.556 enough gun for hogs? yes or no?

[Big Frank]

"Hog hunt".  Is that what it's called when it's an hour before close at the Wagon Wheel bar, the beer goggles are thick, and you havent hooked up yet?

One of my friends called it shooting cripples. Not much of a challenge.

[Hazcat]

Having killed many hogs many ways I can say that .223 5.56 is a tad light for confidently putting the hog down unless you have 10,000 hours or more into hog hunting...ooops...that was the other thread.

Yes, you can but you'd better be right on in shot placement. I'd rather go for something in the .30 cal range. If I'm rifle hunting I use my .30-30. I do let my wife use her .243 but she is an amazing shot and with her hunting style she is patient enough to wait for the perfect placement. She killed a small boar and a sow a couple of weeks ago. Broke the sows neck and heart shot the boar. Shooting Hornady bullets. My hunting style with pigs I always end up with the sounder breaking around me after I've stalked within short range and shot the closest eatin' size hog. I want a quick second and third bullet with some punch to them in that case.   

As far as .38/.357 it's a tad light from a handgun barrel in my opinion for a full size hog. I shot a pocket piggie for the grill last weekend...hit him solid in the neck from short range with my 6 1/2 " Blackhawk and 158 grain bullet. The little sucker got up. Wasn't going anywhere...but it stood back up! I'm considering a .44 magnum for my hunting handgun now. 

When I bow hunt them with my recurve I get close and keep it low and tight to the leg with a super sharp two blade broadhead on a 630 grain arrow from my 57# Morrison. Energy is high from the momentum of the arrow. If I'm successful it's a heart shot. If I'm low it's a miss and if I'm a tad high or back it's a double lung shot. It's fun to sneak into a sounder of feeding hogs and stick one with an arrow. They don't know what's up! All they seem to know is that one pig is now squealing in pain and thrashing in the grass. They run off for a bit and settle back down to feeding. Repeat often as necessary depending on the size of the bbq party.

 

I meant .357 from a carbine and yes I would prefer the .44 mag.  Also as some one mentioned a hand gun back up is a damn good Idea.  If auto use a 10mm, revolver I'd go with a .44mag.  I usually carry my .45 Redhawk with hunting (hot) loads. (Though I did carry my .357 last time.)

[ericire12]

Gamo Hunter Extreme Air Rifle kills 180 lbs hog:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVX0y2Pcj_s

[tombogan03884]

 Some of those "air rifles" are 50 Cal, and take bear.

http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/index.html


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXY0KcHnOd0


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9WEsILY92o

[Badgersmilk]

[Sponsor]

[Hazcat]

That was commonly called the 'deer slayer'.  Last time I saw one they wanted 500.

[Badgersmilk]

Does the job on piggy's to!  That's what I paid for mine , but it came immaculate in its original box when I got it last year (things over 20 years old).

Tom, 510 grain bullets!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PEn98XKIc8&feature=related

[ellis4538]

Yes, as long as it's on FULL AUTO!

Richard

[ericire12]

Yes, as long as it's on FULL AUTO!

Richard

I got your pulled pork right here!

[Pathfinder]

Found it! The perfect hog gun. No more discussions of 5.56 or .30 cal, .45 or .44mag, this is what you need to get the job done - especially those 1200# feral hogs that show up in the news periodically.

http://securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/2200/2289.htm

For comparison, here is the round . . .



As someone put it - .95 caliber - because a 100 caliber would just be wrong!!!!!!!!!!!