Boar Hunting in Tex

[1Shirt]

A couple of weeks ago I had a great time on a boar hunt in east Texas. This was a russian strain boar, not a ferral hog. Went a bit over 200, and was very long snouted, tusked, probably about 3 yrs old, and black. Shot him at about 35 yds from an elevated blind, probably 10' or so off the ground, right at dusk. This was my first big game animal with cast bullets, and could not have asked for better performance. Rifle was #1Ruger, w/K-4 Weaver, 45-70.
Load was Win Br, Rem Pr. 405 Ohas FNPB, wheelweight water dropped, lee liquid alox lubed, sized 457, and nose softened, 26.5 gr. 2400, w/1/2 gr. dacron fill. Hit him about three inches below and 3" back of the ear. He went over sideways, and had 4 legs in the air. Did require a finishing shot to brain from 357 just to speed up the process. Bullet entered and the first 3-4 inches of penitration showed that the front of the flatnose had opened up well. Exit wound was about the size of a quarter. Would have liket to recover the bullet, but no way. This load is only running about 1450 top speed, but will stay under 3" at 100, and will clover leaf 5 shots at 50 if I am having a good day. Could not have asked for better performance from a cast bullet. Think I am going to book another hunt down there.
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[Doughty]

1Shirt

Sounds like you've just about got it all nailed down. Don't know how you could improve on your setup. I do like the Ruger single shots. Your story reminded me of some hog hunts I went on down in California years ago. My favorite setup at the time was a #3 in .375 Win. I used the Lyman 280 gr gc at about 1400 and 1900 fps. The pigs couldn't seem to tell much difference. Always wanted to try a .45-70 on them, but never got the chance.

Hope you can make it back for another hunt.

Old Vic

[1Shirt]

Old Vic, Have never had a chance to pick up a decent 375W, but have an excellent #1 Ruger in 375H&H that shoots a Lyman 275 gr.GC very well at Vol. up to the 1800 mark(which is as high as I have wanted to take it). If I do the boar in Texas bit again, will seriously think about taking it. Also have a very early 444Marlin that (in spite of what they say about Microgrooving) shoots the 310LeeGC well at about 1500-1600, and will stay under 2" at 50 yds. so that will have to be a decision as well. Then again, there might be a need to consider a third trip to Tex. Good talking with ya.
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[RugerFan]

1Shirt,
Well done. Always good hear how CBs are performing in the field. I've taken a few CB kills with revolver and muzzle loader, but still deciding on a rifle caliber. .444, 45/70, and .358 are on my short list.

[waksupi]

Rugerfan, go with a .358 Win, and you will be a happy, happy man, out to about 225 yards.

[RugerFan]

Rugerfan, go with a .358 Win, and you will be a happy, happy man, out to about 225 yards.

Waksupi,
Any particular rifle in .358 Win you like? I was thinking about a Browning BLR or a TC Encore with a Fox Ridge barrel.

[waksupi]

Waksupi,
Any particular rifle in .358 Win you like? I was thinking about a Browning BLR or a TC Encore with a Fox Ridge barrel.

Rugerfan, I built my own, using a VZ24 Brno action, Douglas barrel, and Bold trigger. I don't really know much about the other rifles, but I would gowith the lever action, myself. You are going to want some weight to the rifle. If someone could give you a link to our previous castboolits home, I did a couple write-ups on load development and hunting results with it. Do a search for .358 Winchester, and it should come up. I need the link myself, since changing computers. Lotsa good info on the old page.

[bravokilo]

This one?

http://www.aimoo.com/forum/freeboard.cfm?id=514616&NoCaches=Yes

I hope there are plans to save that like the old shooters site.

BK

[Doughty]

RugerFan

Since you're a Ruger fan, there's the #1s and 3s. They allow a rimmed case. And I suggest a look at something in .338 caliber.

