223 enough for a Hog?

[Tzook]

Hey all, I'm getting the opportunity to hunt hogs in Texas in October. I'm really hoping I can end up taking the AR, and I'm mostly wondering if any of you have taken a pig with 5.56? I do have a .308 I could take, but... I don't want to. :D

[andre3k]

Ive shot several with 308 and 223. I handload barnes 62 gr tsx bullets and they work fine for me. Just aim behind the ear. You shouldnt feel undergunned hog hunting with a 223.

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[High Tower]

Read through the thread on the 70 grn TSX performance. Skypup has had some pretty sweet results on hogs with it.

[platoonDaddy]

Interesting you should ask, the Sept issue of American Hunter the author of "Grown-Up Hog Loads" who didn't think too much of the .223. Interesting read, he stated an AR is an outstanding choice for hogs, if chambered for the right cartridge. His choice of uppers are:

.30 Rem AR

.450 Bushmaster

.458 SOCOM

.50 Beowulf

Forgot to add: to answer your question, I certainly would say .223 is good-to-go.









h

[Army Chief]

I wouldn't do it, but my boar hunting background is in Germany, where minimum caliber requirements are a serious matter, and the quarry is unusually-large and ill-tempered. Depends upon the hog and the type of hunting, of course, but the only AR I've got that would likely go on such a hunt is the 6.8.

Not suggesting anyone else is wrong, as I buy most of my bacon from the supermarket these days; that said, my usual boar gun was a 8mm Mauser mountain carbine, if that tells you anything about how much I dislike tracking a wounded Keiler into a thicket at night. ;)

AC

[gun71530]

Your AR is fine as long as you use quality ammunition.

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[matemike]

big fat yes. It will kill a hog.

Like said, use a good heavy hunting bullet and make a good shot.

[.46caliber]

Read through the thread on the 70 grn TSX performance. Skypup has had some pretty sweet results on hogs with it.

This. That thread will erase doubt about a .223 with a proper projectile being adequate against hog, even with behind the shoulder lung shots.

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[.46caliber]

Interesting you should ask, the Sept issue of American Hunter the author of "Grown-Up Hog Loads" who didn't think too much of the .223. Interesting read, he stated an AR is an outstanding choice for hogs, if chambered for the right cartridge. His choice of uppers are:

.30 Rem AR

.450 Bushmaster

.458 SOCOM

.50 Beowulf

Forgot to add: to answer your question, I certainly would say .223 is good-to-go.


Interesting list. I'm wondering why .308 didn't make the list.


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[thopkins22]

Your AR is fine on a pig no matter what you shoot out of it. ;) I base that statement on my history of slaying bacon in TX and watching less informed friends shoot whatever crap they could find at Academy at them...with remarkably good success.

BUT if you want to kill them ethically and quickly, loads utilizing Barnes TSX bullets are what you're looking for. The only .224 bullets I've used that I have absolutely no qualms about putting into big game. There may be some other bonded bullets that will work well, but I've been thoroughly impressed with the Barnes.

You don't even need the heavy ones. The 53/55 grain TSX bullets are wicked on pigs and deer, and are widely available in sporting goods stores loaded up from Barnes and a few other manufacturers as opposed to the pseudo custom manufacturers like ASYM or Black Hills you'll have to go to for the heavy stuff unless you load.

The AR15 is the national pig hunting gun of Texas.

[.46caliber]

You don't even need the heavy ones. The 53/55 grain TSX bullets are wicked on pigs and deer, and are widely available in sporting goods stores loaded up from Barnes and a few other manufacturers as opposed to the pseudo custom manufacturers like ASYM or Black Hills you'll have to go to for the heavy stuff unless you load.

The AR15 is the national pig hunting gun of Texas.

I can't find TSX projos around here to load. I'm really hoping to find the 70 gr. Silver State Armory also produces TSX loads, one even to 5.56 pressure.

That last line is sig worthy.

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[STONE-YARDER]

Folks in Texas are using FMJ, green tip and the like and are dropping hogs with ease. So 556 will take a hog without a problem but personally I would go with the TSX or a bonded round.

[xjustintimex]

Folks in Texas are using FMJ, green tip and the like and are dropping hogs with ease. So 556 will take a hog without a problem but personally I would go with the TSX or a bonded round.

