77 grain BTHP or 55 grain softpoint for hogs?

What are you using? Both are very accurate out of my AR-15 but I'm not sure if I want speed or size. Looking forward to getting my first kills with this rifle I've had for a few years now after playing around with the 6.8.

I'd go 55 SP. The bthp can fragment very easy and limit penetration. The 55 SP is nasty on soft tissue.

I have no experience with anything but the 55 grain SP since it has worked well for me.

I have put down quite a few hogs over the past year with a 55gr SP out of my AR. They have worked good for me but can't compare to the 77gr BTHP because I have not tried those

i use 75 gr Hornady BTHP thru my Sig 556 almost exclusively and have been very satisfied with them. Shot distances have been 6 feet to 250 yards. This rifle is accurate with them and this bullet is available locally. However, if a 55 gr soft point is also accurate thru your rifle then maybe that's what you need to use. I know it would be one of my favorites on feral hogs.

I used Horanady 55gr SP training ammo. Worked great, but I used upper neck shots.
I'm not sure what it would do broadside.

I'd suggest the 65 gr Sierra GK or the 64 gr Nosler Bonded Solid Base. Or the 60 gr Partition or the 55 gr Sierra GK. I have experience with those, so feel that I can recommend them. If the 77 grainer is a target bullet, I'd go with something else.

What would a 55 grain Varmageddon ballistic tip bullet do? Not considering it, just curious.

It would be for headshots only. Varmint bullets do not penetrate well.

I have always believed in doing it right instead of doing it over, use these:

Nosler 64 gr Bonded

Its not the cheap rout, but if a hunting bullet is the intend I don't think you can find a better on game performer than the 60 grain partition. Haven not tried the 64 grain bonded nosler, but reports I have heard indicate it is similar.

Not saying the others wont work, but these would do it in Style!

Those look cool but I've got loads developed for 55, 75, and 77 grain already.

GK if you're reloading. Strangely, you cannot find the GK in loaded ammunition, only bullets. They are great bullets though.

Well we dont want to base our decisions off reports give the man some evidence the 64gbn work or don't mention it.only true test is to try it out yourself.do not take advice from someyone who has heard they might work goodluck

What sort of evidence would you need to convince you that the 64 gr BSB "works". I tried it out on a few coyotes, and it worked Ok. My intent, when I got the bullets, was to shoot pigs with it. But the pigs have left me, for now. I don't plan to shoot deer with it. And I admit that coyote blasting won't really tell us much about the bullet and larger game.

It won't quite stabilize in my 220. It shot great in my 223, but I didn't get great groups till I got very close to max loads. Then I got very nice grouping (1in 9 twist). The rifle is now with Derrick, for a new barrel (wasn't anything wrong with the old barrel, but I wanted even better grouping).

Buthurt?

I think I'll try the Noslers next time.

I loaded up some 55 soft points in front of 27.4 grains of CFE 223 so I should gtg in a few weeks! I've never hunted hogs with this small of a caliber so will definitely be researching.

65gr SGK.....

Singleshot's pig picture reminded me that of the bullets I mentioned earlier in this chat, the 65 gr Sierra GK was one of the most accurate, and shot well at several powder charges. I never have been able to get that Partition to shoot great. Shoot's Ok, but not great. The 55 gr Sierra was also a great shooter. The 64 gr Nosler BSB is the one I've shot the least, and although it shot great near max powder charge, it didn't shoot that well at lower powder charges. Of course that's valid only in my rifle, but if I wanted top accuracy, I think I'd go for one of the Sierra bullets, and probably it would be the 65 grainer.

But if you want penetration, that Partition is hard to beat. I ran one through a 80 pound pig longways. You might get that with the Bonded Solid Base, but I have no 'use data' on pigs yet.

Is the longer bullet going to feed properly. It would be way more economical to shoot the 55 grain SPs. They work great too. Ive killed tons of hogs and deer with them. That 77 gr hp sounds more like a bench rest bolt gun type of thing.

I've never had a problem using it and the military uses it for the SPR rifle.

10 4 on that Ive tried out ammo that people loaded with heavier/longer bullets and sometimes the slightest bit of extra length can cause hang ups in the box/clip or receiver. Also the longer bullets can be harder to stabilize in factory barrels, because the rate of twist your barrel has. The 55 grainers are friendly in all factory guns. If your banging out some longer rounds that aren't seated deep into the case you could have bullet tip issues from the repetitive recoil banging the long hollow point against the magazine, also pushing them forward potentially causing feeding problems. My experiences with autos are they can be finicky with foreign material.

It's a 1:8 twist Rainier barrel that so far seems to shoot everything excellent. I haven't tried anything lighter than 55 grain though. The only mag problems I've had are with my 6.8. The PRI mags allow for longer rounds while the Barrett mags don't have enough room to load the same rounds.

I see

There is also a 62 gr SP bullet made by Sierra. I have had some buddies use 75 BTHP but they seem to drift away from 5.56/.223 as a hog caliber after using it for awhile.

I guess the hogs I killed with Remington 55 gr. SP and Sierra 55 gr. SP, didn't get the message. When hunting with small caliber rifles/pistols. I treat them like i'm hunting with archery gear. Clean shot at the ear, or eyes. If I don't have a clean shot at the head, I don't shoot.

This is true. With the partition you can stick the bullet with confidence in the vitals/shoulder area. It will penetrate, and within reasonable distance and assuming the hog isn't cow size will exit!

That's what I'm going to stick to this weekend.

Been using the 77gr SMK exclusively for the past few years and no complaints...

In 5.56/223, I've had the best luck with 70gr Barnes TSX bullets for overall use.
It's plenty accurate out of my 16" 1/8 ARP 223 Wylde barrel and penetrates the hard stuff well.
If you have the luxury of plenty of time to set up a neck or head shot, you can be less picky on bullets.

That being said, in an AR platform there are much better caliber choices for pigs.

Didn't get a chance to use the 5.56 hog hunting unfortunately. I happened to have my 6.8 at the time while the other one was in the trailer. A 115 Nosler bthp planted a javelina though at a range of about 175 yards shot in the kneeling position. Never heard a bullet smack skin like that before.

I prefer heavy bullets. Lots of opinions and shot placement is key.

I have very good results with 70gr Hornady GMX and 65gr Sierra Game Kings.