Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I just finished a pig hunt with my bro-in-law, and nephew. The nephew dropped a pig on the spot with a .308 and CoreLokt bullet. My bro-in-law shot a pig with a 450 Marlin softnose bullet and it went through and through, leaving a huge blood trail. The pig then ran for 100 yards before dropping. I shot a running hog 3 time with .270 Nosler Partition 130 grn bullets before he dropped. One of those shots was right behind the leg in the boiler room.

I've previously shot a huge 270# hog twice with a .270 (one in the heart and one in the brain) which ran for over 100 yards and still bit a dog in his back leg before dying. A buddy on that hunt dropped a pig with 1 shot from a 30-30. Those big and slower bullets seem to take hogs down quicker.

I'm thinking about going up in caliber for the next pig hunt, either .338WM or maybe one of those 45-70's. What caliber is everybody else using, your pig hunting results with it and why?

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I've shot .270 and 30.06 from 100# to close to 300# hogs. Both did the job. I like head shots. Have never taken a pig in the kill zone.... Head shots drop them where they stand.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

Arrows are the best caliber for hogs! If you have never bow hunted hogs, you should give it a try. You will sell your rifles on here so you can buy more archery gear! Bowhunting hogsis my favorite hunt, unless its elk, deer, mountain lion or bear. . . well I really love hogs too.:D

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I had a post goin on here about a recent hog hunt where I corked one with my 270 wsm (Win Sup 130 gr bst-shot in the vitals) and he ran a few yardsbefore droping,however my concern was that the round didn't punch all the way through (130 lb pig). Then after speaking to the many knowledgeable people here I became aware that it's common for most deer rounds not to punch all the way through on hogs due to their "body armor" so to speak. Personally, I'll continue using my 270 wsm with full confidence however I think I'll step it up to a 150 gr. Good Luck.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I've always shot for the kill zone and not taken head shots. My first hog was a good size one with 2.5" tusks and I had the head mounted. Not the wife's favorite mount but it sure brings back good memories of a fun hunt. I agree that a .270 can take hogs as I've taken a 270# and 175# hogs with a .270. However, both hogs required multiple shots to take them down. Partly it's because the hogs are amazingly vital and strong animals (they keep running even when you put a round through the heart). And partly it's their body armor which does stop smaller bullets from going through and through. From what I've seen so far, .30 rounds tend to dump them quicker, pass through and through and leave a better blood trail. Of course, this could be just an excuse to buy a new gun.;)

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

we very seldom shoot(prefer knives) i do carry a 45 colt for bad boys. in the event i carried a rifle in would be the 35 rem. in my marlin lever action

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

That is probably more excitement than I want, however, I have seen it done once.;)

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I've killed several dozen this year with my .223. I haven't had one go more than 3 feet yet(250# boar).

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

225 Gr. .338 Win Mag, has always done the trick for me.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I hunt hogs in California with a .300 Wby Magnum and I am sure if I ever find a hog on public landshere, that caliber will be very effective.

Caldoc

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

My favorite, 100 grain sonic broadhead or muzzy three blade. Lol. I have not shot a hog with a gun in over 2 years.


Ive taken hogs with everything from 38 special pistols to 300 wby mags. My choice of guns is;

Hand guns: 454 casull or 44 mag. but I tend to take the most with a good old 45 acp. with my special loads.


Rifles: i like my 300 wby or 30-06. 308 calibers do a good job coming from just about any gun.

Caliber is simply what you like and can shoot well. Ive taken tons with 243, 223, 308, 22-250, 30-06, 25-06, 300 wby, 7mm rum, 270, 44 mag, 454 casull, 38 special, 357, and 45 acp. i think that sums up most of the long gun calibers and pistols Ive used though the years.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

Been using a 20 gauge with slugs and buckshotlately. I haven't seen a whole lot of animals shot with other calibers but the shotguns seem to put a big hole with little bruising around it. They knock the pig down real good too but thats mostly just shot placement talking. Doesn't matter what caliber you use (I'm talking about the big stuff, not 22s), you hit the pig in the spine or vertebrae, it's not going anywhere. Those hit in the vitals didn't go far either. Actually I don't think anything has made it 20 yards yet.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

i've killed hogs with 22LR, 12 gauge buckshot, .30-06 and Wby .300 mag. i'm hope'n to get one soon with my .25-06. my favorite way of taking them is either with buckshot or shoot them right behind the ear with a .22LR

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

Hey NT, i'm curious to know what gr ammo you're using for the 223 & are you taking head shots?

