Could I use a .223REM to hunt wild hogs? What if I used some 62gr FMJ bullets? Or are there other bullets I should use? What do ya'll recommend?

Stout bullets and head shots. Start at the TSX, TB Bear Claw, and Partition for bullets. FMJ may work, but a little expansion is better.

I agree with CDH and have done it.

From a purely functional standpoint:

55gr Barnes TSX should shoot well if you have 1:12" twist

Resist the temptation to use anything else unless you have a faster twist rate.

AllanD

Approximately one jillion (that's a "1" followed by a bunch of zeros) hogs have been killed with run-of-the-mill 55 grain soft point .223 factory loads. If setting up specifically for hogs, the Hornady SP's seem to hold together a little better than some other .224 bullets, and the 60 grain is perhaps a little to be preferred over the 55 grain. But the bottom line is, don't sweat it. And DON'T use an FMJ under any circumstances; you'll just perforate the hog and he'll run off somewhere else to die. If you want to use pricey premium bullets like the Barnes or Nosler Partition, that's fine, but not necessary.

The 55gr US military FMJ is the finest killing bullet ever designed for the 5.56mm NATO

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Originally posted by MajorCaliber:
The 55gr US military FMJ is the finest killing bullet ever designed for the 5.56mm NATO

Lots of penetration thats for sure. Stick with head/neck shot and I say your golden.

ANy varmint bullet to the brain is a sure thing too. good luck

I was thinking FMJ, because it would give me plenty of penetration through all the grizzle so I could shoot for their heart and lungs. Is this not a good idea?

I have a 16.1" barrel with a 1:7" twist, so I can shoot heavy bullets. What would be the best bullets to use? I would prefer cheaper bullets, something that'll get the job done, but won't cost me an arm and a leg.

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Originally posted by Brandon Kappel:
I would prefer cheaper bullets, something that'll get the job done, but won't cost me an arm and a leg.

MIL-SURP Bullets n' powder 5,000 bullets for $175

You want cheap and alot of penetration, these could not be beat in either catagory. IMO

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I was thinking FMJ, because it would give me plenty of penetration through all the grizzle so I could shoot for their heart and lungs. Is this not a good idea?

55 grain .223 FMJ is preferred for the local ranchers that don't want the hogs to die on their ranch. Shoot 'em through the body and they usually run off to die elsewhere. If that's your game, go for it...heck I had lunch with a guy working on a plan to get a helicoptor run over his place to thin the hogs. The AK-47 is the preferred weapon for that type of cull. Recovery attempt is required by permit, but only the ones that lay down...and it's too hot (already) to mess with many. You see where this is going...

A FMJ through the brain is gonna stop them, but I would expect to track/lose a lot of them on body shots. Besides, the ribs are the best part!

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Recovery attempt is required by permit, but only the ones that lay down...

So you can cull them from the chopper but have to have a permit to recover? Just curious Thanks

MajorCaliber wrote:

quote:

The 55gr US military FMJ is the finest killing bullet ever designed for the 5.56mm NATO

First of all, the FMJs in military usage were designed NOT to kill but to incapacitate.

For hunting hogs, any FMJ is a poor, poor idea, especially in a caliber that, for starters, is only marginal for the job. Yes, many hogs have been taken with the .223s, but many others have crawled off to die as well.

If you are going to use the .223, use a good bullet and only take head or neck shots. A fully mature hog poses a tremendous challenge for any bullet, so don't give body shots a second thought.

Take only head and neck shots with the 223. If you have a hog in a wide open field with the only brush a hundred yards or so a heart lung is ok but still ill advised. Any factory soft point will sufice. I hand load the 65gr Sierra Game King to 3000fps and I still won't heart lung. Get a bigger gun if you insist on the heart lung shot.

Brandon, do the right thing here...if you got a 7" twist use a suitable bullet for the program. The Partition will do for about any shot you want to take, or the TSX, or...any of the heavier premium bullets. It just isn't worth the hassle to pick your shots and such...pigs ain't worth the trouble.

Bobby, your thoughts on the FMJ's may be appropriate for other cartridges, but the Major is pretty much on the money regarding the 5.56 Ball used way back when...the 55 grain variety. It tumbles more often than not and causes grossly traumatic wounds. It was intended to do so, and this was facilitated by bullet design and slowish twist rates. I have yet to see a single creature, man or beast, shot with it that survived. That includes water buffalo, pigs, monkeys, chickens and one elephant which fell to a single brain shot thru the temple. I understand that the current configuration does not perform thus...perhaps heavier bullets, lower velocity, faster twists...maybe they don't go end over end, I dunno.

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So you can cull them from the chopper but have to have a permit to recover? Just curious Thanks

The permit is required for aerial shooting. The same permit requires a reasonable effort to recover (no wanton waste) the animals.

Last time out they counted 80+ dead in the field. It hit 92 here last week, and was in the 80's this week...who has time to deal with 80+ pigs in that temperatures at midday? It's amazing what damage a herd like that can do to a cornfield...10+ acres a night wiped out!

un-

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I have yet to see a single creature, man or beast, shot with it that survived.

I saw quite a few in Viet Nam. A shot in the leg or arm is still a shot in the arm or leg.

Personally, I won't shoot any game animal with a full metal jacket. In fact, I won't even shoot a varmint with a FMJ. There are better tools for the job, and plenty of cheap .223 SP ammo around.

I just remembered that I have some Speer 70gr semi-spitzer bullets. Would these work OK with head and neck shots?