kc
Well-Known Member
OK GUYS, I know the 6.5X284 is a great Deer calibre..How would it do on Hogs?
A Hog Rifle?
- Thread starter kc
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gbp
Well-Known Member
6.5
I have taken several hogs with my 6.5 using SMK's at 300yds + all have been DRT
I have taken several hogs with my 6.5 using SMK's at 300yds + all have been DRT
stxhunter
Well-Known Member
shot placement on a hog is more important than cal. i allways try for a head or neck shot if you shoot behind the shoulder like a deer you'll usaully end hitting gutts and a hog even hit with a big cal can run to the next county they usaully don't leave much of a blood trail either
specweldtom
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, the hogs have moved in on our lease in the last 3 years and are doing what hogs do; MULTIPLY. My brothers and I have shot them with 7-08's, .308's, 7-30 Waters, and .223. Some run off and die, some have to be dragged off, a few get butchered, and in my case, a lot of them go unscathed, but scared silly.
I ended up using a heavy AR-15 with the 62 gr military ball. Fast follow-up shots, and lots of shooting. The survivors will stay away for weeks or months. For awhile they will remember where they were when the $h!t hit the fan. I used an FAL in .308 at first, but fast follow-up shots were not easy.
Many of them are nocturnal, and I haven't hunted them yet.
If you've got open terrain where you hunt, I recommend a light recoiling, rapid firing rifle. If it's dense cover, a big caliber and try to get 2 or more lined up to get them with 1 shot. It's probably all you'll get.
If you kill every one you see and trap continuously, you still can't get rid of them, unfortunately. They compete with deer and turkey for forage, they kill and eat fawns whenever they find them, and they raid turkey nests for eggs, and probably can kill new hatched pults.
I also believe some of them are dangerous, and am always armed when on foot.
Good hunting, Tom
I ended up using a heavy AR-15 with the 62 gr military ball. Fast follow-up shots, and lots of shooting. The survivors will stay away for weeks or months. For awhile they will remember where they were when the $h!t hit the fan. I used an FAL in .308 at first, but fast follow-up shots were not easy.
Many of them are nocturnal, and I haven't hunted them yet.
If you've got open terrain where you hunt, I recommend a light recoiling, rapid firing rifle. If it's dense cover, a big caliber and try to get 2 or more lined up to get them with 1 shot. It's probably all you'll get.
If you kill every one you see and trap continuously, you still can't get rid of them, unfortunately. They compete with deer and turkey for forage, they kill and eat fawns whenever they find them, and they raid turkey nests for eggs, and probably can kill new hatched pults.
I also believe some of them are dangerous, and am always armed when on foot.
Good hunting, Tom
goose316
Well-Known Member
i use a stainless marlin 1895 guide gun in 45/70...had it coated in birdsongs black T had a wild west custom loop, action and trigger kit, scout style scope mount also from wild west and their rail set up that mounts to the end of the magazine tube....it holds a light if hunting at night...using a 405gr bullet shoot them where ever you want...they are dead. the guide gun is great for hunting brush or open to about 250 yards.
KC, I don't doubt that your 6.5/284 can kill a hog. I have become more concerned in the past decade or so, of being able to stop a big bore or sow if caught down in a creek bed area with banks on both sides etc. One must imagine what would happen it I were here or there etc.
I once upon a time used a muzzle loader to go on a hog hunt, never again after that almost traggic experience. I shifted my weapon of choice to a lever gun in the 45/770 but jam city happened twice with that rifle, so I just didn't trust it after the so called problem was fixed.....bad spring.
I once again went to our gun room and selected a model 70 Winchester Classic (bolt action rifle) in the .338 Win mag caliber with 225 grain TBBC bullets. Once in awhile, I even take out my .458 Winchester magnum just for kicks! It is awesome on really large hogs.....Stops them in their tracks. I fear nothing with a model 70 Winchester pre-64 or Classic action rifle in my hands.
I once upon a time used a muzzle loader to go on a hog hunt, never again after that almost traggic experience. I shifted my weapon of choice to a lever gun in the 45/770 but jam city happened twice with that rifle, so I just didn't trust it after the so called problem was fixed.....bad spring.