Old Vic

[Scrounger]

Rugerfan, I built my own, using a VZ24 Brno action, Douglas barrel, and Bold trigger. I don't really know much about the other rifles, but I would gowith the lever action, myself. You are going to want some weight to the rifle. If someone could give you a link to our previous castboolits home, I did a couple write-ups on load development and hunting results with it. Do a search for .358 Winchester, and it should come up. I need the link myself, since changing computers. Lotsa good info on the old page.

Here's a link back to Aimoo: http://www.aimoo.com/forum/freeboard.cfm?id=514616

[waksupi]

RugerFan

Since you're a Ruger fan, there's the #1s and 3s. They allow a rimmed case. And I suggest a look at something in .338 caliber.

Old Vic

Vic, in my opinion, the Rugers have nasty recoil for larger cartridges. I think the .338 would be at the limits of comfort for a day of shooting, personally.
I tried to get my .338 to shoot lead, and had no luck at anything over around 1300 fps. I don't know what the problem was, as I got rid of it, to get something that would shoot cast. I believe BruceB has recently been struggleing to get a .338 to shoot, with sketchy results. Although I believe he has his wife's up to decent velocity. You may like to ask Bruce about this bore size when he returns, or do a search on .338 on this page.
It's funny that they should be finicky, as the 8mm and .358 fall to either side of it, and shoot well. I suspect something to do with the twist..

[Bullshop]

Waksupi
Check this out, there is a Hoch(spelling) built Falling Block Works (high wall) with Hoch mold, hand dies and loading tools for a 338/30-30 on auction arms. Its a reserve and I asked what the reserve is but he didnt want to say. I am in no position to bid anything so feel free.
BIC/BS

[Doughty]

Waksupi,

I don't believe that .338 caliber is anymore finicky than any other caliber. It's still a matter of matching length to twist and velocity and diameter to neck, throat, lead, groove, bore. Then there's always case capacity to pressure and velocity, etc., etc., etc.

What I like about the .338 is the ratio of meplat, ballistic coefficent, and weight. The combinations that are available fall within the range of velocity and recoil that I think make for a superior hunting and general purpose bullet.

Now I will agree with you that the availability of factory chamberings and firearms is thin. And catalog molds are few. I think that the .338 Mag, perhaps the most common .338, has too much case capacity for ease of load developement. However the .338-06 or .338-08 are pretty good. I like rimmed cases, so something that is more of a wildcat appealled to me. My favorite case, the .30-40 works good, but so would a .303 Brit or the .444 Marlin. A little smaller and you have the .30-30.

I agree that some large caliber Ruger rifles have nasty recoil for most people. The #3 in .45-70 comes to mind. However perceived recoil comes back to varible weight and how a stock fits a particuliar persons body dimensions. Factory #1s come close to fitting me right. Number 3 stocks do not.

Of course we all have are preferences, I just think the .338s are too often over looked.

Old Vic

[Doughty]

1Shirt

This thread is trying to wander away from hunting boars in Texas. However, concerning your Ruger .375 H&H, Terry McArthur, in SE Washington has done a bunch of shooting with this combination. He's shot CBA matches and has "killed truck loads" of game with it. He wrote some articles for the CBA journal about them. One about using it on buffalo. Don't know if you are a CBA member. If not I might be able to get his articles and get them to you if you are interested. I gotta believe that this combo would be a good hog rig.

Old Vic

[waksupi]

Heck, Vic, we're still trying to decide the best thing to ventilate a Texas porker with, ain't we?
I hadn't considered something along the line of a .338-08. Now, that should be a shooter, assuming about 1-14,1-16 twist to play with. Hog medicine! Snort,snort,snort.

[1Shirt]

Old Vic, I do belong to CBA, and enjoy watching it grow. Am interested in the comments on the 375H&H and Rugers. Took my Kodiak with one with 300 gr. Hor RN and I minded the recoil a whole lot less than the bear I can tell you. There is just something about the ctg. that I really like, shoots cast and jacketed well, and just sort of looks like it is authorative. So many ctgs, so little time. Am now working on cast in 300Sav from a 700 Rem. Classic. Shot the CBA Practical Deer target with it the other day with 135gr. GC, and did fairly good. Good talking with you.
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