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Gidday
Just curious if anyones got any experience on using a .223 for pig hunting, particually on the bail?
Have recently switched tact to the .223 for deer and is now my main goto. Just wondering about projectile choice and performance up real close / at a bail up?
Regards
D
I've dropped two pigs (each approx 60kg) from 5m with 55gr SPs. One was a frontal headshot, dropped on the spot. Eyes bulged out and found the projectile in the spine. Vertebrae smashed and spinal cord severed. The second was a side-on neck shot. Went down but squirmed around for a bit.
I snuck up on both piggies myself. Don't have dogs, so can't comment on the high-tempo bail up scenario.
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Awsome stretch, sounds like quite a feat! Had figured the 55gr would be the goto for any bailing situations. For deer im using a 62gr SP but am picking too risky a pill during a bail up as far as exiting out the other side? Though im yet to test it.
A 62 grain SP shouldn't exit if placed in the right place but imho the 223 unless suppressed gives a crack and the dogs ears take a hammering and as you are aware that the projectile needs to punch through undergrowth at times and it's not an ideal calibre. Will it work? Definitely yes. I've used 223,22, 30-30, 303, 308, 7x57, 3006, 12 Gauge and they all work well but the 44 mag is the best at the bail.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dublin
I've seen three dogs killed at the bail, one with 308 and one with 44 mag and one with 30-30. All mistakes by operator. The 308 passed clean through the neck and socked the dog who was in behind.
That my friend was a very very sad day.
I use a low loaded 44 magnum.
Of more significance is possibly the sights on the rifle, opens are what I would always say are best.
if you make sure of your back stop or where your bullet is going to go if you miss or it goes through your target a 62 will be fine
50 grn speer hollow points doing somewhere just over 3000fps work for anything Ive poked them into,including a 110lb boar at 25ish yards.smacked into head front on,dropped on the spot. unless using FMJ or barnes type pills overpenertration SHOULDNT be an issue and you shouldnt be shooting a bailed pig UNLESS you KNOW for certain where everydog is.
Ive shot over a dozen with my .223 with different loads nothing huge the 110lb is biggest. the fly in ointment is you either go soft so it wont go through and hope you never have to take on big pig from bad angle or go harder and have to be extra careful of background.
Hunting big boars and crawling under the tight scrub. Take a 44mag.
How about a 12g with slugs
12g w slugs is still a Big Bang for the dogs. I took mine once and became paranoid about shit getting down the barrel in the scrub.
I tape my rifle muzzles but honestly not sure if it's a safe option w a thinner-barreled 12g.
guys hunting the pines up north have been using .12ga with slugs for years as thats all thats allowed,SiB your .12ga is running at low pressure the insulation tape over the end is far less obsticle than the crimp on the shell and the choke will create more pressure than a thin wee bit of rubbery plastic ever will. having had shotgun barrel split/burst from being plugged with clay....tape the hua and be done with it.
Suppressed .223 works fine. It will go straight through, but take that into account prior to taking the shot and you'll be fine.
I've shot most of my pigs with a .223
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Kj
Thanks very much all!!! Some awsome info. Going to get out and field test now, in time will report back successes/failures as they arise.
At this stage will be testing 55gr SP, 62gr SP, some subs and also some 62gr FMJ rounds and poss some other weights. Oh and yes will be testing 12g variations.
Found some very interesting reading here too (hence the FMJ testing): .223 Remington
Thanks again for all the advice! :cool:
subsonic .223 will be piss poor...only marginally better than .22lr as similar projectile weight and speed...55 vs 40 both 1000fps -/+ also have to be very aware most will bounce off hard objects at subsonic speeds......
If you are looking at subsonic why dont you look at the 75-80 grain amax and get them to tumble?
dont believe even a tumbling Amax will expand/break up at subsonic......may as well use FMJ of same weight.
Interesting matto.....read some further detail here re the amax rounds: .30 cal - Hornady A-MaxQuote:
Originally Posted by matto1234
how would you go about encouraging them to tumble? slower rounds with the heavier projectile in relation to your twist rate?
