Author Topic: THE ULTIMATE HOG HAMMER?  (Read 582 times)

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Offline Graybeard

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THE ULTIMATE HOG HAMMER?
« on: October 01, 2020, 11:07:27 AM »
https://www.thearmorylife.com/the-ultimate-hog-hammer/

 February 3rd, 2020           Eric Conn

One of the fastest-growing segments of the shooting and hunting world is without question hog hunting. As a feral species in the U.S., hogs are numerous, destructive, and quite easily one of the most enjoyable ways to practice marksmanship while helping out local landowners.

While many cartridges will do the trick, hogs present a serious challenge for hunters. With thick shoulder blades, tough hides and surprising agility, a successful hog hunt requires the right ammunition and caliber selection, as well as the right firearm platform. As a result, there are several considerations to make when planning your next outing.


The SAINT Victor Pistol in .300 BLK makes for a potent hog hammer with the right ammo.

Armed with Choices

First, while bolt guns are more than capable in the right hands, there’s a distinct and obvious advantage to the SAINT platform. Since pigs often travel in groups (sounders, to be exact), there’s a high likelihood of multiple shot opportunities for the skilled shooter. With 30-round magazines available and semi-automatic gas operation, the SAINT can be the ideal firearm of choice for many pig hunters. Likewise, a SAINT can be easily suppressed and is capable of hosting a wide array of accessories from lights to lasers and rail-mounted optics.


The Melonited barrel is 9″ long and has a 1:7″ twist, and the M-Lok handguard gives you the option of mounting accessories.

Second, it’s important to select the right load for hunting. The SAINT platform is home to a number of effective pig pounding rounds, from the 6.5 Grendel to the .308 Win. The ideal caliber will be big enough to leave a serious wound channel, with a tough bullet construction to penetrate hide and shoulder blades.

One of the best selections is the .300 BLK, which is capable of sending a 110-gr. projectile at roughly 2,350 fps in Hornady’s Full Boar load. The .30-caliber bullet will put a wallop on a hog, but there’s less recoil than the .308, which alleviates shoulder sting on high volume shooting excursions.


The Victor’s semi-auto operation and 30-round magazine make it a capable hog hunter.

Delivering the Goods

The other beauty of the .300 BLK is that it’s made to be suppressed, which means you can shoot more without all the noise pollution of a full-force muzzle blast. This is especially helpful when hunting from a truck with multiple shooters. Likewise, the .300 BLK is available in ultracompact variants like Springfield Armory’s SAINT Victor Pistol, which comes with a 30-round magazine and measures just 27.75” in overall length. At 5 lbs., 9 oz., it’s also incredibly light, making it the perfect choice in a truck or when creeping through the Texas brush country. The M-Lok aluminum handguard is proprietary to Springfield and is a great way to accessorize your AR with lights, lasers, and grips.


Eric topped off the Victor Pistol with a Trijicon MRO optic.

The SAINT Victor comes with an SB Tactical SBX-K brace that keeps it off the NFA list, allowing shooters access to a compact AR without the hassle of a tax stamp. Because the .300 BLK fits in an AR-15 platform, it’s less bulky than a larger rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Winchester. To deal with your high-volume shooting, the Victor comes with a carbine “H” heavy tungsten buffer that’s built to take serious abuse.



The one downside with the .300 BLK is long-distance shooting. Depending on your zero, a 110-gr. projectile will drop about 13″ to 15″ at 300 yards with a velocity of around 1,600 fps. Especially with a shorter barrel (the SAINT Victor features a 9″ barrel), velocity decreases along with long-range effectiveness. It is by no means a 1,000-yard gun, but for most hog hunting applications shots are going to be much closer than that.


Hornady’s Full Boar .300 BLK is designed to send a 110-gr. projectile at roughly 2,350 fps.

Depending on how far you plan to shoot, the Picatinny top rail is capable of housing everything from higher power optics to night vision and red dots, giving you plenty of options for a variety of conditions. Because recoil is mild, reacquiring sight picture and fast follow-up shots are easier. Optics like Trijicon’s MRO gives hunters the ability to shoot with both eyes open, a valuable feature when the shots start flying and pigs start running.


Hornady’s 190-gr. Sub-X load is designed for use with a suppressor.

