# AR-15 and hogs



## guntrader33 (Dec 14, 2011)

does anyone hunt hogs with their AR-15 and if so what round do you use for hogs in the AR-15 if it is a hand load what is your load data if you don't mind telling


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## cr4zygui (Dec 14, 2011)

Well are you using the .223/5.56 caliber?  I have a 6.8spc and uses the ssa 85gr Barnes tsx factory loads.  Works great on deer and hog


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## reel2rifle (Dec 15, 2011)

5 pigs with 6.8 mm with 29 grains of H322 behind 110 gr Prohunter.  I taken a deer and yote recently with 29.5 grains of 10x behind Barnes TSX 95gr.  This bullet was developed for the 6.8 mm.  These loads work for my gun (1:11 barrel)but start 1.5 grains below and work up. These loads are max loads in my gun and might be over on yours.   SSA brass, OAL is 2.28" and Wolf SR primer.  Good luck...


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## copperheadmike (Dec 15, 2011)

I have now shot 4 hogs with my 5.56 and have been pretty disappointed. I have yet to drop one and only hunt at night which makes tracking difficult. The 5.56 just does not leave much of a blood trail. Also, the flash and smoke makes a follow up difficult if they arent right there with you. I have used 55g and 64g loads with the same results. In the daytime, I bet they would be great for head shots and feel confident in my placement for such shots at 200+ but at night it just wasnt working. 

So... Cabelas put the .450 Bushmaster uppers on sale a couple of months ago... Couldn't help it, it was cheaper than the 6.8s that I had seen and I had a whole pile of gift cards that I had been hoarding. Put it on, zeroed it in, and haven't seen a single hog since. Did put a nasty hole in a yote that made a really bad move one night. Can't wait for deer season to end and they start moving back into my spot again!


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## synack (Dec 15, 2011)

I don't know whether it's bad form to post about another forum, but there's a thread, with lots of pics (on another forum), from a guy that has killed something like 40 hogs with his AR (5.56). They were all one shot, one kill. YMMV


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## treeman101 (Dec 15, 2011)

We kill a couple of hundred every year with 75gr JHP loaded by Steve Bowen in  Americus and they work great.  A high shoulder shot or a head shot leave them laying in their tracks.  If you dont think it can be done I will gladly demonstrate for the non believers.  6.8 is great but 5.56 is alot more economical when clients shoot 4 to 5 thousand rounds per year.


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## uncleless (Dec 15, 2011)

the round i like most is the Hornady 75gr BTHP. works great on hogs. shoot them in the neck, or right in the sholder takes out the heart and lungs everytime.


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## Jester896 (Dec 16, 2011)

treeman101 said:


> We kill a couple of hundred every year with 75gr JHP loaded by Steve Bowen in  Americus and they work great.  A high shoulder shot or a head shot leave them laying in their tracks.  If you dont think it can be done I will gladly demonstrate for the non believers.  6.8 is great but 5.56 is alot more economical when clients shoot 4 to 5 thousand rounds per year.



that is some good stuff right there..I keep 500 or so laying around myself...they will turn a yote inside out too.


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## markland (Dec 16, 2011)

My buddies doing hog control hunts on several farms down in S GA have all started using the 75gr load and said it is working just about as good as the 308 and 6.8 rounds they use to use and whole lot quiter and easier to get follow up shots on as well.  DRT


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## bigreddwon (Dec 16, 2011)

We used to use 308's and had just  as many shot within 10-40 yards from the woods, make it far enough _into_ the woods for us not to bother looking. We had plenty shot really well, no heart left and ran upwards of 100 yards like a stallion out in open fields. No 'blood trail' either. Same with the 223's. We see them go down in their tracks when hit in the head/neck/spine. Some shot thru the heart or lungs drop on the spot, some run like wind and die 50 yards in the woods if your close enough to the edge of the field. 425lbs on a scale is the largest to date we have killed with a 223.

We worked a 223 into the line up last year and with Steve's 75's it quickly became our favorite. On night's when we didn't have customers but still had farms to work, the guys would grab the 223 first. Then we phased out the 308's totally and have no regrets. 

Talking with Steve now about trying 45-62g GMX's in 223. I can't wait. Not that the 75's aren't awesome, I just want to see what kind of difference there is with the copper stuff, if any. Were gonna push them to max velocity's (3200-3500+fps) and see if we cant shave off some of the running leads required. That would be about 600fps quicker than the 75's. I love the 'experimenting' aspect of this occupation.


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## copperheadmike (Dec 16, 2011)

Sounds like the 75g are the way to go! Wonder how many of those I could have bought with the money I spent on the .450? As much fun as it is to shoot, I do see dollar signs flyin down range every time I pull the trigger. On the other hand, with a stack of those 250g monsters in the mag, I do feel pretty confident sneaking through the underbrush after dark. Be it hog, bear, or wooly mammoth, if it rushes me it is going to get hurt!