An 80grain pill would have more energy than a 55grain pill, so would be a better option at subsonic speeds if the bullet construction is similar? You could always see what 223 cast pills shooternz has available as an option?Quote:
Originally Posted by Micky Duck
What twist rate is your rifle? It will be a limiting factor for shooting the heavier bullets accurately. I think a twist of 1in8 is needed for 65grain pills and over but depends on individual rifles alsoQuote:
Originally Posted by Dublin
Had thought of shooternz's rounds. Twist rate is 1in9, which as i understand i can shoot up to 69gr projectiles accurately. Not tested them any higher than 62gr at this point as just used the barnal SP ones as they're so accurate and cheap. However at the bail i wouldn't be shooting any further than 20m max, realistically more likely to be 5-10m. Am yet to shoot any further than that at the bail anyway.
A 223 will work but theres better options out there that are better. 44 mag, 44-40,357, 410 with soilds and for some other options a 30/30 is popular. Problem with a 223 is you really need open sights at the bail, prob needs to be suppressed for the dogs, is useless if hits anything (eg twig, scrub) on the way. Big boars have a good shield and some shots that drop them with a 44 mag etc wont work with a 223. My take is a big percentage of pig hunters wouldnt use one because theres just far better options out there.
The ones that do tend to make do with what they got because they cant afford to get another more suitable rifle etc or just cant be bothered buying a second one.
It work but have to ask yourself what your reasons are for wanting to use one as if you are going to be a serious pighunter shooting of the bail often get something that just works better. A 44mag is hard to beat, a 410 with soilds is a great light option and is great to work and a 30/30 is great for more power and range if you want to shoot deer etc as well.
My mate run straight Bailers for around 10 yrs , lever action 30/30 with open sights was his choice . I seen piles of pigs fall to that thing . He could also unload that thing on running pigs with reasonable success out around 100 mts. You can pick them up pretty cheap now & then
If using a AR platform like @stretch maybe its that excuse you've been waiting for a 300 Blackout upper as the round ( essentially 308 pill on a cut down .223 cartridge) would do really well in that situation.
I use my 300BLK as my bush rifle as is short barreled, suppressed and can have real fun with sub's. Click / thump.
Using a Ruger Ranch 300 pretty good for what it is...
Quote:
Originally Posted by deer243
now its no wonder you say .410 is good.......... but let me ask you this???? would you shoot pig at 200yards with your .243?????
.410 slug is roughly 87grns going 1300fps
Cheapest option would probably be a sks
Whats the point of this question?lol Of cause i would use a 243 for a pig at 200 yards, fact is far longer if its not at the bail of cause:thumbsup: . many around here use the 410 at the bail, works very well as some home kill guys use them to dispatch pigs as well. Prob the lightest, easiest of the bail Cals to carry and throw around in the tight stuffQuote:
Originally Posted by Micky Duck
lol a .410 using a 87 grn pill at that speed isnt a hell of alot different to your .243 at 200-300 yards both in speed and projectile weight...........
Would a 410 slug even kill a pig at 200 yds
oh FFS !!!!!!!!!!!
I will type it s l o w l y this time
a .410 at 5 yards is similar to a .243 at 200-300 yards small light pill of around 87 grains in weight going around the 1300fps mark.....
and no it wouldnt.....
actually looking at figures in manual a good 85 grn .243 pill starting out at 3100 will get down to that speed at 500 yards give or take a gnats naaasties.
Sorry not being a pig hunter but interested the topic is bailing pigs do you normally shoot them at 200 to 300 yards when they have been bailed not trying to start a internet fight just trying to get my head around the bailing thing
When dogs bail depending on the dog some bail at a safe distance and some like it close . Ie foxterier bail like a foot away . Some pigs will just sit down and not move . Good experianced dogs will bail at distance to not provoke it to breaking and running . The hunter can sneak in and shoot these ones easily. So it's not normally possible to shoot from a distance of more than a few meters . Bailing dogs are preferred in more open country (scattered scrubby farmland ) .Quote:
Originally Posted by northdude
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