Rifles for Feral Hog

J

james13

Joined
Jul 31, 2008
Messages
1,247
Likes
890
Location
GA
Feedback: 24 / 0 / 0
I was invited to a feral hog hunt/shoot next spring. Don’t have anything right now that would fit the bill. Thinking maybe an AR in .308 with some sort of optic.

Don’t plan to hunt frequently, so I’d like to avoid bolt-actions. Any suggestions?
 
gerrycaruso said:
If you like the AR platform, look into a 45 or 50 caliber upper. I'd probably use a lever action in 45/70.
Click to expand...
45/70 and a lever action is the way to go.

Unless you are planning on shooting a group of hogs and taking multiple shots, then the AR in 308 is a good choice.

Or get the Big Horn Armory lever action in 500, 460 or 454. I think 460 SW would be an amazing round. Fairly cheap to reload, packs plenty of power and the shorter rounds should allow for more rounds in the tube.

Or use a revolver, 460, or 500.
 
Last edited:
james13 said:
Thinking maybe an AR in .308 with some sort of optic
Click to expand...
a generic ar10 will be heavy to lug around. the one gun we just had a group buy for is a new ruger sfar in .308 - 16" is just 6.8lbs. it is nice.
a 45/70 lever action like shown above is nice.

a midsize bolt action in 6.5CM will be also nice, like a tikka or similar. a lot of things can fit that bill. i would look for something with a minimal weight first, if i am to carry it on my back for a prolonged enough chunk of the day.
 
is this going to be one of those hunts where you shoot a bunch of hogs or one where you shoot one or two. the 6.5grendel is a popular cartridge for pest hog control, as for not having anything that fits the bill a hog doesn't need to be shot with anything fancy a 12ga semi auto or pump with slugs will drop a hog and I hope everyone on here has at least one shotgun
 
appraiser said:
Do you currently own anything in an AR platform? a 16 inch barrel with a one to seven twist would be good for a heavier weight bullet that would take down a hog
Click to expand...

Only AR I have at the moment is a Sig MCX A/R Pistol in 300 Blackout. Have plans to SBR and suppress it, so probably not a viable option with its 6.75 inch barrel. I supposed I could get a compatable 16 inch Virtus upper, though that wouldn't be the most cost effective option.

Boghog1 said:
is this going to be one of those hunts where you shoot a bunch of hogs or one where you shoot one or two. the 6.5grendel is a popular cartridge for pest hog control, as for not having anything that fits the bill a hog doesn't need to be shot with anything fancy a 12ga semi auto or pump with slugs will drop a hog and I hope everyone on here has at least one shotgun
Click to expand...

Don't know if it will be a large scale shoot or a smaller hunt.

paul73 said:
a generic ar10 will be heavy to lug around. the one gun we just had a group buy for is a new ruger sfar in .308 - 16" is just 6.8lbs. it is nice.
a 45/70 lever action like shown above is nice.
Click to expand...

Ah, I missed that group buy.
 
I watched some great videos on YouTube when I first heard about the hog situation in TX. One guy has an AR-10 (I think) with some sweet thermal scope that records everything.

I remember he said he was using a .308 and most of them dropped like stone when hit. Guess it’s all about shot placement, but a .308 would be my first choice
 
6.8 spc

Great bc... accurate can run suppressed or hit with the same ballistics as an ak round

Grendel is good too but velocity suffers out of shorter barrels. So if your camping in a hide you won't care but if you are mucking through a swamp you're gonna want the shorter barrel
 
OP : If you were invited by people that hunt hogs regularly, they're the ones to ask.

A friend of my dad's was in Germany, post WWII. He and some others were invited on a boar hunt. Most of the people picked rifled, most likely 8x57. When they were done, he asked the game keeper what to use - Guy gave him a 16ga x 8mm Drilling. No scopes, just two 1oz slugs, and a rifle cartridge.

Ask the locals.
 
I’ve had good luck with MilSurps in Maine - Garand, 1903A3, SKS. Remington 1100 shot gun with a slug also very effective. Have fun !
 
gerrycaruso said:
If you like the AR platform, look into a 45 or 50 caliber upper. I'd probably use a lever action in 45/70.
Click to expand...
.223 is not enough.
I've been on a few hunts. All nuisance removal ops. At least one dude with a 44 magnum revolver minimum on each group. Handy rifles in large calibres . And 45/70 lever guns were the norm. I was loaned a 30-30 lever the first time out, and was allowed to take a Ruger . 30-06 "scout" (short barrel with a brake, 1-4 optic) style rifle the second time as I knew it and had used it to bag a bunch of coyotes that year in the same land. I was paired with two salty guys with 45/70 lever actions.

Hogs are very very friggin smart. Also brutal and vindictive.

The handy lever just feels right, if you have access to one.

I got nothing the first hunt but the guy I was sent out with that hunt tapped one huge hog with a rifle round in the shoulder but it shrugged it off and charged hard. Three shots from his . 44 ended the event.

Second hunt, took a runner at about 50 yards, and assisted by finishing a second who we had to run down as it took a 30 caliber shot to the hip and went for an adventure in the palmettos.
 
If you're thinking about going with an Ar15 the 300 Ham'r is a round designed for hog hunting with an Ar.
Just need a barrel & 300 blackout mags are suggested. Look for black Friday sales from Wilson Combat for the best deal a barrel
 
james13 said:
I was invited to a feral hog hunt/shoot next spring. Don’t have anything right now that would fit the bill. Thinking maybe an AR in .308 with some sort of optic.

Don’t plan to hunt frequently, so I’d like to avoid bolt-actions. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Ask your friends what they use.
Horrible vision, but an amazing sense of smell and hearing.
These things grow up fighting, so the chest/ breast plate. head area is thick.
Considering these things fight back and are capable of goring your guts out, any large caliber hollow point in a semi auto should do the trick.

Anything in .40 cal would most likely cut it in half or vaporize it. 1 shot would probably down like 4 of these things.


View: https://youtu.be/WKfTzfbWJUE
 

Similar threads

M-16 Era Ends: Army's 101st Airborne Division Receives Next-Gen Assault Rifles
2 3 4
Replies
90
Views
2K
Picton
Picton
Why is .22 CB Short louder than .22 CB Long in my rifles?
Replies
10
Views
268
Bigfudge16
Bigfudge16
Talk to me about Japanese Arisaka Type 99 WWII rifles
2
Replies
35
Views
823
gerrycaruso
gerrycaruso
20 mm rifles?
2 3
Replies
61
Views
2K
gerrycaruso
gerrycaruso
S and w recalls all response rifles made prior to feb 12 2024
Replies
8
Views
734
Taipan01
Taipan01
Back
Top Bottom