# 5.56 or .223 Ammo For Hogs



## 27metalman (Jan 21, 2021)

Just curios as to what people are shooting.  This is not something I'm passionate about, but I'm looking for what is best for hogs.  I know for deer hunting you're supposed to use an expanding bullet, but since hogs are invasive, I'm thinking maybe one of those green tip bullets might do as well.  They supposedly penetrate well and then "tumble"... I'm not for sure.  I've got a Palmetto that I've had for 3-4 years now and have not fired a round thru it, but it's being worked on now by my gunsmith and I'm getting ready to shoot a hog or two and put it in service.  I'm thinking whatever I go with, the 62 grain bullet seems to be the best all around??? Any pointers would be appreciated.


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## Jester896 (Jan 21, 2021)

I use 75gr hollow points


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## frankwright (Jan 21, 2021)

I have never shot one with a FMJ so I don't know how it would do. Probably kill it with a head shot!
I have killed them with a 55gr HP but mostly I handload 62 gr Barnes TSX for all my hunting.
I have never shot one that wasn't head or neck and they go down like a hammer hit them. Mat squeal and dance but don't go anywhere!


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## 27metalman (Jan 21, 2021)

I think the twist on my gun doesn't tolerate the 75 gr so good...? I'm still reading on this kind of stuff.  I'm not an AR guy, I don't go to the range, and I deer hunt with a .308 so this is all still new to me.  So it sounds like a hollow point should be a non issue with a clean kill.


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## Jester896 (Jan 21, 2021)

a 75gr should work in any twist rate...they sure work will in my 1:9 NATO

have you actually tried them in your gun?


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## tcward (Jan 21, 2021)

62 grain Gold Dot is hog medicine! 1 in 8 twist


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## bfriendly (Jan 21, 2021)

Mine is a 1:7 and it does not like the 55s(spins too fast)...gotta shoot 69s and up. Wish I had known beforehand


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## bfriendly (Jan 21, 2021)

I would shoot expanding bullet unless I was knocking them down in the trap and putting them right between their eyes


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## bfriendly (Jan 21, 2021)

By the way Jester knows what he’s talking about


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## chrislibby88 (Jan 21, 2021)

62 grain Federal Fusions work great for pigs. Don’t shoot the green tips, save them for the zombies. I wouldn’t count on the green tips tumbling either. You’re  gonna wind up not getting good blood trails and your gonna lose a lot of pigs that go off and die 400 yards away.


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## kmckinnie (Jan 21, 2021)

I use 75 grain hollow points. One shot that’s all.


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## sleepr71 (Jan 21, 2021)

Either way...223 is marginal on a hog> 150lbs. Keep it to Neck/Head shots & shoot them with whatever is cheapest..?


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## NCHillbilly (Jan 21, 2021)

Never shot but a couple with a .223. 55 gr Ga Arms softpoints. They died.


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## Jester896 (Jan 21, 2021)

I always heard hogs were bulletproof ... confirmed now


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## Para Bellum (Jan 21, 2021)

Green tips are for piercing armor.  I wouldn’t recommend for hunting personally.  What’s the ratio on your barrel?   1:7 typically stabilizes 62 gr. better while 1:10 barrels like the 55s.  Either way, use a soft point, hollow point or a frangible round.  And kill as many as you can. Please.


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## Para Bellum (Jan 21, 2021)

Aim for the earhole.


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## KS Bow Hunter (Jan 21, 2021)

62 gr. Fort Scott Munitions TUI (Tumble Upon Impact) is a great round.  Only down side is blood trails, but the last 2 deer we shot with that round went 25-30 yards and folded up.  They don't leave big entrance and exit wounds, but they are devastating on the organs.  And basically match grade.

If not that, I'd use 77 gr. SMK hollow points which are also basically match grade (the ones I have).

Both do fine in a 1:7 barrel for me.


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## kmckinnie (Jan 21, 2021)

I shot several over 200 pads behind the shoulder. They piled up quick. they didn’t get the memo about being bullet proof.


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## kmckinnie (Jan 21, 2021)

kmckinnie said:


> I shot several over 200 pads behind the shoulder. They piled up quick. they didn’t get the memo about being bullet proof.


At over 100 yds too.


