Feral Pig Invasion.

[HABCAN]

Here in east-central Alberta we don't have them, YET, but Saskatchewan F&G is screaming about them overrunning the SW of that province so it's only a matter of time. What I'd like you guys to chip in on is your realtime experiences with cast boolit loads for the 7.62x39 in the little Ruger American Ranch and the SKS. My thoughts tend to the LEE 150 gr. FP cast 50/50, GC'd and PC'd (Smoke's JD Green) sized .314 on a load of 22.0 grs. RL7 which works well in my rifles, but has never made meat.

[Dinny]

That should work well. I have used a RD 165 LFP with success in the 300 BLK. Shots just below the ear drop them in their tracks.

Thanks, Dinny

[ACC]

Down here in Texas, I use a 130 grain plain base Lyman bullet with enough H110 to push it to 1700 FPS. It doesn't lead the barrel but it might at any higher speed. At 100 yards I average 1" to 1and1/2" for a 5 shot group. I also have that Ruger rifle.

I have shot a few feral hogs, and dogs with that load. With the feral hogs, my wife and I donate half the meat to our local orphanage.

ACC

[HABCAN]

Thanks for the info, ACC! Fellas, what I asked for was forensic experience from those who have killed feral pigs with cast boolits. Let's stay on track, please. Mods??

[35remington]

I use something similar, which is the C E Harris Lee 160 TLGC lubed with LLA and shot over RL 7 or H4895 in my SKS. This manages about 3 inches or so at 100 yards which is about all an SKS is capable of with any bullet used.

I have a trim die to put a small flatpoint on the bullet to help initiate expansion (the unaltered bullet is rather pointy) but not so much as to inhibit feeding. Wheelweight bullets show good upset at 100 yards and under at the approximate 1960 fps velocities obtained. This is a slightly junior 30-30 or a bit hotter than a 357 carbine with similar weight bullets.

As long as typical hog shots are being talked about, which is around 100 yards or less, this has worked well with chest hits. I also size to .314” but mainly to attach the gas check. As cast diameter is about that and the sizing die barely touches the sides. The soft recoil and quick follow up capability make a second or third shot on another hog in a group a possibility.

If on hog control and determined to hose down as many hogs as possible when sneaking up on a group in the dark in a wide open field I’d prefer a semi auto .308, but under the conditions I have described above this does well.

[brewer12345]

Thanks for the info, ACC! Fellas, what I asked for was forensic experience from those who have killed feral pigs with cast boolits. Let's stay on track, please. Mods??

My only experience is with jacketed 35 Rem factory ammo. at 75 and 90 yards the pigs went nowhere after impact. I'd guess the load you have in mind will work without a fuss, but you shoot a pig in a different spot than you would a deer. Suggest looking at diagrams of where the kill shots are on a hog, very different than deer.

[HABCAN]

Thanks for the tip, Brewer.......I've done that.

[Texas by God]

I have killed feral Hogs with lead projectiles from a 22 long rifle, 38 Special, 12 guage , and 45 Auto. The 22 was used for pigs that were in traps. The others were at extremely close range from a blind, a creek bed, or a canoe in the river. I have killed many more with jacketed bullets and all sorts of rifles, but that was not your question.
Make a good shot and you're 30 caliber cast bullet will bring home the bacon.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[jaysouth]

I used a RD 165 over 25 grs. of H4895 in a .308 to drop a 506 lb feral pig in E. TN. In GA, at Hogswat, they give you an AR in 7.62X39 and furnish 123 gr. Brown Bear soft tips. They do a job on feral pigs.

[shortlegs]

A friends son killed a 300 lb hog with a 45 colt. 75 yd high shoulder shot dropped him DRT. Boolit was lee 255 over 17 gr 2400 a little over 1300 fps. Boolit penetrated through and not recovered. He was using a H&R Classic carbine.

[HABCAN]

Thank y'all, guys!! This is the kind of info I was after. Keep it coming, please.

[Red River Rick]

I bagged this 525 lb. boar 2 years ago in Saskatchewan, using my 86' chambered in 45-70.
Bullet was a RCBS 45-325-FN, pushed by 70 grs of KIK ffg.

