Winchester 94 in 44 magnum is probably the best long gun for hogs. It has a nice balance and affordable because hogs can be found in every region of our country.

Getting used to shooting again & am just about ready to set out pig hunting. Got a Weatherby Vanguard in 30-06 & a Leopold Rifleman 3x9. Been trying the Barnes in 150 & 180 grain to see which shoots best. My groups are still 4-5 inches at 200 yards, so while that's good enough to hit the vitals I still want to do better and get to where I am very comfortable out in the field at 200 yards.

Ruger M77 in .35 Whelen 200 gr JSP @ 2800fps if shooting from a stand.
30-30 Marlin lever gun for stalking. (Assuming my lil' brother doesn't snag it first.)

Marlin 1895M Guide Gun in 450 Marlin. I don't need the power but I like big bores and hogs give me an excuse for breaking it out from time to time.

In the wild you cannot always depend on getting that perfect shot. In addition, hogs are extremely tough animals that can be very hard to put down & keep down. They are not too fond of then idea of being shot. I have been charged many times. These monsters have very sharp teeth and know how to use them. I used a BAR 7 mm Mag. for years. I finally decided I wanted a gun that would put them on the ground & keep them there. The 1895 Marlin stainless 'guide gun' in the very powerful 45/70 does just that. I am charged NO more! Would like to try that 450. You caught my interest!

I've been hunting them with .54 or .58 muzzleloaders, but I'm just not impressed with the results. Like Bob Harbison I'm switching to something with more power: .338 Win Mag.

.338 is one heck of a choice. Some will say it's an overkill. It should be remembered that the 'perfect' shot is not always a reality. Hogs are very hard to bring & keep down. After being chaised a couple of times most will have a different opinion about 'overkill!'

the .338

Bob, I'm well aware that many people would say my choice is overkill, but they're not the ones in the palmettos after a wounded hog. I don't hunt with dogs. I do hunt at night and at pretty close range. Anything less than DRT and they haul for thick palmetto jungle. The last one that ran I followed into thick cover where visibility forward was about ten feet and zero to the sides. Home field advantage goes to the hog in there. If I were hunting open ranches with a little daylight it would be another story.

I use the same rifle for everything, from hogs, to deer, to prairie dogs. 300WM, sure it packs a little more punch than is necessary, but I believe in picking something that you are comfortable shooting then using it. Reason being is I know where my bullets are going when I pull the trigger. I've brought down hogs with everything from my .300WM to a .22LR, doesn't matter what you're shooting, all that matters is where you place your shot.

It doesn't take a cannon to take down hogs. I am patient and will make precision shot or I don't shoot. I have taken 10 pigs with the diminutive 300 AAC Blackout since Sept. And these are subsonic loads at about 1000 fps muzzle velocity.

Here's a 180lb boar from the other day. A little over 100 yards at nite facing me with his down, shot was placed right between the ears. Pffft thud.








.The Blackout next to a 223 Rem