Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Recommend a hog bullet 5.56/.223

Got an invite to go kill hogs that are tearing up a buddy's feeders. He uses an AR-10 in .308 Win Says the 5.56/.223 is OK for the smaller ones but comes up short on the shield bone of the big ones. I have no experience and no idea..............

Thoughts on the best .224 bullet for the task ?? Can be either 7 or 9 twist compatible.

There's not a hog or "shield bone" that's stopping a 55gr, 62gr, 70gr TSX out of a 5.56mm. I'm a big fan of the 62gr fusion also.

There is no shield of bone or cartilage, it’s just heavy skin and it isn’t bulletproof.

I’ve killed some big pigs and a bunch of small to middle sized ones with the 55gr Hornady Spire point out of the 223 and 222mag. It’s a great little bullet that is reliable and cheap.

For the ultimate for angling, facing, or Texas heart shots load the 77TMK.

We’ve shot all of ours in the head or neck from 40lbs up to 250lbs or so. The 55gr Hornady SP has performed superb. We’ve only killed 24 to this point but none have taken a step after being hit.


After autopsy on biggest boar we killed I can’t see his shoulder stopping the 55gr Hornady SP but I could be wrong.

The Hornady 75 grain BTHP is popular here in Texas. There are plenty of good bullets out there even in factory ammo. I have probably used more 55 gr. FMJ's than all other bullets combined from AR's to kill hogs with various 5.56 rifles. Nowadays I always go for head or neck hits otherwise I expect some runners.

Used these a month ago. 65 grain BTSP, probably a Hornady. Another supplier has a 62 grain that is a Hornady for sure.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020885069?pid=590222

2 shots, 2 hogs. Brain shots. I wouldn't be one bit scared to shoot a hog in the front end with em.

Pretty sure any 55 grain soft point as long as not a Blitz or SX bullet will work too.

Any access to a 60 grain Partition or any of the Barnes mono bullets?

Low, forward breaking the front leg for a heart/lung shot would work but doubt much blood trail if that matters.

These things aren't near as hard to kill as some would have you believe.

I was gonna suggest the 62 grain Barnes TSX. That’s the bullet shot by Delta Force in their 5.56’s. It kills Jihadi’s real well, would also kills pigs real well.

IMHO, it is more important where you hit them vs. what caliber and bullet used. Draw an imaginary line between the ear and shoulder and then place your bullet two inches below the ear along that line. Of course you can ear-hole em' or shoot them face on at or below eye level, but that does not leave much margin for error and when they come to the corn, they typically do not stop moving, especially if they come in, in numbers.

Most times if you hit them a ways back, or high in the "shield" (which can be up to 1.5" of fat) the bullet tends to pencil through and the fat seals up the hole. You might see a bit of blood at the point of impact but it will peter out within 10 yds or so and the critter may run nigh on forever.

Although I favor shooting hoglets with caliber's 6.5 and larger, I've had no problem with stuff as light as 50 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips



I shot three, with the 50 Grain Ballistic tips. Two dropped one made it a few yards. The one with a hole in the leg was a follow up shot. My first shot broke his spine and he was paddling. Most times they will fall away from ya' and I put a follow up shot at the junction of the neck and shoulder.

When shooting with a fast twist 22 caliber rifle, I prefer the 64 gr. Nosler Solid Base, the 60 Gr. Partition or the 62 Gr. Speer Gold Dot. Nothing wrong with Barnes, I just tend to load the Nosler or Speers for AR's due to magazine length.



IIRC, 64 gr Nosler Solid base






Speer 62 Gr. Gold Dot

ya!

GWB

I’ve had good results with the 60 gr Partition, the 63 gr Sierra SMP, the 65 gr Sierra GK, and now hoping to try out the 64 gr Nosler Bonded Solid Base. I’m hoping for exits with that 64 gr bullet. All I need now is a test pig or two.

I’ve had bullet exits with the 65 gr GK, and a month or so ago, the grandson shot a 63 gr Sierra through a medium sized hog.

In general, it matters where you put the bullet in the pig.

Some folks say they cannot get the 64 gr. Nosler SB to shoot. I've not had that problem. I picked up several boxes a while back at a good price. Its a toss up for me between the Speer Gold Dots and the 64 grainers.

Best,

GWB

Properly placed most any cartridge will work on pigs. FWIW the shield on large boars will not stop #3 buckshot and their skull won’t stop a .22 CB Short.

5.56/.223
Head or neck... it does not matter what you shoot. They are dead right there... even with FMJ's, I've killed hundreds with ball ammo in the head....

The 62-64gr soft points will stone them out to further than you want to shoot. Shot a 260 lb boar in the head at 307 yards with a 62 gr Gold Dot last month, and he never moved. I could have had the same results with a FMJ... it's about WHERE you hit them, rather than with WHAT.

I'd use the same loads i have for Wifes house guns, 62gr TBBC and 64gr Nosler Bonded, both run 2750 fps from 7 twist 16" guns, iirc Hanco has killed dozens of pigs with the 62's, i havent hit chit but paper and freezer burnt meat, i wouldn't hesitate for pigs, deer, black bear or felonious crackhead invaders.

I had heard that about the 64 gr Nosler, but wanted to give it a try anyway. I sort of figured that since I had great loads for the 63 and 65 gr Sierra bullets, those loads should be close. That did work out very well. I was using H335 powder and CCI 41 primers. The good load was either 24.2 gr or 24.3 gr. I forget which, and the workshop is locked right now. I will say that loads on both sides of the final good load were pretty ugly, so I suppose we can consider it a picky bullet. The 65 gr Sierra, in contrast, is an easy bullet to load up.

House guns are setup with Eotech 556 and Delta Point Pro's with 36 yard zeros, 62's and 64's all land into a silver dollar at 50 yards, i'm not sighted clean enough for precision with these guns, CFE-223 and CCI-450 mag primers work well for these setups.

Ya know, a fellow might want to know why I have load data and experience with the 63, 64, and 65 gr bullets. Well, I was quite happy with the 65’s, but couldn’t get any more. But, I could get 63’s for a time, so I bought and used those until I couldn’t get any more. But, I could get the 64 gr blemish bullets, so I switched to that and bought a bunch. Now you can get the 65’s again, or at least you could. I bought some.

I saw three or four hundred 62gr TBBC's for sale right here on the 'Fire classifieds, iirc 100 bucks shipped, i grabbed em ; ]

I use these and 62 grain Bear Claws. I have killed many pigs over 200 lbs with both of them.

Great bullets, I have a bunch saved, use them for 223 and 22-250

See ???????

THIS right here is why the Fire is so great !!!! Appreciate ALL the comebacks, fellers !!!!

Just looked through my stuff. I've got an 8 of CF-223 and the following :

50 gr NBT
52 gr Hornady HPBTM (have used these on whitetail in my XP-100 Furball)
60 gr Partitions (a very few)
77 gr SMK HPBTM

Am I thinking wrong that the 77ngrainers in the 7 twist gun might be the best pick of that litter ??