Boar Hunting....8mm Mauser or Yugo SKS?

[orangeninja]

I appreciate it. I think I'm gonna scout out an M44 Mosin. That ought to do 'er.

 

[Al Thompson]

That suggestion for the K-31 is outstanding. I have a M44 that groups about 6 inches at 25 yards. Be careful and take a flashlight to look at the bore and crown.

 

[41 Mag]

Hogs -vs- Calibers

If it were me and wanted a firearm to which plinking and having fun with, as well as hunting hogs, were the intended goal I would look at the SKS's. And before I get jumped upon by all of the "experts" on hog hunting, yes I can back up what I am talking about with 10 years of hunting them with the SKS's as well as just about everything else I own.

The thing most folks see in the SKS is a cheaply produced rifle that shoots cheap bullets. WEll I cannot agree more. However those little soft point 123 - 125 gr bullets will definately do a number on a hog at 50 yds or less, as will some of the hollow pointed one's. I use mine several times a month while workon some friends property. I have 10 rounds and have shot it pleanty enough to know just where to hold the painted red sight to hit just where I want with the cheap ammo that I shoot. And yes, there are many times that the hogs will run when hit, just as they did when I hit them with the 7 mag, .270, 308, 25-06 and 30-06. Sometimes they are just tough, sometimes they will drop and you wonder why. I have seen them hit at over 200 yds with a REm. 17 and that was that, then others, be hit broadside at less than 25 yds through everything important, and run for over 200 yds.

That said the SKS is a fun low recoil gun. It can be sporterized to some extent with differetn stocks as well as aim point sights, and low powered scopes. The thing to remember is what you initiall have in the whole rig and expect the results of that. Heck if a long range whopper stopper get a 30-378 and load it up with some 200 gr Game Kings.

The end result is the pleasure of shooting and not the cost or hardship of looking for ammo. Some folks like to purchase it on the web some don't. Yes Midway sell's to the doorstep as well as a number of other places on the net. However, if it is more convieniant to get it at Wally World, or Bob's corner market go for it. I tried out several brands of ammo in mine and most all of it was crap for Bullseye shooting at 100 yds. However, I ain't seen the pig yet with the target painted on it's side.

LAter,

 

[St. Gunner]

Hogs... I've shot em, stabbed, arrowed them, drowned them, even killed one with a post once, i've taken them alive and tied them... In the last 17yrs i've placed a few semi-truckloads of them in the KIA column.

You can kill em with about anything most of the time... I shot one 80lb sow through both shoulders with a 405gr softpoint out of a 45/70 and watched her run about 75yds before dying. I launched a 300gr XTP into a 100lb sow at 2300fps out of the same gun and watched her run off like it never hurt. I liver shot one a month agothat weighed 150lbs dressed with an AR-15 and some 64gr PMC ammo and it dropped in 20yds. I piled 17 up in about 2 minutes one day on a sendero when the dogs pushed em to me all with an AK and 122gr Barnual HP ammo. Will the 7.62x39 work, yep... Is it my choice? Nope...

Hogs are tough critters, alot of times these "misses" folks claim are actually hits that didn't bleed and they saw no reaction from the shot. Hog shoulders don't shatter like deer shoulders do. You can wizz bullets right through em and they will just run off sometimes, other times they drop like you hit em with a 20mm canon.

As to charges, Lets just say the more a guide talks about people being charged the more hunts he books... Does it happen? Sometimes... Not very often... I've probably shot more of the things than most folks here because of opportunities i've had to hunt certain areas. 17yrs and in that time i've had two hogs I thought tried to get me and both of them where crippled, most try to get away, some may stand and grunt or huff, pop their teeth, but try to get you, not very often. So I say take that consideration out of the equation...

So you have a critter who will weigh anywhere from 5-400lbs, who has very thick hide, has vitals protected by that hide and bones, whose ability to not leave a good blood trail is unrivaled, but won't try to come and eat you very often, normally just runs away.

So if you are going out to shoot one hog(we shoot them in batches), then you need a rifle that delivers one shot that will not only hit the vitals but blow through and leave an exit. A 7.62x39 will not do it on hogs over 150lbs if you hit a shoulder. Oh and the vitals, they lay between the shoulders... Not behind them like part of a deers lungs do... I used to own a Turk and shot the S&B load and liked it on hogs.

Remember the lungs are small and mainly between the shoulders. The heart lays low in the chest(almost at the belly level) just about directly between the shoulders and right in line with the legs. I'll attach a hastily done paintshop pic to this for you.

 

[orangeninja]

Thanks guys....most educational.

 

[surfinUSA]

Either will work fine. The SKS has become a pretty popular deer/pig gun in the South. With soft points at 30-30 range (150 yards) or less it should be fine. The Mauser is also an excellent choice with european ammo. As someone else already stated US ammo is somewhat down loaded, but in either case it should work fine. Both of these guns were designed for FMJ ammo. Verify that yours will reliably feed your choice of hunting ammo to avoid a really nasty surprise.

Both of these guns are excellent field guns for down south swamp hunting. Both can be covered in swamp mud and work. Both will take the kind of accidental abuse that would make you cry if it happened to your pre 64 Winchester model 70.