ruger gp100 using 158 gr. xtp and using buffalo bore 180gr. hardcast. all at one point or another has gotten me some bacon in the last year. that said I've seen em' taken with a 1911 in .45 by my dad, keltec sub 2000 in .40 from my brother and .22 marlin 60 from my kid brother took him 12 shots using stingers. Honestly anything will kill em' u just gotta him em', I always bring enough gun because I've seen what happens if them tusk get you. But use whatever you got, I'd say an sks, theres a bagillion of em' out there so if you break it you can always get another one and there cheap and shoot cheap ammo, plus if the hog gets close whip out the bayonet and stick em'!

Mini30.

NOrinco SKS !

When I first got my Model one upper in 7.62x39 I used Armalite mags because I had several. 10 rounders and 30 round mags. Then I got a few other mags from Centerfiresystems; looked just like the Armalite only less expensive. I have never had a feeding issue with dirty Tula 154gr soft point, Yugao fmj, or Wolf HP . In truth I have not had the upper for years of use but at this point and time I have not seen any problems. I have had 2 primer strikes where the round did not fire on the Tula soft point but just reloaded and boom. The primer had a good detent but guess not good enough?

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In the interest of full disclosure I have never owned one, but if you look at any 7.62x39mm magazine for other weapons that use the round they are always very banana shaped in order to stack the rounds properly (ak, sig, and xcr). The ar magwell is perfectly straight so mags that shape aren't an option which is unfortunate because I would love to have one. When you think about it, a new 7.62 upper runs about the same as a new ak so again, i really don't see the point.

Yes I had heard all the horror stories and how the mags and the 7.62x39 was in itself problematic with an AR upper...that is why it took me so long to purchase one. I certainly can not speak for anyone else only my own experience and with mine.

Next time I go shoot it maybe it will fall apart or blow up but to date I am on the side of wishing I had gotten one a while back; with the Eotech it is very accurate for me and my purposes. I like my SKSs and AK and use them but I also like the AR I have in that caliber. My problem is I like all my weapons but to me they are very mission specific; everyone seems to always want one that does everything.....me to but I have not found it....but have found some that fit into what I want them to do on a given day. If the stuff ever hits the fan someone would probably find my body standing in front of the safe where I died trying to figure out what to take to the dance!

The most obvious answer to your semi-auto hog killer question is a AR 15, 223, platform, but for the cost of a good AR you could buy a excellent bolt action with a good scope (I have a Thompson Center Venture 30-06 with a Nikon Monarch 9.3X50 Scope bought for less than $900.00 at Basspro, and my wife has a Sako 243, with the same scope, also bought a B.P for about the same price) and a nice 9mm or 40 cal. S & W M & P, or Springfield XDM pistol for plinking. That way you get two for the price of one.

A Remington Model 8 or 81 in .35 Rem -- the very first successful semi-auto rifle (1907), a wonderful piece of design and engineering, and a round that just hammers hogs. None of your friends will have one.

If you want to save money, get an SKS and a put Tapco 20 round magazines in it. It'll kill hogs and be an enjoyable shoot for years to come, and even with ten Tapco 20 round magazines a good one will run you under $600. An AK would be the next step up, then an AR. Skip the Mini-14/30 IMO, but some guys love them. For the price of a Mini you can get an AR-15 though, a Spikes Mid-length for $859 with a 30 round magazine. After buying a few mags, a $750 Mini-14 or Min-30 is way more expensive, not to mention more difficult and expensive to customize and modify. Generally an AR will have a better trigger too.

A Remington Model 8 or 81 in .35 Rem -- the very first successful semi-auto rifle (1907), a wonderful piece of design and engineering, and a round that just hammers hogs. None of your friends will have one.

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I agree, for both historical reasons, and the performance of a .35 Remington on hogs.

pretty much onboard with everyone else here.

sks, ak, ar15.

all are excellent pig getters

AR-15

AR-15 in 5.56 is all that's needed for hogs and enough accuracy to put it in the ear for quick humane shots.

I vote for the sks also. Just leave it as is. And put some ammo on stripper clips. fast to reload that way. My sks is also my deer rifle. So I may be a tad partial.

I'd say the belief that a 5.56 can't kill pigs effectively is bogus, YMMV. Any rifle capable of punching through 3/8" mild steel can terminate a hog, and just load it with some good steel-core ammo to punch into a hog skull. M193 is $.28/round, cheap for a plinker. Not to mention you can get a .22 LR conversion kit and shoot for far cheaper than an AK/SKS in 7.62.

I have or have had five ARs in 7.62x39 (Model 1 x2, ArmaLite, Bushmaster and AR Performance) and magazines are just not a problem anymore, and haven't been for a few years. The 30s are pretty big (as are AK 30s) so I mostly use 10 and 20 rounders.

A Yugo M59 SKS would be a good choice, all you have to do is put a peep sight on it. Mine's a 100-yd gun standing. What's not to love? SKS's get some bashing I think because so many folks have the lesser examples (and there's a lot of varience in quality). They go Russian, Yugo (M59, not M59/66), and Romanian for the big 3 I'd say.

I have or have had five ARs in 7.62x39 (Model 1 x2, ArmaLite, Bushmaster and AR Performance) and magazines are just not a problem anymore, and haven't been for a few years. The 30s are pretty big (as are AK 30s) so I mostly use 10 and 20 rounders.

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Golly gee I like a good love story with a happy ending. I only have the 10 round and 30 round mags ( which are big but not as heavy as the commie mags ) but as I said above no problems as of yet.

are there any 7.62x54r semi autos?

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Aside from the PSL which perhaps fits into your category of similar to a Dragunov there is the vepr.

st states don't let you hunt with a 30 round magazine anyway.

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Many places hogs are not game animals and thus such restrictions do not apply. Of course one would be wise to check their local regulations.

One can get low capacity mags for hunting and use standard one for plinking the OP's other stated purpose.

but if the point is hunting you need accuracy over firepower.

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An SKS or a decent AK has more than enough accuracy for hunting within the ethical ranges of the 7.62x39 round. Based on the range reports and targets I've seen folks post online I don't think a heavy barreled mini 30 is going to offer any real advantage either.