Looks like I`ll have an opportunity relatively soon to hunt hogs on a hunting club property that I just joined. The 110 .223 that I shoot does a good job of grouping the subject rounds ( 1" high at 100 yards ). I figured that I needed better penetration afforded by the copper rounds as opposed to more frangible bullets like a VMax. Thoughts? Experience?
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Barnes TSX, 55grain in .223 ( Factory Load ) for Hogs?
- Thread starter Turkeytider
- Start date
Haven't used the 55gr Barnes stuff on them, but I have used Barnes bullets in 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, and. 308.
Stick to CNS shots (mid neck or head would be best), and you shouldn't have a problem with the little bullet. Smaller pigs that are ~125 or less will probably die pretty quickly from a boiler room shot...but hogs have this wonderful ability to run further after a solid hit than other game animals before they die.
The .223/5.56 just doesn't have the ass behind it to be a completely effective cartridge on runners...but there are a lot of guys who kill the hell out of pigs with that cartridge by carefully placing that first shot.
I've killed a few that were well over 250 pounds with a 5.56...but I've also had two pissed boars come back at me too.
Stick to CNS shots (mid neck or head would be best), and you shouldn't have a problem with the little bullet. Smaller pigs that are ~125 or less will probably die pretty quickly from a boiler room shot...but hogs have this wonderful ability to run further after a solid hit than other game animals before they die.
The .223/5.56 just doesn't have the ass behind it to be a completely effective cartridge on runners...but there are a lot of guys who kill the hell out of pigs with that cartridge by carefully placing that first shot.
I've killed a few that were well over 250 pounds with a 5.56...but I've also had two pissed boars come back at me too.
I am in no way interested in causing any undue suffering. DRT strongly preferred and sought.
If placed well, the 55gr TSX does fine on hogs, inside 100 yards, or so. Much beyond that, it loses too much energy.
Don't overthink this. CNS shots (head and neck). If you can shoot accurately and keep the distance respectable...there will be no tracking needed.
The best way guys develop a sense of inadequacy in a cartridge/bullet for hogs is to take something they think will be devastating, and then shoot the pig in the wrong spot. I know, because I've done it too.
The best way guys develop a sense of inadequacy in a cartridge/bullet for hogs is to take something they think will be devastating, and then shoot the pig in the wrong spot. I know, because I've done it too.
Considering the area, I anticipate the vast majority of shots would be 125 yards and in. Will in all likelihood be set up around open areas ( food plot fields 0). Not sure if the club will be using bait stations for deer, if so, I`ll set up near them as well. Should be fairly short range shooting.
I use the 60 vmax out of a 17” Tikka. Head shoot them. Hell, I always aim for the noggin no matter what rifle I’m holding when a pig shows up.
I have had REALLY good results with the 64 grain Gold Dots on pigs but it gets expensive. It works a trick on deer too
^ This was a factory 64gr Gold Dot on a ~230lb (taped) boar at 60 yards. One of the few I've killed during daylight and he was just hanging out in one of my herds of cows.
Hit him quartering toward me mid neck. Bullet actually exited on the point of the opposite shoulder (>16"). He fell in place and kicked for 20 seconds they they usually do with a good CNS shot.
^ Caught a sounder of shoats (had killed all of the adults already) below the house one morning as I was enjoying breakfast. The pig on the right took a Texas heart shot that exited up by the neck. Same 64gr Gold Dot. It is also my go-to medicine for coyotes and large (60-100lb) feral dogs. I'll spare the feral dog photos, but we're talking Pyrenees crosses.
The 62gr Mk 318 Mod 0 has been pretty awesome on everything too. Have a bunch of kills with that bullet as well.
This is a link to one of the best articles on wild boar shot placement I’ve ever seen. I used it before my hog hunt in 2016. I shot three with a 6.5 CM with a Barnes 127 LRX. it worked great. The rancher highly discouraged using anything less than the 308 power wise as he wanted everything shot to be recovered. Two of them were shot behind the ear and they were DRT. The largest one was shot from the ground. He was running towards me and I shot him when he was 30’ away. He turned and ran 15’ to my left and I shot him through both front shoulders when he went by and he piled up a few yards later. They are tough animals. If you only care about eradication, shoot them where ever. If you care about recovery, behind the ear is the only reliable place to shoot them with a 223 as far as I’m concerned. Just my opinion based on experience.
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Thank you sir, and fully share a concern for the limitations of the .223 when it comes to hogs. To be honest, I wish I had a step or so up, but don`t. My only other rifle is a .17HMR ! I will in all likelihood limit my shots in both size and distance.
There are packs of them out here. I used to run them off, then they started chasing my deer. The final straw was last September when I caught five dogs entertaining themselves on one of my cows and newborn calves. It was one of those situations where I pulled up on my SxS just in time and reduced their numbers by three before they could all make it to the treeline.
They now get treated like coyotes. Many are Pyrenees crosses. I've yet to kill one less than about 60lbs. My neighbor had three come up on his porch a few months ago and one actually bristled up at him.
Sorry to hijack this thread for a moment.
Diggler doing gods work
If you eat hole or neck shoot the pigs a vmax will be fine. I’ve moved to a generic soft point for my 223 pig shooting but ballistic tips worked just as well as anything else in that chambering. Hit them poorly and no 223 bullet is gonna stop them.
If you eat hole or neck shoot the pigs a vmax will be fine. I’ve moved to a generic soft point for my 223 pig shooting but ballistic tips worked just as well as anything else in that chambering. Hit them poorly and no 223 bullet is gonna stop them.
My experience with Blackhills 62 Grain Barnes TSX: Precision - Excellent; Lethality-Poor.
Blackhills 77 Grain Sierra Tipped Match King: Precision - Excellent; Lethality - Excellent.
The trajectories of both rounds closely follow the trajectory of 62 Grain M855 out to 400 yards and provided excellent results with M-4 sighted with an Eotech EXPS 3-4. Accordingly, I have chosen the Blackhills 77 Grain TMK as my “Go To” Hog Pill for 5.56/.223. Your results may vary.
Blackhills 77 Grain Sierra Tipped Match King: Precision - Excellent; Lethality - Excellent.
The trajectories of both rounds closely follow the trajectory of 62 Grain M855 out to 400 yards and provided excellent results with M-4 sighted with an Eotech EXPS 3-4. Accordingly, I have chosen the Blackhills 77 Grain TMK as my “Go To” Hog Pill for 5.56/.223. Your results may vary.
Totally understand your need to take action. Having said that, we (humans) are to blame. Just as with feral cats, irresponsible pet ownership is ultimately to blame. We don`t deserve the love and affection that dogs in particular give us.
That`s interesting and surprising your results with the 62 grain TSX as far as lethality is concerned. My 110 .223 is 1:9 , so I wonder what the best factory load ( I don`t reload ) might be? I thought the copper loads would give best penetration.
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