favorite .223 hog bullet.

[snox801]

So getting ready for another piggy hunt next month. I got nosler partitions for my brother last year and they worked great dead piggies everywhere. Im bringing my ar this time for some fun. Wondering what your favorite bullet is I was gonna try razorbacks to see how they compare to the tried and true partition.

 

[bodean87]

Whatever I have when I see them.

 

[cockcroft]

60 gr V-max or Ballistic Tip in the ear never lets you down

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I wonder how the Barnes 53gr TSX would work at .223 velocities.

 

[Farmerbeau]

180gr Accubonds in .308 win...or bigger Sorry...

My answer is shoot whatever you feel is most accurate and reliable through the weapon. With a .223/5.56, I'd go with a shot to the nervous system. I've killed a bunch of pigs with my AR and had a few get away because of going for heart shots. My AR shoots accurate groups using surplus Lake City M855 Penetrator (62gr green tip) and I have a lot of them... and it kills pigs. I promise. A lot of members of pig hunting forum I'm on suggests Barnes TSX when using a .223 but the topic is debated on weekly.

In my experience, the first shot counts the most and if you get follow up shots on the rest of the brood, you're a mixture lucky/good. After the first shot, when the chaos ensues, putting accurate shots (obviously needed with a .223) on running rooters between scrub and trees is a real challenge. I usually try to go for neck shots because they're easier shots than heart shots or shots to the grape, especially when the chaos starts. Because of the follow up shots, I like to have something with more punch. I've been thinking of deploying my M1 Garand because I get a fast rate of fire with a 30-06 round.

Pig hunting (to me) is much more fun than deer hunting. I've killed pigs with anything from a .22lr to a 12ga as well as having more than a few get away. Nine times out of ten, when one got/gets away it's due to my error but I found you minimize your margin of error by shooting a larger-more powerful round...

The AR is obviously an awesome weapons platform because of the rate of fire makes it possible to kill off entire broods. We started using a semi-auto 12ga with buckshot where we hunted in South Texas because the shots were within 40yds and we didn't usually clean or eat the pigs (they were usually big, nasty, taste like garbage and the land owner liked to see dead pigs drug out to the bone yard). In my opinion, nothing is more effective in exterminating pigs (other than helo's or trapping) than running up on group with a shotgun and a four wheeler. I think I may have a different outlook on "hog hunting" than others though.

 

[snox801]

I think your outlook is fine. I myself prefer my shotgun also. I just got my ar this fall and felt like bringing it on my hunt next week just cause. I got six boxes of razorback ammo should be in today. Still bringing shotgun because I know they fall fast to them. Ill let you know how they work. So far everybody I know uses partitions.

 

[snox801]

Just a report. Couldn't get the razorback ammo before I left so I settled on the Barnes. Every pig down withing 30 yards with shoulder shot and one *** shot. Sorry couldn't resist. Still down here and our count is at 46 in 3 days. And three goats.

 

[Farmerbeau]

hahaha! It sounds like y'all have a bit of a hog problem up there. You take the shots you can get sometimes! What was the weight of the Barnes (TSX?) projectile? Was it Barnes factory loads or another manufacturer using Barnes projectiles?

 

[snox801]

They were corbon 62 grain. We got screwed be our guide and he double booked our Sunday so we left early not in the best of mood but still had enough fun. We ended with 46 dead hogs and 3 Spanish goats. Started to run out of ammo in my 223. And start using shotgun and pistol. Smith and Wesson500 rolls em right over, and me lol.

 

[Farmerbeau]

They were corbon 62 grain. We got screwed be our guide and he double booked our Sunday so we left early not in the best of mood but still had enough fun. We ended with 46 dead hogs and 3 Spanish goats. Started to run out of ammo in my 223. And start using shotgun and pistol. Smith and Wesson500 rolls em right over, and me lol.

Holy crap! Were y'all hunting out of a helicopter? When we have a good night here, we have like 6 or so on the ground but we hunt using a 4-wheeler and a 12 ga.

 

[rdsii64]

If you have the barrel length to get the 62 grain Swift Scirroco II up to 3000 at the muzzle it should work well on a hog if you put it where it needs to go. If you have a fast twist barrel the 75 grain Swift Scirroco II is a good choice too.

 

[snox801]

Nope hunting over feeders. The guide buys them from trappers and releases them go at his ranch. Lots of fun.

 

[Daryl licht]

My personal favorite is 62 gn. SS118 penetrator.

 

[Daryl licht]

I've killed over 50 hogs with this rd. in the last year at our ranch in Texas at ranges from 50 yds to over 300 yds. Some setting still some running away and it opens em up like a can opener. They literally trip over themselves if they get a chance to run away. That little steel penetrator upsets and acts much like a saw blade. I don't even bother to police them up anymore as the real nasty ones will come back to eat their former friend, they are the nastiest smartest animal I've ever killed. Thank god for thermals.