What would you consider to be the minimum cal. rifle or handgun for shooting Javelina? 22 hornet,223, 243, 32mag, etc.

Mike

I have killed 3 javelina.

One at @300 yards, one at @225 yards and one at @ 200 yards.

All with a Colt AR-15 [16" barreled collapsable stock] with the 3x Colt scope.

Worked great, all one shot kills.

Ammo was Remington 55gr Soft point.

In handguns a 357 Mag, 9mm, or 45ACP should work up close.

I'd have to go with .223 . Although you can kill them with less.


I opted for my 30-06 for my first Javelina

While we have had some killed with a 22 LR, I would recommend at least a 22 Hornet.

Out of a pistol, anything from 38 Special and larger will be just fine.

Javelinas can be shot at long range, but it isn't neccessary, some of the pictures on our website were taken at 3 to 5 yards by stalking them thru the greasewood.

One of our archers stalked one to within 5 yards before finally shooting the thing.

One well placed shot slightly behind the collar and slightly lower than mid-line will do the trick.

Best of Luck on your hunt.

Thanks guys. My son is out in Marathon TX and I plan on going out to visit sometime in mid to late Jan. thought that I'd take my mini-14, and my Ruger BH 30 carbine revolver, (probably take something a little bigger to). He told me bring something for jack rabbits and Javelina's So I thought that I'd better get the scoop from some experienced people.
Mike

25acp? 17hmr? just kidding about the 25acp
low velocity 223 loads with solids would be a great idea..

these things are tiny, with 45# being a trophy and 50# is a monster...

Our biggest Javelina so far was a 64 pounder that was killed with 1 shot from a 22 LR at about 30 yards. The animal ran about 30 or 40 yards after being hit and just fell over.

Last year, we had a 60 pound and a 62 pound animal killed by the same hunter with a 250-3000.

The 30 carbine should do a great job.

Good Luck and Merry Christmas.

Is the meat any goo to eat? If so how do you fix em?

It depends on the age of the javelina, how it was handled after being killed and how it is cooked.

Some folks think it is great, others will not touch it.

It is a white meat like pork yet there is little or no fat content.

You can check out the Cusinero's Cache page on my website, my wife has posted several recipes that while not specifically for javelina, will work for javelina meat.

Just click on the link in my signature.

The big issue with cooking javelina is cooking it so that the meat does not dry out.

I have seen one shot with a 17 cal HMR and not twitch after being shot. I am adding a javalina to my "pig" wall that I shot Thanksgiving with a 7mm ultra mag, nope it didn't move at all.I was Mule deer hunting and it is what was in my hand, very much overkill. Any fast Varmit load will work as well as any rifle that we would use on whitetail deer. The javalina I shot, although not in the swine family will join my feral hog and wart hog mounts on the wall. He was an old male and around 75 lbs . and had pretty good tusks. As far as eating them. They are the answer to world hunger, a little of it goes a long way!

I'm ready to get a good one and get it on the wall That and a big Feral or Russian boar