.357 Magnum for Feral Hogs

[El General]

After scouting a location for bow hunting with a friend (he bow hunts I don't) and seeing about 50 pigs, I got the idea it might be fun to take some with a pistol. Shots will be under 50 yards.

I have an unfired Colt Python Elite in .357 with a 6" barrel (I think). It was gift from my father and Colt closed down soon after he gave it to me, so I planned on keeping it unfired to see if it would appreciate. Now I think I will trot it out.

I have never hunted with a pistol. Can you recommend some factory loads in .357 for hogs? Are there any other issues I need to anticipate?

 

[0007]

Hornady used to make a nice 180gr bullet that will do the job on most hogs.

 

[ArmedBear]

http://www.buffalobore.com

They still do make some uploaded .357s. Should work well.

That said, an unfired Python might be worth too much to use it, unless you really want to. There are other guns that will hit a pig just as well; sometimes using a gun once can drop the value quite a bit, enough even to pay for a 686+ you won't feel bad about using in the field a lot. I'd look into that first.

 

[Clipper]

I'd save the Colt, and buy a blackhawk...It's much stronger and will shoot the hottest loads happily for years and years. I guarantee that the Python can't do that without regular trips to the gunsmith. They were not made to stand up to a steady diet of full-boogie magnum loads. And you won't cry (as much) when you drop your blackhawk in the creek or on the rocks...

 

[critter]

I have successfully used (in a Ruger GP100-4") Hornady xtp's in 180 grain on hogs. Worked well indeed. Get close enough and practice enough that you can place your shots well. Handgun hunting is addicting! Have fun!

 

[MCgunner]

Pick on the 200 lbs and down pigs and the .357 will be fine. Oh, it'll stop a big'n, but I don't like shooting big hogs anyway, nasty. I shoot for meat, leave the big ones for the "trophy" hunters. I have a problem getting my mind around the concept of a "trophy" feral animal, anyway, LOL.

I shoot a .357 Blackhawk, pushing a 180 Hornady to about 1400 fps. That should work on most pigs I'll ever wanna shoot.

 

[stevereno1]

I know that many will not believe me, but I shot a 200lb. boar with a g-27, using remington golden sabres. He was trying to get into the meadow, which is barb wired, and our bull "big boy" was hunching at him every time the boar tried to get past the wire. I snuck up on him, and whistled. He turned and looked at me, then kind of walked in a circle as I also circled while facing him. I already had my pistol up, and when I got a clear shot, I shot him behind the shoulder. He jumped away from me, then jumed back towards me and I shot him again straight in the nose, and he dropped, thrashed for a miniute, and stopped moving. I circled behind him, and put a finishing shot to the back of the head. Nobody would believe me if my Wife had not been on the porch, watching the whole thing. The moral of the story is, if a .40 s&w from a short barreled glock can kill one, a 6" 357 can definately do it!

 

[planetmobius]

I say use the Colt. If it sits in the safe unfired its not really a gun at all but a savings bond. The python is an excellent hunting implement. I have one in 6" and have fired several thousand full house loads out of it and the timing remains good and the lockup tight. It is true that due to the way the lockwork is designed, it will eventually need attention, but you are talking thousands of rounds into the future and it can be retuned. The Blackhawk is also first class and would also be a good choice. But I prefer the Colt. If you already own such a refined weapon, you will enjoy using it for what it was intended to do.

 

[possom813]

I hog hunt a lot. At least 3 days a week I'm on the my inlaws land running traps and hog hunting. If it's any consolation, I'm usually carrying a Gp100 on the waist loaded with, I believe, 164 grain hp's. Winchester rounds from Walmart.

I haven't actually hunted with the .357, usually the 30-30 does the hunting, but we do use either the .357 or my buddies .45 on the trapped hogs.

-John

 

[skinewmexico]

I've got no use for a gun you can't shoot. Light 'em up.

 

[El General]

Pick on the 200 lbs and down pigs and the .357 will be fine. Oh, it'll stop a big'n, but I don't like shooting big hogs anyway, nasty. I shoot for meat, leave the big ones for the "trophy" hunters. I have a problem getting my mind around the concept of a "trophy" feral animal, anyway, LOL.

I shoot a .357 Blackhawk, pushing a 180 Hornady to about 1400 fps. That should work on most pigs I'll ever wanna shoot.

MCGunner,

I agree. I won't shoot anything over 200 for sure. The little ones tast the best!

 

[amprecon]

We killed a 90lb wild pig in northern central CA, I used a 4" .357 GP100. Shots were taken from 70 yards on in and was using 125gr. fmjswc UMC's. The 70 yd shots that hit went through both hamhocks not hitting any bone, then through the mid section and I mean straight through at 65-70 yds. The next to final shot was at about 6yds, hit the shoulder bone then ricocheted, travelling down atop the ribcage riding just under that thick skin running parallel with the spine and stopping about where the ribcage ended.
The final shot and last round I had was in the ear at about 3yds. It was an exciting moment, a "mad minute" as I like to remember it.
I garnered a new-found respect for that gun and caliber after that incident not to mention that my ears had an annoying ring in them for a couple days after that. Here's a pic:

 

[slow944]

Dude an unfired Colt Python Elite could be worth $1500.00 or more. I'd go to a gun store and buy a used Ruger or S&W or anything and save the Colt. I've got a Colt Python 6" Blued and I only take it out and oil it down every now and then. Going to pass it down to my son.

 

[ArmedBear]

Dude an unfired Colt Python Elite could be worth $1500.00 or more. I'd go to a gun store and buy a used Ruger or S&W or anything and save the Colt.

$1500 will buy a brand new Smith 686+ AND a brand new Ruger GP100 (both stainless steel so they're better knockaround field guns, both accurate, both very durable), AND high-end leather holsters for both guns, AND some top-quality hunting ammo.

Just to put things into perspective...

 

[El General]

$1500 will buy a brand new Smith 686+ AND a brand new Ruger GP100 (both stainless steel so they're better knockaround field guns, both accurate, both very durable), AND high-end leather holsters for both guns, AND some top-quality hunting ammo.

Just to put things into perspective...

I know, but the colt is a gift from my father, so I doubt I will ever sell it.

 

[ForneyRider]

We live trapped a feral hog(~200lbs) this weekend in Jacksonville.

We used my .41 Mag Ruger Blackhawk to kill it. It fell immediately over and did the shakes for a few minutes. Most of the blood came out of the headshot. We then poked it in the heart, but it didn't bleed much from there.

210gr Nosler JHP with 22gr of H110.

It's all about shot placement.

I have a 4x scope on my Ruger and am hoping to be able to hit Deer/Hog/Varmint up to 75 yards. I need a lot more practice.