My limited experience with hog hunting involved the use of a .243 with 100 gr. Nosler Partitions. It was a miserable deal. From talking with the ranch owner later, he indicated big bullets were very effective - although his personal hog gun was a .223, and he only took head shots with FMJ bullets. I have wanted since to try it again with a muzzleloader. I'm sure the .45-70 would be equally effective.