Roundball Caliber for Large Hogs

[Bob J]

I know that getting a shot angled in from behind the shoulder is best on large hogs because the vitals are forward compared to a deer. However, due to less-than-perfect situations when hunting at night, this is my very specific question: What size caliber (roundball) would it take to break through the shoulder of a 300 lb boar at 25 to 50 yards?

 

[Carl Fowler III]

I'll leave the PRB size to those more experienced...but was wondering how you plan to see your sights at night...are there trijinon sights for muzzleloaders? Good luck hunt'n, sure sounds like fun being out there with the hogs,snakes and scorpions and such! :v

 

[Little Wattsy]

I shot a mature buffalo in the neck (live weight was about 1100 lbs) - (intentionally) and broke his spine dropping him in his tracks; .54cal shooting a .535 RB over 90 grains of FFg at about 50 yards.

 

[George T.]

I'm thinking anything 50 and up. I have never hunted hogs at night but on othrt stuff you nas see the sights pretty well when useing a red head light once you get it adjusted. Geo. T.

 

[Matt85]

75 cal, any thing smaller and you couldnt be sure!

on a more serious note: we should make a sticky on caliber recomendations so people stop asking this same question.

-matt

 

[Billnpatti]

Some folks will tell you that a .50 with enough powder and bullet will do the job. It will but I think it is marginal. I'd prefer to use a .54 or larger on large hogs. Especially if you are thinking of a possible frontal shot. The thick gristle shield on a large hog will take a lot to penetrate it and still have enough power to do enough damage to make a quick kill. You particularly do not want to only injure one of those beasts if you are on the ground. They can be very vicious and can do a lot of damage, even unto death, to a human if they can get hold if him.

 

[blackpowderscout]

I think the .62 you said you were having built would be sufficient.

 

[Bob J]

I think the .62 you said you were having built would be sufficient.

I'm thinking it will be. Can tell you I head-shot a boar in the 200 lb range with the .54 using 85 grains 2f. Took about a minute for the smoke to clear as there was no wind. The green headlamp lit up my front sight which I've touched up with white nail polish. Hog was down but kicking. My friend shot it with his .54. We went to get it and it jumped up, circled back towards us and he shot it with a 44 mag three times before it put us up a tree. The hog was bleeding profusely and making a wheezing sound. Then it crashed off into over-your-head palmettos. Went back the next day but couldn't find it. Big boars can be serious business and I can't wait until the .62 is done.

 

[Spikebuck]

I'm not in hog country...well at least not WILD hogs....so don't know anything much about it. So wondering why the night hunting? Is there some advantage? Or just to do something different? Curious about it.

 

[BrownBear]

I've never killed a hog with a muzzleloader, but know them well from lots of experience in my past.

I have a different take on them and the "gristle shield." Never heard of any real issues from side shots, but head-on is a different question. I'm convinced it's more a question of how narrow their brisket is, rather than the gristle being all that tough. You can be off an inch or two to either side of center, and bullets tend to slide along the brisket rather than penetrating, sliding between the shoulder and brisket for a nasty wound and a long tracking job. I've done the same thing with deer when frontal shots get too low, even with large modern magnum calibers, and I've never heard anyone complain about gristle shields on deer. Trouble with hogs is, if their head is in a normal position, they completely cover the top of the brisket where it's less of a concern.

I'd go for your 62 as well if frontal shots are on the menu, but even it's no guarantee on low frontal shots that move to one side or the other a little.

 

[roundball]

Never hunted them but raised them on the farm and I don't believe a hog jerks / twitches its head around constantly like a deer does...seems to me most any reasonable size PRB in/around an ear on into the brain is going to drop them in their tracks...at least that would be my aim point.

 

[cynthialee]

75 cal, any thing smaller and you couldnt be sure!

on a more serious note: we should make a sticky on caliber recomendations so people stop asking this same question.

-matt

I'll second that idea!

 

[George]

I have a different take on them and the "gristle shield." Never heard of any real issues from side shots, but head-on is a different question.

