223 for hogs
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WildRose
Well-Known Member
It's too light if you can't make the necessary head and neck shots and select the right bullet for the job.
I'm a fan of the 6.5 Lapua and 6.8SPC for hogs as well as the .458 SOCOM and 300 Blackout.
The 6.5L properly loaded is a solid 3-400 yard capable hog killer but again, shot placement and bullet selection are key.
The 6.8 SPC will do a very good job with the 110gr Accubond SSA or similar ammo out to 300yds.
The other two a short range only.
With any of them the only way you're going to get clean, quick kills is with head/spine shots.
ATH
Well-Known Member
Within 200 yards I'd look to the 458 SOCOM. I've shot a pile of animal with the muzzleloader equivalent...same bullets...it's an absolute hammer within its effective range. And there is no closing of the hole behind it.
If you want to reach further I would look at the 6.5/6.8 options.
If you want to reach further I would look at the 6.5/6.8 options.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
The 6.8 SPC has very little recoil at all. Even on my lightweight Mini 14 it's basically unnoticeable.
SOUTHTEXASBOY
Well-Known Member
I have killed probaby close to 1k hogs in my life, 90% have been with a 233 ar15's and night vision or thermal, probaby 100 or so were with a little ruger 10/22 and a few here and there with a regular deer rifle calibers. Shoot them right behind the ear and your good to go, if they don't drop then throw a couple more rounds in them. Here in south Texas they are a huge problem, they cost farmers thousands and thousands of dollars in crop damages. I look at hogs the same way ranchers look a coyotes with calf's hitting the ground. Sure you can go up to larger calibers but we buy ammo by the thousands and the larger rounds cost too much to shoot that many rounds. Find a good 55-75gn soft point and have fun.
I go to Fayetteville, TX area in the winter to train my retrievers,, and thought I would try my hand at shooting some hogs. What bullet do you recommend in a 1:8 twist?
SOUTHTEXASBOY
Well-Known Member
We usually just get the cheapest stuff we can get ahold of, last couple thousand rounds have been ultramax, I would just get the heaviest soft point or hollow point that shoots good in your gun, I have shot a bunch with fiocchi ballistic tips also, but the don't do as well if you shoot them in the body, they pretty much just blow up 1.5-3 inches in and on a big hog that's not going to do much damage. They are fine if you shoot them behind the ear though...
snox801
Well-Known Member
I have also killed a pile of hogs and most have been with a .223. Pick decent bullet and it will work fine.
I think the best balance of recoil and stopping power is the 6.5 grendel. I don't have one yet but my brother uses one for deer and hogs. It's on my list for this winter. I current use my 300blk for almost all my hunting of hogs and deer. Good success with the 100gr raptors at 2550 fps or the hammer 100gr .30 at around 2500fps. If you are ok buying another upper those two would lead it for what you want. The 300blk obviously been cheaper of the two uppers.
My best shooter is a palmetto upper 5 shots groups consistently under .5 moa with the raptors.
I think the best balance of recoil and stopping power is the 6.5 grendel. I don't have one yet but my brother uses one for deer and hogs. It's on my list for this winter. I current use my 300blk for almost all my hunting of hogs and deer. Good success with the 100gr raptors at 2550 fps or the hammer 100gr .30 at around 2500fps. If you are ok buying another upper those two would lead it for what you want. The 300blk obviously been cheaper of the two uppers.
My best shooter is a palmetto upper 5 shots groups consistently under .5 moa with the raptors.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
The 70gr Nosler Partition would be a very good choice. I've had good luck with the TTSX as well in both of my AR's.
I shoot the SSA factory ammo loaded with the 110gr Accubond in my 6.8SPC mini 14 and Hornady Interbond in the M1A.
All would be good choices. The TTSX, Accubond 6.8 and Nosler Partition are all available in factory ammo.
M855 Ammo with the tungsten penetrator is a very good choice for the AR as well but only for head shots. It's a non expanding bullet and thus if you're taking body shots not likely to get a clean kill. I've seen heart/lung shot coyotes shot with that same bullet run a quarter to half mile and hogs further than that. It's like poking them with a .223 caliber ice pick.
your .223 will be just fine, especially if you've got the time to line up a good shot and pop em' in the ear.
If you want to give yourself a better chance and more margin for error, I will second the suggestions to get a 6.5 or 6.8 upper. With an adjustable gas block they really don't recoil much more than a 223.
And I'd suggest investing in a suppressor before NV/thermal with any additional discretionary dollars. It makes shooting and hunting with an AR extremely pleasant. You can do a whole lot of damage at night out to 100 yards and further with a $100 rail mounted 300+ lumen flashlight.
If you want to give yourself a better chance and more margin for error, I will second the suggestions to get a 6.5 or 6.8 upper. With an adjustable gas block they really don't recoil much more than a 223.
And I'd suggest investing in a suppressor before NV/thermal with any additional discretionary dollars. It makes shooting and hunting with an AR extremely pleasant. You can do a whole lot of damage at night out to 100 yards and further with a $100 rail mounted 300+ lumen flashlight.