Shot was taken at 80 yards, the bullet hit him in the neck, just behind his jowl. Found what was left of the bullet in his right eye socket.
All that was left was 135 grains from a 325 grain bullet.

RRR

252697

[popper]

Depends on the distance to target. And shot placement! I use a 145gr GC @ 2k fps but the 185ish will do fine at shorter range. 125 SST work good too. Whatever alloy shoots tight group in your rifle. Hit them in the gut and they live to eat another day!! Neck, high shoulder, spine - whatever to make sure they get the 'kill' shot. Let them run off, others will clean the mess. Yes, the Lee will do the job. With the bolt you probably only get one shot no matter how many are there. And they run fast!

[fastdadio]

Depends on the distance to target. And shot placement! I use a 145gr GC @ 2k fps but the 185ish will do fine at shorter range. 125 SST work good too. Whatever alloy shoots tight group in your rifle. Hit them in the gut and they live to eat another day!! Neck, high shoulder, spine - whatever to make sure they get the 'kill' shot. Let them run off, others will clean the mess. Yes, the Lee will do the job. With the bolt you probably only get one shot no matter how many are there. And they run fast!

Time to practice with that bolt gun. Some guys can work them pretty good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ob0fgc0I7A

[trapper9260]

Time to practice with that bolt gun. Some guys can work them pretty good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ob0fgc0I7A

That is a interesting video . Thanks for posting.

[popper]

Yup, Rus boar hunter and he doesn't drop the stock from his shoulder + misses a couple.
I got a trap released with 40SW a few yrs back, ~120# - tx heart shot. Ran 100 yds after losing a leg. 165gr 4.5gr 231 hard cast. Shot at one yr ago, BO pistol with 145gr hardcast - 50 yds, he ducked! Hogs do fine in cold weather but get a pretty thick coat that may have a lot of mud in it. Spot pig was developed in N. KS and they don't shelter them in the winter. Ia used to be the biggest pork state. Your open fields is the biggest problem - long shots and they scatter unless on a 'run'. Watch for the 'run' through the field but they stick to the roads pretty good too. I gut shot a carcass with 185gr soft from ~5' (30/30 hot), got a little expansion and after a while some leak of guts. Same to shoulder and NO exit. For your x39, I'd use 125 SST and push hard. Or the tssx black tip 110gr. Cast will do the job but drop and accuracy could be a problem. Seems like most of the Tx panhandle shooters are using grendal with nite sights and pushing light solids hard. They tear up the fields looking for grubs but will eat anything including each other & piglets. They love young wheat fields, browsing as they go. They can even live off their own poop for a while.

[Minerat]

Please try to keep this on topic. Which the OP ask for information on using cast boolits on hogs, not if you have them in your area. Thanks.

[kavemankel]

Here in North Texas I have quite a bit of experience, with just about every caliber that I own, on putting bacon on the table.
I have not used 7.62x39 cast on any of them but the caliber is well up to the task. Most of the time through and through from my experience
unless you use a rapid expander or very soft cast. I have gone through and through vitals with a perfect side shot with a .40S&W 180 gr hollow point.
at 40 yards.
Most people think that they are impermeable. Quite the contrary unless you are going for a front on forehead head shot.
As someone else posted. Get yours dialed in to less than 1.5" group and nail them low and to the rear of the ear. Just turns off the power
like nobody is home.
well placed Body shots will result in an animal on the ground but it may take a few seconds for them to bleed out. Gut shots will result in a meal for the others at
a later time and date. Any of them results in an attempt at keeping the population down.

[ACC]

I have taken a few with my 7.62X39 as I said above. I have also taken them with my brother's .308 with a 165 grain cast bullet he cast using 4895 and a velocity of 2200 FPS, and also my .357 Black Hawk pushing a 166 grain cast bullet with enough H110 to make a grown man cry. About 1300 FPS according to his records.

I watched the video, and that was some shooting. I hope they harvested all that meat. If not, I don't consider him nothing more than a show off and wasting meat that the hungry could use. I was taught by my grandfather, shoot only what you can use no more. In fact my grandfather, being a Baptist preacher, had a prayer he always said before we went hunting. "Lord you know what I need. Make my aim true. I only want what I need. If it's your will, you will provide. Amen"

If he did use all that meat for his family or others. Good shooting.

