Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Looking for caliber recommendation...dedicated hog rifle

Me and a buddy have killed as many as fifty in on night with thermal and fmj 7.62x39. I’ve killed a number of them using an old 700 bdl in 222 with Remington core lokts. I’m not saying you can’t. I will also say I can remember very well a time where 5.56 out of an AR ended with the boars nose touching the toe of my boot. He had been bayed up with dogs. The adrenaline was flowing in him and me. I was having to take marginal shots when the dogs were clear. He would have died immediately if I had been using a better round. Instead I got to experience the fun of a charge that nearly ended with me getting cut.

What I am saying is if you are using 223 your margin for error is low. Anything will die from the first shot if they don’t know you are there as well. When you are putting bullets into something after they are already spooked you need to do enough tissue damage to cause fatal loss of blood pressure quickly. That means a more reliably performing bullet.

Can any bullet work? Yes. I believe I said that above. I’m talking about dead where they were standing/running at the time of shot. Dead right there even after I’ve shot their buddy and they are running for their life already. Dead right there no matter their size. I think I see one exit wound on the little red shoat? My preference is for a bullet that can penetrate through both shoulders to anchor one. I have found the ELD-m bullets with sectional density over .3 tend to deliver reliable expansion and penetration in the mid 2000’s velocity.

Keechi Kid, Over the years I have killed 4 or 5 Boars And 1 very big Sow that looked to be charging me ?? all with a .223 AR-15 , the SOW was after a dumb ass Dog that came running back to me.I am not as hung up on sectional density, and all the other B.S. you expound, But it is good you know your limitations Bless Your Heart. Rio7

Perhaps you have amazing luck or amazing skill to always hit the vitals from all angles with marginal bullets. I will grant you may be an exceptionally skilled hunter and shooter who fortune continually favors. For the rest of us, I will continue to reiterate. Sub-optimal bullets can perform exceptionally in some circumstances. An optimal bullet will perform better in all circumstances. Eventually, the law of averages will catch up to you and the better matched bullet will perform better when experience eventually lands you in a sub-optimal situation. Simple as that.

However, as some other posters will continually say on here in regards to other topics. Headstamps don’t kill, bullets do. I was merely trying to share what my extensive experience testing specific bullets on hogs has been. Feel free to follow Rio7’s very specific advice of a “55 gr SP” out of an “AR-15”. However, ignoring what some most perceive as witchcraft in the form of sectional density, is failing to avail yourself of a simple measurement that can aid you in making informed decisions. A higher sectional density bullet will penetrate better than a lower section density bullet. A high sectional density bullet is simply a heavy for caliber bullet.

The goal for hogs should be a bullet that will expand violently, with a large degree of fragmentation to aid in generating secondary projectiles, while retaining around 50% of the bullets mass for purposes of penetration. I am well versed in bullets that will do this at supersonic velocities, not as familiar with bullets at subsonic velocities. As I stated earlier in this thread, I think the 8.6 was developed with that velocity performance envelope in mind. I would look there. It matches the case head of your donor.

Don't go to local LGS very often but the last time i was there I didn't see any 6.8 Ammo but they had a bunch of .223 of every make and flavor. take that into consideration when your no where close to a big box store. the local gas station carry's .223. Rio7

Really about anything will work. If you got something in mind you might as well try it.

If it’s going to be a high volume user I’d pick something with cheap and readily available brass that I don’t mind losing in the weeds.

If it’s a once a year thing where you go shoot a pig or two then knock yourself out with whatever oddball or boutique cartridge since you’re not going to be burning up tons of ammo and leaving expensive brass all over the countryside.

I keep a suppressed 223 AR in my truck year round and kill a pile of pigs with it every year.

What are you going to do with that rifle if you run into a gang of 20 hogs that need killin' ?
Answer:
You're going to kill 4 or 5 (maybe) and then by the time you reload the rest are gone.

Leave the M700 alone and get an AR or AK type weapon and you'll have magazine capacity to handle a large passel and/or running hogs.
Chambering ?
Check ammo availability in your area. Many of us buy ammo on line.
7.62 x 39
6.5 Grendel
300 Blackout
5.56/.223
6.8SPC

Hunted hogs this weekend with buddies and we used all sorts of rifles. I used both a bolt (6mm CM) and an AR (.300 AAC) and much prefer the AR due to taking multiple shots quickly. I shot the 110gr Barnes through the AAC and most pigs ran a bit unless hit in CNS.

375 Raptor or 450 BM
Let me know if you part with the 260 barrel

Buy a 308 Savage hog hunter, load some sub sonic, kill the bastards

I like my Bushmaster Predator AR 8" twist with the Hornady 68 OTM the best! I grew up shooting them with a .22 Magnum and sometimes my 30-30. Later I worked on them with a Model 742,'06, best ammo then was Federal's Red Box loaded with the Sierra 165GK. I live nowhere around hogs now, I sure miss killing them, and BBQing the smaller ones!

This ^^^^^^^^^^^

Unless you just want something different; if you do, I'd make it a 7-08.

MM

Lots of good info in this thread. Its a good read so far.

But to answer your question, ( Wanting to rebarrel and make a dedicated hog rifle out of it. Will be suppressed. Wanting to run subsonic. What caliber would you go with? .308? .350)

I would say 308. Ammo is readily available. There is a wide variety of bullets available if your reloading. I know it's probably the boring choice. But a 308 will knock the $hit out of hogs large and small.

I know you didn't ask this question but, If it were me I would probably sell the 260 and buy an AR-10 or semi auto rifle in 308 for a dedicated hog gun. Jmo.

As already mentioned in this thread. There is something to be said about being able to shoot multiple hogs in quick succession. usually they show up in numbers and it is nice to be able to take advantage of the situation with quick follow up shots.

I like my .358 Win. Was a shot out Pre-64 .243 FWT that was sent to JES. He does good work with cut rifling. MOA gun.

That may be less expensive than new barrel.

DF

Haven't shot many. Went with a 308. Next would be a 358 Winchester. Maybe an AR10 in 358 Winchester. Heavy for caliber long bullets penetrate. Be Well Brothers, RZ.

I couldn’t have said it better RIO. I’d go 308, just cause.

308 WINCHESTER = AMMO IS EASY TO FIND

This old 32-40 will kill cshit out of them at 50 yards, tons of fun!