Hog hunt, what gun to take?

[repete]

I have a upcoming hog hunt, I've never done anything like this before and planned on taking my Ruger .44 mag carbine, but then found that shots can range out to well over 100yds. The Ruger has always been my 'go to gun' for deer hunting but those shots are mostly 50yds. So form my list of guns (I'm not buying another one!) what would you recommend?

Ruger .44 mag carbine with a red dot

7x57 bolt with iron sites

7MM rem mag bolt with scope (tack driver, but heavy)

30-06 bolt ,scoped (Not quite as accurate as the 7mm but lighter)

.30-30 lever iron sites (Light, comfortable, but those sites)

AR-15 in 300BO scoped.( IIRC its accurate, but it's been awhile, would defiantly need some range time)

.50 scoped muzzleloader ( it's new and I've only shot it out to 50yds so far)

Single shot Rolling block in .45 Colt ( it'd be nice and fun but don't think it's practical)

Those are the contenders, I don't think the .45 would be a good choice because of the range, the .44mag maybe.
I'm in the mid 60's and the front sites are getting a bit hard to see so I left off a bunch, I can see the Rolling block and 7x57, 30-30 depending on light and background. So with all that in mind help make up my mind!

 

[Tisto]

Where this hunt takes place might be as much a factor as which gun to use. Are we talking about 400 pound sows or 150 pound Eurasian wild boar or 65 pound Javelina ? Is this hunt through a guide service ? At night ? From a hellicopter or from a vehicle ? Is this wild boar eradication on farmland ? I think we need more info before any gun suggestions. Many guides provide the guns because they don't expect you to have a thermal scope. Many eradication efforts use vehicles and AR platforms and 30 round mags. They don't care about one shot one kill type hunting.

 

[Bustedknees]

I'm not understanding the not buying a new gun part
From your list, hands down the AR but I'd think the 30-30 would be a fun gun in the woods if you have time to switch out.

 

[96coal449]

Something full-auto, preferably belt fed.

Seriously.... The AR with a good trigger.

 

[stokes]

They are tough fuckers. Only went on one boar hunt and shot a fairly large male. It was a canned hunt, which I didnt know when I agreed to go but another story for another day. Northern Vt, I was using my Ruger Sup Blackhawk, .44 mag. Shot this fucker 6 times in the right shoulder, rib cage as he trotted by me at about 15 ft. Had this fuckin "guide" standing next to me screaming "hit him again" over and over as I reloaded and this thing turned and came back at me, theres no speed loading a SA. I only manged to get 5 rounds in the gun and then hit him 5 times in the head and neck he fell about 10 ft away. 11 fuckin shots all good hits and that fucker wouldnt go down.

 

[dsdmmat]

You need to get a new gun for the occasion. AR-10 in 277 Fury should do the trick.

 

[Saltwater60]

I’d want a semi auto so I’d vote for the ar as well

 

[Xae289]

To me it depends on how far past 100 yards those shots are. Out to 150 yards max, I'd still go for the .44 Mag, especially if you can move a little to try to move in closer. Beyond that, I'd go for the 7mm, especially if you're going to be glued to one spot. With the .44 Mag, out at 150 yards, holding right on the top of the hog's top edge should drop the bullet into the boiler room.

This is worth a read looking at .44 mag rifle ballistics:

.357 Magnum vs .44 Magnum Lever Actions - Lucky Gunner Lounge

A deep dive into .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum when fired from lever action rifles. We tested their useful range, ballistics, velocity, and more

www.luckygunner.com

 

[FP1201]

You need to get a new gun for the occasion. AR-10 in 277 Fury should do the trick.

AR-10 in .358 Winchester running 200gr. Nosler Accubonds or Barns TSX for the win. (I prefer the Barns X bullets)

 

[kev74]

Out of the guns listed, I'd go with the AR. Rapid follow up shots, or hits on multiple pigs might be necessary.

If you're loading for it, that will be a whole other discussion.

 

[spat]

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a new AR-10 with a thermal scope to me....

Should we change direction in the thread and discuss the suggested details ?

