Hog Rifle

[slickone]

I believe I will restrict my shooting to 200yds or under. I am in my 70's and I am still a decent shot, but the eyes aren't what they used to be.. I have an AR15 5.56, but I thought it might be a little light for a Hog. I also have a P4 sniper 6x32 scope on it.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Find out the twist rate and put the heaviest Barnes TSX bullet through it you can. If you need help with the twist rates and bullet rate information, I can pull that up for you.

I am partial to the loadings from Silver State Armory and shoot their 70 gr. versions out of my 1:8 twist Colt. If you have a slower twist, you might want a slightly lighter bullet.

I do believe there are other commercial loads for the Barnes TSX bullets, so you aren't limited to SSA. I tried them and they worked very well for me and so I am a fan. You can get them from SSA or Sportsman's Guide (which is often less expensive), especially if you are member.

www.ssarmory.com/
www.sportsmansguide.com

For a one time hunt, try your AR15 with GOOD ammo like the Barnes I suggest or whatever you feel is best. Go to the range and determine its drop as precisely as you can at 50 yard increments and if you know that, then you should be able to hit within a couple of inches quickly if you can make reasonable range estimates in the field.

 

[slickone]

Thanks for the info. Mine is a 1:9 twist, 16" barrel.

 

[sixgunner455]

Don't go buy a new rifle for your first hunt. Use that AR, since you are familiar with it. If you end up wanting something bigger, you may find that building an upper for your AR is what you want to do.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

You might do okay with the 70 gr. versions, may be just fine. Try a box and see. Something a little lighter and you should be golded.

When you get out toward the ends of what will stabilize properly, some turn out great and some won't. By 200 yards with a properly stabilized bullet from quality ammo, you should still have accuracy to the capabilities of your rifle. Too light for the spin rate and it can come apart in flight and too heavy for the spin rate and it may yaw, pitch, and tumble and be WAY off trajectory.

In my 1:9 rifles, 75 gr. match ammo does not do well. The groups open up to several inches at 100 yards but in my 1:8, I get sub MOA groups. Out of the same 1:9 rifles with 62 gr. M855 surplus ammo, I get 1-2" groups. Make sense? So twist rate can affect accuracy, so for hunting, you likely will want the heaviest hunting bullet your gun will stabilize properly to maintain its accuracy capability and get the best penetration.

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-158429.html

The AR15s I hunt with have a 16" barrels as well. Choose your shot placement and trajectory wisely and you should be fine.

 

[Steel Talon]

Wow folks. that is a lot of info. Everyone has their favorite ways. My friend will be taking me out to Hog hunt in a couple of months. I have not hunted anything in my life. I have fired a lot of weapons after over twenty years in the Army but decided in my old age to shoot those nasty hogs. I think that would be the only thing I would hunt.
I really do appreciate all of your answers. The next thing is to sort it out and do it. Hopefully everyone had a great Thanksgiving.
Thanks

First understand Hog anatomy for your kill shot.

*Neck: A neck shot will kill your hog every time.

*Boiler room : Sits a bit differently on a hog it’s a bit lower and forward than what you would expect. Use the crook of his front ham to visually guide you.

*Head: The head shot. For it to work Ideally the bullet needs to traverse both hemispheres of the brain. A single hemisphere strike can be survived for a significant amount of time.

The hog skull has a taper to it so head on shots can deflect the bullet away from instead of into the brain pan. A behind the ear shot will turn off the light each and every time. Hence when hunters say the like to use a 22mag or the 17hmr. The ear shot is key to their success.

Nothing here is written in stone, but this is what my experience has taught me,and what I have learned from those I grew up hunting with. So basically you can make your caliber choice based on the anatomy, a 100yd max zero and scope ability to shoot in day, evening or night.

Now the next thing to consider since you’re a first time older hunter is recoil. Light recoiling calibers with readily available factory ammo are the .243 the 7mm-08 and the 25-06 rem. These three calibers are also effective on other large game and varmints if you wish to continue hunting other animals.

My .02cents..

Good luck on your choice and your hunt!
ST~

 

[RinkRat]

If my 30-30 will take down a White Tail I'm guessing it will drop piggies too.

 

[ForneyRider]

My brother just put an Laser Genetics ND3 laser designator on his 7mm mag BAR.

I would get a rifle that can mount some night optics solutions. Hogs are very active at night.

He also live traps them and puts them down with Browning Buckmark pistol in 22lr.

 

[Scrumbag]

My choice would be a .30-06 with a low power, variable, illuminated reticule scope. Also, get somthing with "chunky" cross hairs. Thin little wires get lost on dark pigs easily. The dot will help in low light.

Also, get a wide objective lens for good light transmission. As a guide, spend more on optics than rifle. The optic will limit you much more than any factor on the rifle in my view.

ATB and enjoy your hunting,

Scrummy.


