Author Topic: would you feel comfortable using a 223 on pigs?  (Read 1458 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline howie1968

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 582
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on pigs?
« on: August 27, 2003, 10:44:55 AM »
I am faced with this scenario,although  i  know  by no means this  is  ideal  or even suitable but unfortuanetly  this  is  the  only  firearm i have  right  now  i  shoot  the  gun  well  and  feel  very  comfortable with  it  and  am  profficent with  it  shooting  off  hand standing  from  a  rest   i  will  be  taking  head  or  neck  shots  only  at  animals  who  are  not  moving   i  have  used  this  nef  to   harvest   the  ones  i  am  catching  in  my trap   one  shot  and  lights  out  i  am  using  55 gr remington soft points   any advice  on  FMJ or  softpoints  for  neck  shots??  I  am a  hunter  and  realize  this  caliber  is  not  ideal   but  until  the  money  gets  better  and  the  truck acts  right  i  am  forced  to  use  this rifle   i  dont  think  this  is  enough  to  keep  me  from  doing  what  i  love  the  best  and  that  is  HOG  HUNTING
Hi  enjoy  hunting  guns    teaching  my  2  daughters  about  hunting  and  boxing

Offline JeffG

  • Trade Count: (5)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1523
  • Gender: Male
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2003, 11:14:40 AM »
NO!
Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff

Offline les hemby

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 287
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2003, 01:15:36 PM »
if you dont handload try federal premium trophy bonded bearclaw. these are made to expand but hold together for penetration. it is not enoughgun but if you are capable of making the shot you described, you will eat pork, and you wont have to track. if this was the only gun i had i certainly wouldnt stay home, but you will have to definately have to pour out something to get them to stay still for shot. put it in the ear and get knife ready. but i would start saving for more gun :D

Offline howie1968

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 582
thanks
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2003, 02:57:45 PM »
these hogs will  be  eating  a  unch  of  soured  corn  i have  put  ut  for  them  and  as  soon  as  the  money  is  right  ill  have  another  30-06  and  trust  me  i  have  killed  many  bg  hogs  in  my  young  age  even a  whopping  526lb   one  last  yr  with  what most  would  be  called  less than  ideal  i  have  seen  a  300lb  hog  take  a  shot  from  a  375 H&H  i  hit  it  wth  270 gr soft points  and  still  run  off   i  will  not  shoot unless  the  ideal  shot   i  am  very  dicipined and  have  much  respect  for  the  game  and  a  humane   lethal  shot,  just  trying  to  get  a  topic  going  also  i  do  know  some  old  timers  that routinely hunt  them  with  22 winchesters  and  do  well
Hi  enjoy  hunting  guns    teaching  my  2  daughters  about  hunting  and  boxing

Offline jaberegg

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 31
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2003, 01:04:37 AM »
I've shot three of them with a XP 223, two 100 pounders in the head an one just over 200 pounds low in the neck. All were shot between 100 and 135 yards away and all dropped. I've shot them with cast bullets in 7 TCU and 7BR too. Yes, I'd use a 223 with all the faith in the world. I also shoot off a bench with a  rest.

Offline markc

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1922
Howie
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2003, 02:54:56 AM »
I personally wouldn't choose that caliber, but since thats what you have, and a good number of folks regularly kill hogs with rfles such as .223, 22-250, .243, etc.. I can't see why you can't do the same.  If you can place the bullet right in the brain or spine, it would work fine.  I wouldn't even consider a behind the shoulder shot on a hog bigger than 60 or 70 lbs though.  Just my take on it.  I would make sure to pump another assurance shot in there before walking up on a large hog shot with the .223.
markc
markc

Offline Zachary

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3713
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2003, 12:18:37 PM »
I have personally seen someone shoot (and Kill) many hogs with a .223 and .222.  He shoots them in the ear and they drop like a brick.  Once, he shot a hog in the neck - and it left a surprisingly huge exit hole - about 3 inches!! :eek:   He as using the .222 with cheap Remington soft points.  I wouldn't believe it myself unless I see it.

The thing is, with a small caliber, the margin for error is VERY SMALL.  Hogs are always moving, so if you aim for the ear - in my experience you have less than a 20% chance that the hog won't move to give you enough time to make the clean shot.

