Sidearm for the Hog Hunt

So I usually carry my 1911 .45 on my hip when Hog Hunting for the "just in case" he is not dead or if I walk up on another one when tracking the first down after shooting him.

I have never had to pull the sidearm but just wondering what everyone else is carries while they are hog hunting, if anything.

I carry my Glock 19 loaded with FMJ ammo. I've used it before to finish several hogs that had been shot, but not dead.

I keep my Glock 43 on me at all times! Had to use it last weekend on a pissed off sow.

I carry either a Ruger SSS in 32 Mag or a suppressed 22 auto. Prefer the 22 cause I can earhole em and not make much noise and it costs a nickel.

Colt Commander 1911

FNX-45-Tactical set up with RMR and white/IR light laser. That way you can pop them day night with lights or night vision all bases covers 16 rounds of .45acp and its quiet suppressed.

1911 had a sounder come right at me after I shot big male. Had to fire off a few shots to ward of the sounder. There where at least 10 in the sounder a few where big scared the [censored] out of me.

My Dan Wesson .357 mag has dropped a few.

.357 is my choice for finishing hogs. I've had a friend try to finish a hog with a 9mm but it took him two shots point blank.

If that is his carry gun it should give him something to think about....I wouldn't carry anything smaller than a .40S&W...45ACP or .357Mag are better IMHO......

Usually a .40 Glock 23. If not, a 1911 S&W.

Have finished off several wounded hogs in the brush up close with a 9mm. I have been carrying my M&P 40 but haven't had any close interactions yet.

Suppressed Sig 1911 45 with a custom holster. I've lost too much hearing already.

Commander length 1911 (13 rounds of 45 acp).

357 mag for me

44 mag revolver goes everywhere when I am in the field....2 rounds of snake shot first.

1911

FNX 45 Tactical for me. Love the 1911 platform but want the extra rounds that the FNX provides

Glock 20 with 16 rounds of 10MM. I had a bad experience with a hog and my 9MM, so I went BIG!!!

I used to carry a 9mm, but for the past few years I've been going out with a .22 pistol. I figure if a hog is capable of moving, it'll still be running away. If I shoot one and find it's still alive, the fact that I found it means it's not very mobile. A .22 to the brain is plenty to finish it off. The fact that .22 ammo is cheap(er) was a factor in that decision.

^^^this^^^ I've been carrying a High Standard Double 9 22 cal as a back up for 19 yrs now. Have finished off a bunch of them with one shot from a 22 HP. I've never needed more gun for that. Now, if I'm pistol hunting pigs I carry my Dan Wesson 357 mag.

FNX 45... Is on my hip anytime I am at the lease... Day or night

44 Magnum

Glock 23

This is my go-to hog pistol too loaded with 200gr XTPs from Underwood.

Stainless 1911 loaded with plain ole 230gr FMJs.

I'm a fan of 45 ACP myself

.45acp 10 rounds +1 if I need

Buffalo Bore
255 grains
hard cast bullet

955 fps according to the box

Glock 20 with a Lone Wolf 6 1/2" barrel, 180 grain Hard lead (home cast and loaded) 1200 fps, of diplomacy!

1911 in several commanders and full size .45's, but thinking about adding a 10mm just because.

If your carrying a rifle...what does it matter what sidearm you are carrying?

Does the job.

Why does it matter? My thoughts are to be like a boy scout and be prepared because stuff happens. Lots of what ifs can happen out in the field and they usually do

Well for me, I know if I come across one injured and ready to fight I am not going to be really quick to fire a second shot with a bolt action rifle.

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/5833853/Mag_Dump_Boar#Post5833853

This is the second time this year that he has had a boar charge him after being shot, and had multiple hits on the animal. Also other hunters have posted videos where they have killed as many as 9+ pigs in a sounder, not counting their misses. How well can you clear a FTF, FTE, in the dark? What if the firing pin breaks, or extractor, or etc....

A sidearm is good insurance.

Agreed

357 mag, 41 mag, 44 mag, 45ACP

No body armor? Flamethrower? Bazooka? The odds of a dozen pigs charging you is rather slim.

I feel plenty comfortable with my magazine fed rifle. I can do a tap, rack, bang faster than I can drop the rifle, draw the pistol, aim, and fire an inferior weapon. If the rifle breaks, I have a nice big knife, but I'd rather run like hell.

[/quote]If the rifle breaks, I have a nice big knife, but I'd rather run like hell. [/quote]

Next time you kill a nice big boar, try stabbing that "nice big knife" through his shield. Just make sure your knife has a guard on it so that your hand doesn't slide down the blade and cut your fingers. Some of us don't run as well as we did 40 years ago, and a sidearm is good insurance.

For starters you aren't going to out run a pig, they have a top speed of 30-35mph. Also at close ranges there is nothing inferior about a sidearm. At 10-15 yards a rifle round is likely to have zero expansion and go straight through causing little or no damage. Pistol rounds are design for such ranges but suit yourself.

Trying to clear a rifle malfunction while a hog is charging is something I don't wanna do. There is a reason LE/MIL train on transitioning weapons. I know this isn't a war zone but a charging hog and a malfunctioning rifle can lead to serious injury or cost you your life.

I find myself in the brush with a flashlight looking for wounded animals fairly often. Most of the time I'm stooped over and a rifle doesn't make sense. A flashlight and pistol work well for me.

