30-30 or 44 mag?

[fortress49]

Hey,
 
Recently I moved to Houston Texas and would like to start hunting hogs.  I have never been hog hunting and thought this would be a fun hunt if I can find a place that has reasonable prices.  I have a couple of questions?

Is a repeating rifle necessary or is a single shot OK? I have a single shot NEF .270 and am going to get a 45-70 barrel.  Both of these calibers should be good for hogs but of course they do not give a rapid seconnd shot.

If a repeating shot is necessary, I think a marlin 30-30 or 44 mag lever action would be a nice rifle.  Which caliber would you choose and why? Keep oin mind that I will be hunting in Texas.  Is the 44 or 30-30 a better pig stopper?

Thanks for all your ideas.  Also, if there is anyone around Houston that wants to take someone along for the ride on a hunt....

Matt

[fortress49]

...also, forgot to mention, I do not re-load.  Therefore I will only use factory ammo.  Keep this in mind when recommending between 44 or 30-30.  Buffalo Bore and Garrets provide some pretty awesome 44 loads.  Is there factory ammo that you can get for the 30-30 that is "premium" like the Buffalo Bore or Garrets?

Matt

[wipartimer]

Fortress, if those are your only two choices, I'd go with the 30-30. You'll want the extra range and power. Remember, a pig aint dead until it knows it's dead.

[Fla Brian]

...also, forgot to mention, I do not re-load.  Therefore I will only use factory ammo.  Keep this in mind when recommending between 44 or 30-30.  Buffalo Bore and Garrets provide some pretty awesome 44 loads.  Is there factory ammo that you can get for the 30-30 that is "premium" like the Buffalo Bore or Garrets?

Matt

Federal loads 150 and 170 grain Speer Grand Slams and 170 grain Nosler Partitions. These loads are about as premium as you can get.

[Borealis Bob]

In answer to your first question, and Handi-Rifle in 45-70 works well. I took a 260lb boar two years ago with handloads in that rifle. The hotter commercial loaders like Garrett, etc., would give you similar performance.

Warning, though, this little rifle will slap the snot out of a guy with hot loads. Fun, though...

[howie1968]

after  last  night losing  my big  boar   to  a  smaller  caliber  when  i  have  a  45-70  i  would  advise  using  the 44  most  shots  on  pigs  around  our  area   and  you  live  pretty  close  to  me  are  going  to  be  within 50 yards  and  most  at  low  light   i  was  using  a  270  with   Nosler  partitions   and  lost  a   trophy  boar  last  night   get  your  45-70  barel  and  stick  with  that   the  30-30   270  will  kill  pigs  ive  killed  many  with  each   but  as  i  am  learning  more  about pigs  i  want  the  advantage  in  my  favor  as  they  are  one  tough  creature

[Mad Dog]

The .30-30 would work, but if you are gonna get a .45-70 barrel, that would be my dedicated hog gun! :grin:   As far as factory loads,  almost any, that are accurate in your gun, will work on hogs up to 200# or so.  The load I used in Texas, on my hog hunt, in Feb., was win. 300 gr. nosler partition in .45-70.  Only got to shoot one hog, but she was facing me at 110 yds.  When she dropped her head, I put the crosshairs between her should blade and let fly.  The bullet went  thru the top of the lungs, diaphram, intestines, and exited between her back to teets.  Now I call that-PENETRATION!   The down side to .45-70 factory loads is that they run from $18 to as much as $50 [or more :shock: ].  I have a .30-30 handi rifle that I wanted to use, too, but never got a shot at a hog when I was carrying it.  Personally, if you do get a .30-30, I'd make it a Marlin 336, and try all the 170 gr. brands you can find, and go with the one that is the most accurate.  Really haven't talked about the .44 mag[although I killed a hog in Tenn. with one years ago], because in Texas I think the .30-30 would be more versatile.  JMHO.

Mad Dog

[Tad Houston]

I like my .44 carbine. i've taken quite a few hogs with it. Two of them big boars. The farthest shot was 75 yards- in the neck near the jaw- dropped him in his tracks! I use a 1" tube red dot scope like a scout scope- look right through it both eyes open. Great for jumping beds & close range stuff. I hand load nosler 240 gr. soft points, but i think they are pretty close to the winchester 240 soft points. I would'nt use hollow points. Also killed a few with my 336 30/30.

[Ganjiro]

Any 30/30 load has better velocity, energy, and trajectory than any 44 magnum load which looks good on paper. But in my actual field experiance hunting Wild Boar with both rounds over the past 30 years favors the 44 mag. I have never had to shoot a Wild Boar more than once with my 44 mag or had to track it, but with identical shot placement at similar ranges Wild Boars shot with the 30/30 have at several instances needed to be tracked with following finishing shots needed. I feel the Taylor Knock-out value more accurately reflects the power of the .44 mag versus the 30/30. I've owned, and hunted with both, and feel they are both great rounds especially for hunting the woods but i'll always grab my 94 Marlin 44 mag when I it's pigs i'm after. Here's a comparison of figures for both:

30/30 150 grain x 2390 = fpe 1902, tko 15 @muzzle, fpe 1356, tko 13 @ 100yds
30/30 170 grain x 2200 = fpe 1827, tko 16 @muzzle, fpe 1355, tko 14 @ 100yds
44Mag 240 grain x 1760 = fpe 1650, tko 25 @muzzle, fpe 1015, tko 20 @ 100yds

[fortress49]

Thanks for all the info!  Where do you find the info on the "TKO" index?  I have heard of this several times.  Is there a web site with this info?

Matt

[5th Group]

Maybe a 35 Rem

30-30 or 44 Mag would be okay...I would go with the 35 Rem...30-30 is practical out too 150 yards...the 44 Mag is fading at 75 yards and at 100 yards is way down on energy and reached it's limit...remember it's pistol
ammo...it's not a 444...44 Mag is an excellent round but I'd never shoot at a hog with it at 100yards...30-30 I would and then some...35 Rem no problem...a friend of mine in another state on a private hunt shot a 438 lb Russian Boar with a Marlin 336 35 Rem using BuffaloBore Heavy 35 Rem 220 grain JFN at 143 yards bullet went through both shouders and exited...very impressive ammo great shot placement...

De Oppresso Liber