Minimum PRB caliber for Feral Hogs

[ejcrist]

I'm planning on taking one of my flintlocks on a feral pig hunt in Texas in a few months. I'm currently building a 58 caliber Christian Spring rifle but I don't know if I'll have her done and ready to go in time for the hunt. In case I'm not finished I have two other flints, a 45 Pedersoli and a 40 Late Lancaster that I built a few years ago. I know the 45 would be the default choice of most since it's the larger of the two calibers but I shoot my 40 a whole lot better and it's a lot more accurate. I only shoot PRB's. Does anyone think a 40 prb is too light for feral pigs of around 150 lbs max? I know it'll work with a head shot but would it be sufficient for a heart-lung shot up to about 50 yards if a head shot didn't present itself? I shot one last year with a 45 colt and 280 grain cast semi-wadcutters cast from wheel weights and I emptied the cylinder into him from a tree stand height of about 15' before he went down. That's why I'm asking. They're tough little buggers.

[rodwha]

A .375" RB seemed to do fairly well against 150 lb men they say. I'd prefer a bit more, but if it's much more, and not just a bit more accurate I'd consider it.

Maybe take both in case the .40 doesn't work as well.

Can you tell me a bit about your .45 Colt load? I designed a 285 grn WFN (soft lead) to use in my Ruger for hogs. I anticipate 425-475 ft/lbs with Triple 7 powder (3F).

[ejcrist]

A .375" RB seemed to do fairly well against 150 lb men they say. I'd prefer a bit more, but if it's much more, and not just a bit more accurate I'd consider it.

Maybe take both in case the .40 doesn't work as well.

Can you tell me a bit about your .45 Colt load? I designed a 285 grn WFN (soft lead) to use in my Ruger for hogs. I anticipate 425-475 ft/lbs with Triple 7 powder (3F).

The 45 Colt load was the RCBS 45-270-SAA cast from WW over 8.5 grains of Unique. I developed a new load since the pig incident and now have the same boolit over 22 grains of IMR 4227. It's a lot more stout than the Unique load. I'm getting back into shooting the smoke poles so that's why I was asking the original question. I'll probably take both flintlock and revolver this year.

[Omnivore]

Dunno, Man. I'd want a 50 cal RB at least, and pushed hard. That's 180 grains at around 1800 - 1900fps MV. Your ball weights in the smaller calibers are going to be what, around 100 to 130 grains? Would you hunt potentially dangerous game with the lightest available bullets in a 357 Magnum pistol? Thats about what you're talking, isn't it, ballistically speaking?

How much have you hunted with the 40 and the 45? Have you killed (let's say deer) with them at all?

I've killed deer with 50 cal RB, but nothing using a smaller bore RB, so maybe I just don't know enough about the 45 and smaller RB, BUT going by my experience with the 50 I'd want that much at least, for something that could attack me from close range, and could run faster than me. That AND I'd want a backup handgun in at least 44 caliber, with elongated bullets.

The smaller bores may work OK, but personally I wouldn't be comfortable with either. I guess you'll have to give us an after-action report on that.

[Coffeecup]

Bigger is always better. . . that said, I've taken a 225# pig with a Colt's Navy. It was NOT an ideal choice, but when I went to see what the noise was, I was expecting a raccoon.

[GhostHawk]

At least with the Cap and Ball you have at need multiple shots.

With a front stuffer if you miss or wound that pig and it charges you, well your going to be up that creek.

4-6 seconds to work a bolt, lever action, or even drop another round into a single shot is one thing.

20-30 seconds to reload a muzzle loader is a whole nother world of pain with a mad hog charging you.

I'd either bring 2, or bring a backup piece with enough punch to drop a ticked off hog.

[docone31]

Suppose, with that front stuffer, he gets a dry ball for the second shot?
How about that time with a mad Porky!
Bring a .44 Navy also.

[Coffeecup]

At least with the Cap and Ball you have at need multiple shots.

It helps, too, if you stick the muzzle in the hog's ear before you pull the trigger. That time, I wasn't hunting--the little Navy revolver was just along for comfort's sake.

Back to the original question, I don't think I'd try a chest shot on a wild hog with a .40 or .45. If I had to (like if it was the only rifle I had available), I'd be using a hardened ball at high velocity. Even then, I'd almost certainly wait for a head shot. Maybe a spine shot from an elevated stand would work. . . .

[ejcrist]

I agree with everyone's assessments - thanks for your input. I've killed deer with the 45 prb; not big deer mind you but small and average PA whitetails which aren't that big. The 45 has been more than sufficient for them but I'd prefer at least a 50 for mule deer. I haven't killed anything with the 40 yet but I think it'd make a dandy white tail and coues rifle. After hearing everyone's opinions and mulling it over some more, I don't think I'd feel comfortable using anything less than a 50 caliber prb. I'm just going to concentrate on finishing the 58 that's in progress and use that. I feel pretty good about a 58. I shot someone else's once before, and even if I miss it'll probably scare any pig to death that's on the receiving end.

[triggerhappy243]

The nostalgia sounds romantic, but pigs do not die graceful. Load your 45 with a conical.

