9mm mold for hog protection

[Wolfdog91]

Any recommendations? End up being in thick stuff alot and usually carry my Sig P320 9mm for something to keep the hogs back when I get charged at. Looking at getting a mold due to ammo prices and would like some that would be good for the purpose.

[Winger Ed.]

For that, I get a box of those expensive, hot rod, self defense loads that only come in the little boxes.

[mnewcomb59]

The Ranch Dog 135 GC is the best balance of bullet weight and powder capacity in the 9mm. NOE sells them. It is the simplest way to get full power, accurate WFN 9mm ammo without a lot of the voodoo needed for plain base success in this caliber. No special expander plugs or special alloy, just gas check it and see instant success. There are no hogs up here but I have seen it take out a 1" section of deer leg bone on the on-side, then pass through the shoulder blade and exit on the off-side with an impact velocity about 1100 fps. This was a 50 yard shot and starting velocity was around 1250 fps in the rifle.

[Castaway]

I don’t think a 9 x19 is enough to hunt a hog with, let alone dispatch one quickly. I know, 22 rimfires are used to shoot deer and put down hogs prior to butchering. I’ve hunted and shot hogs in Florida and have yet to have one charge me. The only time close to that was in TN one time and the dogs had a hog bayed up under a rock face. There was only one way for him to go and I was in the way. No sooner had I climbed up the hill a bit, the hog came out with afterburners on. Buddy Larry didn’t climb up hill like I did and his leg got in a collision with said hog. Mr. Hog wasn’t after us, he just wanted to get away. If serious about taking out a hog, I’d go to a larger caliber and a hard cast bullet 44 and 240 grains or better or 45 Colt with a 255 grain bullet or better.

[mnewcomb59]

I don’t think a 9 x19 is enough to hunt a hog with, let alone dispatch one quickly. I know, 22 rimfires are used to shoot deer and put down hogs prior to butchering. I’ve hunted and shot hogs in Florida and have yet to have one charge me. The only time close to that was in TN one time and the dogs had a hog bayed up under a rock face. There was only one way for him to go and I was in the way. No sooner had I climbed up the hill a bit, the hog came out with afterburners on. Buddy Larry didn’t climb up hill like I did and his leg got in a collision with said hog. Mr. Hog wasn’t after us, he just wanted to get away. If serious about taking out a hog, I’d go to a larger caliber and a hard cast bullet 44 and 240 grains or better or 45 Colt with a 255 grain bullet or better.

Penetration is penetration. Energy is energy. The 9mm bullet I mentioned above, at point blank range, penetrates more than twice as far as a 150 JSP in 30-06 while having 1/8 the energy. It makes a small hole, but if it can penetrate 3.5 feet of critter, ballistic gel, etc, and it hits skull or leg bone, it will blow right through. In WFN bullet styles above 125 gr, 9mm penetrates the same or more than a 45 colt WFN at 900 fps. The new military 115 FN FMJ, not wide flat nose, about 20 caliber at 1300 fps penetrates about 38" gel where 308 and 30-06 penetrates 16" with 150 gr cup and core at close range. The hole isn't super impressive but penetration is penetration. You use a high penetration load to break bones, not for exploding organ and muscle flesh. The 30-06 JSP mentioned above will never break on-side bones as authoratitatively as a cast pistol bullet (but it will make a hell of a mess of bruised meat), and will probably never even tickle the off-side bone that the cast pistol bullet just cruises through.

I wouldn't recommend a hard cast 9mm for lung shots but if you hit brain, neck, or locomotive bones it kills anything you would need it to. They extirpated bison, elk, whitetail, wolves and all the big stuff in Ohio with 36-40 caliber round balls at about 1200 fps muzzle velocity.

[405grain]

I don't have a recommendation for the 9mm. Years ago I used to hunt feral hogs in the coastal counties of Northern California. I was using a super blackhawk in 44 magnum with a cast 240 grain semi-wadcutters loaded to around 1200 fps. I've had the whole gambit of results: from getting two shots just behind the shoulder blade of a big hog that was running up hill that had no effect, left no blood trail, and after trying to trail the wounded pig from mid-day until after dark without ever finding a trace of him - to pigs that were dead right there with a single shot. Most pigs moved less than 25 yards before giving up the ghost. The 44 mag usually got the job done.

I had a buddy that used a 357 magnum with factory ammo. Him and a friend would use dogs to chase down the pigs (back when that was legal). One time they had a hog cornered. My buddy put three rounds into the pig's boiler room, and then the pig came straight at him. It ran over him, giving him cuts on an arm and a leg (from the pigs hooves, not the tusk), before his hunting buddy dusted the pig off with a 12 gauge slug to the head.

On another hunt I was with the guy that used the 12 gauge to finish off the previously noted pig. On this hunt he was using a bolt action Remington in 308. He got a good broadside shot on a pig and hit with a solid lung shot. The pig took off squealing and ran for 80 yards before burying itself in a blackberry bush. We could hear it in there breathing and grunting for over half an hour. Blackberry vines are covered with thorns and are like natures barbed wire, so we waited a while before going in to drag that one out. I wasn't relishing the prospect of finding that pig still alive inside that bush, but it had bled out and the story had a happy ending.

