Boar Hunting--which gun should I bring?

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dfaugh

New member
I've been invited on a boar hunt. It's basically a "canned" hunt in a large area. I'm told most Boar will be 150-200 lbs. but there may be some larger (up to 400 lbs., rarely but possible). I've read some of the threads on how hard it is to kill these guys (sometimes) so I'd like an opinion on the best gun to use. Note that I'm disabled, and will probably be hunting from a stationary position, so the gun weight isn't an issue, and shots will probably be relatively short. I can't afford a new gun, so the options are:

12 gauge, w/ either slug or buckshot (this is set up as an HD gun, probably less than ideal)

SKS (legally limited to 5 rounds) but with a bayonet for backup:D )

Model 8 Remington in .35 Remington

Sporterized Mauser in 8mm-06 AI (THUMPER), powerful, but a bolt so followup is not real quick.

What's everyone think?
 
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sm

New member
May I recommend a search under "Hog Hunting" using the usernames :

Rich Lucibella
Harley Quinn
H&H Hunter
Johnny Guest

and

9mm :p



Some good stuff in the archives.

Steve
 
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Greybeard

New member
Any of 'em should drop most hogs on the spot at close range - if you do your part in hitting just behind and below the ear. Lots of luck in getting the piggies to cooperate on that one.
 
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Buzzkill

New member
Hi dfaugh :)

Now please take my suggestion with a pinch of salt because I have limited knowledge of boar behaviour patterns and the like ,but ah sure what the heck

Im kinda a Rifle guy at heart really so im gonna say the mauser 8mm 06 :eek:
although follow up shots arent very fast with a "bolt'y" if you have good shot placement with your first shot ,Id say he would be fairly well done and dusted

also im assuming your HD shotgun has a mag extension so if that was loaded up to the brim with slugs then you would have a whole lot of firepower .although assuming your shotgun is cylinder bore I wouldn,t say you would get much acuarecy ,so it would be a strictly short range option .

well I think ive reached my Quota for wisdom for the day ;)

anyway whatever you gun you pick make sure it works and be safe .

Regards
Bob:)
 
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dfaugh

New member
A little more detail.

I will always prefer a shot at a stationary target "to get the job done" with one shot. I think any of the guns will do that at short range. BUT, since others will be walking/stalking they may be "driving" the Boar to me, and I may not get a stationary shot. I wouldn't take a fast-running shot, but the pig may be moving. There is also some chance (based on experience of my friends that have hunted there before) that I may be "charged", and I don't move real fast.

The shotgun is adequately accurate for less than 40 yard shots(can shoot a 6" group, easily), as is the .35 Remington (Open sights that I can't use well, due to vision problems, but again a <6" group at 50 yards).

I'm really leaning towards the SKS (fast follow up shots) or the 8mm-06 AI (seriously disabling, if not fatal, and the follow up will definitely finish him, overkill if you wanna look at it that way, but better safe than sorry).

This may also be the only chance I get at "trophy" type hunting, Except maybe deer, before I'm unable to hunt much more. So I'll probably pass on smaller animals, and try to go for a decent (but not necessarilyy huge) one.

P.S. I searched "HOG Hunting" and got about a million results, many of which aren' relevant (don't know why). But I've been reading all the "hog" threads for the last 6 months, so I've probably seen most.
 
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dave0520

New member
I would go with the .35 Remington. It should easily put down a piggy as long as you get decent placement. The SKS will also work fine. I say if you're comfortable with the .35 Remington, you that. If you to be able to ventilate a pig if it charges, you the SKS.
 
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Scorch

New member
I've shot pigs with 45ACP, 44mag, 357 mag, 30-30, 7X57, 8X57, 9X57, 8mm Rem Mag, 375 H&H, 444, 45-70. I can tell you this: if you do your part and place the bullet well, the animal will go down with any one of the rounds you mentioned. One caveat: with light calibers (223, 45ACP, 7.62X39. 30 Remington, etc), shoot them in the head. With the others, go for a broadside shot in the lungs and get ready to follow them.