[GhostHawk]

Tree stand + .45 = high probability of success, low probability of injury.

Sounds like fun!

Btw, just for kicks I loaded up a full load in my .45 squirrel rifle once, aimed at a 18" power pole, wood, but new. After shooting it, and I hit my mark I glanced around the backside to discover an exit hole.

Anything that can rip through 18" of frozen power pole should rip through a hog just fine.

[triggerhappy243]

You did not say if it was a round ball or a conical.

[Hellgate]

The .375 ball worked on people back in the day because it took them out of the action where often they died 3-5 days later from peritonitis or gangrene. So might the hog die several days and a long distance away. You want the big .58 or the next best thing.

[Omnivore]

If you're hunting from a tree, it may not seem such a big deal, danger-wise, but if you wound the pig and have to climb down to go looking for it, you'll think a little different.

The main thing is to put the ball in the right place of course.

As for the dry-ball issue; I never dry-balled my rifle until I was in a hurry to reload for a possible second shot on a deer (it had run over the top of a hill after being hit, so I couldn't see it). THEN I dry-balled. Fortunately it didn't matter, as the deer was going down by the time I spied it. I was able to pry the ball out, as I had caught myself before ramming it down, then reload proper, walk up casually to the downed deer, and place a finishing shot to the base of the skull at close range.

Speaking of telephone poles; I hope it was an un-used pole, 'cause you'd be committing a property crime otherwise. Many of the poles around the Northwest are cedar, and that's just a couple of steps above styrofoam. That, and my 50 caliber RB pushed HARD at that downed buck's spine at about ten yards? It did NOT exit. I never found it. It apparently had disintegrated in the tough bone and sinew of a mature, largish, Northwest white tail buck in the prime of its life. Knowing what I know now, I should have boiled that chunk of spine for eight hours or so to loosten the meat and sinew, then you can pull it all right off, and then I could have found whatever was left of the ball.

I now save the neck, slow cook it (crock pot), and it makes for a fine venison soup or stew. That gives you several pounds of extra meat (from a mature buck at any rate) and it's quite good I think.

[dondiego]

I now save the neck, slow cook it (crock pot), and it makes for a fine venison soup or stew. That gives you several pounds of extra meat (from a mature buck at any rate) and it's quite good I think.

I agree, crockpot the neck and it makes a wonderful stew!

[Leslie Sapp]

We've killed lots of hogs with .45 and .50 cal maxi balls. If anything, the .45 tears a bigger hole, probably because it's a bit faster with a lighter bullet.
A .395 PRB should weigh about 93 grains and be moving close to 2000 fps when it exits the muzzle. While a .45 would be better, I'd hate to own a hog that had been shot squarely behind the shoulder with the .40 PRB.

It would take a pretty good veterinarian and a pile of money to get him well again.

[Fly]

My buddy killed one with his 44 remey revolver, one shot. I don't think there that hard to take down if you place your shot.

Fly

[rodwha]

A .40 cal seems a bit light to me, and I do prefer bigger (.50 cal for me), but if the .40 is highly accurate and the ball placed on the X that seems the better choice between it and a .45 that's not as accurate. I'd certainly prefer the .58 cal, but then you have no idea how well it will shoot once it's ready, and it seems likely you'd not have it properly broke in and tuned with your load in time.

A 150 lb pig isn't that big, and I'd think even a .40 cal ball would be plenty assuming you aren't shooting too far and have a fair rest.

And then there's the matter of being on foot in the open or from a blind or other.

[Rattus58]

I'm planning on taking one of my flintlocks on a feral pig hunt in Texas in a few months. I'm currently building a 58 caliber Christian Spring rifle but I don't know if I'll have her done and ready to go in time for the hunt. In case I'm not finished I have two other flints, a 45 Pedersoli and a 40 Late Lancaster that I built a few years ago. I know the 45 would be the default choice of most since it's the larger of the two calibers but I shoot my 40 a whole lot better and it's a lot more accurate. I only shoot PRB's. Does anyone think a 40 prb is too light for feral pigs of around 150 lbs max? I know it'll work with a head shot but would it be sufficient for a heart-lung shot up to about 50 yards if a head shot didn't present itself? I shot one last year with a 45 colt and 280 grain cast semi-wadcutters cast from wheel weights and I emptied the cylinder into him from a tree stand height of about 15' before he went down. That's why I'm asking. They're tough little buggers.

the 58 is a most versatile caliber... stick to it....

In my OPINION.... 45 and 58 are the two most versatile calibers for muzzleloars and muzzleloader shooters.... the 45, especially the fast twist versions are the beneficiaries of a vast array of bullets.... especially the 45-70 and such varieties.... the 58.... you can use it on anything.... and should...

[johnson1942]

deer never seem to attack you when wounded, but pigs will. if i was hunting pigs i would use a gun that knocked them flat or took the gas out of them fast. you cant say to a pig, just hold it now while i reload. as said above the .58/s will knock them flat. and the fast twist .45/s that shoot at leaste a 400 grain bullet or heavier. they will do the job. ive heard that pigs have entered the other end of our state. they are working their way north. who knows, they may show up here on the high plains.lots of places to hide here.