I took 30+ this year with green tip. It is definitely enough

[FloridaWoodsman]

I took 30+ this year with green tip. It is definitely enough
But was that neck or body shots?

[WNY_Whitetailer]

Interesting you should ask, the Sept issue of American Hunter the author of "Grown-Up Hog Loads" who didn't think too much of the .223. Interesting read, he stated an AR is an outstanding choice for hogs, if chambered for the right cartridge. His choice of uppers are:

.30 Rem AR

.450 Bushmaster

.458 SOCOM

.50 Beowulf

Forgot to add: to answer your question, I certainly would say .223 is good-to-go.









h

Funny he never mentioned the 6.8 or the 6.5...I lost some respect for Bryce Towsley after the way he opened the article...Oh well.

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[platoonDaddy]

Funny he never mentioned the 6.8 or the 6.5...I lost some respect for Bryce Towsley after the way he opened the article...Oh well.

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Yes he started off as a pompous ass and his "never humble opinion" is like chalk on a blackboard.

[xjustintimex]

But was that neck or body shots?

I've done both depending on the situation. I usually lead their head and catch them behind the ear. It is the easiest way I have found on a hog. If they sit still it is more than capable behind the shoulder. Just try not to get the actual shoulder as I have not seen adequate penetration in that re-guard. If they start getting over 300lb it is a good idea to take neck/head just in case.

edit to add: I have had some issues with heavier BTHP bullets and have had much more success with m855. As everyone has already said... Barnes bullets do some serious work! But m855 works too.

[Tzook]

I've done both depending on the situation. I usually lead their head and catch them behind the ear. It is the easiest way I have found on a hog. If they sit still it is more than capable behind the shoulder. Just try not to get the actual shoulder as I have not seen adequate penetration in that re-guard. If they start getting over 300lb it is a good idea to take neck/head just in case.

edit to add: I have had some issues with heavier BTHP bullets and have had much more success with m855. As everyone has already said... Barnes bullets do some serious work! But m855 works too.

I have a shitload of M855... I'd be happy to shoot that!!!

I'll be shooting this out of a Larue PredatAR upper with which I still need to do a bit of testing and see what loads it really likes.

I'll definitely be trying for head and neck shots, however I don't really want something that will ONLY work for head and neck. If I've only got a body shot, I want to make that work.

[malstew123]

Ive shot them with the m855, m193, Federal Fusion, and black hills 75 grain match hps. m855 does fine in head/neck shots. All in all .223 will be adequate provided you have good shot placement. Hell, you can find some helo hunt videos where hunters exterminate large amounts of hogs with ar15's.

[.46caliber]

PMC .223 55gr. FMJ
Bay City, TX.


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[SteveS]

Choose the proper bullet!!!

[yellowfin]

Next time PSA has their $319 or $399 specials on 6.8 uppers I'm getting one.

[J-Dub]

Of course it is. Don't let all the numb nuts tell you different. Put the round where it needs to be and a .22mag will do the job.

556 is PLENTY

[Quick Draw]

Of course it is. Don't let all the numb nuts tell you different. Put the round where it needs to be and a .22mag will do the job.

556 is PLENTY

Local game warden claims they kill most of the ones they shoot with a .22 mag.

He suggest shot placement right behind the ear.

[walker2713]

Especially with the right bullet.....Nosler Partition comes to mind, though many others will also get the job done.

[Javelin]

5.56 will do the job. Though I have since upgraded to a suppressed 300BLK SBR for my new go to hog gun. I've not yet tried it on hogs yet but I need to.

[Shawvez]

My go to hog gun is a 16" marlin .22 mag. I have used quite a bit of 5.56 and 9mm. My father has a mission in life to destroy hogs and coyotes. I happily help him. 5.56 will work great. I like .22 mag or 5.56 with a can. You can often get several shots off before the herd gets spooked.

[tappedandtagged]

I use hand loaded Sierra 65 grain Game King on hogs. Killed plenty with shots to the shoulder on running pigs in the 150-200 lb range. They roll right over easily. 64 grain Winchester Power Points are used by my non-reloading buddy with the same results (except he misses more).

