What rifle for nighttime hogs

[GrantB]

Ok here’s the question. What rifle would you use to hunt hogs at night?

I hunt in open fields where you could shoot at hogs at almost any range but I have never shot any over 200 yards. My gear is a helmet mounted pvs 14 and a rifle mounted pvs 27 and I have an ir laser mounted on a 300bo. Years ago I used the 300bo with subs the laser and the pvs 14. I would get well under 100 yards before engaging but I wasn’t happy with the stopping power of the subs. Then I started using the mk12 style rifle with the pvs 27 and 77g smk. Accuracy was good and shooting from a tripod made engaging multiple moving targets easier but the downside is it’s heavy, large, cumbersome and not easily adaptable to changing situations. I also have a light weight Mk 18 style rifle and a 1-6.5 power scope and another rifle with a 14.5” barrel. I was thinking of putting The 27 on the Mk 18 or on the 300 and run supers. The 77grains have really good stopping power out of the Mk 12, not sure if they will out of the Mk 18, the 300 with supers may be better. Was also thinking about getting a set of fast deployment sticks to use for support on longer shots like they do in Africa and ditch the tripod, although the tripod is nice for holding the rifle while I’m waiting and scanning. What are your thoughts?

 

[Bazooka]

Put your Mk12 on a diet and have it all?

 

[atepointer]

Grant you have a rich target area in LA def pig city. When I was on a hunting lease here in FL(5k acre cattle ranch) my buddy and I ran the gambit with thermal. 223, 300, 308 and finally settled on the AK round. Same type of hunting open cattle pasture, but we didn't set up on tripods. Most of the time we'd see them 200-400-sometimes a mile away, drive up to maybe 300 and stalk in on foot. Always gotta be so sure with livestock especially when those calves drop. Part of the fun was always seeing how close we could get b/f they got wise then unloading on the sounder. In the end we both used PWS MK116 7.62x39 suppressed with Wolf 123g HP or 125SP.

So, while very similar to the 300BO personally I'd opt for the 123 supers in your list. The reality is on the first hog it doesn't matter if you are taking head/spine shots, but of course when the sounder breaks up that is when bedlam starts and accuracy goes down. I can't recall losing more than a couple of the sounder sprinters over the years once we switched to x39. Not saying we hit them all, but when hit we rarely lost one and we piled trailers deep. In those open cattle pastures they aren't too hard to find with thermal might go 50-100 at most and start doing the stanky leg.

Those are great eating size you have there can yank those hams, shoulders and straps quick for some eats! Enjoy looks like you have a nice setup there. This was the last pig I killed out there with thermal a lil cervical spine disconnect she gone....

 

[GrantB]

I thought about that but I use that gun a lot during the day for shooting at critters long range so I need the big scope and that’s adds weight and makes the pvs27 set way forward making it that much more awkward.

 

[GrantB]

When I first started hunting them I would try to get between them and the direction they came from if the wind was correct and sometimes I would get within 10-15 yards and start hammering. Shooting suppressed and subs they couldn’t tell where I was and would usually run right towards me. Had some petty close calls on some of the bigger boars, I’ve killed a few just feet from me. The other night there were 5 big sows and 20-30 little piglets about 15#, when I started shooting the sows went right and some of the piglets hit my tripod when they came by. I got 3 sows and 2 little ones

 

[Sogan]

Does your tripod head let you clamp the rifle in and throw the tripod with the gun over your shoulder, like my RRS anvil-30 does? I wouldn't ditch the tripod set up if I could prevent it. I added some padding to the top tripod legs and throwing it over my shoulder is super easy.

 

[GrantB]

Yes it does. I’ve carried it just about every way imaginable but in the end it’s just cumbersome. The last hunt I had hogs about 200 yards away and I wanted to get closer but I had to cross a barbed wire fence, by the time I got everything including myself either under over or through the fence the pigs had moved within about a hundred yards of me and I had to set up for a hasty dispatch of some bacon. I really should have just stayed where I was but no I had to rush things. I do like using the tripod though

 

[FN15]

Even though it is heavy, I would go with the 7.62/308. I really hate hogs. Hated them when we raised them, hate them when we hunt them, and hate them for being hogs.

Sorry. Are hogs a protected group?

 

[n2ishun]

Subsonic and suppressed.
Pick and choose....all night long.

 

[fanninland]

Some good pig killin’ there. I get trying to utilize what you’ve already got on hand (which btw is some really nice gear) but have you considered getting a thermal? Sounds like your type of hog hunting is similar to mine (spot-stalk within 100yd if possible, 90% within 200 yds with maybe the odd 250-300yd shot on that lone boar across a flooded field).

