Hog hunting

[AKElroy]

If it were me, I would use the AR if walking them up and the .308 if sitting a blind. Maybe my ethics are gtting a little cloudy, but I'm a little more willing to tolerate marginal shots/marginal calibers on pigs. I don't like to take shots on running deer; I have no issue swinging on running pigs. That's easier with an AR.

 

[popper]

Took an AR10 & 300BO week & 1/2 ago. Saw a bunch of deer, only one trapped pig. Let him lose and got him with a 40SW 165gr cast. Hit the right ham (south end of a northbound pig) and broke left front leg - they run pretty fast - but not armored tanks. Rushed the first two shots and got him on the third - maybe 20 -25 yds? 300 ft-# and went most of the way through, breaking a bone.

 

[Panfisher]

I would take both rifle on the trip but would hunt with the one I was most comfortable with. Personally I wouldnt worry a bit if I had either one. I would be a little more picky about the AR ammo. But I do like a good compact bolt action that comes naturally to the shoulder, just a preference. If you didn't like the feeling of the chosen rifle the first outing by all means take the other.

 

[AKElroy]

Took an AR10 & 300BO week & 1/2 ago. Saw a bunch of deer, only one trapped pig. Let him lose and got him with a 40SW 165gr cast. Hit the right ham (south end of a northbound pig) and broke left front leg - they run pretty fast - but not armored tanks. Rushed the first two shots and got him on the third - maybe 20 -25 yds? 300 ft-# and went most of the way through, breaking a bone.

They are easier to hit if you shoot them in the trap. (-:

 

[MCgunner]

They are easier to hit if you shoot them in the trap. (-:

Yup, can do that with a .22 pistol.

I caught a boar and five piglets once. I didn't wanna mess with the piglets, but wanted the boar. Wasn't gonna turn that bad boy loose, anyway, not good for your health if ya know what I mean. So, I shot papa. The piglets were going crazy when I let 'em out one by one they ran for the brush. I got to thinkin', would be kinda cool if someone were there with some buckshot and a shotgun, could play "pig trap". PULL!

 

[Double Naught Spy]

A bolt gun in 308 from a stand or tower blind. Longer range, more "punch". The ability to take 2 in one shot if they line up. Good for one shot. Probably not going to get the chance for a follow up on a second or third hog once you shoot due to recoil and lost sight picture.

AR in .223/5.56 for hunting timber or more dense areas. Shorter range. Plenty of "punch" for those distances. Faster follow up shots should you need one (hopefully not). And no loss of sight picture due to less recoil. Can also possibly take a second hog on a running shot if you have decent target acquisition skills.

You are safe in a stand or tower blind. You aren't safe on the ground. The AR is your friend if something goes awry and Mr. Murphy shows up. Work a bolt, try to find the target again, find it, pull the trigger. Or acquire target and pull the trigger. Don't lose sight picture. Don't work the bolt. Just pull the trigger again....and again....and again if need be.

By all means, refute my logic.

No refute, but a definite difference of opinion.

"In the trees" you might as well go with a bolt gun because your aren't apt to get more than one shot and you are apt to want plenty of power from that shot, especially if you are on the ground.

"Over bait" usually (not always) means a cleared area which often does give plenty of time for followup shot shots with a bolt gun or semi. Of course, that depends on your bait, if you are using a feeder, a food plot, agricultural field, or water hole.

So the notion of over-simplified cute sayings is not something that is apt to fit the numerous variables possible with "bait" or "trees" that can be boiled down to .308 bolt vs. .223 AR15.

 

[BigBore44]

That's the great thing about opinions. But I'm curious, how come they don't use bolt guns in 3 gun competitions........? How many rounds does the average bolt rifle hold in the magazine? How many does an AR? Why doesn't our infantry still carry the 03 Springfield? All questions are rhetorical.

When it comes down to it, I wouldn't choose either of his choices. I'm a big bore lever gun guy. But it's just a preference. My heavy 45-70 loads will blow through 5-6 hogs with ease. My heavy 444 will take 3-4. And my 44 mag will take 2-4. I could get the best of both his choices and take my SA M1A. But I just don't see the point.

My simple, cute logic is sound. The average or even slightly above average hunter can and usually will have problem working a bolt quickly under duress. There's no duress in a tower blind.

Odds are he won't ever need more than one trigger pull to accomplish his goal. But when I have the ability to stack a deck in my favor, I'm gonna do it every time.

 

[MCgunner]

Another rhetorical question, if our military carries it, does that mean it's the best for hog hunting? Really?

Hmm, I guess I need a ma deuce.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

My simple, cute logic is sound.

2 parameter (bait/trees) over simplified diametric opposition between two calibers/platforms is hardly sound logic, LOL. It just a cutesy saying.

 

[BigBore44]

MC,
We both know comparing an AR to an M2 isn't a fair comparison for more reasons than you or I need to count. The M2 was NEVER the primary infantry weapon like the M-16 or M-4 or 03A3

007,
Staying within the OP's parameters, AR in .223/5.56 or bolt .308, why does one need to overcomplicate a response? Show me one, just one, instance where an operator can put more hits on target faster at say 75-100 meters with a quality bolt action 308 than an equally qualified operator can with a quality AR. It cannot be done if neither rifle malfunctiontions. Through the mechanical operation of the AR, it simplifies operation there by reducing time to put another round on target.

There's nothing wrong with a bolt 308. And I'm not saying it wouldn't do the job. I'm saying in the suck, the AR is better suited. Lighter, faster, more maneuverable. If we were shooting pigs at 500-800 meters, the bolt 308 is a no brainer.