So, my recommendation? You've got to go with what you've got, but as soon as you can I think you should upgrade to either a 45 colt or a 44 mag in a revolver. While semiauto pistols have to have the cartridge within certain parameters so that it will cycle the action, a revolver can be loaded soft or hot, and can shoot bullets with a bigger meplat (or hollow point) without any fear of jamming. IMHO revolvers are more reliable, can generally be more powerful, and I would feel more confident in their stopping ability. I have used both single and double action revolvers while hunting and both types work equally as well in that application. In the meantime, use the medium weight softpoint or hollowpoint bullet is the most reliable in your pistol. Whiz-bang gizmos mean nothing if your pistol jams when you need it most.

[sigep1764]

Never shot a hog with one, but armadillo and such sure don't like the NOE 358 155 Elco boolit. Cast as a 150 grain hollow point or a 155 grain flat nose. Im in the heavy for caliber camp.

[Gtek]

Google Lehigh Defense.

[Hogtamer]

Wolfdog, I’ve killed a bunch of hogs in my day, and as Castaway says I’ve never had one charge me. Had several where I had to get out of the way but that was because I just happened to be in the way of where they headed. On another note just because you’ve got the boolits doesn’t mean you can reload these days. Small pistol primers and most powders have gone extinct in these parts or online for that matter. I would put a sling on whatever 12 ga. shotgun you have, round up some OOs and call it good. Actually I’d call it better.

[Bigslug]

NOE TL357-135RF, AKA Accurate Molds 3-135D, or the NOE SC 357-135RF if you want a standard lube groove.



This is one fired at 1030 fps fired out of my Glock 17, poking through the back side of the 9th water filled milk jug in the stack. Roughly about six feet of water.



Cast out of WW+2% and air cooled, they compress a little, but don't really expand. It's a good all-purpose bullet design for plinking reactive targets as well as what you have in mind.

[mnewcomb59]

NOE TL357-135RF, AKA Accurate Molds 3-135D, or the NOE SC 357-135RF if you want a standard lube groove.



This is one fired at 1030 fps fired out of my Glock 17, poking through the back side of the 9th water filled milk jug in the stack. Roughly about six feet of water.



Cast out of WW+2% and air cooled, they compress a little, but don't really expand. It's a good all-purpose bullet design for plinking reactive targets as well as what you have in mind.

This is the Ranch Dog bullet I mentioned in my post above. Feeds like butter and seats relatively shallow in the case, Many of the 147 grain bullets need rock hard alloy and a special expander plug because the bullet seats so deep in the case and the brass resizes the bullet.

I recommend getting the gas check version of the mold unless you already have success loading plain base in 9mm. Since I bought the mold years ago I have learned how to make good plain base 9mm ammo so I am thinking about selling it to get the plain base version.

[gwpercle]

The Ranch Dog NOE 135 gr. boolit looks like it would do well on game , 135 gr. weight and that large wide flat nose . My only concern would be feeding ... I would have to try a few before buying a mould .

Another would be the NOE 358-124-TC GC , it's 124 gr. weight isn't too heavy and leaves enough room for +1,000 fps velocity to be reached , the truncated cone nose feeds flawlessly in the 6 different 9mm Luger pistols I've worked with and with a gas check the 50-50 (soft lead - COWW air cooled) alloy I like can be used .
The gas check also helps seating boolits .
I haven't shot any hogs with it ...but I would if I didn't have my 41 Magnum .
Don't forget trees ... hogs can't climb very high !
Gary

[Bigslug]

This is the Ranch Dog bullet I mentioned in my post above. Feeds like butter and seats relatively shallow in the case, Many of the 147 grain bullets need rock hard alloy and a special expander plug because the bullet seats so deep in the case and the brass resizes the bullet.

I recommend getting the gas check version of the mold unless you already have success loading plain base in 9mm. Since I bought the mold years ago I have learned how to make good plain base 9mm ammo so I am thinking about selling it to get the plain base version.

My conclusion on the whole "weight" thing is that you don't need as much of it if you plan to shoot bullets that don't expand. I think 147 grain jacketed is the only way to fly for a 9mm mushroom, but a slight reduction in mass doesn't hurt on a solid.

This forum has enough threads to coach one along on making plain bases work in a 9mm - life is to short to click on gas checks if you don't have to.

[Bigslug]

The Ranch Dog NOE 135 gr. boolit looks like it would do well on game , 135 gr. weight and that large wide flat nose . My only concern would be feeding ... I would have to try a few before buying a mould . . .

Gary

I've run it successfully in multiple Glocks, a Springfield 1911, a P-Series Ruger, and a Ruger Carbine with the Glock magazine well installed, if any of that helps you spend money.

The trick to round nose flat points in autos is to concoct a profile that presents only the sides of the bullet to contact with the feed ramp or top of the chamber as it enters and noses down, and also doesn't run into the mag-interface surface of the slide stop lever when it reaches the top of the mag.

