Well some times you got to use what you got. A few years ago I ended up with 3 boxes of Speer 145 grain boat tail soft points for use in my 7-08 . For deer I have been using 130 grain bullets but I wanted something heavier for the pigs in my neighborhood. I have settled on a load of 42.5 grains of H4895 with these 145's and they shoot well. Probably not the optimum bullet for the job but I'm betting the pigs won't know. One ting for sure they kick harder than my deer load.
Pig load
- Thread starter Ramjet
- Start date
Hidalgo
Well-known member
145gr BT not optimum for hogs? Are you kidding? I hunt them with .223s loaded with 60grain Partitions. Only had 1 pig out of many that went more than a few steps. You will be FINE if you don't "pray & spray". Pigs aren't that hard to kill if you hit them in a decent place. Behind the front leg or through the lungs will stop them. Head shots (in the ear) are better, but much harder to pull off.
I know you can kill them with 223's cause my son in law has killed a few smaller ones with one. The last time I went out I killed one in the 350 pound range with a 25-06 and 117gr Hornaday sst's. I'm using my Savage 708 this year and there are a good number of very large hogs on the place and I wish I had some more substantial bullets . I could get some but I'm going with what I have on hand. The big one I killed was a shot to the neck and I agree shot placement is what it is all about.
I also am going to use the 223 Handy Rifle with 65gr Sierra game kings and 24gr of Xterminator. I have been Hunting yotes with this bullet and it appears to be very tough. The Sierra manual says it is suitable for dpeer.
I also am going to use the 223 Handy Rifle with 65gr Sierra game kings and 24gr of Xterminator. I have been Hunting yotes with this bullet and it appears to be very tough. The Sierra manual says it is suitable for dpeer.
Originally Posted By: Hidalgo
I hunt them with .223s loaded with 60grain Partitions.
Shoot the 145s !
Unless you gut-shoot one, it should bring them down.
+1 The 145's will be fine.
We do ADC on a large ranch and a while back they were having a problem w/hogs and asked us to thin them out, too. Loaded up a bunch of 60 gr. NP's for the hogs but ended up shooting them with what I had at the moment of opportunity. Most of the time that turned out to be 55 gr. NBTs, but couldn't tell much difference in performance between the two bullets....they both worked equally well w/proper shot placement.
Shot 36 hogs if memory serves me and all were DRT w/two exceptions and they were both hit between the eyes w/55 gr. BT's; one was facing me perfectly the other at a very slight angle. I suspect both of these shots ricocheted off the sloped skull as the last one was only 30 yards or so and I saw the "splash" as the bullet hit on the mark. Never took another frontal head on head shot after that.
Put the bullet half way between the eye and the ear and I guarantee they will drop in their tracks.
This one was running right past me about ten-fifteen feet away and I hit a tad low but the 55 gr. NBT rolled him up nicely.
Regards,
hm
I hunt them with .223s loaded with 60grain Partitions.
Shoot the 145s !
Unless you gut-shoot one, it should bring them down.
+1 The 145's will be fine.
We do ADC on a large ranch and a while back they were having a problem w/hogs and asked us to thin them out, too. Loaded up a bunch of 60 gr. NP's for the hogs but ended up shooting them with what I had at the moment of opportunity. Most of the time that turned out to be 55 gr. NBTs, but couldn't tell much difference in performance between the two bullets....they both worked equally well w/proper shot placement.
Shot 36 hogs if memory serves me and all were DRT w/two exceptions and they were both hit between the eyes w/55 gr. BT's; one was facing me perfectly the other at a very slight angle. I suspect both of these shots ricocheted off the sloped skull as the last one was only 30 yards or so and I saw the "splash" as the bullet hit on the mark. Never took another frontal head on head shot after that.
Put the bullet half way between the eye and the ear and I guarantee they will drop in their tracks.
This one was running right past me about ten-fifteen feet away and I hit a tad low but the 55 gr. NBT rolled him up nicely.
Regards,
hm