Thread: A good calibre on pigs

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Originally Posted by Finnwolf

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Any one fancy the 7.62x39 for pigs? If a .223 will do it, then the good old 7.62x39 can too!

Yep pigs standing still 223 fine all the time in the world for correct shot placement.
But on the run you need a bigger calibre. In France on driven boar you can’t hunt unless you have a bullet over 2500 joules which is basically 270 up with a 160 grain bullet. Better now that they have taken away the restrictions on some military calibres.
But as below once there on the move and to be humain use a bigger calibre than 223.

Originally Posted by Mooseman

Anything from 243 upwards with good constructed bullets. When I was culling second day on the job I run into a big boar about 25 yds below me, I hit him with a 50 gr Sako factory round in the ear hole and he dropped but stood straight back up so he got another in the Same place , this time he stayed down but was struggling to get up so I shot for the heart and that finish him. I have also seen a big boar take a 222 50 gr Sako in the shoulder as we were spotlighting one night. That boar never even dropped a step and kept on running never to be seen again, the shot was perfect as we seen the dust fly off a centre shoulder shot. 222 etc work but there are a lot better, a 308 with a good 150 gr bullet would see you right.

shot quite a few with 7.62x39mm and sporting ammunition.

Originally Posted by Daniel L

Any one fancy the 7.62x39 for pigs? If a .223 will do it, then the good old 7.62x39 can too!

Once upon a time I had a Russian SKS, from the Afghanistan theater. It got bent. However I digress. A couple of pigs were damaging the pastures, an uncommon occurrence in the area. Not being too knowledgeable on shooting pigs back then I chose the SKS with military ammo instead of the 30-30 with soft tips. Came up over a rise on to a big old boar and an even bigger sow keeping each other company in the late arvo on the greensward at about 30m. Drew an iron bead on the boar, being most proximate, an put one behind the shoulder. Knocked him sideways off his feet to lie still on the ground. Sow took off and stunned with my success I momentarily froze as she hussled arse downhill and away. Took a doz steps toward the boar whereupon he uprighted himself and ran toward and past me at about 20m into a scrubby gully. Woeful me scratched head and decided discretion was the better part of rash velour and left him no doubt to expire amidst the gorse and blackberry. Slouched my way home. Some time later a more knowledgeable chap explained the penciling effect of FMJ and the virtues of a 30-30 soft point. Not to mention aiming at the earhole. The next time I shot a feral boar was with a 12ga and a load of #5 shot running alongside him in the paddock. Back in the days when I could still run. From his ripped ears and savaged testicles it was clear he had outrun the dogs but his 2nd wind was finished - lucky for me. A charge of #5 in the ear hole at about 10 paces had the desired result. I was chainsawing firewood when he appeared coming down the farmtrack and the shottie was the only thing at hand other than the are. I didn't fancy running with the chainsaw. I possibly would have favoured the axe over an SKS with FMJ tho.