[Bluedreaux]

Pigs can be big and thick but they'll die easy enough. I've used 62 grain TSXs in a .223AI, 62 grain TBBCs in a .223 and 85 TTSXs in a 6x45. Use a toughish bullet and you'll do fine.

It's important to remember that the anatomy of a hog puts it's heart a bit lower than most critters. There are a couple of autopsy threads on line you can google.

This one was plugged with the AI. I shot another one a few weeks ago with the TBBC that was nearly as big. They were both bang flops with shoulder shots.
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z118/Bluedreaux/SA%20Lease/070.jpg

[Mac5.56]

How many people that actually hunt hog with an AR hunt the animal from the ground?

Those of you that say "yes, I hunt from the ground and not a helicopter, or at night with night vision", will you tell us your thoughts on caliber choice and bullet type?

I can kill anything with a semi auto from a helicopter.

[Bluedreaux]

I've never shot a pig without both of my feet on the ground. I'd be happy to hunt any pig walking with a 62 grain TTSX.

[lowbar]

5.56 is plenty enough to take out a hog. Shot placement is key.

[Mac5.56]

I've never shot a pig without both of my feet on the ground. I'd be happy to hunt any pig walking with a 62 grain TTSX.

During the day?

I'm not trying to imply hog hunting isn't something you can't do with a .223 or from the ground, I'm just curios because I've never been hog hunting. I prefer to Still Hunt, and if I did hunt hog I would hunt at their level on their turf and I'm not sure if the environment, shots, etc change drastically based on the position of the shooter. I've always heard that a hog is "armored" in the forward torso but that may just be hear-say.

[Bluedreaux]

Yeah, I've shot a few at night but most of mine have been during the day. I shot two this afternoon between 4:00-5:00pm, leaning on the top of a fence post. I was carrying a 7-08, but only because I was expecting to get a longish shot at a deer. Either shot would've been fine with a .223 (a 222 yard shot at a 150ish# boar and a 107 yard shot at a much larger one). The second hog's body (not the tail, neck or head) was a shade longer than my 22" rifle, so around 42" and around 20" deep. Butt to snout he would've been nearly 5' long. I was trying to deer hunt so didn't autopsy either of these today, just cut off the tails for the county bounty.

They do have a shield that extends from the front of the shoulders to around the back of the rib cage, but it's thickest over the shoulders. Here's a pic of the shield from that hog in the tailgate pic above. The 62TSX penetrated one shoulder, turned everything inside to soup, penetrated the other shoulder and stopped at the off side shield.
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z118/Bluedreaux/SA%20Lease/079.jpg

Here's a similar size hog from a few weeks ago. He was shot with a 7-08 and factory Fusions. The bullet penetrated exactly the same and they both fell in place.
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z118/Bluedreaux/C7630701-45C4-4236-8182-A5DDB1D197AD-12030-000019A4A869CA45_zpsb4eb15d6.jpg

The gristle is tough but with a good bullet it's not an issue. It'll usually stop bullets from exiting though. The regular sized 100-150# hogs will have a shield but nothing nearly as thick as the pics above, usually around 3/4" or so from what I've seen.

[LMT Shooter]

During the day?

I'm not trying to imply hog hunting isn't something you can't do with a .223 or from the ground, I'm just curios because I've never been hog hunting. I prefer to Still Hunt, and if I did hunt hog I would hunt at their level on their turf and I'm not sure if the environment, shots, etc change drastically based on the position of the shooter. I've always heard that a hog is "armored" in the forward torso but that may just be hear-say.

I've done it a couple of times, but it was inadvertent. Walked up on hogs whilst on the way to and from the stand. I did reach pucker factor five while I was unable to see the hogs, not knowing if they were really big ones. Never any luck when actually trying to stalk up on one, yet, but the guys who hunt where I go regularly tell me it's quite easy to walk up on them.

[Beendare]

I did hog depredation for many years- mostly dogs and a pistol. Someone made the comment that any .223 ammo is fine but I would disagree. Not exactly a news flash but shot placement is critical with those light calibers. I now just bowhunt hogs but every once in awhile we bust one with varmint bullets while calling coyotes. 2 weeks ago my buddy blew a bullet up on the shoulder of a big hog and it only ticked him off- need a big game bullet on that shoulder shot but it did give me a lot to rib him about on the ride home- grin.