 

[spat]

Something full-auto, preferably belt fed.

Seriously.... The AR with a good trigger.

If it's a helicopter hunt, then go for an M134. Ma Deuce if they're big...

When you get home:

"How many did you bag honey ?"

-- "All of them"

 

[S&W Fan]

Where are you going on the pig hunt? A good friend of mine just got back from a pig hunt down in Georgia. The outfitter provided the rifles ( AR 10’s ) I believe. He said that they did most of their hunting in the early evenings / into night. Shot placement is the biggest factor when hunting pigs. I know guys that have successfully hunted some pretty big sows and Boars with traditional archery equip. So they can be killed with just about anything. The closer that you can get, the better.

 

[dean3690]

Semi auto all the way. The AR or the Carbine or if you are out multiple days, perhaps try both. Ammo choices would be important too. If you have the bucks and can do some night hunting, a thermal scope too.

 

[Jsmegs77]

Depends on the size and expected range/stand-off distance. 300 BO is not something I’d go after a hundred pound boar with. One of the 7mm’s or the .30-06, with a hefty bullet that will penetrate (Barnes X or similar maybe).

 

[Vapor]

.30-30, .44, or the .300. .30-30 worked for moose in the 20th century, it'll work for hogs.

Put a scope or some peep sights on it.


The other stuff will work, but they will slower to work the actions

 

[Vapor]

Id also bring a pistol and or a big back up knife

 

[pshift]

Great Guns & Handloads for Hog Hunting - Shooting Times

Here's some good advice on which firearms and handloads work well for hunting wild hogs.

www.shootingtimes.com

 

[turbobike]

They can be pretty tough...almost amazing. I went on a "canned" hog hunt...250-300lb. Hit' em hard with a 375 Ruger, SOB took off running, dropped 100yards later..
Only one that we anchored was hit with a 450 Nitro..lol

 

[Robin]

With those choices I opt for the .44 carbine with the red dot.
From my inventory, I'd have to flip a coin, .58

Or this .69 which is dead on at 100.

You want to borrow one let me know. Either way, Good luck!!!!!
Robin

 

[garyv350]

Shot them in Georgia with .556. All about shot placement. Don't need a huge caliber. Right behind the ear and they go down where they were standing. And definitely bring a side arm. Don't want them wiggling too long if you don't drop them. Ruins the meat. Have fun

 

[Nevar]

300 BO

 

[FP1201]

300 BO

Close range (>200yds) 100 to 125 grain solid copper, again like the Barns X bullets in the 21-22-23 hundred fps should do nicely!
Shot placement IS important! They have a gristle plate and thick areas of the skull where penetration is difficult.
Because the Barns (and ostensibly other solid copper bullets) don't shed weight you can actually go lighter, gaining velocity, while drilling a nasty hole into the critter.
Given all the "big bore" advise, I marvel at the Helicopter hunts where they're stacking the shit out of sounders of Hogs using 5.56 out of AR's or Buckshot from Benelli's 'course their whole point is killing as many as possible, and meat recovery probably isn't an issue.

 

[repete]

AH, Hell. I'm more undecided now than before! This is a 'canned' hunt in Pa. (Stony Farm) No night hunting and damn it, no helicopters and for sure no chain guns! But I do really like that idea!
NO NEW GUNS!!! I'd like to but I have an uncertain amount of years left and trying to make things easy for my wife.

All loads would be handload except the 7mm Rem Mag.
The .44 mag I have some pretty hot 300gr XTP's loaded that will drop a deer DRT! for the pig I'd try a head shot.
The 300BO AR, I have some middle of the road 150gr BTHP, not sure that would be enough IDK???
I'm leaning towards the .44mag and sight it in for a 100yds and try to keep close to that.
I've always wanted to do something like this and just kept putting it off, now's the time and I'm looking forward to it! I'll make sure to post some pic's. THANKS FOR ALL THE THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS!

 

[S&W Fan]

Just spitballing here but have thought about contacting the farm and asking if they have any suggestions based on what you have. I’m sure they know the pigs on the ranch well enough to make an educated suggestion.

