Author Topic: .223 or .308? (Read 2024 times)

Bowhunter57 · « **on:** November 23, 2005, 04:08:16 PM »

I'm considering a hog hunt, but I currently own an AR-15 and not a .308. I've considered the purchase of a Saiga .308 for his purpose, but would like to hear from those that think a .223 will do the deed for wild hogs.

Am I "under gunned"?
Will a .223 kill a wild hog, considering proper shot placement?
Shots are going to be well inside 150 yards....mostly 25 to 60 yards.

Your opinions and experience is appreciated.
Thank you, Bowhunter57

elmer · « **Reply #1 on:** November 23, 2005, 04:23:45 PM »

With the right placement and if the hog isn't too big I'm sure the .223 will work, but personally I use a 30-06. In a short action I would prefer the .308 or 7mm-08.

FWiedner · « **Reply #2 on:** November 23, 2005, 04:50:36 PM »

This fellow shot this 500 lb hog at the Langely Ranch this past August:

Can you make out the firearm he used?

Bowhunter57 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 24, 2005, 12:26:57 AM »

Quote from: FWiedner

Can you make out the firearm he used?

FWiedner,
That's definately an AR-15, maybe a Bushmaster in a Tactical A4 version. I have about the same thing, but in a Rock River Arms A4 Varmint. Basically, the difference is my barrel is a Varmint barrel instead of the standard Tactical barrel w/ muzzle break. Looks like he shot him in the noggin.

Good hunting, Bowhunter57[/img]

swampthing · « **Reply #4 on:** November 25, 2005, 02:23:39 PM »

www.texasboars.com is neat sight as they have done an otopsy on a boar to show the area were the vitals lay also a good little article on shot angles, placement, loads, etc... .223 is good if you can see what you want to hit. My pig only let me see a 6" patch of hair around his neck and shoulder crease at a HARD quartering almost facing me angle, .45 cal muzzleloader went that way and dropped him, I would have passed on that shot even with a full auto M-16. .50 cal {300+grainers} blackpowder would be, is , an excellent choice.
Good Luck

Qaz · « **Reply #5 on:** November 29, 2005, 06:04:08 AM »

Bowhunter, I am also looking into going on a guided hog hunt. I was going to use my 243win with premium bullets. I was told that it will work, but I started thinking about it. I want a real trophy hog to mount and if I am going to do this and pay money, I want to do it right. When I pull the trigger, I want some oomph behind the bullet. I plan to use a 45-70. If you are still hunting, you want a caliber that will hit hard, if over dogs, use what you want. A lot of the companies require a minimum of 30caliber. If I was going to buy a gun for this it would be a 30-06.

FWiedner · « **Reply #6 on:** November 29, 2005, 10:54:04 AM »

I'd say use a gun that will suit your environment and favored hunting technique.

If you hunt from a blind, anything that will anchor the hog will work.

If you are doing spot and stalk in the open use your .30-06, in brush, use your .45-70 or whatever swings quick and points easy for you.

If you are stalking at night, use a shotgun, or with dogs use a killing knife.

Ever see the Arnold Shwartzenegger Conan movies? The riddle of steel?

This is the riddle of lead. It doesn't matter what gun you use if you can't put your shot where it needs to go. But if you put the shot where it needs to go, it doesn't matter what gun you use.

coltnavy36 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 02, 2005, 06:22:32 AM »

The .223 is not much for hogs.
I've used them on hogs, as well as other lighter-than-normal calibers such as .243, and .257 Roberts.
The .243 got me into a situation with an irate sow.
I have also had to put up to 5 solid shots from a .243 into a medium size hog before actually having to walk up to it and put another in the head.
I'm not suggesting that the .223 is not adequate if you are going for head shots, but it is too small in my opinion for anything else.
The .30-06 is fine for them if placed correctly in the shoulder, and I've killed around 14 with this caliber.
Now I use a .450 Marlin on all my hog hunts.
If not a 12 gauge-rifle with hard cast round balls.
All of this may sound like over-gunning, but hey, I am one of those people who likes to at least be fair to the animal, and make fast kills, with a minimum of suffering. This goes with every animal I hunt or ever will hunt.
The .223 is absolute minimum for small whitetail deer, so why use it on a 500 pd. hog, that has a bad demeanor?
The .223 is too erratic as far as penetration, and there is certainly not enough lead there to make my opinion, or that of the hogs, differ any.
----coltnavy36---

