Best caliber for a newbie

A friend has a problem with hogs on his horse operation in Tarrant County. I have been helping him but he wants to get a rifle to shoot some himself. He can shoot, but doesn't have a lot of hunting experience. What. Sliver would you suggest? I've been using my .223, but I know that can be a bit light. I wouldn't recommend 308, but would you recommend something in between like a .243? I will probably recommend a bolt gun for simplicity. He's unlikely to get a second shot anyway.

a good full sized AR and a autoloading shotgun full of buckshot will cover all the bases

.223 will get it done, it's about shot placement.

6.8 SPC or 6.5 Grendel

Anything from .243 through .308 if recoil is a potential concern.

In a bolt gun. Then, he has an all-around rifle for deer and other varmints if he decides to hunt them in the future. 7mm-08 is always a good choice.

X2 for 6.8 spc or 6.5 Grendel. Light recoil for follow up shots and much more effective than .223 on running hogs.

This.

Didn't you just argue with FiremanJG about getting off subject and preaching? Now you are talking about deer hunting when the OP ask about hog hunting weapon and pushing bolt action as if a semi auto won't work as well or even better for hogs. By the way if a gun will kill a hog it will most definitely kill a deer so anything he gets for hogs could also be used on deer or varmints.

6.8 first then 300 blackout great choices both will do everything you need it do
6.8 for more field hunting 300 blackout for more all around
Not a bolt gun

Kinda sensitive, aren't we? Read slower. I was talking about a hog gun - the deer hunting comment had to do with possible "bonus" uses in the future. The purpose of my "range" was to stay away from the .223 - when there are much better options.

OP himself said he is probably going to suggest a bolt gun to his friend. For simplicity.

What's amazing to me is that a guy can come on here asking about one thing-and folks give him advice on the opposite. He is kinda thinking .223 is light - one immediate response is to get a .223. He is thinking bolt gun - 4 out of first 6 responses are to get an AR.

There's a lot of "preaching" going on all right, but I ain't the one doing it.

1 out of the first 4 mentioned an AR and only 1 mentioned a 223.

Why not?

My thoughts are recoil and noise. It's a semi-suburban area. It's legal to fire a center fire rifle, but keeping the noise down can't hurt.

hate to tell ya but there isn’t much difference between 223-308 as far as how loud they are. If your worried about noise it’s time to invest in a suppressor.

243 or 3o8 would be good. Both are gonna make some noise!

This

If an AR type rifle is not desired, almost anything will put some hurt on a hog.
A .243 would certainly do the job, as would the 7mm-08 that Nogalus Prairie mentioned.

Those, or anything in between will work. Hogs can be tough, but they're not bulletproof!
A .223 would work, although they may not drop on the spot. I prefer something a little bigger myself, though.

A bolt gun can be frustrating because you usually only get one shot.
A semi will allow quick follow up shots to anchor a hog or take another one.
I use AR15 platform rifle chambered in 6.8 as my goto pig guns.
My shots are under 200 yards and it has planted a bunch with 120gr SST handloads.
Kinda want an AR10 in 308 but the weight has put me off so far.

another vote for 6.8spcII. 95gr ttsx or 120gr SST are hell on them

Thanks to all. I'll take it all under advisement. Who knows, after firing my AR, he made want one.

Something like this would have very little recoil, enough power out to 150 yards or so, and can be easily suppressed. Plenty of factory ammo available (and Chad’s loads are phenomenal).

https://ruger.com/products/americanRifleRanch/specSheets/6968.html

What he said.

If he’s not a hunter and you don’t see more than one shot, do what ST does and get you a rifled barrel shotgun.

When I went out there yesterday I shot another one for him. A boar, probably 175#. Used my AR, and it took a while for him to go down. He liked my .357 lever gun, so I left that with him to try. We will see.

In an AR I'd go 6.8, 16" barrel shooting 120 SSTs. Super handy and will be all you need for hogs within several hundred yards. A 1/8 twist 223 wylde would be good too and shoot heavier 60-77 g bullets as a second option.

There are lots of options. Sounds like his property isn't that big. An AR15 in .300 BLK would work very well. That bolt action Ruger American in .300 BLK would be another great choice. A lever action in .357, .44 mag or .30-30 would work very well too. A used Marlin 336 in .30-30 with a 1-4x scope would be a good combination.

FWIW my cousin uses a Marlin lever action in .44 mag with a red dot sight on his farm, works great on coyote, bob cat, hogs and deer. Nothing seems to walk away very far after a hit with a 240 gr jhp.



IF he's not a hunter the recoil of a 12 ga slug gun can be brutal.

it’s not much more than the recoil from my 370

I assume you mean .270 not 370.

Even the .270 has a fair bit of recoil for a new hunter, and remember your shotgun (from what I have seen in pictures) has a couple pound thermal sight on it as well that helps soften the blow.

I'm not saying the 12 ga with slugs is a bad choice, I'm just saying given the OP's situation (new hunter, not a gun person, smallish property wanting lower noise) the 12 ga with slugs is not the best choice.

Going with a gas operated semi auto would help reduce the recoil and give him a faster follow up shot. So that would be my suggestion if he does choose the 12 ga.