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Hunting & Fishing Hog Hunting .223 enough?

kchu02

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 4, 2008
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College Station, TX
Going Hog Hunting in Iowa next month. Thinking about taking my Bushmaster ACR. What rounds do you guys recommend for the .223?

I was thinking about the Hornady 75gr HPBT, I've read people shooting hogs with 55gr +. Just wandering if anyone has any experience and recommendations.

Thanks,
kevin
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

They work great if you are close(200yds or in) or shooting from a solid position with good shot placement.

Its the follow up shots on the rest of the pack that are running and shot placement is not so good that you will find yourself wanting a little bit more.

We kill them all the time with .223's with 55gr soft points, like anything else they are not bullet proof despite rumors...
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

Do you guys usually go for headshots and do I need to worry about richochets? or for the heart?

The 75 gr HPBT should be enough then right?
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

wish I had a place to go hog hunting I hear all the problems people are having but they want %1,000 for a guided hunt. WTF???
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?


kchu02,

Shooting hog with a .223 is on the more extreme end of the spectrum for the little round, So no I would not shoot a bullet designed for paper targets at hogs.. I'd shoot warm to hot loaded 70 barnes TSX, 65 SGK (Sierra Game King) etc. a heavy (for the caliber)hunting bullet designed to stay together in bigger game.

I have gone after Hog with a .223, and hot loaded 65 SGK's. I'm 4 (or 5) shots for 4( or5?), one shot kills on deer at everything from 60 yards to 400 with that bullet.
I'm a believer in it.
No one commented on your stated bullet so I thought I'd give you a suggestion in that aspect...

FWIW

I'm told wild hogs are killed wholesale in TX with varmint rifles, especially .223s.
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

I have had good luck with the Federal Fusions out of a 16"AR down in the swamps here. All have exited with the largest hog I shot being just under 200lbs.
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

I have killed quite a few with a 223,but I am with tresmon on the type of bullets to use. I have killed a few with the Hornaday 75gr Tap ammo and unless you get them in the head they have a tendency to blow up before reaching the vitals. I have had much better luck with more of a hunting bullet getting better penetration than a target bullet. The Tap ammo I used I had it blow up on the shoulder and it got almost no penetration, tracked them down and finished them off with a 45 long colt 325gr alloy bullets at 1200 fps. That works wonders.
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

Jeebus,

a buck or more a shot for .223?!!?!?? All three of those would be good though.


I haven't had the chance to hit any animals with them other than some small crows but the 65gn SGK seems to pack a hell of a wallop. And is very very accurate as well.

 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

another really good round is the 60gr Nosler Partition. There are many great reviews out on this bullet. It is worth the research time. As stated above, Barnes TTSX is another good round for killing game. You need a Hunting bullet not a paper punching bullet and there are so many good hunting bullets out there that will help you anchor the animal vice wounding it.
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

ive shot many hogs with 223. Out of a 18" rock river ive shot both black hills 69 smk and hornady 60 grain tap both work excellent on head shots. Out of a bolt gun 40 gr vmaxs in the ear they dont move a whole lot after that. just depends on what kind of shot you can make or if you are stalking them or out of a blind. If you are stalking them i ve been treed twice with some sows with there young so definently take plenty of side arm too if walking.
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

may check corbon on the 70 gr barnes i know they have a few different loads for it not sure what grains though
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

Wild hogs in IA??? High fence or free range? I was not aware that IA had wild ones? ??
I have shot only a limited # of them and used a .45 acp which does fine and weights up to 640 on the scale. 230 Fed Hydra Shock.
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

They are everywhere here in FL...and beat up our orange groves pretty bad, I like Barnes, but hell the grove owner next door puts em down with cheap Wolf, all about shot placement.
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

I've got two freezers full of the critters that were killed with the little .223. I typically use the 55gr soft point but have tried the 75gr Hornady TAP on occasion. I have had failure to feeds and several jam ups with the TAP ammo. No other ammo has ever given a problem with any of my rifles? The 55gr takes em down just fine. I usually aim midway between the back of the skull and the shoulders about 2"-3" down off the back of the neck. Their spine is low in the neck and they dont move a step when you hit it. The spine is also very large in this area and gives you a high probability of a hit.
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

We grow them big in Texas, I don't recommend .223s unless you wish to track a blood trail through some mean bush.

A well placed .223 round will take a hog clean; off by a little, you now have an animal that is hunting you.

I prefer 308 or 300WM for the really big ones.

Round placement is the key.

And if they get pissed and come after you, brag a tree branch and hoist up, you only gotta be about 4 feet off the ground and you are out of range. The other option is take more gun. Or lots of bullets.
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Captain Kick-Ass</div><div class="ubbcode-body">60gr V-Max is my favorite. </div></div>

Does the 60gr V-Max have a boat tail? I use the 50gr V-Max and it does...
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

I decided on the Federal 60gr Nosler Partitions. Gonna have 30 rounds of that in the magazine + my Springfield TRP with 8 rounds of Hydrashoks
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

This one fell to a single 53gr Barnes. Fell stone dead at 80 yards, neck shot.
DSC01179-1.jpg
 
Re: Hog Hunting .223 enough?

Maybe I overlooked what kind of rifle you're taking on your hunt, but I would recommend a semi-auto platform for your hog hunt like the one pictured above. It looked like a r-15 by remington, but any of the AR-15 style rifles will work.

Like some of the other guys have said, you'll get good shot placement with the first one, but it's the follow-up shots on the other running hogs that won't be as well placed.

There were some good suggestions for ammo already and I've seen pics of deer with a shoulder blown right off from some of them. There's a big difference between 55gr and 77gr ammo.
smile.gif
Have a safe hunt.