.243 for hogs
 

I shot a lot of TX hogs w/ my .270 last year but am thinking of taking my .243 this year. Will prob. be shooting 100 gr. PSP Remington Core Lokts. I shot 1/2 of the hogs last year right behind the shoulder & the other 1/2 in the spine btwn the shoulder & ear. Most dropped w/o going far. W/ the .243, what shot would you recommend?

***Right near the ear with any centerfre and a good bullet and they'll go down for the count.

I was stationed in the San Francisco area for 3 years early in my Navy career. I got in good with some of the landscape guys on the vineyards in Napa and could shoot hogs at will. All I had in CA was a Ruger M77 in .243 that I used for both hogs and blacktails. The .243 worked on every hog I shot it with and I always used a high shoulder shot. But, I was shooting hogs for meat and didn't target any big pigs, mostly ones around 100 lbs.

On a side note, the .243 worked well on the blacktails too.

Can't say I agree with the "any" CF right behind the ear will work thought. With many other things, just what size hogs AND also what sex they might be matters, whether some think so or not. A very large boar will have a shield of 1-2.5" and will affect any bullet from behind the ear to behind the shoulder.

Figuring hogs of 100 pounds or so, zero problem with any decent .243 load. Figuring hogs of 200- 500 pounds, not so simple, especially if they are boars. I've killed a very large boar that had a thick shield of no less than 2.5" and that also turned two bullets, 270gr JFN .44 mag loads from a Marlin Carbine and then required 3 more shots to kill him.

Again, small hogs are NOT difficult to kill. Large boars can be a chore and if they are not dead as you get close to check, you may have a surprise you weren't counting on or prepared to face.

A hog does not have a shield near the ear! The shield is on their shoulder area for protection when they fight. Any well made bullet will penetrate in the ear area and take any size hog down. Hitting one on the shoulder with that thick shield they have as they get bigger is a different story because it will turn a smaller caliber bullet.

i agree with top. any shot near the ear with a good .243 will drop em

Since you seem to be the expert here, I'll let you explain to us how the shot, clearly shown by blood 2" behind the right ear did not drop this hog for the count. Picture also shows the bullet removed from that boar and shot #1. Bullet #2 was fired as he regained his feet after #1 and was directly to the middle of his right shoulder. It never even bled. Marlin M1894, Speer 270gr JFN (not HP) ammo.

Shots 3 & 4 were to his underside (no shield) after #2 knocked him down again and he was scrambling to again regain his feet. All these shots were from 45 yards. The last shot, #5 was made at 10' as he again tried to regain his feet. This shot was further forward on neck and ultimately killed him.

Shot placement should be the same. As I've said before, gunpower is overrated and shot placement is underrated

So, your recommendation on shot placement would be......:confused0024:

I get a kick out of those who have killed a bunch of "ham sammiches" with small caliber guns, but have never even seen a big old nasty boar, never mind messed with one. :confused0024:

***Very simple explanation! You don't shoot them high like that behind the ear. You shoot them and inch or two BELOW the ear on about the level that their eye is. You shocked and knocked him down with that first shot, but it was too high and not where it would kill him, thus leading to all the other shots after you pissed him off with that first one, LOL!

Have you ever looked at the bone structure on a hog? 2 inches behind the ear is mostly muscle and gristle. The reason the shot didn't put the hog down for the count was poor bullet placement and not the fault of the caliber.

A hogs ear sits on the upper part of the skull and is towards the back of the skull. If you place the bullet directly below the ear it will destroy the brain. You're trying to blame a bullet when the blame lies with the shooter. You don't have to like it when someone points it out, but that doesn't mean it isn't correct.

***"Right near the ear with any centerfre and a good bullet and they'll go down for the count."***


That happens to be the statement (your statement) I took exception to. If you're wanting to change it now, might as well just say to shoot them in the ear, I reckon. Of course sitting at the edge of a swamp, 20+ minutes after SS and shooting a large boar who's walking by at 45 yards does make the "perfect" ear shot a bit more difficult."LOL". I'm not hunting a preserve nor shooting small hogs already trapped in a pen as so many expert "hog hunting" opinions arise from.

As with my very first statement in this thread, I simply believe that a lot of opinions on what cartridge is useful & effective on hogs varies considerably when one talks an "eater" of 20-100 pounds a big sow of 250 pounds+ (which is still pretty easy to kill) or a very large boar that has a significant shield. If someone has never seen the shield that's present on a 400+ pound boar, it's difficult to explain what it's like.

2 inches isn't exactly "right near the ear" in my book. Take a minute to look at a ruler and see just how far 2 inches actually is. When it comes to anatomy, it is a huge distance. Bottom line, if your first bullet had been placed properly, then this conversation wouldn't even exist. Poor bullet placement and not poor bullet performance resulted in the other 4 rounds having to be fired. No matter of spin on your part negates that simple fact. Trying to put some blame on Top when you were on the trigger is foolish.

