Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Best pig rifle

What do you think is the best pig rifle? I’ve shot them with most common deer caliber rifles as well as 223’s, 45’s, 40’s, 9mm. I’m thinking about getting a Ruger American rifle 22-250 with the 1in8 twist barrel to use when it’s not deer season. The 62 Barnes rips them a new ass shot out of an AR. They would be even better at 22-250 speeds. I have Creedmoor rifles too, but want a 22-250. I’ve had Swift’s and other slow twist 22-250’s but I like heavier bullets than they would shoot. Thank you for your support!!!

The best pig rifle is whatever is handy at the time you see a pig.

I've killed them with everything from a .22 long rifle up through a 12 gauge shotgun. Outside of normal deer hunting season my most used pig rifle is an AR15 in .223 normally loaded with the 64 grain win. PP. I know that the 22-250 is a favorite truck/atv rifle for a lot of ranchers that I know and it kills a ton of feral hogs. With the 62 grain TTSX in the rig you are wanting I think you would have an awesome pig rifle that I would not hesitate to shoot anything else with as well. Another bonus in that rifle to me would be that it would be one that could see really hard use without me worrying about trying to not get it dinged up. Would make a good loaner rifle as well for that brother-in-law who can break an anvil and will if you loan him one.

My vote is to get you one!

I thought about this a lot and if I had to start from scratch my first choice for a dedicated hog gun would be a Ruger mini-30. I heard the complaints of accuracy but newer ones are better- and frankly the issue in older one always seemed exaggerated to me. I killed my first deer well over 100yds with one balance on my knee. Would prefer the Ruger to semi auto Remington or even Browning for this application. The 7.62x39 round has proven perfect on hogs in my sks -and so cheap to shoot.

Like you I have shot them with everything I own. I like carrying my B92 44mag but results have been mixed at best. My go to is the SKS. Larger mag and rapid multiple shot capabilities is the key in preferring them to my bolt actions. Semi auto slug gun wouldn't suck. Mini-30, handy toting, fun, fast followups, easy on your shoulder but packing a punch. I might be lone wolf on this, and perhaps an AR is say, 6.8 or 6.5 might be the cats meow but I have never warmed to that platform. Blasphemy perhaps but...oh well.

I prefer a 223 AR. Fast follow ups for more kills in big sounders. Never had any trouble killing them even with 55gr ball.

I shoot them mostly with these two Rock River Varmint models. I just want a fast twist 22-250 that will shoot the 22-250. The wifey and grandkids can shoot it too. I have dies, bullets, and brass already. I also have a couple thousand 62 grain bear Claw bullets to try also.

For a bonafide shoot em up quick pig rifle I'd have to go with my 16" LWRC REPR in 7.62, it wears a 2.5-10x24 NF with lit NP-1 reticle and will hold 21 rounds of 130gr TTSX's, if I could keep it on em it'd be hell on a herd of scattering sausage.

I would go with a Tikka T3 in 308 with a Nikon Buckmaster's. That's what I use, and rarely do follow up shots happen. They disappear fast into the mesquite brush. Its light and handy, easy for long walks in the brush. Now this for day and night with a red light. If I was shooting during the day and checking on animals, etc, a lever action 30-30 with a 16 inch barrel would be the ticket.

.444

.308 Win 125gr Accubonds out of a AR-10 carbine is my favorite.

I kinda like the .223AI

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Stunter^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I would like to try my 450 bushmaster on a pig.

ya' beat me to it.

I've had the occasion to employ quite a few chamberings from:


22 WMR

to



45-70

I do tend to prefer chamberings from 6.5mm up.

If a critter is not DRT, it's nice to have two leaky holes, should one have to track. The larger the leakier IMHO.

ya!

GWB

I poked a couple this evening with my 222mag. One with a factory 55gr Powerlokt and another with a 53TSX. Got one standing and one on the run but couldn’t get on the other two.

I've never hunted nor even seen a feral pig, but the domestic ones are always impressed by my big bore.

No even close to being fair chase.

I've probably shot more with my Marlin 1894 lever in .44mag by just jumping them up while out walking. For shooting them at a feeder, I've used everything from a AR-15 in .223, AR-10 .308 to many other chamberings in bolt guns.

If I was to build a gun for shooting them at feeders, it would probably be a AR-10 platform chambered for .243 You'd have a heavy enough bullet (I only shoot mono-metal bullets) for the really large hogs and as light recoil as possible to allow you to get multiple shots at running pigs.

Fair for me,

for the pig, not so much!


ya!


GWB

6.8 spc II has worked well for me.

I set my pig gate yesterday, going back Monday. I hope I catch some. It’s fun to shoot them with a 45 in a big pen. It not real spirting trapping them, but it’s the only way to eliminate more than one or two here and there.

Something between 17 and 50 caliber. The only thing I have seen not work are the 22 short and 25 ACP both could be deflected by a big boars skull. If I am loading specifically for hogs I will usually use a bonded or mono bullet especially for the smaller calibers. Calibers 25 and above any deer bullet in the medium to heavy for caliber range will work.