I bank on the other 80%, so I use HUGE guns.  This year, I 'm gonna use my .375H&H! :eek:

For the record, although I have seen it done, I just can't recommend anything smaller than .270.

Zachary

Offline howie1968

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 582
Hey zachary
« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2003, 01:12:50 PM »
you  might  not  believe  this  but  when  i  had my 375 H&H loaded  with  270 gr softpoints  i  shot  2  pigs  with  it  and  they  both  ran  off  after  absorbing  close  to  4000 foot lbs  of  energy  both  shot  at  around  50  yards  and  the  120 lb   pig  ran  about  75  yards  through  some  nasty  brush  kind  of  surprising  to  be  honest
Hi  enjoy  hunting  guns    teaching  my  2  daughters  about  hunting  and  boxing

Offline markc

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1922
Howie
« Reply #8 on: August 29, 2003, 03:24:37 AM »
too much gun!  375 H&H probably wasn't designed with a small feral hog in mind and as a result the big time energy was wasted when the bullet zipped through.  Bigger isn't always better.
markc
markc

Offline shb

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 173
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #9 on: August 29, 2003, 07:12:00 AM »
give me a 223, and then start running hogs past me, and I'll kill every one you run by.  Then i'll invite all the guys from the gbo hog forum over for a feast.

Offline JeffG

  • Trade Count: (5)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1523
  • Gender: Male
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #10 on: August 29, 2003, 09:58:30 AM »
Sounds good!!! :D
Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff

Offline Zachary

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3713
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #11 on: August 29, 2003, 02:10:05 PM »
I have shot a 150 pound pig at 50 yards with a .338 Mag with 225 grain Barnes X bullets.  Actually, it was only one shot, and it was right behind the shoulder.  The bullet fully penetrated (not necessarily surprising given that it didn't hit any significant amount of bone - like the gristle plate).  In any event, the hog ran about 40 yards, got dizzy, and dropped.  I'm sure that if I hit his plate that it would have likely penetrated as well.

Now, on a larger hog, or even the same size hog, a .375 is going to make a bigger hole.  Yes, most of the "energy" will not be expended, but I want to make sure that, if it DOES hit that armor plate, then it will put him down for the count.

A friend of mine once had a hog charge him while he had a .44Mag.  Well, he emptied six rounds and the monster pig kept on charging.  A shot from another friend's .375 stopped the pig in its tracks.  If the pig would have continued to charge, God only knows what would have happened.  So is the .375 too much gun?  I don't think so.  Is there such a thing as a pig being too dead? :grin:

Zachary

Offline Zachary

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3713
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2003, 02:12:34 PM »
I have shot a 150 pound pig at 50 yards with a .338 Mag with 225 grain Barnes X bullets.  Actually, it was only one shot, and it was right behind the shoulder.  The bullet fully penetrated (not necessarily surprising given that it didn't hit any significant amount of bone - like the gristle plate).  In any event, the hog ran about 40 yards, got dizzy, and dropped.  I'm sure that if I hit his plate that it would have likely penetrated as well.

Now, on a larger hog, or even the same size hog, a .375 is going to make a bigger hole - meaning, in part, that a larger exit wound will allow more blood to come out and thus cause the animal to die quicker.  Yes, most of the "energy" will not be expended, but I want to make sure that, if it DOES hit that armor plate, then it will put him down for the count.

A friend of mine once had a hog charge him while he had a .44Mag.  Well, he emptied six rounds and the monster pig kept on charging.  A shot from another friend's .375 stopped the pig in its tracks.  If the pig would have continued to charge, God only knows what would have happened.  So is the .375 too much gun?  I don't think so.  Is there such a thing as a pig being too dead? :grin:

Zachary

Offline Varmint Hunter

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 665
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2003, 11:57:33 AM »
It only took ONE round from my 454 and a 300gr Swift bullet and Mr Piggy was D E A D !!!! All 300+ lbs of him.
 VH    :roll:

Offline Zachary

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3713
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #14 on: September 02, 2003, 02:50:27 PM »
Where did you shoot him?  How far away was he?  How far did he run after you shot him? (I just love exchanging hog stories. :grin: )