Lawdog · « **Reply #8 on:** December 02, 2005, 01:20:33 PM »

Quote from: Bowhunter57

I'm considering a hog hunt, but I currently own an AR-15 and not a .308. I've considered the purchase of a Saiga .308 for his purpose, but would like to hear from those that think a .223 will do the deed for wild hogs.

Am I "under gunned"?
Will a .223 kill a wild hog, considering proper shot placement?
Shots are going to be well inside 150 yards....mostly 25 to 60 yards.

Your opinions and experience is appreciated.
Thank you, Bowhunter57

After helping to haul out of the hills two badly injured hunters after they tangled with a Wild Boar and used rifles that were insufficient caliber(.22-250 & .223 Rem.) for hunting game that can fight back. There have been many hunters that has been injured(and a few killed) by wounded hogs. Personally, you bought the .308 for hog hunting I would use it and leave the varmint rifle at home. Lawdog

doncisler · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2006, 06:35:48 AM »

don't bet your life on a pig. i've seen clean kills with .243, 7X57 and .45colt.
i've also seen one (mine) take four rounds from .44mag desert eagle 240gr xtp and still take a while.
one med-large sow took 5 slugs from a 12-ga and literally attack the pickup we jumped into.
from my limited experience (taken or watched 18-20 kills) the big feral pigs were a lot meaner than the 200-250lb russian boar.
lots of deer and caribou have been taken with .22's, doesn't make it ethical.

elmer · « **Reply #10 on:** January 06, 2006, 07:13:31 AM »

To each their own, but I will stick with my 30-06.

Zachary · « **Reply #11 on:** January 07, 2006, 01:31:12 PM »

A .308 is a MUCH better choice for hogs than a .223.

Personally,I have used up to a .375H&H on hogs.

Zachary

Wynn · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2006, 03:15:06 PM »

I've taken hundreds of hogs in 43 years of hunting & trapping them, the most recent being this evening. (150 lb sow, 30-06). I've killed them with a bow, a knife, .22s, 12 ga., 243, .357, 6.5, 30-30, .35 Rem, .308, 7mm08, 30-06. .300 Weatherby mag, & .300 Win mag. .50 cal BP & probably some in between. Many were taken alive using dogs. Many in a trap. I've been chased up trees, run over, slashed, and bitten. I've had catch dogs killed & maimed. For serious hog hunting, I do not carry less than a 7 mm and prefer a 30-06. I carry a .357 mag when using dogs or removing hogs from a trap. I would not even consider a .223 for a trophy hog hunt.

MikeyB · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2006, 03:21:28 PM »

I have shot hogs with .223 and .308s. I prefer the larger caliber. A few times I have pump quite a few rounds of 5.56 into hogs with little effect. My go to hog gun is a BAR in 30-06 but it's broken at the moment, so I'm using a L1A1 (FN-FAL) in 7.62.

MikeyB

.308sniper · « **Reply #14 on:** January 08, 2006, 10:03:14 AM »

I would recoment the .308.

