How is the hog hunting down near Cotulla? I am planning to come down there the end of February with a friend of mine. He plans to use a 45 Long Colt and I plan to use a 460 Rowlan.
Posts: 1 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 05 April 2003
30-30 is a great hog caliber. I would stick with the 170s (but that's just me) and I wouldn't worry about range at all; it'll kill them as far away as most people are comfortable shooting deer with a 30-30. 35 Remington would great too. Actually, the 458 SOCOM and "principal hog gun" shit was just an excuse to buy something I wanted, not needed. Just about everything in the safe has been the "principal hog gun" at one point in it's life with me
Posts: 11142 | Location: Texas, USA | Registered: 22 September 2003
Looking for opinions on guns & Loads for hog hunting. What in your opinion would make the best hog gun (make, action type, and model) and in what Caliber. Also, what is your favorite FACTORY load for this gun. Thanks!
Quote: Nobody out there uses .308 or other .30 cal? If so, what load and how have your results been? I have a Browning BAR in .308 I was contemplating using because it's a semi. Any thoughts?
As you might guess from my user name, I use .308s on hogs and have had great results. I use Federal High Energy 180 grain Nosler Partitions, part # P308G I believe.
I never killed a monster hog with it but I shot a 225 lb sow with it and the bullet went right through it. The Noslers penetrate very well - like a hole punch.
My favorite hog gun is a Marlin 45/70 lever action using Winchester 300 grain Partition Gold ammo, but the only time I got a hog with it was a small boar about 80 lbs so it hasn't really been put to the test.
BTW, Craig Boddington in his book "The Perfect Shot: North America" recommends the mid-range .350 calibers for hog hunting, such as the .348, .356 and I assume the .350 Rem Mag. He says they have enough punch to take out the biggest hog but also are able to reach out and touch someone at 200 yards, which is a stretch for something like my 45/70 (at least when I'm firing it).
Your Browning BAR should do great against hogs. Test different kinds of high penetrating ammo to see which one your rifle likes best and let us know how it does!
Wow -- you're going to get an overwhelming amount of opinions on this matter. Me? I like the heavy stuff for my hog hunting. I do a fair share of hunting with handguns and for that I use my .480 Ruger Super Redhawk, primarily. I've used Speer Gold Dot ammo with a 325 grain soft point at 1350 fps (at least this is what they are rated at). Recently picked up some Buffalo Bore 410 grain hard cast loads that I want to try. I also have a Ruger Super Redhawk in .454 Casull that I have not used on hogs yet but plan to remedy that situation as early as next weekend. For that I have Corbon loads with 320 grain slugs.
Now on to my rifles. I've taken a couple of hogs with my Whitworth bolt-gun in .416 Rem Mag. I use Hawk Deadsoft bullets at 2400 fps. It thumps. Just picked up a CZ 550 in .458 Lott that I will be trying out soon as well.
Do you need this much rifle? No, but I enjoy shooting big-bores and I plan on a cape buffalo hunt in the next year or two and I feel that there is no better practice with the weapons you plan on using than a live target. Also remember that there are no degrees of dead, so there really isn't such a thing as "overkill". But, that's just my opinion.
Just be proficient with your choice in weapon, and most of all have fun. Happy hunting!
Posts: 13440 | Location: Virginia | Registered: 10 July 2003
I used my SW 500-8-3/8" last time hog hunting ,took a 185lb boar using 465gr WFNGC cast bullet at 1250 fps plenty of blood/lung to follow for tracking. Will probably go hog hunting in January with the same setup. Sean
I like the Marlin 45/70, but we also use a BLR .308, a Rossi lever action 44magnum and my son Matt has nailed heaps with a coach shotgun. Most of are shooting is in thick scrub and our average shot is about 20m.
My attempt at a "Principal Hog Gun" is a Puma 92 in 454 Casull. It'll hold 10x 320gr hard casts at about 2000fps or 260gr Partitions at around 2300fps. Already only six pounds, I'm looking to chop a couple inches off mine to make it handier in the thicket. It has yet drawn blood, but I can't think of many better big sticks to carry (maybe if it were 475 Linebaugh...)
Posts: 131 | Location: Arkansas | Registered: 09 August 2003
How about anything from a 270 win 150 grn on up and anything that will keep witih 3 inches of your line of sight out to your maximum effective range and that has an SD of .26 or better. Bolt, lever, single, semi auto or that shoots 1 1/2 moa or beter
Posts: 10159 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003
Reminds me of a conversation at a local gun shop a while back. In a sort of "sitting around the cracker barrel" type setting, a conversation was had about the same subject. A fellow was looking for a hog gun for use in the Tennessee hardwoods. His buddy chirped that his 300 Win. Mag. certainly was great in a California hunt he had and that if it was good at 250 yards, it should work anywhere!
My comment was that in my limited experience ( three hunts in Tennessee ) a hot round like that could lead to trouble ( 20 yard shots the norm ) unless one handloaded and tamed it down a bit to 30-06 levels. I opined that my 45-70 likely wouldn't be much good at that California hunt.
I suggested that the original questioner call the place where he is to hunt and check with the locals as to what works well there. The fellow with the 300 Win. scratched his head as to why I would recommend that rather than have his buddy follow his advice. Well, I knew he had fished the deep reservoirs in the southern part of the state, so I asked him if he would automatically assume that the baits/lures he used for bass there would work in a relatively shallow, brown-water lake in Minnesota. Heck no, he says, it is a different situation !
Not sure if he ever made the connection.
Posts: 733 | Location: N. Illinois | Registered: 21 July 2002
A RUGER .44 carbine with a red dot sight. I don't know anybody who uses factory loads. I use a 265 gr Hornady load. Do people still shoot factory ammo?
For hunting big pigs I like my cz 550 .375 H&H loaded with 300 gr Hornady RN's....people might feel the .375 is over gunned for pigs but I feel it is not, I have seen better results with my .375 H&H than with my 30/06.
I also like my marlin 45/70 loaded with eiother 300 gr sierra pro hunter hollow points or rem 405 gr or woodleigh 405's. I feel the .375 H&H to be the best balanced as it shoots flat for longer shots and has some of the 45/70's smashing ability.
A couple of rifles I own but have not used on pigs yet that I think will work great are my;
9.3x62 .458 lott .416 Rigby.
I have not used any factory reloads in any of these guns.
Posts: 7505 | Location: Australia | Registered: 22 May 2002
Sorry I don't know how to post two at a time 
. Gary.