Pick Your Poison

In terms of ammunition, there are numerous offerings from companies like Hornady and Barnes that will drop the hammer on a hog. Hornady’s Full Boar line utilizes the GMX monolithic copper bullet, which is tough, won’t separate, and penetrates through even the toughest old swine. Also in a 110-gr. bullet, Barnes’ TAC-TX features a solid copper design that will penetrate and open up remarkably well at close distances. The VOR-TX line ups the bullet weight to 120 grains and is equally effective. Similarly, many companies offer subsonic loads ideal for use with a suppressor, like Hornady’s 190-grain Sub-X.


Eric found the Sub-X bullets to be good expanders and very effective on target.

Conclusion

From close range to 100 yards and even beyond, the .300 BLK is one of the best options for serious hog hunters. Combine that with the SAINT Victor Pistol in .300 BLK, and you have a potent means to bring home the bacon!


Bill aka the Graybeard
President, Graybeard Outdoor Enterprises
256-435-1125

I am not a lawyer and do not give legal advice.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life anyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life!

Offline fatercat

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Re: THE ULTIMATE HOG HAMMER?
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2021, 03:58:27 PM »
I just use my old 30-30. 170 gn core locks. kills hell out of em.

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: THE ULTIMATE HOG HAMMER?
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2021, 11:20:44 PM »
Ive got 4 black outs. A 7 in, 8.5 inch ( ive used for two seasons in regular deer season) a 16 inch ar and a 16 in ruger american. The 7s mostly for fun the 8.5 i hunt with the 16 in ar i killed 9 deer the year before last during crop damage season. Out of the 9 all but one piled up at the shot and the one made 50 yards before dying within sight. Longest shot was 210 yards and that one had every bit as much internal damage as deer ive shot with 250 savages 257 roberts 6mms ect. Ive killed one buck with the 8.5 and it was dead right there. The other two i havent killed anything with. I shoot all of them but the american at full power and for hunting use the barnes tssx that was designed just for it and it does work. The american i shoot subsonic with a can using cast bullets. If i knew my shots would never be over 200 yards i could life with a black out for all my big game hunting here in michigan. That said I just got my 300 ham'r put together. its a round designed by bill wilson to actually kill pigs which he does about daily. It will push a 130 to 2450 and a 110 to 2700 and thats 243 power levels. For you 3030 lovers he likes a 150. he pushes it to an honest 2250 out of a 16 inch barrel which basicaly makes it a modern 3030. He claims it puts pigs down better then the 6.5 grendel the 6.8 or the bo. Said its name came from the way it hammers pigs. Maybe so, but hes also selling them so how much is marketing. In my experience its pretty tough to gauge power on a deer or pig. Ive shot deer with the 30 carbine that dropped in there tracks and have shot deer with the 300 ultra mag that have ran a 100 yards. What i would like is a 8.5 to 10.5 pistol in 300 hamr. Out of all those rounds i like the grendel the most because its the flatest shooting and that an advantage in the farm fields. But the gendel looses to much i a short barrel. the 30 cals are much better at that. coolest thing about the 30s is that i can get 2 moa accuracy out of them at a 100 yards with a coated cast 130 at full power. Makes for fun cheap shooting. My 556 guns about collect dust anymore because even if you can find bullets to load there EXPENSIVE and the bo uses a 1/3 less powder which saves money too. only thing cheaper thats fun in an ar15 is the 9mms but there not viable hunting guns.
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: THE ULTIMATE HOG HAMMER?
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2021, 11:25:19 PM »
by the way that barnes tac tx 110 is THE bullet for that gun. It was designed just for those velocitys. Im not a barnes bullet fan. Ive seen to many not expand but that bullet just plain works. It shoot fantastic in my guns and does massive internal damage and anchors deer. Ive been temped to file the plastic tip flat and try them in the 3030. Id bet theyd be devastation out of a 3030 at 2600-2700 fps. It would make the 3030 a viable near 300 yard gun if you had the accuracy.
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Offline Land_Owner

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Re: THE ULTIMATE HOG HAMMER?
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2021, 12:28:26 AM »
For me - no.  Thank you, but no thank you.

I can see this in TX where many hogs as is possible are followed and shot in the shortest time.  Repeated and continuous follow up shots are not what I do. 

Offline Dee

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Re: THE ULTIMATE HOG HAMMER?
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2021, 03:24:20 AM »
Before I quit hunting hogs I hunted'em with 3 different rifles. A 3030 Winchester, a 4570 Marlin, and a 556 Bushmaster or A2 Colt.

I killed far more with one shot kills with the ARs shooting a 52 grain match hollow point.
A hog, wild or otherwise, is not hard to kill. A shot in the neck between the jaw and shoulder results in DRT.
You may all go to hell, I will go to Texas. Davy Crockett