 

[stokes]

This is a 'canned' hunt in Pa. (Stony Farm)

Dont know about that place but the one I was on all shots were within 75 yds and less. These guides dont want to chase a wounded boar very far. I was totally disgusted with my hunt. The property was absolutely gorgeous. But the way they did the hunt was atrocious. I figured out that what they were doing is they had all the boar in a central fenced in area. There were fences channelled to come out into various clearings. They took us out in pairs and spread us around, I believe it was a 7,000 acre spread. They didnt like me and my buddy Sal so they put us up at the top of this mountain, a boar would get nose bleed if he even cared to climb that high and told us to stay in this one spot cause there were a lot of hunters, dont walk around. So we hear the dogs, they advertised hunt over dogs, about 2 mins later a shot, a minute after another shot from the same area. This went on all morning. I didnt sit and stay as I was told. I could see fencing behind me and about 75 yds out in front of me. I walked down to the fence in front and it was 2 fences running parallel about 10 ft apart, the lane opened right there. I followed it til I reached the "pen" the fenced lane ended at a gate. So what they were doing is opening a gate, let the dogs loose in the enclosure and chase boars till they escaped into the funnel that led them to 2 hunters. Like I said in my last post, I had no idea it was a canned hunt when I signed on, a good friend who was a rabid hunter, hunted all over the world, and like 5 trips to South Africa so I asked no questions when he said he was setting up a boar hunt. It dawned on me when I found out, the day we were leaving that there are probably no hunts in the USA for boar that arent canned. Never again.

 

[Vapor]

Not to be nosey, but is this it?

Stony Fork Hunts

Preserve Hunting in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

stonyforkhunts.com

 

[stokes]

Not to be nosey, but is this it?

Stony Fork Hunts

Preserve Hunting in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

stonyforkhunts.com

That web site looks like a carbon copy of the place I went to in Vt. Same animals, same price ranges. You can bet those $5,000 elk aint roaming around free.

 

[Saltwater60]

Dont know about that place but the one I was on all shots were within 75 yds and less. These guides dont want to chase a wounded boar very far. I was totally disgusted with my hunt. The property was absolutely gorgeous. But the way they did the hunt was atrocious. I figured out that what they were doing is they had all the boar in a central fenced in area. There were fences channelled to come out into various clearings. They took us out in pairs and spread us around, I believe it was a 7,000 acre spread. They didnt like me and my buddy Sal so they put us up at the top of this mountain, a boar would get nose bleed if he even cared to climb that high and told us to stay in this one spot cause there were a lot of hunters, dont walk around. So we hear the dogs, they advertised hunt over dogs, about 2 mins later a shot, a minute after another shot from the same area. This went on all morning. I didnt sit and stay as I was told. I could see fencing behind me and about 75 yds out in front of me. I walked down to the fence in front and it was 2 fences running parallel about 10 ft apart, the lane opened right there. I followed it til I reached the "pen" the fenced lane ended at a gate. So what they were doing is opening a gate, let the dogs loose in the enclosure and chase boars till they escaped into the funnel that led them to 2 hunters. Like I said in my last post, I had no idea it was a canned hunt when I signed on, a good friend who was a rabid hunter, hunted all over the world, and like 5 trips to South Africa so I asked no questions when he said he was setting up a boar hunt. It dawned on me when I found out, the day we were leaving that there are probably no hunts in the USA for boar that arent canned. Never again.

A lot of world traveler hunters don’t want to pay thousands and come home with nothing so I think a lot of them are canned or hunted over bait to come home with that trophy. I’m not a fan of this hunting.
Now hunting wild boar over bait to reduce population to reduce damage I get that.

 

[Hochulsucks1234]

Take the 300blk AR. Don't run too heavy or too light bullets. Get some 147-150gr hunting grade ammo. 300blk will more than suffice for hog hunting. I assume its a carbine rifle, so easier to carry and walk through the woods with. I wouldn't want to carry a heavy bolt rifle around.