Since this thread actually asked about pig guns/bullets before we got off topic, I suppose I should add those 9 I shot the other night were killed with an AR in 6.5 Grendel, 16" barrel, Silencerco Omega, Pulsar Thermion XQ50, shooting a 95 VMAX at 2620 fps. Sows and piglet were mostly in the 50-100 yard range, boar was out around 150.
There may be folks take issue with the 95 VMAX bullet choice. Yes, the VMAX is designed as a varmint bullet, but generally at speeds 400-600 fps faster than what I am shooting it. We all know that impact velocity is a huge part of terminal ballistics and how a bullet performs. At an impact velocity of 2400-2500 fps it does pretty good on pigs. Yes, it does open fast, but it does not totally explode or splash. On any given night I shoot mixed bag coyotes and pigs. At the lower velocities I am shooting the heavier bullets just don't open fast enough for quick kills on coyotes. I need something that kills both species effectively. The 95 VMAX does that.
Another factor I always have to consider is collateral damage. Stalking and shooting up sounders of pigs at night is very dynamic shooting. Large numbers of running pigs (with consequent numbers of missed shots), constantly changing shooting angles, fields of fire, all that business. Pigs are also where you find them. There is always pivots, farm equipment, cattle, barns, all kinds of things randomly scattered about that you don't want to shoot. Trigger discipline is very important, but some of these things may be concealed behind tree lines, obscured by brush, just over a hill out of sight. I really, really do not like bullets that bounce bad when shooting at night. The 120 Gold Dot is an excellent pig bullet. But a miss with one of them on hard ground often lets you hear the bullet go whizzing off into the unknown. I much prefer a more frangible bullet impacting into plowed ground to minimize any potential stray rounds.
I have tried a lot of bullets in the Grendel. Most work pretty well, they all have their own characteristics. Sometimes different shooting styles call for some out of the box answers though.
I shoot with guys who run AR-10's in 308, AR-15's in 556, 6.5, 6.8, 300 BO, and other who run bolt guns in various chamberings. They all work. Different shooters have different styles and need to work with what is comfortable to them. They need to shoot something they can shoot well, and place bullets in the right spot with. Where you shoot a pig matters too. CNS shooters vs body shooters, one shot static targets vs running shots, general pig shooting vs hunting trophy boar.
I will also say that IMO more pigs run off from bullets that don't open fast enough (like fmj or really thick jacketed bullets) than they do from bullets that open too fast. The exception to that statement would be in 556. In 556 a mid-weight to heavy bullet, with a moderate rate of expansion, is just the ticket. Varmint bullets at 556 speeds can give some spectacular kills with good bullet placement but are not a great choice when shooting running pigs, where shot placement can be iffy.
Sorry for rambling around quite a lot but these are just some of my thoughts on the subject.
