minimum cal. for hogs?

[The Baron]

I might be heading back to OK, and my friend/host said the area we hunt is now overrun with hogs. I will bring my .62 smoothie and can shoot a PRB with sufficient accuracy to about 40 yards. But I've been considering a .36 or .40 rifle for playing around here at home (paper, coyotes, coons, squirrel, etc.) and am wondering if a .40 would be enough for your average pig (say 100-150 pounders)?

 

[bubba.50]

in a pen i would say yes. in the wild & as tough as a wild hog is i'd say no & use that 62cal.


my opinion & free of charge.

 

[Lonegun1894]

I would say it depends on how you hunt, and how your self-discipline is. In my area, most of my shots at hogs are inside of 50 yards, and often inside 20. Also, about 1 out of every 3-4 hogs I see will stand there looking at me facing me like it is trying to decide if I am a threat, or if to charge me, or just what I am, or whatever is going through their heads. Those I have taken plenty of with a .32 ML or a .22LR pistol while hunting rabbits and squirrel. Now the rest are less than perfect shots, with the hog either being at any random angle you could imagine or running. So here is what I do. If going after small game, I carry a .32 ML (or .22LR ), and if I stumble upon a hog that presents a perfect shot opportunity of either a broadside shot or a (non-angled) shot at the fore head, I take the hog. But if I am going out with the intent to try and find a hog, I carry a .50-.54 ML, as it allows shots at various angles that I would have to pass up on if carrying a small gun. So are you willing to wait for the perfect shot and let the hog walk away if you don't get a perfect opportunity? If so, I would take your .36 or .40 out with me, but if not, definitely go with the .62 and KNOW you have enough gun.

 

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

I got my first one, close to 200lbs and it was with a .50cal @ 50 yards with 490 round ball and 80gr 2fg goex. She dropped on the spot with a shoulder shot. Ball did not hit spine at all. Surprised the heck out of me.

I also think you would be better using the .62cal rather than those tiny calibers unless you stick with short range behind the ear shots.

 

[FishDFly]

I shoot a lot of hogs with modern guns, kill ability depends on the bullet, not caliber size.

Hogs for the most part are very nervous all the time, this is especially true with sows and piglets in a group, they tend to run around all the time.

Boars are more reserved and will stand around for longer times.

Boars have a gristle shield behind the shoulder, folks will tell you that a ball will not penetrate it, but it will. Castrate the hog and the shield goes away.

If using a small caliber I would limit my shots to the head and upper neck area and stay away from behind the shoulder.

Preference would be a 50 or 54 depending on the amount of brush in the area and how experienced the shooter is in tracking and following a blood trail.

 

[blackpowderscout]

...am wondering if a .40 would be enough for your average pig (say 100-150 pounders)?

Yes. Stick to Ear shots. Don't try to shoulder shoot it with a .40 unless you are positive it's a small one, 75 lbs or less. Don't shoot it head on in the forehead.

You'll be fine.

 

[Juice Jaws]

I have shot over a dozen hogs, from small ones to big ones with my 50 cal. cva mountain rifle using 60 grains 3f and .490 ball and drop them all dead. Most shots were behind the shoulder.

 

[The Baron]

This is kinda what I figured. Having never shot a hog, I'm not going to fool myself into thinking I'll be shooting them in the ear, eye or other tiny spot. I'll just load the .62 and aim for the boiler room. Was kind of looking for another excuse to justify a .40 but I don't think hogs is on that list.

Thanks fellas! :hatsoff:

 

[satx78247]

Imo, a PRB in the .62 smoothie OR a handful of 000 buckshot is the RIGHT medicine for BIG hogs, as the bigger boars often "take considerable killing".

Fyi, we had a military game warden who was "treed" on the roof of his government PU & after shooting the HUGE boar (which had been "charging" soldiers & civilians) 8 times with a .30-06 M1 Garand, at ranges of 60 to less than 5 yards.
(The boar finally "bled out" while trying to get into the truck bed.)

just my OPINION,satx

 

[Patocazador]

I killed a free-range hog (NOT in a trap) with my Ruger Old Army with a .457 round ball. IMO, anything .45 or bigger with a well-placed shot will do it.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Smallest I've ever used was a .45 and he took a patched ball adn two fast MInie reloads. All three were kill shots and he was dead but just didn't know it! Some of those rascals can absorb a lot of hits!! :wink:

 

[Kapow]

The perfect calibre is a. 58 Round ball. Anything from. 50 up is appropriate. On pigs under 100 lbs, side shots out to 50 yards with a. 40 or.45 will be effective.

 

[JeffG]

I was with my son in law recently when he shot a Hog just behind the shoulder with a modern rifle.(7mm mag) perfect hit. We followed him up right away, and found him plenty full of fight. For me, no less than a .50....Flint. :grin:

 

[Lonegun1894]

Reading some of the above comments, I almost get the impression that some of y'all plan on getting out of this life alive. Or you're just a lot smarter than I am!

 

[Silky921]

I'd rather have too much gun than not enough. Though not exactly average, I had to pull the trigger 4 times on a modern .25-06 to put down a 300 lb boar.

Would've hated to have to wrestle him down!

 

[blackpowderscout]

We wrestled this one down a few weeks back. :blah:

We let him loose to make more for us to catch. Putting them on the ground is easy. LETTING THEM GO is the tricky part!!

 

[Silky921]

That's awesome dude. And your crazy!

 

[JeffG]

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Having said that, I have done some fun things hunting hogs....

 

[Katahdin]

One shot and reload delay,reloading on the run will take on a complete new meaning !!!!!!!!!!!!! Go Big,if the hog drops the first shot great, the rifle was perfect,if the hog doesn't drop with the first shot!!!!He will attempt to get even,,and the hog doesn't have to reload oh and it is very mad,,,, at you....
I hunted hogs in the Georgia,amazing the punishment a hog can suck up and just keep coming,even when you know it is dead on it's feet and still coming...