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## RamblinWreck (Dec 16, 2011)

I have a couple thousand Sierra 77 GN BTHP Match Kings; I use them for Highpower comp in my match AR. I bet they would work on hogs as well as the Hornady 75.


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## guntrader33 (Dec 17, 2011)

the 75s what twist barrel would you need for them to do right


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## kemster99 (Dec 17, 2011)

i personally have shot right around 60 hogs off one property using my daytime AR and a NV equipted AR.  My ARs love the 62 grn Federal Fusion.  They group them well and if i do my part placing the shot,  they are DRT.


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## bigreddwon (Dec 17, 2011)

copperheadmike said:


> Sounds like the 75g are the way to go! Wonder how many of those I could have bought with the money I spent on the .450? As much fun as it is to shoot, I do see dollar signs flyin down range every time I pull the trigger. On the other hand, with a stack of those 250g monsters in the mag, I do feel pretty confident sneaking through the underbrush after dark. Be it hog, bear, or wooly mammoth, if it rushes me it is going to get hurt!



We get them for $450.00 per thousand.


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## bigreddwon (Dec 17, 2011)

RamblinWreck said:


> I have a couple thousand Sierra 77 GN BTHP Match Kings; I use them for Highpower comp in my match AR. I bet they would work on hogs as well as the Hornady 75.




 Just take pictures!!


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## guntrader33 (Dec 18, 2011)

what twist barrel do i need for the heavy bullets


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## molly (Dec 18, 2011)

*Fioochi 223 40 gr.*

I shoot a 1 in 10 twist Double Star custom....I`m killing hogs with a 40gr V-Max....Fioochi uses the Hornady V-Max bullet (lead part).....they work really well for me especially $25.00 for a box of 50 and they shoot as good as Hornady 55 gr. V-Max.  I get em at Barrow`s in Butler Ga.  If I want a hog to hit the ground I shoot em in the head....after they star running I`m shooting hogs....anywhere I can hit .....believe me alot don`t make it out of the field and the ones the do will die in the woods.


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## treeman101 (Dec 18, 2011)

We use 1 in 9 twist


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## markland (Dec 19, 2011)

1-7 or 1-8 would be best for those longer length bullets, my 1-10 Rem 700 will not stabilize anything over 62 very well, 70gr. bullets will keyhole the target.
I am building mine with a 1-8 twist and should handle anything from 62-80grs. fairly well.


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## RamblinWreck (Dec 19, 2011)

Hornady 75s will probably work in 1-9, 77s may or may not. I always use 1-8 or 1-7 barrels.

I do have a couple Pac-Nor 1-6.5" twist 3-groove stainless AR barrels that hammer with just about anything from 52 to 90 Grains (Sierra 90 GN HPBT Match King). I never could get a better score with the 90s at 600 yards (a friend does well with them in the same barrel). I am sticking with my usual, the 82 GN Berger HPBT or Sierra 80 GN Match King, for 600 yard comp.


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## bigreddwon (Dec 19, 2011)

We haven't had any problems with 1-9 with the 75's.


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## Tank1202 (Dec 21, 2011)

Have any of you guys that guide, seen or used the Winchester Razorback XT. It is made for 308 and 223. The web site says early 2012. It sounds like a real good round. Just was wondering if they might have gave some out to Hog Swat or Jager Pro.


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## bigreddwon (Dec 22, 2011)

Tank1202 said:


> Have any of you guys that guide, seen or used the Winchester Razorback XT. It is made for 308 and 223. The web site says early 2012. It sounds like a real good round. Just was wondering if they might have gave some out to Hog Swat or Jager Pro.





> The Razor Back is the first round completely designed with the hog hunter in mind. The bullet is lead-free, so that it can be used in every state (CA DFG certification is in the works). The initial release will be in 150 gr .308 and 64 gr .223, and is intended to make the round available for the growing AR market, as well as traditional rifles in these calibers. More calibers will be added to the line after it is rolled out.
> 
> The design of the bullet provides a deep, hollow point in a beveled profile to control the expansion. Full expansion is intended to occur shortly after impact, so that the bullet can penetrate the thick hide, big bones, and cartilage shields that hogs are known for. On this hunt, I didn’t see any pass-through body shots, but it was apparent that the bullets were hitting hard and delivering plenty of energy.
> 
> For the depredation hunter shooting at night, and for the sport hunter who may shoot at first or last light, Winchester has developed a powder that delivers a reduced flash. This allows the shooter to stay on target and not experience the night blindness that sometimes comes with a bright muzzle flash.



I like the 'sound' of it. A 64g is going to work well in any 1-9 twist as well. I'll check these out and get back with some info.


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