If you think I don't know a thing about bullet placement on game, I invite you to look at the 45+ pics on my profile page. I guarantee you that a .243 bullet in the brain will kill any hog that walks the face of the earth. Biological facts do not stop just because an animal gets over 250 lbs. I didn't personally shoot any hogs that big with my .243 but I did see a buddy of mine dump a huge boar with a single round from my rifle. When that little 100 gr bullet hit that pig it just went FLOP! Bullet placement is the key to quick clean kills. Always has been. Always will be.

As a matter of fact, I have looked very closely at the "structure" of a hog's body, having been lucky(??) enough to have assisted in the caping & skinning of at least 5 different hogs of 225 pounds up to 450+. Four of those hogs were boars and we have taken numerous other hogs up to 200+/-.

If you'd reread my posts, you'll see that I did not "fault the caliber". I merely stated my experience(s) in as plain English as I can. Take them for what you want or discount them, I really do not care. I just know that in our experiences with free ranging Georgia hogs, we've learned a good deal about how and what to use to kill large hogs.

I read a lot of comments about how easy it is to kill "any" hog with a shot at/near the ear. Typically with most hogs, that is an excellent choice and will normally work just fine. However, hogs do not typically "pose" as deer will. They are normally always moving, even while eating. I would suggest that on a really big boar, you do your homework and understand what killing one might take; no more, no less. Shown are the shields of a couple of boars 225 & 260 pounds. We failed to get a picture of the thickest shield we encountered, unfortunately, and it was double the thickness of these two. Easily equal to both these together.

A sow still carries the musculature of a hog, and it can be substantial in a 250-300 pound specimen (we've killed some of those too). But whereas there is ZERO shield present in a sow, killing one is much easier to do. Not everyone who hunts/kills hogs understands that, IMHO. To be under-gunned when pursuing big hogs seems silly to me. The owner of the place where we hunt in Georgia agrees, especially when he shows you the collection of skulls from hogs ultimately found dead, that ran off after a shot that took too long to take effect.

Undergunned my rearend and if you know their structure you shouldn't/wouldn't have shot him where you did!!! I probably shot more hogs in Texas over about 20 years time on several low fence ranches, including several boars that were near 400#, than you've seen in your lifetime so don't tell me a .243 in the ear or slightly below won't kill a big hog. I also don't need to read a dissertation from you about the difference in sizes or sexes after seeing where you shot the boar, as any shot where Flags and I are talking about will do the job. The .243 Sako Forester I use is a tack driver and I used factory Sierra 100 grainers down there until I started to handload and went to the Hornady 100 grain BTSP. The last hog I shot down there in 2010 would never turn broadside and I shot him right between the eyes into his brain at 120 yards while he had his head down eating corn. He did just like Flags mentioned and flopped over dead with a couple twitches. The shot you made in that picture was not where it should have been and the bullet in the picture is an example of perfect expansion and if that bullet had been put below the ear it would have eliminated the other 4 shots you needed. This is that 2010 hog and 10 shots with that Sako!

Thanks so much for all that very useful advice you've offered. I should be a lot better hunter now.....:happy0001:

We've butchered them up to 600 lbs, either shot head on or in the ear with a 22 long rifle solid, shot head on the bullet was always found in one shoulder or the other.
RR

Right behind the shoulder with the leg foreword. That's the ideal shot placement, in the neck or behind the ear would be good too. Low center shoulder where you would break the leg isn't bad either.

I don't claim to be some expert on hogs, but ive messed with more than enough to know how to kill one efficiently. He asked if it would work and what shot placement would be, I'd say I answered that question fairly well now.

:happy0001::happy0001:+ however many said it after Topgun !!! :happy0001:

The above demonstrates a very common issue with many hunters. Anytime an animal doesn't go down immediately, the blame is usually placed on the bullet or the caliber and not on the shooter. To look at a pile of skulls from animals that were lost actually proves the caliber was adequate to kill the animal. If it wasn't the skull would still be attached to the beast! I'm willing to bet that more than 98% of the game that is lost is lost simply because the shooter didn't do their job right and put the bullet in the right place.

Modern bullets, for the most part, are very well made and if they are placed in the vitals the result will be a dead animal in short order. A properly placed small caliber bullet will kill an animal better than a poorly placed large caliber bullet. It is the placement of the hole that is important and not the size of the hole. Always has been, always will be.

Tnhunter444: "Thanks so much for all that very useful advice you've offered. I should be a lot better hunter now."

***You're welcome and I hope so :lmao:

I call BS!!!! A hog does not have a shield or gristle plate near the ear at all. It may extend somewhat up the upper shoulder area, but no where near the ear. And I got my information from the hundreds of hogs that I have killed from all over the South from Texas to Florida and in between!!!!! From 50lbs to over 400 lbs. Ear shot/ back of the head from above/behind, DRT!!!! No tracking. Shoot too far forward or low, another story. Using everything from 22 LR to 338 Lupua, 12ga, 20ga, 50 cal ML to knife. Pistols from 22 LR to 7mm BR. Both wild and domestic hogs. A 243 will drop them just fine if you do your part correctly.