If you go for a chest shot on a small pig, penetration is no big deal. If you shoot a big boar in the chest, shoot him dead center through the top of the shoulder. If you hit his shoulderblade, it will put him down and he will stay down.

I personally would take the 8-06, but then I don't like chasing them.

12 gauge will definitely stop a pig.
 
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Harley Quinn

Moderator
The 45-70 seems to be a very popular one

Since I have a 35 Remington Lever, Johnny Guest and I discussed it. He felt it would be a good one.

I wish Ashley Emerson would show up once in a while and give us a few words of wisdom.

I like the idea of the SKS and the bayonet, get in close and stick um :D Take both and see what you come up with.

HQ
 
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hoghunting

New member
I'd use the 35 Rem. Since you won't have long shots, penetration isn't an issue as the 35 will work wonders out to 150 yds. Good luck.
 
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Dirty_Harry

New member
What do you shoot the best with?

Personally, I would take the .35 remington. You have more power than the 7.62x39, without the recoil of the 8mm. You have an ultra reliable firearm, and faster follow up shots than the 8mm.

My second choice would be the 8mm, then the sks.

The shotguns range is too limited, but as a defense against the beast you cannot go wrong.

Dirty
 
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Bigfatts

New member
My good buddy hunts hogs and deer alike religiously with a Marlin in .35 Remington. I have seen some of the kills, very clean. I vote for that.
 
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Blammer

New member
30-06, 44Mag carbine

Either work. Got a .35Rem, but haven't used it on pigs. The biggest pig I've seen shot (NOT by Me) was 300+ lbs & was dropped by a King City (Ca) reserve cop using an old S&W Mod 10 .38spl = shot it in the ear as it went trotting out of the chapperal to munch some farmers row crops. That pig fed a BBQ of 50+ people:D YUM!:cool:
 
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FirstFreedom

Moderator
Well, as you say, you could put your "pig-sticker" on the SKS - they call it that for a reason! If you use the SKS, the 154 gr Wolf soft point would work. But on a canned hunt which I'm paying good money for, I'd use the bigger boomer for a more sure kill - the 8mm-06 - *provided* that it's accurate and you're accurate with it. The first shot is likely all you're going to get, and all you'll need.
 
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taylorce1

New member
8mm-06

Use the 8mm you will not regret it. I used a .270 Win and a .35 Remington on my last hunt, both rifle worked well but I passed on some big boars that hung out on the far side of the field that I was hunting at about 140 yds. I didn't feel that I could take them with my .35 at that distance, I was wishing I had brought my .270 to the stand. I took two pigs on the hunt both over 150 pounds and one with each rifle, both dropped in their tracks but that was at 40 yds.
 
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Smokey Joe

New member
8mm-'06

If you're accurate with it, it will Do The Job, and you shouldn't need a follow up shot. (I would use the heaviest bullets you can get that are accurate with the rifle.)

Now, if you DO need a follow-up shot, as Finn Aagard said, "It is amazing how fast you can work a bolt-action when you are frightened."
 
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dfaugh

New member
Well, for all intents and purposes the shotgun (with red-dot), the SKS, and the .35 are equally accurate to about 50 yards, in part because (due to vision problems) I can't use open sights very effectively(can't find a scope mount for the Model 8 Remington). The 8mm-06 AI is more accurate (for me), at longer ranges. And with handloads, it approaches the power of a .338 Win Mag., way more (2x) than the .35 Remington. At first I was gonna use the Model 8 in .35 Remington (it is an autoloader for fast follow-up which is good, and its is pretty powerful). However, this thing kicks like a mule, worse than the 8mm (which has a ported barrel, and a good recoil pad.) Not a big problem while hunting, but would affect speed of follow-up shots.

Edited to add: Yeah, I can work a bolt gun pretty fast. Not as fast as a semi, but pretty fast.
 
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