If things come together, I'm going down to Texas (north west of Abilene) end of this week to do some feral hog hunting, first time for me.

The question is what guns to take. Specifically, is the .204 enough to take hogs. I'm a varmint shooter most of the time, I don't like to just blast away at anything, shot placement is my thing. The older posts on the hunting boards say The .204's not enough gun for hogs, but some of the newer posts claim it works great with proper shot placement. Any input?

If you think the .204 isn't enough gun, is the 7mm mag too much gun?

I could also borrow a .270 from my Dad, seems like a good round for hogs but I haven't shot the rifle at and I don' really like shooting borrowed guns.

Any advice from you hogging experts wouold be much appreciated.

 

Personally, I would NOT use a .204, but, that's me.

The 7mm Magnum would definitely do the job, the same as a .270 would.


I've seen everything from (literally) a Buck 'Survival' knife (made into a spear, and NO, it wasn't me!) to a bow/arrow with a BIG broadhead, to a .50 cal. blackpowder rifle, to my own Dan Wesson .44 Magnum revolver (1 shot @ 7 feet, btw!), to .30-30 Win, to a .30-'06, to a Marlin .45-70.

A good friend wanted to use a .45 acp Glock several years ago, since he'd already used his bow, .50 cal b/p and a T/C in .41 Mag to take wild boar.
I advised him against using the .45 acp. Not enough for big hogs.
He didn't listen. He shot a hog NINE times, and wound up borrowing a .30-30 from another one of us hunting with him.


For the sake of sportsmanship and a 'clean' harvest, use enough gun.

 

I'm definitely planning on taking the .44 mag along.

I guess I personally would worry more about a clean kill with the 6-shooter than the .204 just because I don't take shots with the rifle unless they are high probability.

Thanks for your advice Keith.

 

I wouldn't use the .204 even though I would consider myself an above average glass shooter. I use the .270 when I can rifle hunt, the 50 cal Hawken when in season, but not enough confidence to use a bow.

And like Keith, my very first EVER kill was a boar at about 10 feet with the Ruger .44 (after the smoke pole failed to fire and the cotton picking thing was running straight at me) however, it took two shots (the first one 'splashed' on his forehead).

 

I've used my 7 mm Mauser, my 30 30 and my Colt 45. All of them one shot, one kill.

 

Soooo, is a .223 enough rifle for Hogs?

I got access to a open sight mini-14.

I also have my old .303 Savage, might be a good choice for Hogs if a .30-30 is a good round.

 

I'd stick with a center fire in the 30 caliber range. Any thing 270 & bigger will work. I'd stick with my 308.

 

My hog-hunting shirt-tail relative will talk all day about his 6.5mm. Too bad I didn't listen closer as to WHICH 6.5 he was talking about. Something newer though...

That 7mm has a wide range of ammo, so if you are more comfortable with that than the .270, go with it with some appropriate ammo:

7mm Remington Magnum Ammunition

Not the .204 though....

 

I would rate the .223 in the same category as the .204. "Not enough Umph" for boar, especially larger boar.
As for the Mini-14. . . . I am NO fan of that rifle. I've seen too many of them shoot 'patterns' instead of 'groups'.
Now, a Mini that's been 'massaged' by "Accuracy Speaks" is another story.

I'm not familiar with the .303 Savage, but, the .300 Savage is 'comparable' to (for the lack of a better term) or on the same level as the .308 Winchester.
Again, not the same, but, comparable.

At what distances are you expecting to shoot?? That would have a lot of bearing on what I'd choose.
You may very well get away with using a 'mouse gun' caliber, but, I've always been a proponent of using a medium to large bore for all but varmints. (And yes, 'popping' groundhogs at 200 and 300 yards with a .223/5.56x45mm is a REAL kick in the pants!!)

 

They can't be too dead

 

So we're talking enough bullet weight to crush some bone over velocity, right?

The best kill is like a shoulder shot on hogs is what you're saying?

It's a mix of mesquite/brush and open country. My brother tells me 100-150 yards is a long shot there.

The .303 is just a little slower than a .30-30 with the 170g bullets I shoot. It's definitely not a long range gun, I don't even have a scope on it, although I have taken several deer and antelope with it. I wouldn't even attempt much over 100 yards with it.

And I agree about the .223 and the mini14, in fact I've never had any regard for that round or particular rifle. I by far favor the .204 for versatility and intend to take deer with it next fall.

 

From what you've posted as available, sofar, I'd use either the .270 or 7mm Magnum.

I'd get something in the 140-170 gr bullet range. For me, I'd actually reach for my .308 or .30-'06 with a 165 gr Sierra Gameking bullet.
(Or, for kicks and grins, my Marlin 1895CB in .45-70 for anything out to 125 yds.) Talk about a brushbuster!

The round doesn't so much have to 'crush' or 'blast through' bone, as the 'gristle plate' around the shoulders, to get to the 'pump station' or the 'air handlers'.
Now, with a solid neck shot, there's just some fairly coarse hair and skin to get through to disrupt what's inside the 'electrical conduit'.
When I shot that Russian Boar at 7 feet, I hit him in the neck at a quartering away shot, and the taxidermist recovered the 240 gr jhp in the off-side jawbone!
That boar hit the ground like he'd been hit by a freighttrain!

This boar was 265 lbs on the hoof, and 210 lbs, dressed.

No matter what you take. . . .you WILL have fun!!!

 

Good advice.

Don't use the .204 when something better is available. You really don't want to follow up a wounded pig in heavy brush if you can avoid it. The guides I have hunted with say they won't allow less than 25 caliber. On the other hand, they don't always ask what you are using.

I have killed a LOT of pigs. Watched the killing of 3 or 4 times more. The smallest caliber I've witnessed was a 25-06. Largest was a .338 (my own). I have killed one with a .257 Roberts Ackley Improved, which now that I think about it is a little lighter than the 25-06. They all did the job more or less equally well.

There is no such thing as too much gun.

My most recent:

 

I was talking about this with another shirt-tail relative (wife's tank commander cousin): Remember, the work STARTS after you shoot it. Enjoy your hunt.

 

> My most recent:

Wow, that looks like 350 pounds of bacon. I have decided to start hunting and after seeing the size of the hogs in Georgia I am taking this route

>There is no such thing as too much gun.