ACC

[fcvan]

A friends son killed a 300 lb hog with a 45 colt. 75 yd high shoulder shot dropped him DRT. Boolit was lee 255 over 17 gr 2400 a little over 1300 fps. Boolit penetrated through and not recovered. He was using a H&R Classic carbine.

That little carbine is a dandy, I got mine cheap when they discontinued them. I have not shot any with 2400 but the 255 over 4227 can really zip out there. I liked the 45 Colt in the carbine I had to track down an Old Model Ruger Vaquero to go with. I plan on shopping for bacon with both. Thanks for the good report on your friend's son. Always nice to hear of folks who know where their food comes from, not those who only meat hunt the refrigerator aisle looking for the big ones hiding behind the cellophane thicket.

[Lonegun1894]

I use .22LR a lot, but my last one was with a Marlin 336 .30-30 using a NOE .311” 180gr at about 800fps. I was trying to keep it quiet(er) hoping to get two, but it definitely spooked the rest. The shot was at night, using a green light, and fired from 30yards. Anyway, on to the forensics. Impact was in the forehead, the hog dropped in its tracks, and the bullet was found in the space between muscle and rib cage underneath the shoulder blade. I know this isn’t the caliber you asked about, but this works just fine up close, and this load is only about half of what yours is capable of. You really have nothing to worry about other than placement. Your load will fill your freezer.

[HABCAN]

Thanks, Lonegun, ALL info is useful. I also have catsneeze etc., loads made up for the little Ruger boltie, LOL. This thread is meant for everybody's use after all.

[chaos]

I have killed feral Hogs with lead projectiles from a 22 long rifle, 38 Special, 12 guage , and 45 Auto. The 22 was used for pigs that were in traps. The others were at extremely close range from a blind, a creek bed, or a canoe in the river. I have killed many more with jacketed bullets and all sorts of rifles, but that was not your question.
Make a good shot and you're 30 caliber cast bullet will bring home the bacon.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


This! I cant count the number of hogs I've taken here in West Central Texas. Most were with a super blackhawk in .44 with RCBS 44-240-swc just because its the gun that is always with me. Have taken scores with 22 LR, both in and outside of traps. They are not near as tough as folks make them out to be. I may try that slug in an SKS, just for a truck gun.

[popper]

Just a hint for ground based hog hunters Have a working handgun with you! Personal friend had a trap released hog turn on him and his SA stove piped after the first shot. Fortunately got the slide racked and another shot (dancing around the trap). Watched many vids of close hog hunting, where one or 2 of the sounder comes straight at you, FAST! Like rabbit fast15 mph.

[Dinny]

Just a hint for ground hog hunters. Have a working handgun with you!.

That's crazy! I didn't know ground hogs were that brave. Why didn't your friend just stomp on it or kick it?

:kidding:

Thanks, Dinny

[popper]

250# ground hog, boot won't fit.

[ACC]

Yesterday I shot a 103 pound feral hog. The load was a 125 grain hard cast boolit in my 357 magnum, pushed along with my brothers H110 load of 15 grains.

I hit him right above the eyes. The boolit traveled down the inside of his spine killing him almost instantly. I recovered the bullet it had flattened some what and weighed 117 grains.

To the orphanage he went.

ACC

[veeman]

250lb ground hog???? I think that not even possible. 10-12 lbs tops. This is a ground hog:https://www.pestworld.org/media/560904/istock_000003441948_large.jpg?preset=pestFeature36 0

[mebudman63]

Well my Nephew got me hung up on shooting a 300 Blackout when we go hog hunting, he runs suppressed. I usually run a cast, 150g,FN. About 9 months I got tired of having to chase down Hogs and went with something bigger. I have a 450 Bushmaster running a 300g RNFP Gas-checked behind 29.0g of H110. Lets say i don`t have to chase any down no more.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Good humor there, Dinny and Popper :)

Sadly there are no hogs that I know of in WA State at this time, they'll be baaaaack though, pretty sure

[Beaverhunter2]

Good humor there, Dinny and Popper :)

Sadly there are no hogs that I know of in WA State at this time, they'll be baaaaack though, pretty sure

Count your blessings! The last thing you want is feral hogs in your area. Unless, of course, you think the game bird or deer populations in your area are too high ....