.357 for Hogs

[Archangel14]

Howdy:

A while back I sought opinion about handgun hunting for hogs with 41 and 44 mags. Decided against the investment in a new handgun and stuck with a rifle.

Now, I was speaking to a gentleman recently who claims that he drops medium sized "meat" hogs with handloaded .357 cartridges out of a 6 inch Ruger. He states that 158 grains hard cast have worked well, but that 180 grains is better, and that both easily dispatch 150-200 pound hogs up to 50 yards (assuming a properly placed shot).

Can anyone vouch for this claim? Any experience hunting medium hogs with a .357? Thanks!

 

[allaroundhunter]

I have actually shot 2 hogs with my grandfather's Ruger Blackhawk .357 that were DRTs. Each shot was placed right behind the ear. Shots were made at 35 and 27 yards, with the smallest pig being about 70 pounds biggest was 135 pounds. I would not have a problem with shooting a larger hog out to 50 yards, but I would not aim for behind the shoulder.... I don't even aim there with a rifle.

And just fwiw, I do not consider a 150-200 pound hog a "meat" hog. If I want good hog meat, a 50-75 pound pig tastes best; IMO of course.

Sent from my HTC One X

 

[Certaindeaf]

That'll whap a meat hog.

 

[blindhari]

I have never shot a hog with a .357 mag pistol, but a couple of times down in Texas I have folded them up with a Winchester Trapper, 16" barrel and 125 grain Buffalo Bores. If I did not still have a couple boxes left I would probaly buy a few boxes of 180 gr Buffalo Bore for the hunt. Actually I do not hunt that much anymore. I like to go as camp cook.

blindhari

 

[critter]

I've killed a few hogs with a Ruger GP100 4" and using handloaded 180 gr XTP's over a good load of Blue Dot. I was impressed with the 180 XTP's effectiveness.

 

[MCgunner]

My longest shot with my 6.5" blackhawk was 60 yards, DRT. He was about 150 lbs. I've taken 'em with a 165 cast gas checked Keith style SWC at 1470 fps. I cast that one from a Lee mold. I killed a little 80 lber head shot with a 140 grain JHP from my 3" Taurus 66, too, the carry I had on me that day. This was a head shot at about 13 yards, not really tough, and the pig was small.

But, yeah, the .357 works fine if you put the round where it counts. A heavy SWC will penetrate the shoulder just fine, not a problem, and mine have exited the other side. I own a very accurate Blackhawk in .45 Colt I've never shot game on the hoof with. Works fine on trapped hogs, but I've never hunted with the gun. I really kinda prefer .357 on hogs, tell ya the truth. It's enough gun, plenty enough, in my experience.

One thing, I don't shoot hogzillas, only seen a few. I like to pick on 200 lbs or less. I have no doubt i could knock a 350 lber down with the .357, but then, if I did that, it'd be from a 12 ft tripod stand.

 

[chas08]

I have used my 4" S&W numerous times over the years up to abot 25 yards and most under 5. The 158 gr Jacketed Soft Point is my favorite. It will put them down hard!

 

[BrainOnSigs]

I have whacked Florida feral hogs with a M627 PC 357 mag handgun with an Aimpoint red dot with no problem.

 

[Hollerpoint]

Ive got about 10 hogs under my belt with a S&W Model 27. 3.5" barrel and some 158gr soft point hand loads. Anything in the head or within 10" of the front shoulder any direction amounts to either a DRT or 20yard max trail. Fact.

 

[rcmodel]

If you can shoot a handgun, there is no possible reason they won't kill a hog clean as a whistle.

My old departed daddy killed butcher hogs with a .22 rifle every year.

A 6" revolver with a .357 hard-cast 160 - 180 SWC will shoot clear through one from most angles.

rc

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

.357 mag is the lightest caliber Blackhawk I carry, usually go with my .45 colt with 300 grain Buffalo Bore. there seems to be a myth about big hogs and behind the shoulder shots because of that plate they have, maybe familiarize yourself with their anatomy and see where the heart and lungs are. I am overrun with hogs on my cow pastures and my deer lease, got so many I kill a lot with my .17hmr with lung shots. that tiny 20 grain hunting point makes jello out of their innards. If a .357 is all you got, use it, if not I would go for a larger bullett.

 

[BBDartCA]

Here is a nice meat pig I show with a 6" Dan Wesson with 180g hard cast hand load. Dropped instantly at 20 yards or so (hit a base of the neck). If the distance is reasonable, should be fine. I have tremendous accuracy at 50 yards with 125g hollow points running at 1500 fps with this gun. I'm confident on anything but hogzilla, this would be fine.

 

[Texan Scott]

^ nice looking pig! hungry now....