# Body shots with .22 mag?



## CaptCatFish (Aug 7, 2009)

I read with great interest (twinged with envy and admiration) this month's complete GON article about Glen Soloman's success hunting hogs on WMAs in 2008.  Eight hogs in seven days ain't too shabby by anyone's standards.

However I was struck by his frequent decision to target the hog's body instead of the head when using his 22 mag.  Were it not for a little "Divine Intervention", good follow-up shooting and outstanding woodsmanship, he would have surely lost some of those he recovered (and in fact did wound at least one that was not recovered).

Never having hunted hogs with a 22 mag (nor having found myself particularly favored from above), I always thought head shots were the only ethical choice for the average guy in the woods using a 22 mag.  I just acquired a 22 mag and am looking forward to August 15.  So my question, fellow hog hunters, is what do you think about headshots vs body shots when using a 22 mag on a wild pig?



CaptCatFish


----------



## Gote Rider (Aug 7, 2009)

The 22mag will kill pigs all day long if your shots are in the heart or lung area. Head shots are the best if you can get that shot. If the pig has long thick hair you may not find much blood but if you keep looking you will find the pig. On a large boar hog its head shots only for me with a 22mag. Last week I took one of my friends with me for his first hog hunt. He shot a 195 lb. boar hog with his 3030 at 35yds in the front shoulder with a 150gr. bullet. The hog ran about 70 yds. When I cleaned it I found the bullet in the skin on the opposite side. That is why its head shots only for me with a 22mag on a large hog. They are Tough.


----------



## Apex Predator (Aug 7, 2009)

A .22 mag will bounce off a skull if not at nearly a right angle on impact.  I won't dispute Glen's success, but I would favor a head shot personally.


----------



## Davexx1 (Aug 7, 2009)

A head shot will drop them right there if you can hit the brain.  The brain is small though and is surrounded by heavy thick skull bone.  It is easy for a small caliber bullet to be deflected and miss the brain if the angle is not good.  If the shooter is off by an inch or two, he may hit the hog in the head, but not kill it.

Neck shots thru the spinal cord are good also, but the spinal cord is a small target.

The heart/lung area is a much bigger target and is much easier to see and hit.  A bullet thru both lungs or the heart will kill the animal quickly.  If only one lung is hit, the animal may survive quite a while and run a long ways.

The key to shooting deer, hogs, etc. is to be patient and wait for the perfect broadside shot.  That way you are likely to hit both lungs instead of one.

BTW, the heart on a hog is a little higher in the body and more covered by the shoulder than on a deer.  For that reason I shoot thru the back half of the shoulder, missing the heavy leg bones, on a broadside shot.

I shoot a 22 mag bolt action rifle (Mossberg 640-K) and shoot only Winchester Super-X full metal jacket ammo.  This bullet will penetrate thru the heavy shoulder shield of boar hogs, pass thru both lungs, and many times exit the far side if the shot is close.  They seldom run any further than 40-50 yards, usually less.

Good luck.

Dave


----------



## huntingonthefly (Aug 7, 2009)

A 22 MAG is a multi-task tool. Hogs first thing and then squirrels on the way out, making it a successful day regardless if u don't get on hogs. Best choice of a small game weapon for WMA hog hunting before and after deer season. Centerfire rifles are not legal during that time, thus not an option. On Special hog hunts they are- just got one at Chickasawhatchee with my 270 WSM. 22 mags are BAD. On very large boars I will take a quartering away shot- sometimes putting it on the last rib, but it will do the job broadside too. A well placed shot in the vitals and they will die. NO hollow points! Solid points only. Most people's negative opinions about 22 mags come from inadequacies of spending the time to track or grid off the area for their game. May be poor marksmanship or not realizing they are not shooting at a deer. I very rarely find any or much blood. You've got to think of it as a bowshot. Give 'em time. I've had more fall in their tracks and within sight than run out of sight though. You are not hunting plantation size Russsian boars here (WMA's), but piney wood rooters which average 60-150 lbs. for me. BUT, everyone has their opinion. It all boils down to this.....use what you are CONFIDENT with. Some fellers here do it with a couple of bamboo sticks, lol. AND they don't lose as much game as artillery-laden Commandos.


----------



## Eroc33 (Aug 7, 2009)

i killed a boar about 250lbs with a center body shot from a 22 mag remington balistic tip. it ran about 150 yards but we found it dead. it wasnt the ideal shot, but i had to make a quick shot so i aimed for the big part and hit dead center of the body


----------



## siberian1 (Aug 7, 2009)

The 22 mag will do the job, but Ill take my chances with my .50 inline.  I dont see any reason to shoot a pig with a rimfire when I can carry the Muzzleloader!!


----------



## bfriendly (Aug 7, 2009)

Man you got some great info(Cept the ML Part)!!  I LOVE MY .22 Mag and I dropped 2 little pigs about 60lbs each with it.  First one dropped in its tracks and the other one went about 15 yards, no further, DEAD with bloody bubbles blowing out the back of the shoulder.

Go to Hog Anatomy-101 and find the picture that shows WHERE to shoot a hog.


----------



## tompkinsgil (Aug 7, 2009)

i have shot many hogs with a 22 mag ,and laidem down for a dirt nap!!!


----------



## wildlifecory (Aug 7, 2009)

22 mag is the largest I have ever used for hogs.  killed hundreds with a 22lr and no telling how many domestic ones I killed with a North American Arms mini revolver in 22lr.

it doesn't matter how big the caliber, the simple fact in any hunting situation is shot placement is the key to quickly dispatching an animal


----------



## CaptCatFish (Aug 8, 2009)

*22 mag and body shots*

Thanks to everyone who responded (and anyone else who choses to weigh in on this).  This information about only using FMJ ammo as well as all the rest is very helpful and gives me renewed confidence in hunting with my new old 22 mag (Model 49 Ithaca saddlegun - manufactured in the late 60's).  

The info about how difficult a head shot can be is very very true.  I recently attempted two different head-on shots with a 22LR (CCI roundnose) at 30 yards.  I know the rifle was sighted in properly.  However my angle must have been wrong (or they were two very tough critters) because the hogs ran off as if nothing had happened but a bad headache. 

So I'll be studying the anatomy charts very carefully.......................................


----------



## bfriendly (Aug 8, 2009)

One thing I would definitely purchase is GOOD AMMO.  I shoot the Remington 33gr Accutip-V.

My buddy just got a new .22mag with a scope, bought some CHEAP Winchester Ammo(just to sight it in he says) and some Hornady GOOD ones.  
Went to the range on Wednesday- I have no idea how many times that cheap ammo got jammed or misfired altogether.
When going to the Hornady or the Rem GOOD STUFF, NO MISFIRES/No JAMS and it even SMELLED better

If you want to buy some cheap ammo for practice, at LEAST get the CCI's......no problems with them.  You can get teh CCIs' and the Rem Accutips at Wally World


----------

