Stretching back to my teenage years, I've probably killed more hogs with a .22 LR with solid bullets than anything else. In recent years I've killed them with .30-06, .270, .300 Savage, .300 Win Mag, .22 Hornet, 12 gauge, 20 gauge (buckshot in both smoothbores), and .44 magnum. My favorite hog gun is a Thompson Contender with 14" barrel in .44 mag, with a 16" suppressor on the end of the barrel ("permanently" attached). This rig is in a carbine stock. My favorite loads are hard cast bullets of 300+ gr loaded to just under 1000 fps. Not a long range gun, most of my shots are under 50 yards. Pretty much always one shot kills - twice I have shot into a group and had two hogs drop dead at the shot. Single shot firearm works fine for me, not planning to shoot more than I want to butcher at one time. I've used night vision scopes on this "gun", mostly shot it with a 3x9 Bushnell, but just replaced that with a 512 EOTech. I use red-dots on several semi-auto handguns and a few revolvers, expect to really like the EOTech on my hog gun. Speaking of handguns, usually have one when hog hunting, as a backup if nothing else. I'm partial to .44 mag. but also use .45 LC and .45 ACP. Lately my favorite handgun round is 10mm. In a 1911, it is handy hog firepower.
I hunt my own small property, and don't raise crops or livestock on it. Hog hunting is GOOD, can do it year round, any time of day or night, hardly any restrictions, and the meat is good.
Mike Holmes