Zachary

Offline Steve357

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 41
  • Gender: Male
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #15 on: September 02, 2003, 05:01:10 PM »
We had a 500+ domestic hog get loose in town.  We never did find out who it belonged to and after chaseing it all day I decided that it needed to be put down before it walked out in front of somebody's car and cause an accident.  By this time we were at the edge of town and I had a couple of my officers herd the thing into the woodline so that a missed shot or pass through would hopefully be caught by the thick underbrush.  At a distance of about 40 yards I shot the hog behind the shoulder.  I fully ment to take a head shot, but the hog was running and I was afraid it would get into the brush before I could get on it's head.  When the hammer fell the hog went down kicking, I ran over and put another round in his head to finish him off.  The rifle was a AR15 loaded with Remington 55gr soft points.  We had to call a rollback wrecker to get the hog out of there.  

I figure that a domestic hog isnt as tuff as a wild hog but the .223 worked very well in this case.  We called a local mason's lodge and  dressed piggy and gave the meat to family's in the area that needed the food.  By the way,  the bullet went just behind the left shoulder and didn't exit.  When we opened the chest cavity up the bullet had just seemed to have bounced around around in there and jellied everything.....


With all that said where I hog hunt we can only use .22 rimfires or shotguns loaded with steelshot.  There is no telling how many hogs we have taken with .22 mags.  Granted you have to be picky with your shots, and the next one I pull the tirgger on may come after me.   So far so good after 10 or 12 years hunting the WMA.
We all have the right to remain silent, few take advantage of it.

Offline howie1968

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 582
Hey Zachary
« Reply #16 on: September 03, 2003, 06:38:59 AM »
I hit  him   dead center  of the  neck  at  about 65 yards blowing  ot  his  spine  dropped  i  his  track  no  kicks  no squeals  nothing  just dead  pig   using  remington 55 gr soft points
Hi  enjoy  hunting  guns    teaching  my  2  daughters  about  hunting  and  boxing

Offline patw

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (3)
  • Avid Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 212
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #17 on: September 06, 2003, 03:50:44 PM »
FWIW, I have made one shot kills on all the pigs I have shot at....except for one.  I use an '06 or a 300H&H, mostly head or neck shots, and most drop on the spot.  The one that got away was about 80 yards, neck shot at a slight angle with the 300 H&H.  Knocked it over, found lots of meat and bone, but the pig ran off.  Started to go looking for it, but it was getting dark, that pig was probably teed off, and I chickenned out going looking for it by myself in thick stuff with a single shot.  The next year I shot a pig with a mangled shoulder, and I always wondered if it was the same one.  All this rambling to say that a .223 can probably do it, but I personally agree with those who say that you can't be overgunned with those critters.

pat

Offline jaberegg

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 31
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #18 on: September 07, 2003, 03:01:06 PM »
It's all in the shot. Yesterday I shot one just below the ear at 115 yards off the bench with a XP in 35 Remington with the Hornady 180 SP. I thought at first I missed then checked through the scope, there he lay all 100 if that pounds of him kicking. I rode the 4-wheeler up and I'll say this..... what a mess!!! With a hole on the opposite side of his head........ there shouldn't have been anything that would have moved but he was still kicking. One would think with the top of one's head gone there wouldn't be any movement but, this one was still kicking when I drove up to it. So I pumped three 40 S&W 180's into the neck just to be on the safe side!! I'm no expert on hog hunting, yet I've shot a few of them and they have all dropped, some have kicked for a bit though but never still moving after I  have driven up to them. This one was still kicking with what I would call a perfect shot. Just my two cents worth.

Offline shooter444002

  • Trade Count: (7)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 126
would you feel comfortable using a 223 on
« Reply #19 on: September 14, 2003, 12:27:27 PM »
Hey howie, just shoot them in the right spot and you will kill them no prob. When you get ready for another 30-06 holler at me and I will make you a heck of a deal. I have a ffl and sell out of the house here in warren. Took a new 700 adl in trade yesterday that would work great.

Offline howie1968

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 582
hey
« Reply #20 on: September 14, 2003, 01:44:22 PM »
send  me  a  pm  with  your  number  and  ill  call  you
Hi  enjoy  hunting  guns    teaching  my  2  daughters  about  hunting  and  boxing