I once again went to our gun room and selected a model 70 Winchester Classic (bolt action rifle) in the .338 Win mag caliber with 225 grain TBBC bullets. Once in awhile, I even take out my .458 Winchester magnum just for kicks! It is awesome on really large hogs.....Stops them in their tracks. I fear nothing with a model 70 Winchester pre-64 or Classic action rifle in my hands.
USMC 338
Well-Known Member
I also have used AR 15 with vary good results and 25-06 so your rifle will do just fine.
Have killed more than I can count with everything from a 223 to a 338 Lapua. A few with my 6.5 284 using the 142 SMK and it is more important where you hit them. If you hit them low behind the shoulder they will not run very far.
specweldtom
Well-Known Member
BH, I started out gut shooting them so they would run off and die, but after I tracked a sow and found her struggling and had to do a coup de grace, I started aiming to kill. Even for a hog, gut shot is a crappy way to die.
(Plus 1 on low-fences). I believe that TP&W should outlaw native game behind high-fences.
Good shooting, Tom
(Plus 1 on low-fences). I believe that TP&W should outlaw native game behind high-fences.
Good shooting, Tom
newguru
Active Member
I'm getting real close to buying a .458 SOCOM upper for my AR-15 specifically for exterminating hogs on our property.
I feel it has a nice combo of stopping power along with repeat shot ability in a hog gun.
I feel it has a nice combo of stopping power along with repeat shot ability in a hog gun.
trebark
Well-Known Member
Your caliber of rifle should be fine. I had a buddy that shot a charging sow with a .243win loaded with 105gr bullets. He got just enough angle on the pig that the bullet passed threw the ear flap and then into the shoulder. Pig went head over heels as it was flipping he shot one more time just to be sure. Pig didn't move once it stopped flipping.
On the flip side of that, I shot one from 30 yards with a .44mag revolver. The bullet passed threw the chest and broke the off-side front leg. Pig ran off like nothing was wrong with it. Tracked it and shot it again from about ten yards. The shot picked the pig up and slammed it on the ground. Still kicking and grunting on the ground, had to finish the job with a knife to the chest.
Two stories that illustrate what most everyone has been saying here - your choice of caliber is fine. It's more about shot placement.
On the flip side of that, I shot one from 30 yards with a .44mag revolver. The bullet passed threw the chest and broke the off-side front leg. Pig ran off like nothing was wrong with it. Tracked it and shot it again from about ten yards. The shot picked the pig up and slammed it on the ground. Still kicking and grunting on the ground, had to finish the job with a knife to the chest.
Two stories that illustrate what most everyone has been saying here - your choice of caliber is fine. It's more about shot placement.
Friggin' Pigs
I have a lot to say about this, so I will try to keep it short. some advice on this thread is very good about what goes on with these vermin.
I have killed a bunch of pigs, mainly with a 30-30. Unless the shot is too far back, it is a straight drop to the ground. However, I also caught a 250 lb sow in a snare this year that I shot with a 12 guage slug behind the shoulder and immediately tried to charge me.
I have shot a couple with a 223 and 22 mag. These were trapped animals and shot in the head. Both were effective in this situation and allowed us to kill the animals without a lot of ricochete (sp?) that would be dangerous to everyone. Shot placement is ciritical. I am not so sure that a typical varmint load would work out of .223 for this apllication. We have used FMJ (PMC brand) and once it gets through the skull we see that the bullet has fragmented. Once we saw it push the back of the skull a little down the neck (1/2 inch) - crazy, but it happened.
I shot a 150 lb boar last week. Typcial pig, but the shot was too far back. The shot rolled the pig, but he got up and went into the thicket. I tracked it (LOTS of blood), and got within 20 yards of it but it was getting late, I couldn't see it, and I am simply not going into a thicket with a wounded hog and a mag light. Found him the next day with the help of the buzzards - make those shots count!!
Also - if you can wait to line them up, do so. Someone suggsted it earlier, and it is effective if the bullet can 1) go all the way through and 2) stays together. Rem CoreLokts do a good job for me (your results may be different for your gun, caliber, distance, etc), and leave good wound channels.