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## 27metalman (Jan 21, 2021)

My gun should be about ready.  I can't remember the rate of twist.  I do want to shoot the heaviest, readily available bullet that I can find.  I'm pretty certain it's a 1:7 or 1:8.  The 62gr is what I see the most in JHP or SP.  I see the HP is available as well... just never been a fan of the HP or ballistic tip while deer hunting with only one exception - Federal Match King -- Used to be $45 a box, but boy did it perform.  Found out my .308 likes the Federal (blue box) Trophy exactly the same at about $20 a box.  Back to the 5.56 ---- I'll have to look at the 62gr vs the 75gr when I get the gun back.  Glad to hear the HP perform well though.


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## bfriendly (Jan 22, 2021)

27metalman said:


> My gun should be about ready.  I can't remember the rate of twist.  I do want to shoot the heaviest, readily available bullet that I can find.  I'm pretty certain it's a 1:7 or 1:8.  The 62gr is what I see the most in JHP or SP.  I see the HP is available as well... just never been a fan of the HP or ballistic tip while deer hunting with only one exception - Federal Match King -- Used to be $45 a box, but boy did it perform.  Found out my .308 likes the Federal (blue box) Trophy exactly the same at about $20 a box.  Back to the 5.56 ---- I'll have to look at the 62gr vs the 75gr when I get the gun back.  Glad to hear the HP perform well though.


Look on your barrel and the twist rate is probably stamped somewhere


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## 27metalman (Jan 22, 2021)

I remember seeing the stamp on the barrel... just can't remember what it reads.  I should be getting gun back any day now.


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## eavega (Jan 27, 2021)

The hogs may not be bulletproof, but in case you've never seen it, here is the shield on a 180 Lb boar I shot this weekend.  For reference my finger is 2 inches to the middle knuckle, so that's about as thick as it got.  Traditional boiler room shot may or may not get it done on these beasts using a 55 gr bullet.


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## TAS (Jan 27, 2021)

I bought some called Hog Hammer...never shot a hog.  May just be a name but I thought they sounded cool


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## lampern (Jan 27, 2021)

55 grain military fmj bullets will fragment inside the body.

They will kill a hog.

They are designed to fragment and kill.


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## hambone76 (Jan 27, 2021)

TAS said:


> I bought some called Hog Hammer...never shot a hog.  May just be a name but I thought they sounded cool


I’ve shot quite a few pigs and deer with that ammo in 300 Blackout and it puts them down with one shot. The name is just clever marketing, but they live up to the hype. 
For .223 on pigs I’d go with a Barnes TSX bullet or something that’s bonded.


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## Okie Hog (Jan 29, 2021)

Killed a bunch of hogs using the military M193 55 grain ball ammo.  Most were shot with my CZ 527 rifle.   Almost all were shot at <100 yards.   The bullet penetrates about 6", yaws and fragments; tearing up the lungs and heart.

i'v also killed hogs with reloads using the 53 grain Barnes Triple shock bullet.   It also works very well.


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## Okie Hog (Jan 29, 2021)

Deleted-duplicate


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## Todd E (Jan 31, 2021)

I used the Winchester hog ammo in my .223. I think they were 62gr. Killed some drt. Lost more than I cared to. Especially on big boars. Ditched the .223 and went back to 308.


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## 27metalman (Feb 18, 2021)

Got my gun back... It's a 1:7.  So, it'll shoot the heavier bullets well from what I'm reading.  Those are harder to find and pricing is thru the roof on those things right now.  Getting a little better, but still - $1.40 and higher a round??? I see where you can get the FMJ 55gr for around $0.75 and sometimes a little cheaper, but still, ammo out of sight these days --- getting better though.


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## hambone76 (Feb 18, 2021)

eavega said:


> The hogs may not be bulletproof, but in case you've never seen it, here is the shield on a 180 Lb boar I shot this weekend.  For reference my finger is 2 inches to the middle knuckle, so that's about as thick as it got.  Traditional boiler room shot may or may not get it done on these beasts using a 55 gr bullet.View attachment 1062836


I’d agree with that. 
I was helping my buddy cape out a big boar (300#+)that he shot and we found a few of his .223 bullets that stopped between the shield and the chest cavity wall. They were soft-point projectiles. He switched to bonded projectiles after that.


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## b rad (Feb 19, 2021)

That's I show pigs with is FmJ target rounds ain't wasting more money shooting hogs


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