My setup: 12.5” suppressed 6.8/120gr SST’s/HaloLR atop a RRS 22i/Anvil30. For me it’s sorta a goldilocks setup - not too big/heavy, not too underpowered…just right. Not to be a caliber war starter either- 6.5G would do same-same. The HaloLR is a little overkill for my type hunting but got a deal I couldn’t pass up. One day hope to get a Nox35 to provide more FOV & shed some weight, and move the LR to my REPR.

I started with the Primos sticks, then got a Reaper grip w/aluminum tripod and finally opened the wallet (way open) for the RRS setup. Zero buyers remorse there - it’s so light in seconds I can clamp it to the arca rail on the sbr , balance on my shoulder the crook where the Anvil30 knuckle meets the rail and hike/stalk easily.

Anyways, just my .02 on a thermal. Given your current options I’m voting for your 14.5” with the 77’s, although I’ve had decent results from a 12.5” .223 and 62gr (or was it 64) gold dots. No time at all behind a 27 but damn it looks like a long range coyote killer sorta setup.

 

[TacticalPlinker]

I've used pinned 14.5's with 77 TMK and 90gr XM68GD. I prefer the juice behind the 6.8 but the 77 TMK 5.56 hit them hard inside of 100y. I've recently switched to all 6.8 and 308 (SR25) for hunting . Just in case shot placement was less than optimal.

One of my hog optics pkg:

 

[GrantB]

Thanks guys. It seems like the general consensus is something with enough power to take care of business. That’s the problem I had with shooting subs. A single hog was ok but when your putting a couple into a running pig and move to the next it’s not optimal, after the excitement is over I would have 2 maybe 3 dead and the rest gone and I know I hit more. I have been really happy with the 77’s in that regard. Yea I wish I had a thermal but I have what I have. Many years ago before pigs were a problem and the thermals were almost nonexistent I got the 27 for coyotes and critters at long range and it worked great for that. What do you think would have the most stopping power, a 77g from a 14” barrel or the 10.5” barrel on the 300 running supers. Last night I put the 27 on my 10.5” 556 in front of a 1-6.5 with a suppressor and it was a little heavy but being so compact it felt really good.

 

[fdkay]

I'd look to the blk.
I would probably load the 110 tac x or the new 110 hornady bullet.

 

[hlee]

I’ve begun to lust for a shorty 6.5 Grendel. There’s a thread about 12.5” Grendels that bubbled back up to the surface recently. Short barrel with a suppressor tucked under a 15” rail would be a pretty sweet pig gun.

 

[Coffee_and_Pipes]

Have you looked into 300 Ham’r, or are you wanting to stick with 5.56 or 300 BO?

There’s quite a bit of information on the cartridge over on Texas Hunting Forum, and Bill Wilson chimes in regularly.

I’ve been thinking about one of their pistols with an 11.3” barrel as a truck gun.

 

[diggler1833]

I'm not a huge fan of any of the option choices, but if I had to run one of them, I'd probably go 300BO and supers.

I've killed quite a few pigs with the .223/5.56, and with a decent bullet and shot placement that opening hog dies just as well as with a much more powerful cartridge...its on runners though where you see the performance fall off drastically.

The Grendel and 6.8 are the two most underrated cartridges for nighttime thermal eradication IMO. With a good bullet they kill very well compared to larger cartridges, but you can fit a lot of firepower in a small-frame AR and standard sized magazine. Plus the trajectory of those rounds are flat enough that you can be off of your range estimate by a bit and still make lethal hits.

 

[Crews]

You don’t have a bottleneck with rifles or calibers, but you do with optics.

Ditch the PVS-27 and get a weapon mounted thermal sight, if you can only have one expensive unit and killing animals is your first priority.

Or save your shekels and get a Hogster, they get the job done famously for a hair of $2k.

Look at all those guns and that PVS27, I know you are capable of un-assing the money. Hell I’d rather have two rifles and the optics I need vs 4 rifles and still not have the correct tool for the job.