I didn't see it but he said he head shot one a few yrs ago [again, expanding varmint bullet] and the hog got up and took off as he stood next to it- just blew up on his noggin knocking him out. Lower 1/3rd behind the front leg or low behind the ear and that hog takes a dirt nap.

.223 illegal for big game in Ca.

[jonconsiglio]

I did hog depredation for many years- mostly dogs and a pistol. Someone made the comment that any .223 ammo is fine but I would disagree. Not exactly a news flash but shot placement is critical with those light calibers. I now just bowhunt hogs but every once in awhile we bust one with varmint bullets while calling coyotes. 2 weeks ago my buddy blew a bullet up on the shoulder of a big hog and it only ticked him off- need a big game bullet on that shoulder shot but it did give me a lot to rib him about on the ride home- grin.

I didn't see it but he said he head shot one a few yrs ago [again, expanding varmint bullet] and the hog got up and took off as he stood next to it- just blew up on his noggin knocking him out. Lower 1/3rd behind the front leg or low behind the ear and that hog takes a dirt nap.

.223 illegal for big game in Ca.

While out hunting a buddy had some bad experiences with 223 VMAX. I had to finish off two of them for him. A good bonded or solid copper bullet is my preference.

And as I've said before, know where you're shooting the animal and the 5.56 with the right bullet is a solid choice for even the larger boar within 200 yards or so, depending on ammo.

After this last hog I shot with my 300blk, I really appreciate that little rifle.

[Onyx Z]

I shot this 175lb boar last weekend in East Texas w/ my 18" AR & 77gr SMK's @ ~130 yds. These aren't optimum bullets for hunting, but shot placement is key whichever bullet you choose. I definitely wouldn't use them for game animals though. Shot him in the ear and he dropped immediately. There was blood everywhere, what you see in the pic is only a small part of it.

http://i42.tinypic.com/2rggbcl.jpg

[Paradis1142]

Goog bullets and shot placement

[platoonDaddy]

Read a few post here about behind the ear, note following:


http://http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad176/slickville/hog_zpsd4353a8e.jpg (http://s933.photobucket.com/user/slickville/media/hog_zpsd4353a8e.jpg.html)

[BufordTJustice]

70gr GMX, 70gr TSX, 62gr TBBC, 55gr GMX, 50gr TSX, 62gr TSX. These are the preemo loads.

Hunt away.

[Royalflush]

31369

It will, I've killed about 70% of the ones I've shot with this 10.3" suppressed rig and a 1x red dot. I think that percentage would go up if I had a magnified optic and a little more barrel length/velocity.

The larger hogs (300+ lbs) will take a .223 round broundside like a champ.

I have been shooting Black hills 77gr OTM (Mk262). Behind the head/ear and they go straight down. I've had one skid off a sow's skull from a head on shot.
I would disagree with the shot placement picture above when shooting .223/5.56- it really needs to be right behind the head for a guaranteed kill.

Edit: I read that the lighter soft point bullets do better, but have not tried them. Switching to 77gr TMK by black hills (poly tipped match king)

[rocsteady]

How many people that actually hunt hog with an AR hunt the animal from the ground?

Those of you that say "yes, I hunt from the ground and not a helicopter, or at night with night vision", will you tell us your thoughts on caliber choice and bullet type?

I can kill anything with a semi auto from a helicopter.Finally got a chance to try out the ASYM 70g TSX rounds, BCM and Aimpoint on something other than water bottles this weekend.

At end of a business trip to Dallas, got out to hunt some hogs and see for myself how the round performs. Went out here: http://www.bouldertexotics.com/. They were fantastic.

First morning got my opportunity and didn't waste it. Shot ended up being less than 50 yards so I don't have any heroic sniping story to post.

Thanks to SkyPup and his anatomical pic of the hogs he posted a while back, I had a pretty good idea where to aim and upon further review, he was right on.

Pig was going from my right to left and I put the red dot basically right up from that front "elbow" and let one fly just as she was leaving the clearing I'd spotted her in. She bolted through the brush but made it only about 10 yards before she dropped.