So, just curious, when WOULD you choose an AR-15 over a bolt gun in .308?

 

[AStone]

 

[samweller]

I've shot them for years with a Marlin 336 30/30 with 170 gr. bullets. It kills them quite reliably with a shot behind and below the shoulder. Most of them we walk up on and they do not run. Never had one attack, but my ER doc friend has treated a couple of people over the years who got their legs ripped up by wounded boars. The most troubling story he tells is about a guy who was straddling a wounded buck that thrust his head up and ripped his leg with his antlers. Guy bled out on the way to the ER. Not good. Be careful.

 

[jg1129]

.308 with good placement drops them right there

this from mossberg 100 atr .308. Great inexpensive little field rifle.

 

[Stony]

Nice hog....you have flying pigs there? Those are bird dogs !!

 

[AStone]

Nice hog, JG.

Wow, that .308 really slammed it. That's a lot of blood.

 

[RMc]

44 Magnum Smith 29 6 1/2" nickel. 240 SWC lead with gas check. Around 1250fps. 40 yards running full tilt. First round (pictured) caught him just a little to the back of the shoulder. Spun him around and second shot finished it.
The two of us had ran to head off the pigs. About 190#s. Free range hunt with dogs, Crossville, TN circa 1974.

The terrain shown in your photos is much the same kind of thick cover hunters face in the coastal south. When handguns are used on large hogs, penetration and wide meplat bullets are the key with bullet placement. If you can handle a large bore, more power to you. If control is an issue, go to the .357 and 10mm with hard, wide meplat bullets.

Many who opt for the big smoothbore, don't realize how most traditional soft lead foster slugs and buckshot limit real world penetration. Choose slugs and buckshot designed to penetrate. The penetrator slugs from Breneke and the hard cast .60 caliber Dixie Tri-Ball buckshot rounds come to mind as the right ammo for the 12 gauge.

Yes, hunting hogs on the ground in thick cover is a different challenge indeed!

 

[jg1129]

Ha, yeah, the dogs were left in the truck when I went out looking for deer and hogs that day. After I shot it, I went back to the truck and brought it near to where the hog was. The dogs "helped" me gut it out. They have gotten onto hogs though in the past. I missed one boar one time and two of the dogs chased it for a short while, but I think the hog must have stood its ground at one point because the two of them came running back to me. (it was near dark so I couldn't see what went on).

 

[jg1129]

Wow, that .308 really slammed it. That's a lot of blood.

I put a second bullet in its head. The first one in its head dropped it there but it kept breathing for a minute so I shot it a second time in the back of the head, thus all the blood.

 

[AKElroy]

Most pigs "dirt dance" for a good while when head shot. It's normal; follow ups are usually not needed. If they start getting their legs under them, they were not well hit and a followup is warranted. I generally watch them for this, ready for another if needed. As long as they can't walk, they are dead--dirt-dancing or not.

 

[jg1129]

This one had stopped the dance but was still breathing. Labored breathing, no doubt, but breathing. I figured it was only a matter of a few more minutes but I thought a second shot to the head would stop that. It did. Thoughts?

 

[Flintknapper]

RMc wrote:

The penetrator slugs from Breneke and the hard cast .60 caliber Dixie Tri-Ball buckshot rounds come to mind as the right ammo for the 12 gauge.

^^^^^^^

Glad to see someone else knows about the Dixie Tri-Ball round.

I don't have a lot of experience with it (though I have a bunch of the rounds), but the few hogs I have shot with it...went down hard! I have yet to recover one of the buckshot, they have all sailed right through.

 

[AKElroy]

This one had stopped the dance but was still breathing. Labored breathing, no doubt, but breathing. I figured it was only a matter of a few more minutes but I thought a second shot to the head would stop that. It did. Thoughts?

The first shot doesn't sound like it was successful at taking out the CNS. I'm not an expert, but apparently the wires for keeping him breathing remained intact.

 

[jg1129]

The first shot doesn't sound like it was successful at taking out the CNS. I'm not an expert, but apparently the wires for keeping him breathing remained intact.

I think you are absolutely correct. I think my first shot was too close to the ear. Look at the video here http://www.scout.com/outdoors/texas-hunt-fish/story/1441142-texas-hog-hunt-with-silencer

It looks like the shot has to be a couple of inches below the ear. I think mine was higher. It dropped it, but didn't do enough to the CNS. Thanks for the follow up note.

 

[AStone]

IIRC, breathing is maintained by neurons in the brain stem (main parts of which are medula oblangata, pons and midbrain (a misnomer, I think, because it's no where near the middle), down near where the brain connects with the spinal cord. The main part of its brain could have been destroyed, yet it kept breathing.

 

[RPRNY]

The 308 if you're hunting in a stand and the AR if you're line or stalk.hunting.

I do both and use two rifles. Have killed readily with night shots from blind with 6.5x55, 8x57, and 30-40. Walking and stalking, I like a lever gun in 45 Colt and once used a Rogers & Spencer revolver converted to fire black powder 45 Long Colt. Prefer a rifle.

Next outing in two weeks. Will be using an H&R Handi in 35 Krag from the blind, 280 gr soup cans, and a super duper little Rossi R92 16.5" barrel, 255 gr RNFP for walk and stalk.

Result

Pig Rifle- Handi Rifle in 35 Krag



Hog Hammer - 280 grs clone Lyman 358009



Big Boy (540 lbs)