The Ranch Dog .32, .380, and .45 bullets all play this game well. The LBT .452-230 LFN is awe-inspiring at it.

[725]

I have been charged by a wounded pig. Hit w/ two .44 mags, it ran unaffected all over the place. No blood to trail, but we were able to gets glimpses of it here and there. Working up to it, it charged me like a freight train and fell to a double tap from my 10 mm right at my feet. The 10 was loaded heavy and made the pig do a straight head over heals to it's final resting place. I have no doubt your load will kill the pig, but it's a matter of how much time it will take. Use enough gun.

[charlie b]

Bullet placement?

A hit to lungs/heart means the animal will go a ways. CNS shot is more timely but crushing a shoulder will slow them down a bit. Same as any self defense case.

If a 9mm penetrates enough, then it is "merely" shot placement. Easy to say, hard to do.

[Elpatoloco]

I have literally taken hundreds of wild swine. They are not any tougher than a whitetail deer. Never been " Charged" or seen the Mythical "Armor plate" over their vitals. Some of the older boars will have a very heavy layer of gristle/fat. It wont stop a slug. Hogs taking multiple hits are not being hit correctly. I've had to move out of the way of several who were disoriented and fleeing, but they were not intentionally trying to run me over. 230 gr Rn out of a 45 is what I carry 99% of the time in a spare mag. When I hit the ranch road, the cast slugs go in the gun and self defense HPs come out.

[405grain]

"Hogs taking multiple hits are not being hit correctly." I disagree. I remember one hunt in particular back in the mid 1980's in the hills west of Hopland. A friend named Tony and I were on the stalk of a herd of about a dozen pigs. Tony was carrying a 30-06 and I had a Super blackhawk with a ten and a half inch barrel. We heard the pigs from over a hundred yards out and crept up close on them. They were on the side of a canyon with a small creek in the bottom. We crested a little hill only 70 yards above them and were both laying prone. The wind was in our favor, and they didn't know we were there. Because Tony had a better chance of success with a scoped rifle we decided that he'd shoot first and I'd open fire after his first shot. Tony picked out a black furred razorback that looked to be about 150 pounds and at the shot it dropped like a sack of potatoes.

I'd sighted in on a smaller brown hog that was probably 100 pounds. Later investigation showed that my first shot took out both lungs and the top of it's heart. The pig instantly began squealing and spinning in a circle, pivoting around on it's right front leg. Thinking that I'd only broke it's leg, and that at any moment it was going to take off, I took another shot (which was hasty and not well aimed). The second shot hit it in the hip and it's hind legs collapsed under it. Then the pig saw me and what happened next was frightening.

That pig started to drag itself up the hill towards me with it's front legs. It's mouth was popping open and closed and it had a pretty good set of tusks. It was obvious from its demeanor that pigs only focus was to get to me and do me harm. I carefully lined up the sights and hit it right between the eyes at 30 or 35 yards. It was like a sledgehammer had hit it in the head, and momentarily it face planted that hog in the dirt. Then a couple of seconds later it came back to life, and once again began dragging itself up hill toward me with the same determination as before. This time I waited until it was within 25 yards, then once again shot it right in the forehead. This time the lifeless pig slid on it's side back down the hill and came to rest against a tree about 50 yards down the canyon.

That was an adrenaline rush that left me feeling shaken and even a little bit sick. I met back up with Tony and together we pulled his pig up the hill to a dirt road where I'd be able to bring up my truck. Then I said to Tony that we should go get my pig. To this he replied "I'm bushed. I need a break". And sat down on a stump to have a cigarette. (typical hunting buddy!) I decided to go and drag out my own pig. But, when I got back to the tree the pig was gone. Befuddled, I looked around for the pig and reloaded at the same time. After a few moments I spied the pig down at the bottom of the canyon beside the creek. It wasn't dead yet! It had somehow wiggled itself loose from the tree and slid the rest of the way down the side of the hill. When I walked up to it I could see that it was just barely breathing. From three feet away I aimed at the base of its ear and blew its brains out.

I shot that pig five times. Three of them were head shots. later on when we butchered that pig I found out that the first two shots to the head had only pealed the skin off it's skull. The bad shot that hit the pig in the hip had gone down the middle of its femur and lodged in its knee. The very first shot should have been a kill shot as it went through the left lung, the top of the heart, and the bottom of the right lung. From the time I opened fire until I dusted that pig off had to have been more than 15 minutes. Most often when I've shot a pig or a deer it just falls over dead, but this time it didn't.

BTW, after that hunt I started carrying a 30-06.

[405grain]

Attachment 297922 Remembering that hunt made me remember that I'd kept this slug all these years in a drawer out in the shop. This is the boolit that I dug out of that pigs knee.

[popper]

I usually use the 40sw and hard alloy. 35-135S is my 9 mould for the XDs. Never had a fail to feed. Friend uses 115 fmj on hogs and takes a couple shots to stop them. Hit the snout on frontal shots otherwise you just give them a headache. You won't get a chest shot.