# Hog Caliber



## TAS (Apr 3, 2019)

In an AR platform do you prefer .223 or .308 for hogs?  Thanks.


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## sghoghunter (Apr 3, 2019)

I have a 300 blackout pistol with 10.5 in barrel and it works good for what I'm using it for


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## NCHillbilly (Apr 3, 2019)

7.62x39 is another really good choice in an AR if you're not shooting long range. That .308 is heavy.


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## bfriendly (Apr 3, 2019)

.308 is more popular with the night vision hunters but I have a 223 that I hope to kill them with. Whatever YOU like is best IMHO?


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## 175FO (Apr 4, 2019)

I use .223 most of the time I am hunting hogs.  I do mostly try for head/neck shots, I have yet to lose a pig that I've shot with .223.


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## Gator89 (Apr 4, 2019)

Use your deer rifle to get more trigger time with it.  

If you don't deer hunt and just want a pig buster, 223 is plenty of gun for feral piggies.

Back in the 70's & 80's my brothers and I did not know a 22 magnum was not big enough for pigs.  Nobody told the pigs either, so they died when shot.


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## RootConservative (Apr 4, 2019)

Shot plenty with 22 mag aim for the ear.  Now use mostly 223 with 16" barrel.  I still aim for the ear and its lights out.


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## transfixer (Apr 4, 2019)

Like anything else,,  I would think its about shot placement,,  those guys out in texas who do the helicopter hunting want .308's or something similar because it hard to get a perfect shot from a chopper on a moving hog,   but under normal conditions 5.56 would be fine,  as long as you're using good ammo and not fmj,,    one of our prior hunt club members felt the need to hunt deer with a .300 win mag,    he shot a hog twice,,  once in the gut,, and once in the hind end,   and it still ran aways.


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## sleepr71 (Apr 4, 2019)

.223 or 7.62x 39 is plenty, in my experience. 308 is AR10 platform & HEAVY..especially if you add a Thermal/NV optic!! Like 15 lbs iirc. I’ve shot hogs as far away as 250-300 yds with a 5.56 AR...and they went down quickly! Good bullet & shot placement ...


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## bany (Apr 5, 2019)

If that’s all you’re gonna use the gun for the .223 is perfect. Like any game shot placement is key. The bullet choice is also important. I prefer the 22 mag unless safari style hunting, then a bigger caliber as lots of shots are out a distance. If you have other uses for the ar then a 308 may be the way to go.


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## sghoghunter (Apr 6, 2019)

It all comes down to how your planning on using it. You plan on stand hunting where perfect shots can be made you can do it with a 22. Mostly comes down to personal preference


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## glynr329 (Apr 6, 2019)

What is the best 223 or 5.56 bullet is best?


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## bany (Apr 7, 2019)

Core-lokt is hard to beat and the price is about as low as they get.


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## RootConservative (Apr 8, 2019)

One shot and done with Remington Hog Hammer Ammunition 223 Remington 62 Grain Barnes.  However, like everyone has agreed shot placement is critical.  You can kill them with a 22 with right shot placement.


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## SavannahDawg (Apr 8, 2019)

5.56, but I wouldn’t reach out farther than 100 yards with it. If you’re a good down-range shot, use your discretion with max range.


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## kmckinnie (Apr 8, 2019)

I’m a 308 AR10 for my pigs.


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## king killer delete (Apr 8, 2019)

308 or 30 06


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## Mauser (Apr 8, 2019)

I really like the 6.8 it's a good balance. The 223 or 5.56,sure it will kill hogs. But need good shot placement. I farm and we don't care about the perfect shot. We want dead hogs to protect our crops. The 308 gets heavy if you plan to hunt and walk across fields at night by the time you put night vision or thermal and add a can to it its flat out heavy. If I wasn't walking across a 300 acre field several times a night I would stick to the 308.


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## NCHillbilly (Apr 9, 2019)

glynr329 said:


> What is the best 223 or 5.56 bullet is best?


For the money, I like the Georgia Arms softpoints.


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## Ihunt (Apr 9, 2019)

I kill hundreds of hogs a year with a .223. There are some shots where I wish I had a .308 but as mentioned it’s heavy and we walk a lot. Put it where’s it’s supposed to go and the .223 is plenty. I use 75 grain BTHP.


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## piedmont1971 (Apr 13, 2019)

300wsm 180gr Winchester power point. I don't like to track or drag through the Lamar Co. briar thickets. Shoot'm, back the truck up and load.


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## cupp260 (Apr 13, 2019)

TAS said:


> In an AR platform do you prefer .223 or .308 for hogs?  Thanks.



I love my 6.5 Grendel hog rifle. Doubles the power of your ar15.  I wrote about the build and a couple of hunts at https://theolddeerhunters.com/65-grendel-rifle/


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## chrislibby88 (Apr 15, 2019)

I have killed a bunch with .22mag and .223. Go with the heaviest bullet your barrel will stabilize. I shot 62 gr Federal Fusions with good results, but have been out with guys that shot 70+ grains and those things knocked holes in pigs. I believe Hornady makes a 77gr GMX solid projectile that is supposed to work VERY well. You need a 1:7 twist barrel to stabilize it though. 

I’ve got a 6.8 SPC upper that I’m gonna start using after turkey season. I have no doubt that it’s gonna work.


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## Geno67 (May 13, 2019)

I've used 5.56, 7.62x39, 6.5 grendel and .50 beowulf. The 5.56 is difficult to do without perfect shot placement. One in the ear hole is drt every time but they may soak up 4 or 5 body hits and still run a long ways. The rest work most of the time. The russian .30 caliber is a bit of an oddball in that I have never had a pass through on a body shot. I've also never lost one. They don't go far but if you did have one go far with no exit, tracking might be difficult if not impossible depending on the terrain. Shots between 50 and 100 yards with the .50 blows a big hole in both sides and knocks the snot right out of them. No range on it though - max is around 200 yards.


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## Wayne D Davis (May 17, 2019)

I use 30.06 when I plan on sitting a long hunt. I like stalking with my 30.30 lever action.... run core-lokt with both


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## chrislibby88 (May 29, 2019)

glynr329 said:


> What is the best 223 or 5.56 bullet is best?


All your hunting bullets are going to .223.  5.56 is mostly military rounds like fin, ball, and steel core.


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