(PS Ultimate piggie calibre in my view: 9.3x62)

 

[Agsalaska]

I have a western field 30-30. Don't know how old it is, but it is a hog killing savant.

 

[slickone]

All you guys are terrific and again I thank you. Not a negative post in the bunch. I find that really refreshing. I will take your advice and experiment with the various things you have suggested. Good Hunting to all of you.

 

[slickone]

Well everybody my new rifle will be here Tuesday. I ordered a Savage Hog Hunter in .308.

I also ordered the base, rings and a Nikon scope.

 

[snakeman]

the ar will work fine. Use a quality soft point like winchester, remington, or federal and you should be fine.

 

[RPRNY]

Well, that looks like a great choice. 308 will put even Hawgzilla down and Savage makes a nice rifle. Open sights are great if you are doing any walking up hunting. I think you will enjoy both the rifle and the experience of hog hunting. A good light is pretty important.

I just used this light on a hog hunt in central Texas:

http://www.burnhambrothers.com/product.asp?ProductID=18662

along with a Nikon BDC scope. The light clips onto a 1" tube and a large, easy to use on/off switch like a doorbell fits over your barrel and forend with an elasticated band allowing you to operate it with your front hand easily. With the amber lens, I had good visibility out to @ 80 yds (dropped a hog Tuesday night at 72 yds with this light). If you will shoot beyond that distance regularly, a more powerful light would be better, but this one is cheap and convenient.

 

[wtxj]

The model 11 hog hunter in 308 will work just fine with that scope. Low mounts will work just fine as they do on mine.

This will work on deer also
Short rifle, light, great trigger
It will recoil just a little more on the bench, at site in then when you are out on the hunt.

I'm running Talley's and a Leopold on mine.

 

[bluetopper]

A single shot Handi-Rifle in 500 S&W Magnum.

 

[Abel]

'o6

 

[Sky]

I have killed hogs with AK, SKS, AR in 7.62x39 and the Ar in 5.56. but as others have said or implied the range really dictates the preferred firearm to be used. Most of the pig popping is done at night so I use a night scope when really dark which restricts me mostly to the ARs and 125 yards or less with the night scope.
I have not had a shot with the CMMG ARs in .22 but depending on the circumstances and range I would not hesitate taking an ear/head shot with the .22.Ar but I would plan on follow up shots just in-case. Pigs in my area of South Tx used be be on the smaller size before the Mountain Lion (s) scared them all off from our normal hunting areas.

 

[MCgunner]

I like .308. Night vision would be nice, but I have to resort to spotlights 'cause good night vision is stupid expensive. Hogs are 90 percent nocturnal down here. I've caught a couple out in daylight over the years. If you get 'em in light, it's usually right at dawn or dusk. Whatever scope you put on it needs to have a large objective to gather light.

Here's an SKS I had set up for the task for a while. I took the scope off it since. I used it this year to take a nice 9 point.

 

[JShirley]

As a few have said, better firearms for you will depend on where and how you hunt.

 

[Liberty1776]

Well, I thorta like the BLR in .358 Winchester, myself...

 

[altez]

Lots of good choices really but like others have mention, gets good optics since you'll be hunting them mainly at night. But my main hog gun is an ar-15 in 6.8.

 

[Kymasabe]

As mentioned earlier, if it's good enough for deer, it's good enough for hogs.
My go-to rifles for hogs are either my Marlin 336 .30-30 or my old Chinese SKS.

 

[Swampman]

I recommend a quality M-14 clone in .308.
A goodly percentage of the time when hunting hogs you won't see anything.
When you see any, you're likely to see 30 or 40 of them at once.
A full power rifle with good handling and a high capacity magazine will allow you to make the most of those opportunities.

I have friends that do well with SKS's or AR-15's, but the .308 caliber, combined with a high quality bullet (I prefer Nosler Partition Golds) will allow you to blow a hole from rectum to brain at any reasonable range.

As far as scopes, the sky is the limit. If I could afford it, I'd hunt with a day/night capable ATN or Varo. Since I can't afford them, I usually use a Leupold VXIII 1.5x5.
Don't spend extra money for more magnification, a four power scope is plenty for hogs even at 400 yards.
A lighted reticle can be useful, but don't buy a cheap scope that's so equipped thinking that it'll give you an edge. Put the money into good quality glass, then, if you can afford it, tack on the features.

 

[brnmw]

Depending on how you like your setups:
A lever action .45-70 Gov't works very well. > Scoped even better.
Semi-auto I would go with an SKS 7.62X39mm, or an AR-10 7.62 (.308 Win.)
In a blind and out of reach from angry hogs I would not hesitate to use a bolt-action Win. M70 in either (.270 Win., .308 Win., .30-'06 Spfld.)

I mentioned in a blind because if I am out walking and stalking hogs I want a semi-auto vs. say the bolt-action. Even then I always carry a backup pistol just in case.