My experience shooting hogs is limited, but I agree about the gristle shield, I doubt it exists. I think the problem many people have is in not knowing the anatomy of hogs and where to shoot them. Even from the side their vitals are not where you would think, but much lower and further forward. Look at these diagrams from the web, there are a lot of places around the neck and shoulder where you can shoot them and not hit vitals.
http://boarmasters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/hog-anatomy-and-shot-placement.jpg
http://0.tqn.com/d/hunting/1/0/5/H/hog_anatomy.GIF

My experience was with a .54, but I've seen a friend shoot 2 hogs in the 200 lb. class using a .40, dropped them both in their tracks.

Spence

 

[stinkyfeet]

50 cal or 54 with prb 70 grains or more powder at the range you stated and you will have a big pig. The broken sholder bones will do more damage to the vitals then the ball will. You will not get a pass through likely even with a perfect vital hit most hogs i have shot with a prb the ball is logged inside the skin on the far side. Your best shot is high and tight behind the shoulder you will break the spine and drop it clean, large hogs 200 and up dont leave solid blood trails the fat plugs the bullet hole no matter the caliber or style even center fires. If your at 25 yards or less aim just below the ear dead hog all day.

 

[Supercracker]

4 BORE

Anything less is just asking for trouble.

 

[FishDFly]

I know that getting a shot angled in from behind the shoulder is best on large hogs because the vitals are forward compared to a deer. However, due to less-than-perfect situations when hunting at night, this is my very specific question: What size caliber (roundball) would it take to break through the shoulder of a 300 lb boar at 25 to 50 yards?

Your assumption on the internal vitals is not correct as you have described, just the opposite. Go to www.texas boar.com for a pictorial.

A 50 works fine.

There are not many honest 300 lb hogs in the woods who are alive, it’s called ground shrink when they are dead.

Red light at night, they cannot see a red light, go to night vision scopes at night.

“Mat, 75 cal, any thing smaller and you couldnt be sure!” If a 54 is fine for elk and moose, why is a 75 cal needed for a 200 lb hog? We stopped the cross breeding between Cape Buffalo and hogs in Texas, too hard to them in barb wire fences.

The much debated shield can be penetrated, it is not ball/bullet proof, 4 bores are not needed. If you castrate a boar, the shield is gone in 2 months.

We trap most of the year except when it’s too hot to save them from dying due to the heat and not water. A live 300 lb. in the trap and delivered for sale means a trip to town to eat on Saturday night, not many honest live 300 lbs hogs in the woods.

They can be killed and do not need be feared, you can survive, we do it each day.

 

[lonehunter]

I told this one that it was being shot with a 300 mag
Shhhh...I lied it was a .22LR but dont tell her. LOL
I know this is a ML forum, I am posting this to make a point. Bottom line is where the shot lands not what you are shooting.
I sharp stick will work if you put it through the ear. Notice the "Hog dog" Still on the trail. :haha:

 

[FishDFly]

No arguments on caliber.

Hog dog, color is good and confirmation is okay, head needs to be upright a touch for photos to be published, still a nice dog.

Is that Rhinestones on the collar?

Chest protector is recommended for advanced piglets, nice dog though.

In all honesty, nice puppy and enjoy it, I miss my dog.

 

[Kapow]

On a mature wild boar that has been wallowing in the mud you will need to put your projectile through an inch of cement like dried mud, half inch of tough hide, 2 -3 inches of fat, half inch of gristle fighting pad, then ribs and flesh before you are into the engine room.

If you have ever seen two big boars fight you will see that they quarter on to each other and swing at each others shoulders with their tusks. Pretty gruesome, lots of foaming at mouth and blood and squealing. That is why it is called a fighting pad and it is solid gristle and yes it does exist.

A .54 cal ball driven hard will kill any pig. The best shot is one placed anywhere behind the shoulder crease to avoid the heavy shoulder bones. The lungs extend a few inches behind that crease so there is plenty of room to avoid it. Shots do not have to be as tight as with deer. Broadside shots are preferred. I believe head shots are risky. Too small a target and too much can go wrong.

All this is born from experience shooting lots of pigs and seeing many hundreds shot.

 

[lonehunter]

Oh Richard, I was being facetious about the dog :rotf:
That is LRB's dachshund who is a lover if he knows ya but not a hog dog.
The other is a shaved down fur ball.

Down here some like to run them with hounds until the pig gets tired of running or decides enough is enough and its time to fight. at that point the hounds will bay, and hunters go to the hog with the catch dogs. Usually a bulldog breed, but a bulldog mix (curr) seems to make the better catch dog IMHO. :v