Later as we opened her up, I got a good look at what the bullet did inside and can now say that any doubt I had about the 70g TSX or ASYM is gone! Opened up almost immediately as the round went from tiny entry wound on outer left shoulder to what appears to be full expansion even before it penetrated the outer "sheath" stuff that these pigs have just under their skin. First time I'd seen one being gutted so I wasn't too sure what was what but there was no doubt when the heart (or what was left of it) was pointed out to me.

Round continued through the body before leaving a pretty substantial (compared to the size of the unfired .223 bullet) exit wound.

Afterwards, I went out two more times and passed up a couple slightly larger boars hoping for that monster/trophy hog but didn't happen.

Guess that means I have to go back!

Thanks to you guys at M4C for all the info as it helped me get a jump on what was going on for my first hunt. See post #117, page 17 of the ".223 Barnes 70 Grain TSX Performance" thread in the hunting section for picture.

[BufordTJustice]

Finally got a chance to try out the ASYM 70g TSX rounds, BCM and Aimpoint on something other than water bottles this weekend.

At end of a business trip to Dallas, got out to hunt some hogs and see for myself how the round performs. Went out here: http://www.bouldertexotics.com/. They were fantastic.

First morning got my opportunity and didn't waste it. Shot ended up being less than 50 yards so I don't have any heroic sniping story to post.

Thanks to SkyPup and his anatomical pic of the hogs he posted a while back, I had a pretty good idea where to aim and upon further review, he was right on.

Pig was going from my right to left and I put the red dot basically right up from that front "elbow" and let one fly just as she was leaving the clearing I'd spotted her in. She bolted through the brush but made it only about 10 yards before she dropped.

Later as we opened her up, I got a good look at what the bullet did inside and can now say that any doubt I had about the 70g TSX or ASYM is gone! Opened up almost immediately as the round went from tiny entry wound on outer left shoulder to what appears to be full expansion even before it penetrated the outer "sheath" stuff that these pigs have just under their skin. First time I'd seen one being gutted so I wasn't too sure what was what but there was no doubt when the heart (or what was left of it) was pointed out to me.

Round continued through the body before leaving a pretty substantial (compared to the size of the unfired .223 bullet) exit wound.

Afterwards, I went out two more times and passed up a couple slightly larger boars hoping for that monster/trophy hog but didn't happen.

Guess that means I have to go back!

Thanks to you guys at M4C for all the info as it helped me get a jump on what was going on for my first hunt. See post #117, page 17 of the ".223 Barnes 70 Grain TSX Performance" thread in the hunting section for picture.
Thank you for sharing and GOOD HUNTING! :)

That plate is a cartilage plate. They can be over an inch thick in bigger hogs. You saw that a bullet has to get through that before it even reaches bone or the heart/lung cavity.

People who talk about the heavy OTM's being the bee's knees haven't seen what a 70gr TSX or the 70gr GMX do to the inside of a hog.

The 62 gr TBBC is also an excellent choice, though not as accurate in my experience. I anchored a 280lb hog down here in Florida a few years back with a 62gr TBBC at 70 ish yards from my old BCM 14.5" middy. It fell out like it got unplugged from the matrix. These tough bonded and all-copper rounds are truly impressive in the real world.

[mwbutcher]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/31/1566cfd780c0e2948fcf174bbb83ecc4.jpg

....without any problem at all. Razorback XT 64 grain and 62 TSX.

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/31/c12f8a40900de7e8b0441d48b98efc91.jpg

[mwbutcher]

Game ranch had hogs get under the fence and needed help. About 250 as near as we could tell on 500 acres. Wasn't as easy as it sounded. We took over 50 in one day all using 223.

[mwbutcher]

We also tried 12 gauge but too slow for the most part. Most of the pigs were hold up in dense brush and shots were fast and furious. The 12 just couldn't keep up but we did down a couple - they didn't die any quicker being hit by a one ounce slug than a 64 grain bullet.

[mwbutcher]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/31/abdac6f60e8fc4a7d74aa30b8e8ff8a6.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/31/9154ea4d481f34e5609a4d272802edff.jpg

[mwbutcher]

From an afternoon hunt. This was all .223 and 5 guys.

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/31/eb6b13eb87e432b97d284a2ac1639b5f.jpg