These animals are costing us lots of cash here in Texas. This year alone my family has lost $16K in wheat just to pigs. That is a car. Who knows on the hay - they love to stay in it until the swather just **** near runs over them. As a result of the losses a gun is always in the tractor. They are great to eat (and I do use them to help feed my family), but it would be better if they were never around.
Hogs are the primary reason I am getting into long range shooting. In the past I have been very happy to shoot with irion sights and my 30-30. What we are seeing, though, is that they have gotten wise to gunshot, even at fair distances. So, we have decided to start at 300 yards, may be go to 500 - depends on how they react. I have a 30-06 that I am tooling up for the job. So long range shooting has become a practical tool for us. However, it is only a piece of the whole package (trapping, etc).
But now in North Texas they are gong to be trying an eradication program with helicopters - herding and shooting from them. This makes NO sense - how many cows are they going to run through fences, not to mention horses. Ruin animals, ruined fences. And the pigs will figure out they can not move out of the thickets and be fine, trust me on this, they will learn quickly.
I have a lot to say about this, so I will try to keep it short. some advice on this thread is very good about what goes on with these vermin.
I have killed a bunch of pigs, mainly with a 30-30. Unless the shot is too far back, it is a straight drop to the ground. However, I also caught a 250 lb sow in a snare this year that I shot with a 12 guage slug behind the shoulder and immediately tried to charge me.
I have shot a couple with a 223 and 22 mag. These were trapped animals and shot in the head. Both were effective in this situation and allowed us to kill the animals without a lot of ricochete (sp?) that would be dangerous to everyone. Shot placement is ciritical. I am not so sure that a typical varmint load would work out of .223 for this apllication. We have used FMJ (PMC brand) and once it gets through the skull we see that the bullet has fragmented. Once we saw it push the back of the skull a little down the neck (1/2 inch) - crazy, but it happened.
I shot a 150 lb boar last week. Typcial pig, but the shot was too far back. The shot rolled the pig, but he got up and went into the thicket. I tracked it (LOTS of blood), and got within 20 yards of it but it was getting late, I couldn't see it, and I am simply not going into a thicket with a wounded hog and a mag light. Found him the next day with the help of the buzzards - make those shots count!!
Also - if you can wait to line them up, do so. Someone suggsted it earlier, and it is effective if the bullet can 1) go all the way through and 2) stays together. Rem CoreLokts do a good job for me (your results may be different for your gun, caliber, distance, etc), and leave good wound channels.
These animals are costing us lots of cash here in Texas. This year alone my family has lost $16K in wheat just to pigs. That is a car. Who knows on the hay - they love to stay in it until the swather just **** near runs over them. As a result of the losses a gun is always in the tractor. They are great to eat (and I do use them to help feed my family), but it would be better if they were never around.
Hogs are the primary reason I am getting into long range shooting. In the past I have been very happy to shoot with irion sights and my 30-30. What we are seeing, though, is that they have gotten wise to gunshot, even at fair distances. So, we have decided to start at 300 yards, may be go to 500 - depends on how they react. I have a 30-06 that I am tooling up for the job. So long range shooting has become a practical tool for us. However, it is only a piece of the whole package (trapping, etc).
But now in North Texas they are gong to be trying an eradication program with helicopters - herding and shooting from them. This makes NO sense - how many cows are they going to run through fences, not to mention horses. Ruin animals, ruined fences. And the pigs will figure out they can not move out of the thickets and be fine, trust me on this, they will learn quickly.
gnettleton
Active Member
My wife's family is in the Timber Business in East Texas, and those little rascals can cause allot of damage to pine saplings just planted, on the 20,000 acres that has tree growing for eventual harvest, we have killed ,trapped over 3500 in the last 5 years. We have averaged a little more than 2 a day in that time period. AR-15 still work the best, but I am beginning to like what I have heard about the 450 bushmaster. Trapping gets the most with fermented corn getting the sow and all the babies.
Claymores would be the best, but they don't sell them at Wal Mart
Claymores would be the best, but they don't sell them at Wal Mart