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

When I hunt hogs with a .223, I use FMJ ammo, and for a gun I use a Ruger Min-14.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

Using handloaded 55 gr. Sierra Gamekings pushed by Win. 748. Most shots were head shots, but one (the boar)was a heart shot because he wasrunning and that was the best shot I had at the time.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

Cool, Thanks.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

Wow no one said 25-06 or 7mm-08???

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

My uncle uses a Remington auto-loader in 30-06, not sure if it was a model 7400 or model 7600, 'cause I think one of those is a pump-action.

He likes that gun, cause he can hit the hog again in case it charges him.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I've shot a few with a .25-06 this year.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

.300 Win Mag.

But I've had hogs drop on the spot, and I've had them run like the wind.Even with bullet hitting relatively the same spot. You can't get clean kills everytime.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

25-06 was in my list. Ive taken a few with that caliber. Now for the 7mm-08, never shot a hog with one, but it would be as good a caliber as any. I like that round.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I use a variety of guns from a .243 to a .375 H&H Magnum. My favorite gun is a .450 Marlin. Because we hunt them at night and when you hit the light you don't have time to try for a perfect head shot and you just aim for the shoulder as you snap shoot before they run. with the .450 we haven't had a problem shooting through the shield of even the biggest boar. With some smaller calibers if you hit the shield it will stop it sometimes. We've cleaned pigs and counted over a dozen scars on their shields from being shot before from people trying to shot through them with too small a caliber.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

For over 45yrs I hunted Hogs with Dogs and have used .22mag to .45 cal!:)If and when I Stalked them, I used .270, .30-30 and 6.5mmSwede.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

Most of our shots are up close and personal in heavy cover and I almost always carry my side by side 12 guage with Rottweiler Magnum slugs. It's basically an affordable double rifle. I just shot a sow on Tuesday right between the running lights as she was coming towards me in the palmettos.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

Here in South Florida, the Wildlife Management Areas all have different regulations which means different guns. So far this year, I've used a Model 94 30-30, a 7mm Rem Mag, a .357 mag, and a 12 gauge with 00buckshot.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I use a 308 Win with a 150 grain CoreLokt. I also carry a sidearm...S&W 357Mag with Hydrashock rounds. Works great.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I'm no expert on killing hogs, but I've taken two nice boars on seperate hunts, 160# & 275#. The smaller boar dropped in his tracks and the larger boar only made about 20 yards. I was using a Rem 700 in 30-06 and 150 grn bullets. Both hogs were about 50 yards when I put the bullet in the bread basket.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

450 marlin puts them down

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

THat's what I use if you hit them right you can gut them at the same time. :)

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I shot a 600 plus hog with a .270 w/ core lokt ammo. went strait through
I would use the 270 again but not with the corelokt ammo i was told alot of places dont allow it on their ranches cause it doesnt mushroom it just goes strai through and with my experience with it i wouldnt use it cause i had to shoot the hog 4 times to drop it all were placed shots to.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

i've killed a few with .30-06 and .308 with Sierra 150 grain SBT bullets. Only had one run any distance. The vast majority of my hogs have been shot with a .50 muzzle loader, includinga European boar thatweighed over 350 pounds field dressed.Mostthat were shotwith the M/L bang/flopped. Think that i have been blessed with good luck killing hogs.

My neighbor shot a 400 pound boar a few years ago that absorbed two shots broadside with 240 grain XTP bullets in front of 150 grains of Pyrodex.After the second shot the hog was lying on his side as we approached. My neighbor yelled: "He is breathing." With that the hog jumped up and came after me. Shot him between the eyes at about 15 feet. Hard to find a hog in a scope at that distance.

There was a 90 pounder who was shot at from a tree stand rest at over 175 yards with the M/L. The bullet missed him low under the belly. Bullet hit a rock under him, exploded and unzipped his belly for its full length. He quickly laid down in the brush and i got him.

Good luck with the hogs!!!

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I can now vouch for the 25-06 with Hornady 117's !:D Took my very first hog and man it really did the job,in fact after looking at the damage I kinda figure a .223 would have no issues at all dropping one and much cheaper ammo:eek:

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

My favorite hog gun, it's a single shot. :D:D:D

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I'm with Rev on this one! Bow hogs are a blast!

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

45/70 Gov. 'nuff said(at least until my funding allows me to get into reloading)

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

400 grain arrow with a .40 caliber backup.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I have never killed one out in the wild, but when we butcher I always shoot them in the middle of the forehead with a 22 rifle. Drops them instantly.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

140 gr winchester failsafe, 7mm-08. I shot one in the kill zone last year and it was clean through it andthrough his brothers head. Headshot fell over like a stone, the other ran about five yards before he fell over.

RE: Favorite Caliber for Hogs and Why?
 

I shot one with my 300 WSM, with a 180 grain power point behind the front shoulder, and she dropped like a rock.