TTXS or VLD's for pigs

[stanley52]

I understand they are basically 2 seperate lines of thought but I am new to hog hunting and don't know which would be best. I don't know just how tough wild pigs skin is and if they require an enormous wound channel (the VLD's) or more thick skin/controlled/bone penetration (TTSX's) I will be using a 6.5 Grendel and/or a .260 Remington. Thanks.

 

[djones]

if it makes a difference at all, i'd say it depends on whether or not you plan on hitting a large amount of bone going in. there may be pics or videos out there about the thick gristle shield on large boars, but even if there is evidence of it stopping a bullet from a high powered rifle, i'd have to say it's the exception rather than the rule. i shoot plain old 150gr corelokts in .308 because i shoot a lot and they're cheap. some pass through, some don't. some hogs run off, some don't. the only way to reliably anchor one is to disrupt the central nervous system.

i took a friend's kid hunting a few weeks ago to help him shoot his first pig. i saw him shoot on paper and knew he could place the bullet if he could control his excitement. thought a good shoulder shot from a 308 would give him room for error and still smash bone into the vitals. at 75 yards he put the bullet right in the shoulder. it took off and he fired three more shots, one of which hit two inches from the first shot. we found the pig about 50 yards away… and it wasn't a very big pig. sometimes pigs do whatever they want to.

i put a mask on the boy because…

1. he's a kid and i don't have permission to post his pic
2. i thought it was funny
3. he really is batman

 

[Hntelk]

185 vld hunting in my 308 work just fine for me...

 

[41mag]

I've only killed a few (hundred or so) hogs and I haven't found a real need to shoot anything fancy. At the ranges we mostly hunt or even shoot them from inches sometimes to out past 4-600yds standard bullets are what we use the most.

The longer shots are rare for us, but even then a well place C&C bullet will do plenty IF you put it right where it needs to be. For the most part I use Rem CL's in my .308, and my 25-06AI, as they are/were cheap for one thing, and they have worked time and time again with no issues. I also use Hornady SST's as well again simply due to cost. They make a bit more of a mess but they DO work when properly placed.

The biggest thing when shooting a hog is to NOT think of them as you would a deer or similar critter. Their vitals are right up front straight over the leg, tucked in right behind where their neck meets their shoulder. IF you aim further back your hitting gut or stomach and they will put some distance down before they fold up. Those shields are thick sometimes and are made up of gristle, but a decent bullet traveling at around 2800fps will blow right on through it and into the vitals pretty easily. We hunt them very successfully with archery stuff as well, and it ain't got nowhere near the energy of a rifle.

I hunt them mostly with the following calibers .243, .270 Win, 6.5x55, 7 RM ,and STW, .308 and 30-06. Not to mention the revolvers in .357 through 454. Between my friend and I we have gone through every brand and make of premium bullet that is easily available and still return to the standards. The only two exceptions are his 300 RUM, and my 270 AM where we use something like the Berger's. In those two cases it really doesn't matter as when they hit, well the splatter factor is akin to prairie dogs. Actually besides the Rem CL's my favorite bullets are the now discontinued Nosler Solid Base. They are a great version of a cup and core bullet which just works no matter which caliber I use it in.

So what I would say is to find a medium to heavy weight for caliber bullet that shoots best in your rifle, out to however far your planning to hunt. Accuracy trumps construction in most cases I have found. Even using some Hornady 120gr HP's in my 25 AI, I found that hitting them right will still get plenty of penetration, to reach the vitals on an average sized hog. I fully admit that there are rare exceptions where you will have a 350-400# boar walk out, but an ear hole shot will put them down just the same. I have three over 400 and several between 300 and 375, but again these are the rare ones, but they still went down to standard ammo with well placed shots.

Here are links to a couple of good sites that will help you out with where to shoot them and why. Just look through the Tips section on Texas Boars.

Texasboars.com

Feral Hog Anatomy/

I can attest that some of them simply have a will to go on, but the proper placed shot will greatly reduce that will to seconds rather than minutes.

Hope this helps.

 

[Two 10's]

I use anything from a 17Mach2 in the ear to my AR-223 w/ 36gr. Varmint Grenade Hornady that Black hills loades (its devastating anywhere in any vitals) and never have one leave its tracks. Its all in bullet placement (in the ear) heres one my wife shot this week end with her new 264lbc-AR (6.5 Grendal) build and as you see under the feeder in the ear at 160yds in its steps.