Bingo, Chief!!!!

Used to track a few wounded elk and a dozen or so wounded deer for folks every year. The vast majority of those animals were gutshot. The hunters stories were mostly a variation of: "I don't understand, i double lunged that (check one) deer/elk. A few hunters would fess to a gutshot.

Contrary to the opinions expressed by some on internet boards, hogs ain't rhinos and they are not covered by a layer homogeneous armor plate. i've killed mature boar hogs that went over 300 pounds using a .223 and the 53 grain Barnes Triple Shock bullet. That bullet penetrates the "shield" and the shoulder of big boar hogs.

This boar was killed with a 250 grain SST bullet from my .50 caliber muzzleloader. That bullet is often maligned by muzzleloader hunters as unsuitable for deer because it is rumored to come apart. This boar measured over 19" through the shoulders. The bullet was found between the "shield" and skin on the far side. Hog ran full tilt for about 100 yards after being hit.

OK, so we've determined that hogs don't have an armor plating..... But elk that's a another story, those animals are bullet proof!!!!!!!

Well, I've shot 25 elk and I haven't seen a bullet bounce off one yet. For what it is worth, I've seen 2 elk shot with a .243 and they both ended up on the game pole.

Oh come-on Chief!!!!!!! must've been a 243 super duper wizzzzzzzum magnum!...LOL

P.S....enjoyed your photo album......nice :)

Regardless of the round used shot placement is critical. A .243 will indeed penetrate the biggest hog's shield. However, if you shoot a big boy in the shield with a .223, 243, or even a .270, be prepared to either track a wounded hog or climb a tree; he will not be a happy camper. A good solid head shot with a .243 will drop any monster in his tracks. The problem is we are not hunting on a target range. That 'perfect shot' is not always available. I have been hunting the Florida wild boar hog for over fifty years. I have seen it all. I have tracked hogs by following lung tissue from that 'perfect' heart lung shot. Don't let anyone tell you a wounded hog will not come looking for you with the intent of doing grave bodily harm; they will! I used a 7mm. BAR for years. The 7mm magnum is a much more powerful .270. It will penetrate the 'shield' and blow the shoulder out the other side. Smaller hogs are much easier to locate & get a good shot. However, trophies do not grow that big by being 'easy.' After many hours waiting it's hard to pass up a good heart lung shot because we cannot get a head shot. One solution is to select a caliber with more punch, more knock down power. You will find that virtually any .30 caliber will do much more damage than a smaller round.
A .30-30 is a very popular round because its readily available, cheep, and packs a real wallop. Next up, .308. The .308 is one of the most popular military & hunting rounds around the world. Why? It does the job. Americas own 30.06 is also outstanding. And then there is my own personal choice, the put them on the ground & keep them there 45/70. I have been using my 45/70 Marlin stainless 'guide gun' for over ten years. It's been ten years since a hog I have shot ran; they are too busy dying.
The real sportsman/woman knows his/her weapon, what it will & will not do, and acts accordingly. The choice of a weapon depends on the individual. We all have our personal preferences. The best choice is the weapon we feel most comfortable with.

I've heard of a lot of hogs killed down in TX with AR15 and night vision with 223

I don’t claim to be a expert on hogs, I don’t shoot boars over about 100 pounds because I don’t think they make good table fair. With that being said you cant beat a 300 pound sow out of an orange grove. I have killed and eaten three this year and that’s about my average for the last 30 years so you do the math. I have a WMA 15 miles from the house with a lot of hogs that you could hunt during small game season but you weren’t allowed to have a center fire rifle. Those hogs must have been sissys because I sure have killed a lot of them with a 22 Magnum. I am not saying that given an option I wouldn’t have had a larger rifle but I have never seen a bullet proof hog and I would count on shot placement over caliber everyday.

I don't know a lot on the subject at matter but I went down to Stamford,tx a few years ago and shot a 200lb sow with a .243 in head with a 95 gr SST at about 75 yards. It was lights out before she could even hear the shot lol. I also believe that if I would have shot her in the vitals she still would have ended up in the freezer.

Wow boys this does not need to be so angry. I love head and neck shots on hogs that I am keeping for meat or wanting to show the boys at the lease. That being said my primary hog gun is a suppressed .17 HMR. I take only head and ear shots with it out to 100 yards. It is a laser shooter.
So the original question was will a .243? Yes. Head and neck saves meat too. But shot placement is key on any game animal. I don't take body shots on hogs unless I want to eradicate the lease being overrun and don't need the meat.

i hear bullets bounce off their skull as well. but i have no problems with my 22 super duper magnum.

Yep, one of the places i often hunt bans the use of centerfire rifles outside of deer/elk season. i've killed a few dozen wild hogs there using a .22 magnum.

243 is fine

Stick it in his ear or forehead. Night night, termite.

In my experience (and I've shot quite a few) you can shoot a hog with just about any type of rifle if you shoot them behind the ear will drop them. I shoot them with 7 mag...