You won't be disappointed with what happens with that combo. Even our little 223 pushing 52 gr Hammers at 3,400 fps does some unbelievable things. Full penetration. At the speed you're talking, the shock and awe is off the charts. If you've never loaded the Absolutes, be sure to talk to someone who has or get your counsel from Hammer themselves. It's a different game altogether.
What cartridge/bullet for hog hunting?
- Thread starter nealm66
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Castleberry43
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I like several others on here have killed many of hogs with the trusty old AR 223 platform and will agree with many on staying with the monolith style bullets. Barnes or even some of my favorite the bonded that get good penetration. The 6.5 is also a good choice if your going to be out a couple of hundred yards away. I shoot long range competition stuff so for that 6.5 I'm good out to several hundred yards where most arn't. With hog hunting in fields I would say with something in the AR platform with suppression if you have it available. The more pigs down the better. Good luck with the hunting. Shoot straight and true.
Gstew1930
Well-Known Member
I've shot a mountain full of pigs. To me they aren't as tough as people make them out to be. 22 creed with a mono is more than enough. I shoot them all the time with 22-250
It comes down to a variety of factors - diet, age, etc. Some are even better than domestic pork. Of course that's relative. But I'm sure it's healthier than most domestic stuff. The small to medium sized younger critters are the best.
Your 25/06 or your 6.5 creedmore will be fine or what ever you are comfortable with. Once again shot placement is the key. Most of my hog hunting has been still hunting over bait in and around river swamps where if they did not go right down you lost them. Iwas taught to draw a line from the ear down and then from the eye over to the intersecting line. Put the bullet there, instant death. I have seen shoulder shots with 300 Weatherby run.
You may be hunting at night or over bait in a blind so alot is going to depend on how you go about it. One thing I do know is you do not want to be stumbling around at night looking for a wounded hog in the Texas scrub. Trust me, you are headed for a good time!
Buckys
Well-Known Member
I generally agree that anything you use for deer will work with hogs.
However, I would say that for shooting an old boar, I would be careful with shot placement and/or I might want to use a mono bullet instead of a cup and core like corelokt, powerpoint, etc.
See "Truth #4" in the link below ... if you learn how to place a shot for archery hunting, any bullet will be fine. But if you use a soft tip non-bonded bullet that expands quickly and hit that big patch of cartlidge around the shoulder, you might not get the penetration you hope for:
However, I would say that for shooting an old boar, I would be careful with shot placement and/or I might want to use a mono bullet instead of a cup and core like corelokt, powerpoint, etc.
See "Truth #4" in the link below ... if you learn how to place a shot for archery hunting, any bullet will be fine. But if you use a soft tip non-bonded bullet that expands quickly and hit that big patch of cartlidge around the shoulder, you might not get the penetration you hope for:
esshup
Well-Known Member
Neal:
I've shot a few, not recovered one. Personal choice here, but I would use a mono bullet no matter what caliber (I want as much penetration as I can), and I wouldn't use anything smaller than the 6.5. The one that I didn't recover was a large (300# or so) sow that was @ 300 yds with a .243 using an 85g Barnes TSX. She was moving and I couldn't head shoot her. I heard the bullet hit then I watched her travel 1/2 mile and then lost her when she went into the brush.
Shoot them either right below the ear or 1/3 the way down from the top of their body, in the crease that forms right in front of their shoulder when they turn their head side to side. Putting a bullet in those places will drop them in their tracks. Their heart/lung area is further forward than a deer, and the big boars have that tough shield. If you shoot them behind the shoulder like a deer (depending on the angle of the shot) you might miss the lungs.
I've shot a few, not recovered one. Personal choice here, but I would use a mono bullet no matter what caliber (I want as much penetration as I can), and I wouldn't use anything smaller than the 6.5. The one that I didn't recover was a large (300# or so) sow that was @ 300 yds with a .243 using an 85g Barnes TSX. She was moving and I couldn't head shoot her. I heard the bullet hit then I watched her travel 1/2 mile and then lost her when she went into the brush.
Shoot them either right below the ear or 1/3 the way down from the top of their body, in the crease that forms right in front of their shoulder when they turn their head side to side. Putting a bullet in those places will drop them in their tracks. Their heart/lung area is further forward than a deer, and the big boars have that tough shield. If you shoot them behind the shoulder like a deer (depending on the angle of the shot) you might miss the lungs.
Cold months are the best if you plan to eat them.
6.5 CM is plenty. Shoot'm between the earhole and the front edge of the shoulder....."Right in the neck" That's a DRT shot.
Have some fun, be safe, good luck.
338 Federal
DavidA
Well-Known Member
Based upon what you as saying. Generally most people use AR's because usually it is s heard. Once you open fire you are spreading lead. Most use either 300 Black out, 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 SPC. If all you have are bolt guns I would think 22 Creekmore may be a little light. You just something with the lightest recoil so you can follow up shot quickly. Any thing else works 6.5 up. Just depends on each rifles profile which ultimately leads to smallest recoil. Any of those with proper bullets will be more than adequate.
I go quite often and I use 70gr in my AR or 103gr in my 6mm Creedmoor never lost an oinker yet!
We kill hundreds every year with everything from 222 to 300 WM. They're not that hard to kill! Any of your choices will work with good shot placement and the right Bullet. I kill more with my 222s and 220 Swift than any other rifles….with 222s(42 gr Begers at 3100 fps) I shoot them in the ear or base of the skull/neck……220Swift with 44 gr Hammer Hunters at 4200 fps, square thru the shoulder or base of neck/shoulder….. Devastating Load! As said already, anything you hunt deer with will work.
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300win mag fan
Member
+1 for the 6.5 Grendel. I've had great success with this cartridge on hogs and deer here in South Arkansas. I'd suggest an AR platform because you may see one pig, or you may see 20 at a time. Soft recoil and fast follow ups are a couple things I love about the Grendel. All the calibers you mentioned can and will work, as always shot placement trumps all.
