Please recommend a handgun bullet for wild boar

[85grBT@3500fps]

Hey Everyone,

I will be going on a wild boar hunt in South Carolina this October and I will be bring 2 handguns. One is my Ruger Super Redhawk with a 91/2in barrel chambered for 44 mag and the other is my S&W 586 w/ a 4 inch barrel in 357 Mag. I would like any opinions on what you all think would be the best hunting bullet for these 2 handguns. The boars weigh between 150 and 350 pounds.

Andrew Parshall

 

[JD338]

I have taken a couple of hogs with my S&W 629 Classic 44 Mag.
My load consist of the Nosler 250 gr PT, 21.0 grs H110, W-W case, CCI mag primer. Very effective on both hogs and Wt Deer.
For the 357 Mag, I would go with the 180 gr PT.

JD338

 

[Desert Fox]

Use 300 grain Hornady XTP

 

[FOTIS]

Use 300 grain Hornady XTP

or a 250 PT :wink:

 

[Guy Miner]

Just make sure the .44 is stuffed with something that will absolutely penetrate!

On my first hog hunt, over 20 years ago, my buddy used his Super Blackhawk .44 mag, with the loooong barrel too. He was a pretty good shot, a fine hunter and we were just starting to mess with handgun hunting. He loaded up the same thing he used for whitetail, a 210 grain jacketed hollowpoint - driving them fast.

First shot was from about 20 - 25 yards as I recall. Nearly broadside boar. Good sized rascal, 200 or so. Saw the caked mud fly from the pig's shoulder at the shot. Big hog turned and beat the snot out of a smaller one nearby, then resumed rooting. :shock: My buddy turned to me and I offered really intelligent wisdom - "Better shoot him again" I whispered.

My bud blasted that hog again and it took off running. We chased for about a half mile through all sorts of tangled stuff. Ended up in a clearing where the boar decided to fight. My bud shot him three more times with those 210's before dropping him. All but one were well placed shots - but only one made it through the mud, hide, gristle and muscle and into the boiler room.

After taking care of his hog, we went out looking for mine. I had been carrying a mighty .357 mag with 158 grain soft points. I went back to the truck, got a .300 Win mag loaded with 180 Nosler Partitions and made short work of the next hog we came across.

Moral of the story - use enough bullet.

Regards, Guy

 

[FOTIS]

tHEY CAN BE TOUGH AS NAILS!

 

[Charlie-NY]

Federal makes ammo for both cartridges with a Castcore hard cast bullet. Big pigs don't like this ammo - you will.

For handloads I would recommend either the Nosler Partition or Swift A-Frame bullet in the 44mag. They will penetrate the biggest boars and provide some expansion along the way. I'd save the 357 for little piggys.

 

[85grBT@3500fps]

Hey Charlie-NY,

I was thinking of a a few different bullets. for the 44magnum 300gr XTP 270gr. GDSP or a 300 or320gr. LBT bullet. and for the 357 180gr.XTP, 180 handgun Partition 180 LBT bullet. Any further opinions would be appreciated

A.Parshall

 

[FOTIS]

For the 300 xtp 20 gr of H110.

 

[Charlie-NY]

I was thinking of a a few different bullets. for the 44magnum 300gr XTP 270gr. GDSP or a 300 or320gr. LBT bullet. and for the 357 180gr.XTP, 180 handgun Partition 180 LBT bullet. Any further opinions would be appreciated

I woud be confident with any of the bullets that you mentioned. However, I always use a bullet that is up to doing the job on the BIGGEST animal that you may encounter and at the worst angle. For the really big pigs you have to penetrate some tough grizzle plates that can be resistant to lesser bullets.

Partitions, hard cast bullets and Barnes X pistol bullets will all provide adequate penetration when the target is huge & tough or the shot presentation is marginal. On small to medium pigs with broadside shots almost any heavy for caliber bullet will do fine.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Absolutely right! I've killed several big hoggs with 30-30 and various bthp bullets mushroomed in the armor. I'd suggest not using the .357 unless you want to shoot a pig under about 90 lbs.

 

[rick smith]

Having hunted them for years and probably killed well over 100 hogs I can tell you they are not bullet proof. Any hard cast flat nose bullet will penetrate better than most hollow points. Largest hog for me was a 450lb sow, took four of us to get it in a pick-up. If possible stay with head shots. I shot five last year with my 30/06 while deer hunting and all were head shots. Getting too old to track them through the swamp.Rick.

 

[YoteSmoker]

I loaded 100 265 hornady soft point interlocks for my 44 a couple years ago only to find out they were meant for velocities of a 444 rifle. Do you think this would be good hog poision or should I shoot them up and load a different bullet? P.S. I have since loaded a bunch of 240 xtps for deer-elk.

 

[rick smith]

I would use the either. Good shot placement will put them on the ground. Old farmer friend of mine uses a 22LR to kill his pigs, shoots them in the temple area. Hogs can be dangerous so use common sense when hunting them. On walking hunts in the swamps, I use a Ruger 44Mag carbine with 240gr flat nose lead bullets. Most shots are close in so head shots are easy. Head, neck, heart lung don't be shooting up the eating parts.Rick.

 

[Bob Malone]

I know of several guys that like the 265 Hornady Interlock in the 44 magnum for use on bear.