You don't need a mag/cannon to kill hogs within reasonable range. Take your best shots, I'm hiding! The biggest problem that most people have, in killing pigs, is shooting them too far back or too high. A pigs kill-zone is basically from the rear edge of the front to an area about 2/3 of the way forward on the neck and starting about 1/3 way down on the body. Most people want to shoot a pig right on the 'crease'behind the front leg. If this shot is even a few inches 'back' it is a marginal shot. If one shoots for the correct kill-zone any relatively heavy for calliber cup and core bullet shot at under 2900fps .264 to 308 caliber non-magnum is plenty. capt david

We shoot quite a few down at Uvalde, both Spring and Fall. Guns range the full width of appropriate deer calibers. Yes, I'm a firm believer in a 100 grain 6MM behind the ear, and anything larger works just as good. But my buddies like a 300 Weatherby, anywhere they are open, especially on big boars.

I'm with you on the ear/head shot. I'm just not sure that I would trust a 6mm through-the-shoulder 0n a 200lb or bigger boar at greater than 100yds. BTW I just killed two near Montell this week. capt david

I also shoot pigs behind the ear with a 375 H&H - works fine.

Roland

I've put a few hogs down on trips to the Uvalde/Hondo area. All with 25-06 100gr TSX or groove bullets. You are correct about the vitals being quite different from deer. I shoot low thru the shoulders as I hate tracking thru all the thorns and have never yet lost a hog. The rifles our group uses runs from my 25 on the small side to .375 on the high.

I have not ever been left wanting for more penetration with the .25 using the monolith bullets mentioned. course I haven't run into a hogzilla yet neither

Stevo

captdavid,

I agree with you. In my opinion most hogs don't take much killing within reasonable range. I've killed a couple truck loads of them with my .243 including one weekend before last near Barksdale (not far from Montell). Shot placement is very important. All that being said I prefer to use my .270, 6.5x55, or 06 on Feral hogs. I've taken around ten hogs in the 300 lb. and over range with these three calibers with no problems whatsoever. This includes some shots directly through the heavy shoulder plates. You're right in your kill-zone outline. It is up more forward than on a deer. I prefer the head or neck areas on a pig. I'm strictly a broadside shooter on deer. Anyhow, there is not a hog alive in Texas that I would feel undergunned on with my 6.5 or .270. I'm blessed in having acess to places where I can shoot a bunch of these tasty critters.

I've gotten into the habit over the years of mainly shooting hogs in the boiler room as shooting them in the head makes your taxidermy bill increase -- that is if you are having one mounted. I agree that heavy calibers are generally not needed, but I like to stay in tune with my big-bore rifles and shooting hogs is better practice than shooting paper in my opinion.

Mohawk, My dedicated pig gun, until recently has been a 308 shooting 150gn Power Points at around 2750fps. These I use under 150yds or so. If I think my shots will be farther I'll use my 30-06.
Ive always wanted a 7x57(the ghost of Bell and Corbett). I had an older Ruger, but couldn't get it to shoot. I now have a FN commercial Mauser. I'm just beginning to work up loads for it. I bought a box of Federal Premium 140gn Partitions and a box of Hornady L/Ms and they shoot to the same POA at 100yds, although the Feds are 400fps slower. They only shoot at a chronied 2410fps. Last month I killed a sheep and two pigs. All shot at under 100yds with a terminal speed of around 2250fps. I was most amazed at the smallest pig. I aimed at the neck but she must have turned toward me as I was pulling the trigger. The bullet entered the shoulder, completely shattered the joint, desrtoyed two ribs, the top of the heart/lug, two ribs on the other side and exited. And belive this or not, the front shoulder was not bloodshot too much to eat. Granted the pig only weighed about 80-90lbs, but this is pretty impressive. The second, a 175lb boar was shot through the neck with complete penetration. I'm impressed with this bullet on pigs but wonder how it'll perform on smaller deer or at faster speeds. Sorry if I ramble capt david

Capt. David,

I hear you man. The more I play with my 6.5x55 with 140 grain bullets the more I believe all that high velocity stuff is a bunch of hooiee.
It's devastating on porkers, whitetails, Axis, feral goats and everything else I've tried it on. And like your 7x57 it doesnt rattle the fillings in your teeth lose. I have no use for a magnum at all and can't ever see the need for one. Although I can't stop dreaming about at 338/06. O well some day.

I like the 125-129 in my Tweede. Which 140 do you like? Is it soft or hard? capt david

My Sweede is an old sporterized 96 mauser so I don't load it very hot. It shots 140's better than the 125 Nosler part. I've tried. So far I've only loaded 140 corelockts (got cheap bulk) and 140 Speers. Will try Hornady next as that's what I use in everything else. Can't comment of how soft or hard any of them are as I've never recovered a bullet. A 140 grain Speer passed completely through both shoulders and exited a 300+ lb. boar hog at around 100 yards. I love an exit hole and the more I play with this caliber the more I like it. It just flat penetrates and kicks about like my .243

im going in june for a pig hunt in california, as this is my first hunt, i know not too much. ;-) i shoot a 7mm rem mag. amd my dads gonna shoot his 30-06 where abouts should i be hitting them with this round for best meat retention and most efficient kill.

I have never hunted hogs. But I have this memory of my Grandpa coming to our place in the fall. He would take his single shot remington .22 and kill
3 to 6- 600 pound hogs for us. They never did anything but fold up without a twitch. I do admit he was within 25 yards but it says a lot about bullet placement. He could do this from the front or side.

Boom-stick

For meat retention first choice head or neck which is a pretty big target on a hog. Second choice close behind the shoulder. With the good calibers you guys plan to use you have more flexibility if you deal with any angles.

This is my opinion, but as I have stated before I personally don't find hogs that tough to kill versus other animals.

Enjoy your hunt and let us know how you do.

We shoot the big rifles for fun but a 22 mag will lay them out inside 75 yards I have had to prove this to people more than once but it buys me a lot of free lunches. i have not found an angle on a 200# pig that a brain shot with a 22 mag wont kill. the ones about the size of a football are easy for shoulder shots with the 22 mag. also use some 45 acp to great effect.

head shots are well and fine..
i like a minimum of 358 winchester, in or infront of the shoulder... or the ole quartering away shot...

smaller rounds work great with shot placement.. larger rounds tend to end any tusky disputes rapidly

jeffe