I’ve decided on the .458 SOCOM. If anyone thinks one of the other big-bore calibers is superior for hog-hunting, please let me know. I’m starting the process as we speak of picking out an upper with all my requirements. I want something light and reliable, with very little tactical rails. I want the rifle to have a good balance, with a relatively short barrel.
If anyone thinks this is a bad idea, I am open to constructive criticism. I would feel very confident hunting pigs with a round such as this.
For what its worth, there are folks successfully using 223 Remington to hunt hogs. I’m just looking at it from a cost perspective, of not having to purchase another upper and magazines.
I’ve used everything from 357 mag pistols, 44 mag, 223/5.56 ARs, 270, 308, 30-06 etc, etc…
Why do you want this particular caliber when smaller, lighter options are available. Remember, it’s shot placement, not caliber somtimes.
Another hunter and myself used .223 with great success. My buddy used soft points in federal 62 gr, severed the carotid and we had to bloodtrail for about 125 meters. I shot a .223 federal nosler partition in 55gr and DRT.
Shot placement is king!
That said, I do think the .300BLK would be a great round for pigs, with little change to your existing AR.
Yes 300 blk would be great for it. That’s just from what I’ve read. I’ll be able to tell you my experience when the .gov let’s me have my papers for my 300blk sbr.
And I know it not directed at me but if you don’t know where to hit an animal to kill it quickly as possible, find out or don’t hunt. I’m not a fudd, but you better know how to hunt.
Entered in the eye and blew out the back of his just forward of his ear.
I shot the blood trailed pig to make sure it was dead and not playing possum in the bottom jaw and we found the expanded bullet in the far side of the skull with an impressive wound channel, if he hadn’t been dead already he would have been DRT with that shot as well.
We were told by the guide that a shot on the line between the opening of the ear and the eye would be ideal.
but what happens when a dozen show up and you want to take as many of them out as possible?
you arent going to make perfect shots on all especially after they start moving, been there tracked them in some thick stuff, not fun
to me the 300blk is appealing as most have a 30 cal can, however i would choose the 125 or 130 super’s over the 220g subs as i think they would kill better
The 458 will do the job no doubt. If you want a big bore, it’s the best one out there, go for it.
Sure a head shot with a 556 or 22LR will work but not as well.
The reason I asked was to make a point about hunting game like hogs with the 5.56 round. If you are taking a head shot, just about any 5.56 bullet will do the job. But, as has been mentioned in this thread and the linked one, you might not always be presented with a head shot. Outside of the head shot, the most effective “DRT” shot on a big hog is broadside, low on the front shoulder (vitals are more forward than on animals like deer), and a 5.56 round of any flavor is not going to be optimal in getting through the armor plate.
As others have stated, 223 in many situations is sufficient for taking the average size hog.
After all, many a domestic hog has been taken by 22 Rim Fire on their way to the freezer…of course they were in a pen maybe 2ft away from the shooter, and not moving at the time, but it does show you don’t need an elephant gun for hogs
But the 223/5.56 does limit your shots some. Keep in mind the hogs do not always cooperate with their demise. Sometimes it’s a quartering away shot, or brush is in the way of a head shot, or the hog is moving too fast to reliably pop it in the head. At those times you may wish for a little more power in the round.
I originally used 223 since it’s what I had in a semi-auto. As my name implies I ranch for a living and hogs are a continual problem and I want to shoot as many at a time as I can, hence the need for semi-auto so I can hit as many of the sounder as possible before they can make cover / concealment (I’d prefer claymores, but that’s not legal).
But too many were surviving “body” shots so I put the bucks down for a 7.62, which definitely cut down on the survival rate.
But the platform was rather heavy (it was a POF 308) and after adding a heavy NV scope it was a pain to lug around on long night hunts.
There weren’t any light weight 7.62’s out at that time that I trusted so I tried the 6.8SPC and have been very impressed. I take any shot with it that I would take with the 7.62 and very few hogs require a follow-up shot.
I’ve also used 44Mag in a Henry lever action and it worked well.
I believe that Robb Jensen has had some luck with pigs/300 BLK. If it were me, I would go with the 300 as well. Parts commonality is over 90%, ammo isn’t ridiculously priced and multiple vendors/ options available.
I may even put together a 300BLK SBR upper soon myself.
Best advice I’ve gotten & given: Know where the heart & lung is on a hog, it is much further forward & lower than you might guess. Look on a diagram on the internet, it will help make more certain kills.
Any more I go for brain shots with subsonics and stalk at night on foot using thermal & night vision, it is a rush. Heart/lung shots with subsonic are too uncertain. Brain shots with subsonics have been 100% kills.
Recently my favorite hog hunting guns for shooting hogs in my pastures at night are
–.308 integrally suppressed bolt gun & subsonics. 180grn Round nose handloads with 15.5 grains Trailboss. FN Patrol bolt .308 integrally suppressed from John’s guns. Heavy but accurate. Barrel twist is too slow to stabilize any thing bigger than 180 grain.
–.300 Black suppressed subsonic. 762SDN6 suppressor, AR15 lower, .300 blackout 12.5" upper. 220 grain SMK stabilizes nicely.
Many were also killed over the years with 30-30, 30-06, .243, 12 gauge buckshot, and .223. Also my Ford F150 took out a big one about 200# at 0515. Looked like a hippopatumus crossing the highway. Three hogs and 2 deer were hit in the same spot in one month. Game trail next to a creek.
Small hogs under 150# are no problem with 5.56, killed many with an AR15. Shot 3 in my yard couple of years ago (three different times) with a 30-30 and flashlight. Bastards tore up the garden and flower beds, ate the soaker hoses in my corn patch after they tore the garden down. Now the yard fence has an electric wire 12" off the ground, it does piss the dogs off.
Like the other poster, we used to butcher hogs and killed them with a .22 rimfire up close. Make an “X” between the eyes & ears and shoot in the center of the X.
If you can hit them in the head, suppressed is no problem. For Big hogs aiming for heart-lung shots go with a .30 caliber full power like .308, 30-06, or the Socom you mentioned (not subsonic).
Personally, the 458 SOCOM is a great pig round for sure and has plenty of supporters with photos to prove it. I would also say the 6.8 and 300 BLK are suitable. There is nothing like a 300-600 grain projo hitting a pig to put a smile on your face.