 

[atepointer]

When I first started hunting them I would try to get between them and the direction they came from if the wind was correct and sometimes I would get within 10-15 yards and start hammering. Shooting suppressed and subs they couldn’t tell where I was and would usually run right towards me. Had some petty close calls on some of the bigger boars, I’ve killed a few just feet from me. The other night there were 5 big sows and 20-30 little piglets about 15#, when I started shooting the sows went right and some of the piglets hit my tripod when they came by. I got 3 sows and 2 little ones

Have you looked into an entry level thermal? If you have not considered here is how I approached it. I used the same x39 for day and night critter droppin. I had an old Nikon 3-9 on a Burris PEPR QD and my Pulsar thermal on their single lever QD. Both held zero great and I swapped several times a week. I used the thermal as a scanner obviously off the rifle and when it was time to move in for better ID I'd just carry my rifle in one hand and keep walking in with thermal. Depending on situation I'd mount the thermal at different ranges, but by 100 yards I had it back on the pic rail. When trying to see how close I could get to a single I'd just have their noggin centered up and the instant they gave me any feedback they were wise 'click pew'. Fun to close within 10 paces. Anyway just a thought. Once you figure out which rail slot you need it's easy in the dark. I'd use my left hand to find the most forward section of the pic rail, knew I had one open slot to leave for mounting and click.....from viewing to shooting ready was maybe 4 seconds? Good luck, have fun and update I always remember my thermal days with great smiles.

 

[fanninland]

@8pointer regarding finding the right rail slot in the dark, I did same until recently putting these cut-to-fit Ergo rail covers on top rail of receiver, works great for me

ERGO 18-SLOT LOW-PRO LADDER RAIL COVER® – 3 PACK - ERGO Grips

ERGO LowPro Ladder Rail Covers protect unmounted rail areas on your Picatinny rail from damage and shields the operator from sharp rail edges.

www.ergogrips.net

 

[TheHebrewHammer]

Be a man, get an SR-25, a Hensoldt scope, and a UTC Xii thermal clip on.

 

[atepointer]

@8pointer regarding finding the right rail slot in the dark, I did same until recently putting these cut-to-fit Ergo rail covers on top rail of receiver, works great for me

ERGO 18-SLOT LOW-PRO LADDER RAIL COVER® – 3 PACK - ERGO Grips

ERGO LowPro Ladder Rail Covers protect unmounted rail areas on your Picatinny rail from damage and shields the operator from sharp rail edges.

www.ergogrips.net

Hey thanks man, but my midnight hunting days are long behind me. I like my sleep! I had a couple of years there I was walking around in sleep deprivation(smiling)from all the insanely fun hunts. Honestly my desire to even go sit in a tree is about a 2.2 on a 10 scale these days. Maybe if the perfect weather hit for a sunset hunt, nothing else I feel like doing.....that's about it. Thanks for the info though will forward to a buddy who I used to hunt with he may like that.

 

[RUTGERS95]

mk12 and have at it

 

[GrantB]

I think I’m going to try something. I’m waiting on a set of rings to come in that will allow my 1-6.5x scope to line up with the 27. My ir laser will fit under the day scope and the 27 has a LaRou QD mount so it comes off easy. I just don’t know if I want to use the Mk 18 or the 300 black. So in theory I can engage out to a couple hundred yards and if I get close enough I slip the 27 off and hit the laser for some real close fun. I mounted everything on my 300 and one big problem it solves is my forward hand can support the rifle and I can adjust the intensity and focus with my thumb, something I couldn’t do when it was mounted in front of the long nightforce scope without it being on a tripod. It all looks good on paper, I guess we’ll see.

 

[shlouf]

Anything with the clip on is going to be heavy. Might as well go all out. MK12 and 77s for the win!

 

[Sogan]

@8pointer regarding finding the right rail slot in the dark, I did same until recently putting these cut-to-fit Ergo rail covers on top rail of receiver, works great for me

ERGO 18-SLOT LOW-PRO LADDER RAIL COVER® – 3 PACK - ERGO Grips

ERGO LowPro Ladder Rail Covers protect unmounted rail areas on your Picatinny rail from damage and shields the operator from sharp rail edges.

www.ergogrips.net

Just use a paint pen and mark the mount and upper so the lines match up when you are re-installing. Only reason for covers that you can feel would be if you are using your scope as a spotter with a QD mount and have to mount it before shooting?

 

[LRRPF52]

Step up to a larger caliber in the AR-15 platform, keep the tripod.

Check out this guy’s channel. He uploads hog-killing’ videos almost every other day, sometimes every day.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Step up to a larger caliber in the AR-15 platform, keep the tripod.

Check out this guy’s channel. He uploads hog-killing’ videos almost every other day, sometimes every day.

I will definitely be watching this guy. Nice job and nice shooting!

 

[smcfarland]

I’d go 14.5 all day. Keep the tripod (really like the RRS leveling head on mine). Try the Barnes 70gr instead of the 77 smk, has worked very well for me the past two years.

 

[Chasingpro]

I’m all for hunting hogs. I have seen so many run off with .223/5.56. I personally subscribe to the idea of shot placement, at night specifically though shot placement isn’t always the best. I would opt for your .300 blackout for that reason. Not to mention, hogs are pretty tough. I’ve blown out their hearts with a .308 and still had to track them more than 100 yards.