I have a Ruger PC-4 carbine and it takes boar all the time, big (250#) and small (75#). I have taken them at 20 to 80 yards. I also hunt with a group of cops that routinely take coastal deer and hogs at <30 yards with a .40 pistol. Just because some people say they "wouldn't" hunt with less that a magnum round or a rifle round does not mean it won't get the job done. The key is accurate shot placement. If you can shoot a 2" group at 80 yards, you will have no problem. From the side, I usually aim low on the shoulder, a couple of inches above where the front leg meets the chest and have ended up hitting the dip in the spinal column, the heart or the lungs. All were fatal with a single shot. I had one shot from behind and above at 40 yards. He was running and I aimed between the shoulder blades. It broke his back and dropped him on the spot, but did not kill. I advanced and took a 2nd shot at 10 yards that killed him.

In my book, one properly placed round is superior to 3 or 4 poorly placed rounds of any caliber.

True enough, the .40 S&W was designed to drop a mere human and hogs do have a shield or armor of cartlidge and scar tissue that people don't have, but I have seen .40 rounds out of a pistol go clean through the steel trunk of a police car. Like the .45 ACP, the .40 S&W does not achieve it's maximum potential in a pistol barrel. An 11-16" barrel gives you maximum velocity, maximum energy and the most accuracy from these rounds.

So, go kill a hog with your .40 carbine and post a picture here for all of the non-believers.