ANY BIG BORES FOR WILD BOARS?

[rem700-3]

I have killed a few with a 375 and a few with a .338 federal most of the time I use my .357 or a .223. I do prefer duct tape over all of those.

[LunaticFringeInc]

I dont think hogs, after shooting a number of them for the freezer, are all that tough to put down.  I have found that to reach the vitals which arent all that big but very well protected, one does have to pay close attention to detail and shot placement.  But place a shot a little too far off the mark and all that fat and hide can make a blood trail short lived and tracking one down tough.  I have dropped plenty with a 308 and a 300 Whisper.  These days though I ususally use a 12 gauge HR Ultra-Slug unless I am caught out in the field with something else when an oppertunity arises.  The Handi makes for a fast handling hog stomper even if the shots a little off and definitely uncorks a hole big enough to gaurentee a blood trail should I need one to follow to a downed hog.  So far I havent needed one...

[Gun 4 Fun]

I have taken quite a few wild hogs over the years. They ranged from a 100 lb sow, to a 450 lb bruiser with three inch tusks. I don't think that hogs are really hard to kill, but they are hard to drop on the spot regardless of what you hit them with.  I have dropped two DRT. One with a hotloaded 45/70 and a 405 grain Rem. bullet, the other with my .340 Weatherby, and a 250 TBBC (old style belted base). The .45/70 is a hog gun supreme, but the one I shot with the .340 was a 250 lb boar, and at about 25 yards at last light facing me. I hit him under the chin, and it exited his rear, below a few inches, and slighty to the side of his exhaust port. End to end at that high a speed was impressive to me. The load was clocked at 2950 fps, yet it still held together to go lengthwise.

My favorite hog rifle is my .35 Whelen though. I took my biggest ever with it, and it just plain works.

The next one will be with my .475 Linebaugh more likely than not, but I may use my .404 Jeffery just for fun.

[swordfish]

A 30-30 is a good and common cal. for hogs. You don't need a big bore, but they are more fun. I mostly use a Marlin 1895CB 45-70 w/ 405gr SP's. It's over kill but that's what I like to shoot.

[John R.]

Pistol wise it's either a 44 spl. or a 45 Colt. Rifle wise, it's a 7mm/08 or my favorite the 500 S&W.

[steve99]

I have used a 444 Marlin loaded with 270gn Speer Gold dots on a few occassions, it certainly is good close range medicine.  However my preference is for something a little more versatile,these days I mostly use a Ruger M77 in 280 Rem using 145gn Speers or a Win M70 in 270WSM and 140gn Accubonds.

[kevinsmith5]

I cleared out the feral hogs in my dad's hunt club last summer with 420 gr hard cast flat nosed bullets fired from my 45-70 BC.  1700 fps loads and out of 11 hogs the farthest any traveled was 25 yards.  Now every shot was a head/neck shot and I got them over bait, but in NC they are considered pest animals (which they were definitely being).

[rattlesnake]

Marlin 1895M in 450 Marlin work for me.

[shvlhead.45]

I've shot them with a red dot sighted Handi chambered for the .45-70 and a Ruger 4 5/8 .45 Colt chambered Redhawk.  Brother has shot them with a M4 .223, Icon in .308, 10" Contender and a 4" Ruger Redhawk in .44 mag.  Pigs were from 20lbs piglet to 250 lbs boar and sows; about 20 over the last year.  Not all those are big bores but we put a plenty of pigs on the ground.  Land lord said shoot everyone we get a shot at or...and he left it at that.

SH .45

[bigoledude]

I occasionally shoot hogs with a 45-70.  My bullets are 419gr. wide-flat-nose hard cast traveling at around 1500fps.  They are pretty deadly on hogs.

However, the wound channel on hogs is much larger when shot with my 140gr. bullet in my .270wsm traveling at 3100fps.  If I miss the spine by 3 inches with the 45-70, I may have a long tracking hike to take.  If I come within 3 inches of the spine when using the .270wsm, the hog drops chin first with a decimated spinal column!

I really enjoy shooting large caliber rifles.  But, without adequate speed, the wound channel of slow, large-caliber rounds, is inferior to those traveling much faster.  So, you say, "shoot the heavy bullets fast!".  I say "Go ahead, heavy bullets at high speeds is painful and no enjoyment for me whatsoever".

I am aware that I have kept the explanation sort of simple and basic but, you can plainly see exactly what I'm talking about when you butcher hogs shot both ways.

The big-bores are fun to shoot and I don't apologize for shootin em.  But, are they necessary?  No!  Do they perform better? No! 

[kevinsmith5]

What 45-70 are you using? My Buffalo Classic with 19 ounces of lead shot in the bolt hole and limbsaver on it has a pretty moderate recoil and leaves a hole in them with a hard cast 420 gr (JB Young Crater Lite II) at 1700 fps you can put your fist in on exit. Perhaps your hard casts are a little TOO hard?

[Old English]

I have only shot one with my 45/70 and it made a big hole and a dead hog. I have, however, shot a bunch with a 243. The 243 is loaded with Sierra 85gr GK at 3100 fps. The 243 has left them DRT. People malign the 243 but it certainly works for me. I am at present loading up a bunch of 300gr bullets at 2400 fps for the 45/70 and look forward to seeing how they perform.

[rickt300]

My present big bore is a 20 gauge HEF Ulra shooting Buckhammers. I am still in the trying to get a shot mode with it though. I have shot a lot of hogs mostly with a 308, 30-06 or a 7x57. I tend to eithe spine shoot them with a high shoulder shot, shoot for the neck or at the lower shoulder just above the elbow. The shield is higher up on the Hogs shoulder than a centered heart lung shot would have to deal with though this area is thickened somewhat most good bullets will penetrate it. When shooting my 223 I always shoot for the neck and it is 100% so far.

[dougk]

I have a 9.3x74r which I have for large ones.  Here is a picture of the 30-06 165gr next to the 9.3x74r 285gr Oryx

[Tonk]

I personally enjoy hunting hogs with my bolt gun in .458 caliber! I use a 350  grain bullet going 2100fps usually. Sometimes I use a 500 grain Hornady at 1850fps......It flat stops hard~