A .50 beowolf? 338 fed? .375 H&H? 416 rigby? Come on JWP, step up to a real man's rifle, like Hemingway's .577 Nitro Express:

Although a more contemporary rifle, the Armalite 50, comes complete with ear plugs and Tylenol.

I've shot big boars over the years that didn't die right away. Yea, yea I should have hit them here or there or where ever, but crap happens.

Sometimes they get knocked off their feet first or perhaps they spin around a time or two, but when they recover, they start running. On a few occasions, they have run right at me. I can't be sure if they were charging me or if I just happened to be standing in the direction they were running. It is my belief, however, that they wanted to kill me.

Where I'm at I don't even have a fence post to climb. That's when I'm glad I'm not shooting a .223. If I did, I'd make sure it came with a bayonet!!!

If that's not your thing, then I hope it never happens to you. If it does, you'll be trading off the pea shooter the very next day (if you're still alive). Of course a 223 can and will kill them, but it is best suited for coyotes and smaller. Folks always seem to try and kill more animal than the caliber/cartridge was intended for; as if that's some sort of accomplishment. Match the caliber to the task and use the right bullet.

Good advice Djones, I'm with ya.

I have one better....RPG!!

Hemingway claimed that he shot a wart hog with both barrels of his .577, the wart hog yakked up this buffalo and then ran off into the brush.

Cabela's had a winchester, heavy barrel,cammo, semi .308 on sale this weekend for 799..down from 1399...going like hotcakes. I'd go with the .308.. i've seen many run with the use of a .223

Here's a shot of last weekend with a 7.62x39. One shot stop on every one, and not even great shots (they were takin out of the back of a truck chasing them)




For me this is a great round for hogs; cheap as dirt($5/box of 20), great takedown power,low recoil, low collateral meat damage. Only drawback is out past 150 yards you have to think about your dope a little , by 200 yards your about 6" low. I've shot everything from a .22LR to a .30-06 for hogs and for anything but distance this is my preferred caliber.

My preferred round is a 124 grain soft tip(lead). TulAmmo makes this round and here is a link for where I buy it Alamo Ammo. That's a local shop for me so I get the price -S&H

Here is a ballistic chart for that round.

Range Velocity Impact Drop ToF Energy Drift
0 2490 -2 0 0 1707 0
10 2434 -1.48 0.06 0.01 1631 0.45
20 2388 -1.02 0.17 0.03 1570 0.52
30 2343 -0.61 0.34 0.04 1512 0.63
40 2299 -0.28 0.58 0.05 1455 0.78
50 2255 0 0.88 0.07 1400 0.97
60 2211 0.2 1.25 0.08 1346 1.21
70 2168 0.34 1.69 0.09 1294 1.49
80 2125 0.4 2.2 0.11 1243 1.82
90 2083 0.38 2.8 0.12 1195 2.19
100 2041 0.28 3.47 0.14 1147 2.62
110 1999 0.1 4.23 0.15 1100 3.09
120 1958 -0.17 5.07 0.17 1056 3.62
130 1918 -0.52 6 0.18 1013 4.21
140 1878 -0.98 7.03 0.2 971 4.85
150 1839 -1.53 8.16 0.21 931 5.54
160 1801 -2.19 9.39 0.23 893 6.3
170 1763 -2.95 10.73 0.25 856 7.11
180 1725 -3.83 12.18 0.26 819 7.99
190 1688 -4.82 13.75 0.28 785 8.93
200 1652 -5.94 15.44 0.3 751 9.94


Sorry that's hard so hard to read, it didn't copy over very well.

Hope that helps.

Don't waste your time with the 308 possibility. The 223 will be OK, but give the 300blk a long hard look before you make your final decision.

nice rifle jphardin what brand is it.

Just curious, why not consider the 308? Platform weight or another reason? Why consider a 300blk when ammo is still very limitied and hard to find, plus is way under the 308 in many respects?

Don't get me wrong, I have a 308 in a bolt gun and the ammo availability/selection is incredible. I wouldn't go with the AR-10 308 platform mainly because of weight. If you look at the majority of Ar-10 setups they begin around 10lbs and go up from there, thats unloaded!! Also most, not all, come in longer barrel lengths of 20"+ which combined the length with it's weight makes for a very cumbersome rifle.

For me personally if I'm walking around I want something more maneuverable I'm going with something in a 16" barrel that weighs less than 15lbs loaded. 300blk ammo is becoming more popular, and I'm sure that within the next year it will be readily available. I also like the ability to shoot supersonic rounds for deer and easily changing over to subsonic rounds with my suppressor using 220gr slugs. Another up-side to the 300 blk is that it uses standard AR-15 magazines without any modifications, huge plus for someone who wants cheap readily available mags. The 300 also uses the same bolt carrier group as a standard AR, so if something breaks there is no custom ordered anything. Everything about the 300 blk is standard AR-15, with the exception of the barrel of course.

A 223 will work, as many dead hogs will tell you, but with so many other round choices out there why not get something just a tad better? This is why I just finished purchasing my first 300blk! If anyone is interested in a RRA 16" varmint upper let me know, I have one for sale!

I guess it depends on how you're hunting. If I were walking around then I can see where a 223 makes more sense; not because it's lighter, but rather if I have to drop my rifle and run I'd rather leave a 223 behind .

LOL! Not that they're any cheaper, but your quote caught me off guard and made me laugh!!

I got an AR 15 this year in 7.62 x 39. It is intended to be my go to hog gun. That way I can kill as many as possible cause they run like hell when the first shot goes off. However I have killed all of my previous hogs with my 220 swift but that gun is super accurate with some worked up hand loads and all shots were in the neck. I used a 55 gr Vmax. Heres the video of one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwIpAX48eq0

Thanks alot! I now have Jack and Coke all over my keyboard.

looks like my job is done here

ps - bigatex, that's some badass bush you're hunting

You just crack me up, I must say I do like your sense of humor......

Just trying to keep someone from getting killed. If you go after something like this with a 223, make sure to have the front sight filed off so it doesn't hurt so bad when he crams it up your backside.

.270 best all around for hogs

Obviously photoshopped. No grass is that green.

If your just wantin to put holes in stuff then .223 ammo is cheap. if your wantin to not track them as far or drop a chargin boar...you may wana go a lil stouter...6.8 is dirty

I fully agree with this it is all about your shooting ability and shot placement!!

That is how I feel, as a matter of fact it good all around round for anything in TX.

I must also say yes hogs can be dropped in the spot with .223 and again it's shot placement (behind the ear)

Good Caliber for Hogs, What ever caliber I have in my hands when I see them is what I use