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #15 on:** January 08, 2006, 12:13:56 PM »

OK, here we go again. If you're an EXCELLENT shot and can count on hitting the pig right where you need to and can discipline yourself to take those shots that are high percentage kills then OK, use the .223. I part ways with the small caliber folks when it comes to taking shots with a small caliber gun that are really not appropriate for that caliber/target. AND, I think most of them can't really resist the temptation to take a shot that's too long for a small caliber rifle on a hog. Example: Joe Pigslayer can put a .223 caliber bullet right behind the ear of any thing that walks out to 100 yards. However, one day, to his utter disbelief, out from the bush at 175 yards struts the biggest & baddest trophy bore he's ever seen. Its too much to pass up. He takes his shot and is a couple inches too high/low/left/right and the pig slips back into the bush to die a slow agonizing death a few days later. If he'd been using a gun appropriate for 200 yard shots his probability of making a quick kill would've jumped exponentially. That's my case aginst the small caliber guns. Use enough gun.

JeffG · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2006, 04:28:51 PM »

Quote

OK, here we go again. If you're an EXCELLENT shot and can count on hitting the pig right where you need to and can discipline yourself to take those shots that are high percentage kills then OK, use the .223......

Yes, here we go again....I have mixed feelings about using 223 on deer hogs, etc., I have done it, and it is not a stunt, you HAVE to place the shot, and have the bullet construction that you need. But there is an old axiom about using firearms with live adversaries....to quote Robert Ruark, "Use enough gun." If you don't believe me, read Ruark, Capstick, or Jeff Cooper, but don't place the outcome of your hunt on not getting line of sight penetration through your target. I would much rather use a 308, or 45/70 and have the bullet blow through the animal, then have something go wrong with a lighter caliber, and spoil the hunt. If it's the only gun you have, use long bullets, 68-70 grains. shoot them into 24 inches of wet newspaper, and look at the results. and make sure, you have a shot before you press the trigger. My two cents.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1571570594/202-5210429-5640610

oso45-70 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 09, 2006, 09:59:03 PM »

Dusty Miller

JeffG

You guys are both right in my mind. Knowing your rifle and its capabilitys and having the common sence to know when to shoot and know when not to shoot makes your rifles fine for what ever you are doing. My shooting pardner and I used to go down to the S W corner of New Mexico where Arizona Old Mexico all meet and harvest four or five hogs every Fall of the year. We would get on the higher hills over looking the Ranchers feed troughs and locate the hogs laying around during the heat of the day. I would shoot them with my 222rem just under the ear and they wouldent move a muscle. Didn't mess up any meat and we did have a 06 or 300 to back us up in case something went wrong. Now don't jump to any conclsions, If i was hunting in a brushy area or in a swamp i would arm myself with enough fire power to do a good job. You all have a good day ............Joe...........

Bearwolf31 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 11, 2006, 10:21:20 AM »

I would forego both of em and go out with a 460 weatherby cuz ya never know what ya might run into.

Actually a 308 is more than enough if ya hit em where it counts. If ya can't put the crosshairs onto the kill zone then dont bother pulling the trigger. On the other end, I know several that shoot hogs with 223 and 222's they all seem to drop or run 75yrds max. But for me I like a little more ooph cuz I don't care much for spending all my hunting time out looking for a shot at animal wondering if its dead or not.

FWiedner · « **Reply #19 on:** January 13, 2006, 04:25:27 AM »

It's always good advice to "use enough gun".

But on the other hand, if you can't put your shot where it needs to go, maybe you shouldn't be shooting at all.

An F-150 doesn't have very good penetration, but it delivers a butt-load of energy to the target.

cannonman · « **Reply #20 on:** January 23, 2006, 09:03:03 AM »

i would use a .308, i shot my last one with a 45/70 marlin guidegun and that worked well,one shot through the briskit :blaster: my brother inlaw on the other hand had big trouble with his pig, four shots with a .44 mag and two more with 30.06. sometimes the animal can tough. .223 is two light a round i think for the job unless you pop him with a few rounds at once. kinda screws up the meat though. :blaster:

PEPAW · « **Reply #21 on:** January 24, 2006, 03:40:27 AM »

For a trophy hog hunt, take the .308.
When we go out to just kill pigs, we take whatever is handy. I prefer a .243.

pepaw