For starters you aren't going to out run a pig, they have a top speed of 30-35mph. Also at close ranges there is nothing inferior about a sidearm. At 10-15 yards a rifle round is likely to have zero expansion and go straight through causing little or no damage. Pistol rounds are design for such ranges but suit yourself.

Trying to clear a rifle malfunction while a hog is charging is something I don't wanna do. There is a reason LE/MIL train on transitioning weapons. I know this isn't a war zone but a charging hog and a malfunctioning rifle can lead to serious injury or cost you your life. [/quoarm

So much wrong here. Rifles are better than pistols even at that range. The only time a pistol would be an advantage is the pig is chewing on one arm. A rifle is more likely to over expand due to velocity and yaw at that range.

+1

230 grn ball ammo
the hollow points don't penetrate far enough

I quit carrying sidearms while hog hunting as the hogs on my place are a bunch of wussies

just my smelly self will cause them to run

I just carry more rifle rounds with me

All this discussion when it shows the rifle advocate has never been in the position. I also carry a mag fed very capable rifle and am expert at its use with many confirmed to my record. The sidearm has kept me breathing more than once. If you want a real adrenaline rush, try the havelina. The dead one is not the issue, its buddies WILL come for you and are fearless. I have tried the entire range of calibers and settled on the 9mm full metal it does the job every time and there is short recoil time. The real question is, why would you not carry a sidearm? Penetrating the armor is a problem, I have had many soft and hollow point not do the job, at point blank. Sometimes its not a charge but rather a run away and you are in the path. Good luck out there

Sig 1911 45 Super

I never don't carry a sidearm

The sidearm is for when your rifle is jammed, broke, or out of ammo. If your worried about a charge why did you put the rifle down? If you're worried about penetration, why put the rifle down? If you're in brush thick enough you can't swing a rifle I understand. If you just like to carry a sidearm, I understand as I carry one just because. However don't try to say a handgun is superior to a rifle or shotgun.

Never said the handgun was superior just very handy, I have emptied a clip and still had targets, also why I like the short barrel versions of the semi autos and open sites when you are out of the stand. Hogs are not the easy target a whitetail can be when it comes to putting them down and head shots on a running pig can be tricky. Even the .500 did not put the 400lb. sow down just changed her mind, she had a litter and was PO'd when I took one of the shoalts and had every intention of doing bodily harm after the bolt had locked on an empty clip, gave my sidearm a kiss and switched to 20 round clips lol. These things hit like a truck and its surprising how fast they can close the gap. When the rounds are gone its just a club, without a bayonet. I carry 2 rifles,pistol,and knife the wild boar is not prey, we are the only threat to it.

a mountain lion will eat one

Why are pigs harder to hit then deer? Proper shot placement, even with a 223, will put them down. Why shoot the baby first? Shoot the sow and the babies won't go far. If you carried a bow too, you could be Rambo. Pigs are not as dangerous as you seem to think.

Depending on the situation, I will carry one of two pistols.

This is "Shag Nasty":


I only carry this one when I will be hunting late and might require the use of night sights. Otherwise I carry a Springfield XDm 5.25 in .45(Black Betty). The 5.25 is far more reliable and the fiber optic sight is superior during daylight hours.

This is "Black Betty"

im also in the glock 20 camp, good power and 15rnds, although I have used the suppressed 22 also with good results

I killed a few hogs with my .45 acp this weekend one went down instantly the other two were running away when I shot them took multiple rounds but they did not get away. The one that went down instantly was about 240-250 pounds, the runners were 200ish and 150ish pounds. The 230gr hollow points had good results even with Texas heart shots on the runners. Spun them around for good broadside finishing shots. Range was from 10- 40 yards

I dont always follow wounded hogs into the thick south Texas brush........But when I do, its Glock 20. Stay safe my friends!

Not trying to hijack the thread but is a glock 20 the overall best pistol for 10mm?

I only have a g20 and a colt delta, and prefer the glock. Some people rave about the Bren ten and older S&W (1006 maybe) Ive never shot one so they could be better.

I got to hold but not shoot a g20 this past weekend...that sucked. I did pop off a lot of subsonic 5.56 and 300 though!

HK USP 40 with Winchester Ranger SXT, they DON'T get back up.

have been known ta go inta the thick stuff after a wounded hog during day & at night... dont own a Glock...

44 Mag. If if doesn't kill them, it'll scare them

sig p224 .357sig

come feb. I can set ya up some pig mud rasslin out here, then we can see how tame they really are.

always a glock 23, fmj 185gr.
dropped a 75# with it when the 870 ran out of shells (8 rounds and all duck loads, forgot to change over from beaver chasin), I will not go out without a pistol as backup.

Go big or go home!

.45acp + P Buffalo Bore 255 Grain Hard Cast

10 + 1

I use my 45ACP with 230 grain HP's. It will take 'em down fast and hard with proper bullet placement and within 25 yards or so.

'Zactly what I use. That or one of the 1911's in .45 ACP.

^^^^^^^^^^
This only with a 500 S&W mag. Yep, I'm serious. It is a blast. Literally.

shotty

It just depends... I would say 75% of the time I have my S&W 40 on me staggered with HP's and FMJ's. But from time to time I'll take a 357 mag along for the journey just because.